Mordecai Is Honored

1The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him, 2they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes. 3When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.” 4And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him. 5The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.” 6And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself, 7answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor, 8ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head. 9And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’ ”

10And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.” 11And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”

12And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head. 13And he explained to Zeresh his wife and to his friends all that had happened to him. And the wise men, whom he held in counsel, and his wife, answered him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Jews, you will not be able to withstand him, but you will fall in his sight.”

14As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.