[1] On that night the king couldn`t sleep; and he commanded to bring the
book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king. [2]
It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of
the king`s chamberlains, of those who kept the threshold, who had sought to
lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. [3] The king said, What honor and dignity
has been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then the king`s servants who
ministered to him said, "Nothing has been done for him." [4] The king said,
"Who is in the court?" Now Haman was come into the outward court of the
king`s house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he
had prepared for him. [5] The king`s servants said to him, Behold, Haman
stands in the court. The king said, Let him come in. [6] So Haman came in.
The king said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights
to honor? Now Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do
honor more than to myself? [7] Haman said to the king, For the man whom the
king delights to honor, [8] let royal clothing be brought which the king
uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of
which a crown royal is set: [9] and let the clothing and the horse be
delivered to the hand of one of the king`s most noble princes, that they
may array the man therewith whom the king delights to honor, and cause him
to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before
him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. [10]
Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the clothing and the
horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at
the king`s gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken. [11] Then
took Haman the clothing and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him
to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus
shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. [12] Mordecai
came again to the king`s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and
having his head covered. [13] Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all
his friends everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and
Zeresh his wife to him, If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, be
of the seed of the Jews, you shall not prevail against him, but shall
surely fall before him. [14] While they were yet talking with him, came the
king`s chamberlains, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther
had prepared.
