6 That night the king was unable to sleep so he ordered the royal chronicles to be fetched and to be read to him. 2 The chronicles mentioned that Bigthan and Teresh, two of the royal guardians who protected the doorway to the king’s private quarters, had planned to assassinate the king, but that Mordekai had reported it. 3 “What honour or recognition did I give Mordekai for saving my life?” the king asked.

“Nothing was done for him,” replied the young men who were attending him.

4 At that moment, Haman had entered the outer courtyard of the king’s house. He had come to tell the king that he wanted to execute Mordekai on the pole that he’d had set up for him.

“Who’s out in the courtyard?” the king asked.

5 “Haman’s out there standing in the courtyard,” replied the young men.

“Bring him in then,” the king instructed.

6 When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should I do for a man that I would really like to honour?”

Haman thought to himself, “Surely it must be me that the king would like to honour more than anyone else?” 7 so he replied to the king, “If you really want to honour someone, 8 tell your servants to bring one of your own royal robes that you have already worn yourself and also bring a horse that you have already ridden yourself and put a royal crown on its head. 9 Then have one of your most noble officials present the man with the robe and the horse. Have your servants put the robe on the man whom you really want to honour and have them seat that man on the horse and then lead the horse through the public square of the city while they shout out to everyone in front of them, ‘The king is doing this because he really wants to honour this man!’ ”

10 The king agreed so he replied to Haman, “Go quickly and take the robe and the horse and do what you’ve just described for Mordekai the Jew who sits by the gate to the palace. Make sure that you do absolutely everything that you’ve said.”

11 So Haman got the robe and the horse and put the robe on Mordekai, seated him on the horse, and then led the horse through the public square of the city. As he did, he shouted out to everyone in front of him, “The king is doing this because he really wants to honour this man!”

12 Afterwards, Mordekai returned to the king’s gate but Haman hurried to his house, covering his head like a mourner. 13 At home he explained to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his advisors and his wife said to him, “Mordekai has begun to defeat you and since he is one of the Jewish people, you won’t win against him—instead, he’ll certainly defeat you.”