The night the king could not sleep
1That night the king’s sleep fled. He gave orders to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2It was found written there that Mordecai had reported Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the threshold, who had plotted to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3The king said, “What honor and distinction has been given to Mordecai for this?” The king’s attendants, those who served him, answered, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him. 5The king’s attendants said to him, “Haman is standing there in the court.” The king said, “Let him come in.” 6Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man the king wishes to honor?” Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” 7So Haman said to the king: “For the man the king wishes to honor, 8let them bring royal robes that the king himself has worn, and a horse the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been set. 9Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s noble officials; let them dress the man the king wishes to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, calling out before him: ‘This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor.’” 10The king said to Haman, “Hurry — take the robes and the horse, just as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing of all you have said.” 11So Haman took the robes and the horse, dressed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, calling out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor.” 12Then Mordecai went back to the king’s gate, while Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. 13Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. His wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him; you will surely fall before him.” 14They were still speaking with him when the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman off to the banquet Esther had prepared.
