1 That night the king wasn't able to sleep, so he ordered the Book of Records of the King's Reign brought in so it could be read to him. 2 There he discovered the account of what Mordecai had reported about Bigthana and Teresh, the two king's eunuchs who were doorkeepers who had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.

3 “What honor or position did Morcedai receive as a reward for doing this?” asked the king.

“Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king's attendants.

4 “Who's here in the court?” the king asked. Haman had just happened to arrive in the outer court of the royal palace to ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on the pole he had set up for him.

5 The king's attendants told him, “Haman is waiting in the court.” “Tell him to come in,” the king ordered.

6 When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should be done for a man the king wants to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Who would the king want to honor except me?”

7 So Haman said to the king, “A man whom the king wants to honor 8 should be brought royal robes the king has worn,* This was usually a crime punishable by death since it was close to claiming to be king. Only the king could authorize such a presumptuous act. a horse the king has ridden and which has a royal headdress on its head. 9 Have the robes and the horse handed over to one of the king's highest officials and nobles. Let him make sure the man the king wishes to honor is dressed in the royal robes and that he rides on the horse through the city streets, and have the official announce before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!’ ”

10 Then the king told Haman, “Right! Off you go! Quickly get the royal robes and the horse, and do just what you've said for Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate. Don't leave out anything that you mentioned.”

11 Haman went and got the robes and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and placed him on the horse, and led him through the streets of the city, shouting before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!” 12 Mordecai went back to the palace gate, but Haman rushed home, crying and covering his head in shame.

13 Haman explained to his wife Zeresh and all his friends what had happened to him. These wise friends and his wife Zeresh told him, “If Mordecai is one of the Jewish people, and you have already begun to lose status before him—you won't be able to beat him! You're going to lose to him, you're going to fall!”† Literally this phrase says, “to fall you will fall before him.” 14 While they were still talking to him, the king's eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the dinner which Esther had prepared.