#9: Haman And Mordecai (Esther 3:1-6, 6:1-14)
Chapter 3
1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
2 All the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn't bow down, nor did him reverence.
3 Then the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, said to Mordecai, Why disobey you the king's commandment?
4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn't listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told those who he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didn't bow down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
6 But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: why Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
Chapter 6
1 On that night the king couldn't sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
2 It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those who kept the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.
3 The king said, What honor and dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then the king's servants who ministered to him said, "Nothing has been done for him."
4 The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 The king's servants said to him, Behold, Haman stands in the court. The king said, Let him come in.
6 So Haman came in. The king said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?
7 Haman said to the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor,
8 let royal clothing be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a crown royal is set:
9 and let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man therewith whom the king delights to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.
11 Then took Haman the clothing and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
12 Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
13 Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife to him, If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him.
14 While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Translation: World English Bible