Esther 6 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

The King Plans to Honor Mordecai

1 During that night ^H3915 [fn]the king ^H4428 could ^H5074 not ^H5074 sleep ^H8142, so he gave ^H559 an ^H559 order ^H559 to bring ^H935 the book ^H5612 of records ^H2146, the chronicles ^H1697 H3117, and they were read ^H7121 before ^H6440 the king ^H4428.

2 And it was found ^H4672 written ^H3789 what ^H834 Mordecai ^H4782 had reported ^H5046 about ^H5921 Bigthana ^H904 and Teresh ^H8657, two ^H8147 of the king’s ^H4428 eunuchs ^H5631 who were doorkeepers ^H8104 H5592, that they had sought ^H1245 to [fn]attack ^H7971 H3027 King ^H4428 Ahasuerus ^H325. 3 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “What ^H4100 honor ^H3366 or dignity ^H1420 has been bestowed ^H6213 on Mordecai ^H4782 for this ^H2088?” And the king’s ^H4428 servants ^H5288 who attended ^H8334 him said ^H559, “Nothing ^H3808 H1697 has been done ^H6213 for him.” 4 So the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “Who ^H4310 is in the courtyard ^H2691?” Now Haman ^H2001 had just entered ^H935 the outer ^H2435 courtyard ^H2691 of the king’s ^H4428 palace ^H1004 in order to speak ^H559 to the king ^H4428 about hanging ^H8518 Mordecai ^H4782 on the wooden ^H6086 gallows which ^H834 he had prepared ^H3559 for him. 5 So the king’s ^H4428 servants ^H5288 said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009, Haman ^H2001 is standing ^H5975 in the courtyard ^H2691.” And the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “Have him come ^H935 in ^H935.” 6 Haman ^H2001 then came ^H935 in ^H935 and the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to him, “What ^H4100 is to be done ^H6213 for the man ^H376 whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 desires ^H2654 to honor ^H3366?” And Haman ^H2001 said ^H559 [fn]to himself ^H3820, “Whom ^H4310 would the king ^H4428 desire ^H2654 to honor ^H6213 H3366 more ^H3148 than ^H4480 me?” 7 Therefore Haman ^H2001 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “For the man ^H376 whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 desires ^H2654 to honor ^H3366, 8 have them bring ^H935 a royal ^H4438 robe ^H3830 which ^H834 the king ^H4428 has worn ^H3847, and the horse ^H5483 on which ^H834 the king ^H4428 has ridden ^H7392, and on whose ^H834 head ^H7218 a royal ^H4438 turban ^H3804 has been placed ^H5414; 9 then order them to hand ^H5414 H3027 the robe ^H3830 and the horse ^H5483 over ^H5921 to one ^H376 of the king’s ^H4428 noble ^H6579 officials ^H8269, and have them dress ^H3847 the man ^H376 whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 desires ^H2654 to honor ^H3366, and lead ^H7392 him on horseback ^H5483 through the city ^H5892 square ^H7339, and proclaim ^H7121 before ^H6440 him, ‘So ^H3602 it shall be done ^H6213 for the man ^H376 whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 desires ^H2654 to honor ^H3366.’”

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

10 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Haman ^H2001, “Quickly ^H4116, take ^H3947 the robe ^H3830 and the horse ^H5483 just ^H834 as ^H834 you have said ^H1696, and do ^H6213 so ^H3651 for Mordecai ^H4782 the Jew ^H3064, who is sitting ^H3427 at the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179; do not fail ^H5307 to ^H5307 do ^H5307 anything ^H1697 of all ^H3605 that you have said ^H1696.”

11 So Haman ^H2001 took ^H3947 the robe ^H3830 and the horse ^H5483, and dressed ^H3847 Mordecai ^H4782, and led ^H7392 him on horseback through the city ^H5892 square ^H7339, and proclaimed ^H7121 before ^H6440 him, “So ^H3602 it shall be done ^H6213 for the man ^H376 whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 desires ^H2654 to honor ^H3366.”

12 Then Mordecai ^H4782 returned ^H7725 to the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179, while Haman ^H2001 hurried ^H1765 home ^H1004, mourning ^H57, with his head ^H7218 covered ^H2645. 13 And Haman ^H2001 informed ^H5608 Zeresh ^H2238 his wife ^H802 and all ^H3605 his friends ^H157 of everything ^H3605 that had happened ^H7136 to him. Then his wise ^H2450 men ^H2450 and Zeresh ^H2238 his wife ^H802 said ^H559 to him, “If ^H518 Mordecai ^H4782, before ^H6440 whom ^H834 you have begun ^H2490 to fall ^H5307, is [fn]of Jewish ^H3064 origin ^H2233, you will not prevail ^H3201 over him, but will certainly ^H5307 fall ^H5307 before ^H6440 him.”

14 While they were still ^H5750 talking ^H1696 with him, the king’s ^H4428 eunuchs ^H5631 arrived ^H5060 and quickly ^H926 brought ^H935 Haman ^H2001 to the banquet ^H4960 which ^H834 Esther ^H635 had prepared ^H6213.