On that night ¹the king ^acould not sleep; so he ordered that ^bthe book of records and memorable deeds, the chronicles, be brought, and they were read before the king. 2 It was found written there how ^aMordecai had reported that Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, had planned to ¹attack King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) . 3 The king said, “What honor or distinction has been given Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just ^aentered the outer court of the king’s palace to ask the king about ^1bhanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. 5 The king’s servants said to him, “Look, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man ^awhom the king desires to honor?” Now Haman thought ¹to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” 7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and ^athe horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head ^ba royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let him dress the man whom the king delights to honor in the royal robe and lead him on horseback through the open square of the city, ^aand proclaim before him, ‘This is what shall be done for the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Quickly take the royal robe and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing of all that you have said.” 11 So Haman took the royal robe and the horse and dressed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming before him, “This is what shall be done for the man whom the king desires to honor.”

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his own house, mourning and ^awith his head covered in sorrow. 13 Then Haman told ^aZeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise counselors and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall in status, is of Jewish heritage, you will not overcome him, but will certainly fall before him.”

14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs (attendants) arrived and hurriedly ^abrought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

During that night ¹the king ^acould not sleep so he gave an order to bring ^bthe book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 It was found written what ^aMordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just ^aentered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about ^bhanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. 5 The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man ^awhom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said ¹to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” 7 Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and ^athe horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head ^ba royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, ^aand proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” 11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, ^awith his head covered. 13 Haman recounted ^ato Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is ¹of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”

14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily ^abrought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.