THE BOOK OF
ESTHER

Esther 6 ©

The king, not being able to sleep, causes the book of the chronicles to be brought, v. 1. Wherein is found written the wicked attempt of Bigthana and Teresh, discovered by Mordecai, 2. The king asks what honor was done unto Mordecai for this. His servants answer: None, 3. Haman being in the court, 4. is called in, 5. and the king asks him what honor should be done to that man, whom the king intended to honor, 6. Haman’s answer hereunto, 7. The king commands Haman to do all that honor unto Mordecai, which himself had mentioned, 10. This he does, 11. After that he returns home sorrowful and grieved, 12. And reports all that had befallen him unto his wife and friends, who foretell him his further fall, 13. He is hastened away unto Esther’s banquet, 14.

1

ON that night 1could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring 2the book of records of 3the chronicles; and they were 4read 5before the king.

2

And it was found written, 6that Mordecai had told of 7Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

3

And the king said, What honour and 8dignity hath been done to Mordecai 9for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is 10nothing done for 11him.

4

¶And the king said, Who is 12in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, 13to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5

And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman stand-eth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

6

So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought 14in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour 15more than to myself?

7

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8

Let 16the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the 17crown royal which is set upon his head:

9

And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him 18on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

10

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11

Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12

¶And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman 19hasted to his house mourning, and having his head 20covered.

13

And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said 21his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, 22If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, 23but shalt surely fall before him.

14

And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.