Esther 6

The King Could Not Sleep, and the Book Was Read

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The King Cannot Sleep and Reads the Records

6:1But the Lord removed sleep from the king that night, and he told his teacher to bring in the written remembrances of the days and read them to him.

6:2He found the writings recorded about Mordecai: how he had reported to the king about the king’s two eunuchs while they were on guard and sought to lay hands on Artaxerxes.

6:3The king said, “What honor or favor have we shown Mordecai?” The king’s attendants said, “You have done nothing for him.”

What Shall Be Done for the Man the King Honors

6:4While the king was inquiring about Mordecai’s loyalty, look, Haman was in the court. The king said, “Who is in the court?” Haman had come in to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the tree he had prepared.

6:5The king’s attendants said, “Look, Haman is standing in the court.” The king said, “Call him.”

6:6The king said to Haman, “What shall I do for the man whom I wish to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Whom does the king wish to honor except me?”

6:7He said to the king, “As for a man whom the king wishes to honor,

6:8let the king’s servants bring a fine linen robe that the king wears and a horse on which the king rides.

6:9Let him give them to one of the king’s distinguished friends, and let that man clothe the man whom the king loves, mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the city square, ‘So shall it be for every man whom the king honors!’”

Haman Leads Mordecai Through the Square

6:10The king said to Haman, “Do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who serves in the court. Do not let a word of what you have said fall away from you.”

6:11Haman took the robe and the horse, clothed Mordecai, mounted him on the horse, went through the city square, and proclaimed, “So shall it be for every man whom the king wishes to honor!”

Haman Grieves and His Friends Foretell His Fall

6:12Mordecai returned to the court, but Haman returned to his own home, grieving and with his head covered.

6:13Haman recounted what had happened to him to Zosara his wife and to his friends. His friends and his wife said to him, “If Mordecai is of the race of the Jews, and you have begun to be humbled before him, you will surely fall. You will certainly not be able to ward him off, because a living God is with him.”

6:14While they were still speaking, the eunuchs arrived, hurrying Haman to the drinking feast Esther had prepared.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.