Greek Esther 6
The King Honours Mordecai
1 That night the Lord kept the king from sleeping, so the king ordered his private secretary to bring the official records of the empire and read them to him. 2 He read the account of how Mordecai had uncovered a plot to assassinate the king — the plot made by the two eunuchs who served as palace guards. 3 The king asked, “How have we honoured and rewarded Mordecai for this?”
His servants answered, “You have done nothing for him.”
4 Now just as the king was inquiring about Mordecai's good deed, Haman entered the courtyard. He had come to ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on the gallows that was now ready.
“Who is that in the courtyard?” the king asked.
5 The servants answered, “It is Haman; he is waiting to see you.”
“Show him in,” said the king.
6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “There is someone I wish very much to honour. What should I do for this man?”
Haman thought to himself, “Now who would the king want to honour so much? Me, of course.”
7–8 So he answered the king, “Let the royal servants bring a fine linen robe for this man — one that you yourself wear. And let them bring a horse that you yourself ride. 9 Then get one of your highest noblemen to put that robe on the man you like so much and then get the nobleman to lead him, mounted on the horse, through the city square. Let the nobleman announce as they go: ‘See how the king rewards a man whom he wishes to honour!’ ”
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Fine! Do all that for Mordecai the Jew, who holds a high position in the palace; don't leave out anything.”
11 So Haman got the robe and the horse, and he put the robe on Mordecai. Mordecai got on the horse and Haman led him through the city square, announcing to the people as they went: “See how the king rewards a man whom he wishes to honour!”
12 Mordecai then went back to the courtyard while Haman hurried home, covering his face in embarrassment. 13 He told his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then they all said to him, “You are beginning to lose power to Mordecai. He is a Jew, and you cannot overcome him. He will certainly defeat you, for the living God is with him!”
Haman is Put to Death
14 While they were still talking, the palace eunuchs arrived to take Haman to Esther's banquet.
Good News Translation® with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
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