Esther 6:1-14
1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthanaa and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the kingb delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the kingc delighteth to honour,
8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:
9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bringd him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.
11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.
God is in control
Book of Esther
Robert Bryce
Chapter 6
v1 That night the king could not sleep. He ordered that someone should bring the book of the official records of his rule. He ordered that they should read it to him. v2 In the book, he discovered the report about Mordecai. Mordecai had warned the king about Bigthan and Teresh. They were the king’s officials who guarded the door. They had planned to kill King Xerxes.
v3 The king said, ‘What great honour have we given to Mordecai for this?’
‘We have not done anything for him’, his servants answered.
v4 The king said, ‘Who is in the yard?’
Haman had entered the outer yard of the king’s palace. He had come to speak to the king. He wanted the king to hang Mordecai on the *gallows. Haman had prepared the *gallows for Mordecai.
v5 The king’s servants said, ‘Haman is standing in the yard.’
‘Tell him to come in’, the king answered.
Verses 1-5 We do not know why the king could not sleep. We do not know why he chose to read the books of official records. Maybe he thought that they were very dull. They would make him sleepy. But we know that this was part of God’s plan.
The kings of Persia were generous to loyal people. It is strange that the king had not rewarded Mordecai before. So now, the king wanted to reward Mordecai immediately. This too was part of God’s plan.
It was probably almost dawn. The king wanted advice about how he should reward Mordecai. He decided to ask the first important official that he could find. It was Haman. Haman got up early. At quite the right time, he came to see the king. He wanted the king to hang Mordecai. Then Haman could enjoy his meal with the king and queen. Perhaps Haman also did not sleep well.
v6 So Haman came in. The king said to him, ‘The king really wants to show honour to a certain man. What should the king do for that man?’
Now Haman thought to himself, ‘The king really wants to show honour to me. Nobody else deserves the king’s honour.’
v7 And Haman answered the king, ‘This is how the king should show honour to that man. v8 Bring royal clothes that the king has worn. And bring a horse that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head. v9 Give the clothes and the horse to one of the king’s most important princes. He should put the clothes on the man whom the king wants to receive this honour. Then the prince should lead that man, on horseback, through the main street of the city. He should declare in front of that man, “When the king really wants to show honour to a man, the king rewards that man in this manner.” ’
Verses 6-9 The king did not ask Haman what he wanted. Instead, the king asked Haman for advice, but the king did not mention Mordecai’s name. Haman was proud. He thought that the king wanted to show him honour. It was usual for kings of Persia to ask people how they would like the king to show them honour. Haman did not choose riches. He was already very rich. He chose a reward that made him seem very important. He wanted to dress like the king himself and to ride the king’s own horse. This would happen in the main street of the city, where everybody could see him.
v10 Then the king said to Haman, ‘Go at once; take the clothes and the horse. Do what you have said to Mordecai the *Jew. He sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything that you have suggested.’
v11 So Haman got the clothes and the horse. He put the clothes on Mordecai and led him, on horseback, through the main street of the city. He declared, in front of him, ‘When the king really wants to show honour to a man, the king rewards that man in this manner.’
Verses 10-11 The king agreed with Haman’s advice. But he gave Haman a shock. The king said that he wanted to reward Mordecai. So the king ordered Haman to reward his enemy Mordecai, as Haman had wanted the king to reward him. Haman had to obey.
The king knew that Mordecai was a *Jew. This must have made Haman uneasy. It also shows that Haman had lied to the king. He had said that the *Jews were not a benefit to the king (Esther 3:8). It shows something else too. The king did not know which nation Haman wanted to destroy.
v12 Then Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to go to his house. He covered his head in shame and he was very miserable.
v13 He told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His wife Zeresh and his wise men said to him, ‘Mordecai is a *Jew and, because of him, you are starting to lose your power. You cannot succeed against him. You will certainly fail.’
v14 While they were still talking to him, the king’s officials came to hurry Haman to the meal. This was the meal that Esther had prepared.
Verses 12-14 Mordecai must have been very surprised by what his enemy Haman did to him. Mordecai remained humble and he went back to his place at the king’s gate. Haman would have been very proud if the king had rewarded him in that way. (See Esther 5:9-11.) Haman covered his head as he went home. He did this because he was so miserable. He told his wife and friends what had happened. The wise men were probably the same friends who had given him advice the day before (Esther 5:14). His wife and friends gave him very different advice this time. The day before they had advised him to kill Mordecai. But Haman had told them that Mordecai was a *Jew (Esther 5:13). Now even Haman’s friends seemed to believe that God would protect his *Jewish people.
gallows ~ a wooden structure where people used to hang criminals or enemies in order to kill them. Or, a wooden structure where people would hang the dead bodies of criminals or enemies.Jews ~ people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the people called Jews.
Jews ~ people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.