Ahasuerus, reading in the chronicles of the good service done by Mordecai, taketh care for his reward.

1 ¶ On that² nightº could notºª the kingº sleep,º and he commandedºª to bringºª² the bookº of recordsº of the chronicles;ºº and they were² readºª beforeº the king.º 2 And it was foundºª written,ºª that² Mordecaiº had toldºª of² Bigthanaº and Teresh,º twoº of the king'sº chamberlains,º the keepersºª² of the door,º who² soughtºª to layºª handº on the kingº Ahasuerus.º 3 And the kingº said,ºª What² honourº and dignityº hath been doneºª to Mordecaiº for² this?² Then saidºª the king'sº servantsº that ministeredºª unto him, There is nothingº² doneºª for² him.

Haman, coming to sue that Mordecai might be hanged, unawares giveth counsel that he might do him honour.

4 ¶ And the kingº said,ºª Who² [is] in the court?º Now Hamanº was comeºª into the outwardº courtº of the king'sº house,º to speakºª unto the kingº to hangºª² Mordecaiº on² the gallowsº that² he had preparedºª for him. 5 And the king'sº servantsº saidºª unto² him, Behold,² Hamanº standethºª in the court.º And the kingº said,ºª Let him come in.ºª 6 So Hamanº came in.ºª And the kingº saidºª unto him, What² shall be doneºª unto the manº whom² the kingº delightethºª to honour?º Now Hamanº thoughtºª in his heart,º To whom² would the kingº delightºª to doºª honourº more¹ than² to² myself? 7 And Hamanº answeredºª² the king,º For the manº whom² the kingº delightethºª to honour,º 8 Let the royalº apparelº be broughtºª which² the kingº [useth] to wear,ºª and the horseº that² the kingº ridethºª upon,² and the crownº royalº which² is setºª upon his head:º 9 And let this apparelº and horseº be deliveredºª to² the handº of oneº of the king'sº most nobleº princes,º² that they may arrayºª² the manº [withal] whom² the kingº delightethºª to honour,º and bringºª him on² horsebackº through the streetº of the city,º and proclaimºª beforeº him, Thus² shall it be doneºª to the manº whom² the kingº delightethºª to honour.º 10 Then the kingº saidºª to Haman,º Make haste,ºª [and] takeºª² the apparelº and the horse,º as² thou hast said,ºª and doºª even so² to Mordecaiº the Jew,º that sittethºª at the king'sº gate:º let nothingº² failºª of all²² that² thou hast spoken.ºª 11 Then tookºª Hamanº² the apparelº and the horse,º and arrayedºª² Mordecai,º and brought him on horsebackºª through the streetº of the city,º and proclaimedºª beforeº him, Thus² shall it be doneºª unto the manº whom² the kingº delightethºª to honour.º

Complaining of his misfortune, his friends tell him of his final destiny.

12 ¶ And Mordecaiº came againºª to² the king'sº gate.º But Hamanº hastedºª to² his houseº mourning,º and having his headº covered.ºª 13 And Hamanº toldºª Zereshº his wifeº and all² his friendsºª² every² [thing] that² had befallenºª him. Then saidºª his wise menº and Zereshº his wifeº unto him, If² Mordecaiº [be] of the seedº² of the Jews,º beforeº whom² thou hast begunºª to fall,ºª thou shalt not² prevailºª against him, but² shalt surely¹ª fallºª beforeº him. 14 And while they [were] yet² talkingºª with² him, cameºª the king'sº chamberlains,º and hastedºª to bringºª² Hamanº unto² the banquetº that² Estherº had prepared.ºª