¹That night the king could not sleep. So he told ⸤a servant⸥ to bring the official daily records, and they were read to the king. ²The records showed how Mordecai had informed him that Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted a rebellion against King Xerxes.

³The king asked, “How did I reward and promote Mordecai for this?”

The king’s personal staff replied, “Nothing was done for him.”

⁴The king asked, “Who is in the courtyard?” At that moment, Haman came through the courtyard to the king’s palace to ask the king about hanging Mordecai on the pole he had prepared for him.

⁵The king’s staff answered him, “Haman happens to be standing in the courtyard.”

“Let him come in,” the king said.

⁶So Haman came in. The king then asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to reward?”

Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to reward more than me?” ⁷So Haman told the king, “This is what should be done: ⁸⸤The servants⸥ should bring a royal robe that the king has worn and a horse that the king has ridden, one that has a royal crest on its head. ⁹Give the robe and the horse to one of the king’s officials, who is a noble. Put the robe on the man whom the king wishes to reward and have him ride on the horse in the city square. The king’s servants are also to shout ahead of him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king wishes to reward.’ ”

¹⁰The king told Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse as you said. Do this for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Do not omit anything you have said.”

¹¹So Haman took the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai and had him ride in the city square, shouting ahead of him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king wishes to reward.”

¹²After that, Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried home. He was in despair and covered his head. ¹³There, Haman began to relate in detail to his wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his counselors and his wife Zeresh told him, “You are starting to lose power to Mordecai. If Mordecai is of Jewish descent, you will never win out over him. He will certainly lead to your downfall.”

¹⁴While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the dinner Esther had prepared.

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