Esther

Esther 6 ©

1 Ahasuerus, hearing read in the chronicles the good service done by Mordecai, thinketh how to reward him. 4 Haman, coming to request that Mordecai might be hanged, becometh himself the instrument of doing him honour. 12 Complaining of his misfortune, his friends foretell him of his fall.

1

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

2

And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of 2Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the 3door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

3

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

4

¶And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into bthe outward court of the king's house, cto 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 dthought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

7

And Haman eanswered the king, For the man 4whom the king delighteth to honour,

8

5Let the royal *apparel be brought 6which the king useth to wear, and the fhorse that the king rideth upon, and the crown 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 7bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and gproclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

10

Then the king said to Haman, hMake 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: 8let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11

Then itook 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 jcame again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and khaving his head covered.

13

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

14

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

p ch. 5.8.