Esther 6

EasyEnglish Bible

The king remembers Mordecai

6 That night the king could not sleep. He asked a servant to bring the kingdom's history book. He asked the servant to read the book to him.

² The history book included a report of how two of the king's eunuchs wanted to kill King Xerxes. Their names were Bigthana and Teresh. The report said that Mordecai had told the king about this.^{[a] 3} When the king heard this, he asked his servant, ‘When Mordecai saved my life, what great honour did we give to him?’ The king's servants replied, ‘We did not do anything for him.’

⁴ The king said, ‘Who is now in the palace yard?’

Haman had just arrived at the palace. His men had built the wooden tower. Now he wanted to ask the king to hang Mordecai on it to kill him. ⁵ The king's servants said to the king, ‘Haman is in the palace yard.’ The king said, ‘Bring him here to me.’

⁶ Haman came in to the king's room. The king asked him, ‘If I want to give great honour to a man, what should we do for that man?’

Haman thought to himself, ‘I am sure that I am that man. The king must want to give me honour.’ ⁷ So Haman replied to the king, ‘This is what you should do for that man, if you want to give him honour. ⁸ Your servants should bring some royal clothes that you yourself have worn. They should bring a horse that you yourself have ridden on as king. They should put a special crown on the horse's head to show that it belongs to you. ⁹ Then give the clothes and the horse to one of your royal officers. Tell the officer to put the king's clothes on the man that you want to give honour to. Then the officer must put the man on the king's horse. He must lead him through all the streets of the city. As he goes, the officer must shout, “This is what the king does for a man that he want to give honour to!” ’

¹⁰ The king said to Haman, ‘That is a good idea! Go quickly! Get my clothes and my horse. Go and do everything that you have suggested. Do it for the Jew, Mordecai, who sits at the king's gate. Be careful to do for him everything that you said.’

¹¹ So Haman took the king's clothes and the king's horse to Mordecai. He put the king's clothes on Mordecai. Then he led Mordecai on the horse through all the streets of the city. Haman went in front and he shouted, ‘Look! This is what the king does for a man that he want to give honour to!’

¹² After this, Mordecai returned to sit at the king's gate. But Haman hurried back home. He covered his face because he was ashamed and upset. ¹³ He told his wife, Zeresh, and his friends about everything that had happened to him. Then his advisors, as well as his wife, said to him, ‘It seems that you have already lost some of your power to Mordecai. If he really is Jewish, you will never win against him. He will destroy you completely.’

¹⁴ While they were speaking, the king's eunuchs arrived. Very quickly they took Haman to the special meal that Esther had prepared.