¶ On that night¹ could not the king sleep², and he commanded to bring the book of records³ of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana⁴ and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

And the king said, What honour⁶ and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing⁷ done for him.

¶ And the king said, Who is in the court⁸? Now Haman was come into the outward⁹ court of the king's house, to speak¹⁰ unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king¹¹ delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom¹² would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king¹³ delighteth to honour,

Let the royal¹⁴ apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse¹⁵ that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him¹⁶ on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

¶ Then the king said to Haman, Make haste¹⁷, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail¹⁸ of all that thou hast spoken.

Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed²⁰ Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street²¹ of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

¶ And Mordecai came again²² to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house²³ mourning, and having²⁴ his head covered.

And Haman told Zeresh²⁵ his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise²⁶ men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai²⁷ be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely²⁸ fall before him.

And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring²⁹ Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.