The King Honours Mordecai

Haman left Queen Esther’s banquet joyful and pleased. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and Mordecai did not stand up or move for him, Haman was filled with anger. He went home and called for his friends and his wife, Zeresh.

Haman boasted about his riches, his many children, how greatly the king had promoted him, and how Esther had invited only him to the banquet with the king, and again for the next day. Yet he said all of it meant nothing to him while Mordecai sat at the king’s gate.

Then Zeresh and Haman’s friends gave him cruel advice. They told him to have a gallows made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning ask the king to hang Mordecai on it. After that, they said, he could go cheerfully to Esther’s banquet. Haman liked the idea, so he had the gallows made.

That night the king could not sleep. He ordered the book of records, the royal chronicles, to be brought and read to him. There it was found written that Mordecai had reported Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the door and had planned to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. The king asked what honour had been given to Mordecai for this, and his servants answered, nothing had been done.

Then the king asked who was in the court. Haman had just come into the outer court to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared. When Haman came in, the king asked, what should be done for the man the king delights to honour? Haman thought to himself that the king must mean him. So he suggested royal robes the king had worn, the king’s horse with a royal crown on its head, and a public proclamation through the city square.

The king told Haman to hurry and do exactly that for Mordecai the Jew, who sat at the king’s gate. So Haman clothed Mordecai, had him ride through the city square, and proclaimed his honour. Afterwards Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried home, grieving and with his head covered.

Zeresh and his wise men said that if Mordecai was of Jewish descent, Haman would not overcome him, but would surely fall before him. While they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs came and quickly brought Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.