Esther 6

Mordecai Is Honored

1ThatH1931 nightH3915 sleepH8142 escapedH5074 the kingH4428; so he orderedH559 the BookH5612 of RecordsH2146, the ChroniclesH1697H3117,1 to beH1961 brought inH935 and readH7121 toH6440 himH4428. 2And there it was foundH4672 recordedH3789 thatH834 MordecaiH4782 had exposedH5046H5921 BigthanaH9042 and TereshH8657, twoH8147 of the eunuchsH5631 who guardedH8104 the king’sH4428 entranceH5592, whenH834 they had conspiredH1245 to assassinateH7971H3027 KingH4428 XerxesH325.

3The kingH4428 inquiredH559, “WhatH4100 honorH3366 or dignityH1420 has been bestowedH6213 on MordecaiH4782 forH5921 this actH2088?”

“NothingH3808H1697 has been doneH6213 for himH5973,” repliedH559 the king’sH4428 attendantsH5288H8334.

4“WhoH4310 is in the courtH2691?” the kingH4428 askedH559.

Now HamanH2001 had just enteredH935 the outerH2435 courtH2691 of the palaceH1004H4428 to askH559 the kingH4428 to hangH8518 MordecaiH4782 onH5921 the gallowsH6086 he had preparedH3559 for him. 5So the king’sH4428H413 attendantsH5288 answered himH559, “HamanH2001 is thereH2009, standingH5975 in the courtH2691.”

“Bring him inH935,” orderedH559 the kingH4428.

6HamanH2001 enteredH935, and the kingH4428 askedH559 him, “WhatH4100 should be doneH6213 for the manH376 whomH834 the kingH4428 is delightedH2654 to honorH3366?”

Now HamanH2001 thoughtH559 to himselfH3820, “WhomH4310 would the kingH4428 be delightedH2654 to honorH6213H3366 moreH3148 than meH4480?”

7And HamanH2001H413 toldH559 the kingH4428, “For the manH376 whomH834 the kingH4428 is delightedH2654 to honorH3366, 8have them bringH935 a royalH4438 robeH3830 thatH834 the king himselfH4428 has wornH3847 and a horseH5483 on whichH834 the king himselfH4428 has riddenH7392—one withH834 a royalH4438 crestH3804 placedH5414 on its headH7218. 9LetH5414 the robeH3830 and the horseH5483 be entrustedH5921H3027 to oneH376 of the king’sH4428 most nobleH6579 princesH8269. Let them arrayH3847 the manH376 the kingH4428 wantsH2654 to honorH3366 and parade himH7392 onH5921 the horseH5483 through the cityH5892 squareH7339, proclaimingH7121 before himH6440, ‘This is whatH3602 is doneH6213 for the manH376 whomH834 the kingH4428 is delightedH2654 to honorH3366!’”

10“HurryH4116,” saidH559 the kingH4428 to HamanH2001, “and doH6213H3651 just asH834 you proposedH1696. TakeH3947 the robeH3830 andH853 the horseH5483 to MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064, who is sittingH3427 at the king’sH4428 gateH8179. Do notH408 neglectH5307 anythingH1697H3605 thatH834 you have suggestedH1696.”

11So HamanH2001 tookH3947 the robeH3830 and the horseH5483, arrayedH3847 MordecaiH4782, and paraded himH7392 through the cityH5892 squareH7339, crying outH7121 before himH6440, “This is whatH3602 is doneH6213 for the manH376 whomH834 the kingH4428 is delightedH2654 to honorH3366!”

12Then MordecaiH4782 returnedH7725 toH413 the king’sH4428 gateH8179. But HamanH2001 rushedH1765H413 homeH1004, with his headH7218 coveredH2645 in griefH57.

13HamanH2001 toldH5608 his wifeH802 ZereshH2238 and allH3605 his friendsH157 everythingH3605 thatH834 had happenedH7136. His advisersH2450 and his wifeH802 ZereshH2238 saidH559 to him, “SinceH518H2233 MordecaiH4782, beforeH6440 whomH834 your downfallH5307 has begunH2490, is JewishH3064, you will not prevailH3808H3201 against him—forH3588 surely you will fallH5307 before himH6440.”

14While they were stillH5750 speakingH1696 withH5973 Haman, the king’sH4428 eunuchsH5631 arrivedH5060 and rushedH926H935 him toH413 the banquetH4960 thatH834 EstherH635 had preparedH6213.