Esther

¹The Lord removed sleep from the king that night; so he told his servant to bring in the books, the registers of daily events, to read to him. ²And he found the records written concerning Mordecai, how he had told the king about the king’s two chamberlains, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Ahasuerus. ³The king said, “What honor or favor have we done for Mordecai?” The king’s servants said, “You haven’t done anything for him.” ⁴And while the king was enquiring about the kindness of Mordecai, behold, Haman was in the court. The king said, “Who is in the court? Now Haman had come in to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared. ⁵The king’s servants said, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” And the king said, “Call him!” ⁶The king said to Haman, “What should I do for the man whom I wish to honor?” Haman said within himself, “Whom would the king honor but myself?” ⁷He said to the king, “As for the man whom the king wishes to honor, ⁸let the king’s servants bring the robe of fine linen which the king puts on, and the horse on which the king rides, ⁹and let him give it to one of the king’s noble friends, and let him dress the man whom the king loves. Let him mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the streets of the city, saying, “This is what will be done for every man whom the king honors!” ¹⁰Then the king said to Haman, “You have spoken well. Do so for Mordecai the Jew, who waits in the palace, and let not a word of what you have spoken be neglected!” ¹¹So Haman took the robe and the horse, dressed Mordecai, mounted him on the horse, and went through the streets of the city, proclaiming, “This is what will be done for every man whom the king wishes to honor.” ¹²Then Mordecai returned to the palace; but Haman went home mourning, with his head covered. ¹³Haman related the events that had happened to him to Zeresh 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 assuredly fall; and you will not be able to withstand him, for the living God is with him.”

¹⁴While they were still speaking, the chamberlains arrived to rush Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.