*Esther 6:1-7:10
Unable to sleep, King Ahasuerus learns of Mordecai’s loyalty, unwittingly prompting Haman to unknowingly honor the very man he despises.
- A Sleepless Night for the King:
- King Xerxes, unable to sleep, orders the chronicles of his reign to be read to him.
- In the records, he discovers that Mordecai, who saved his life, has not been rewarded.
- Haman’s Plan and Mordecai’s Honor:
- Haman, the king’s advisor and Mordecai’s enemy, arrives to seek permission to hang Mordecai.
- The king seeks advice on how to honor a man, presuming it to be Haman.
- Haman suggests an extravagant public honor, unaware it will be for Mordecai.
- Haman’s Humiliation:
- Haman reluctantly honors Mordecai as the king commanded.
- Haman, distressed, rushes home to his wife and advisors, foreboding his downfall.
- Esther’s Banquet and Revelation:
- At Esther’s second banquet, the king asks what she desires.
- Esther reveals her Jewish identity and exposes Haman’s plot to annihilate her people.
- The king, enraged, orders Haman’s execution on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai.
- Haman’s Fate:
- Haman is impaled on the same gallows intended for Mordecai.
- The king’s decree is sent throughout the kingdom, allowing the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies.
Esther 6:1–7:10 reminds us that God is always working behind the scenes, even when we don’t see it. Haman planned to harm Mordecai, but in the end, his own pride led to his downfall, while Mordecai was honored. This teaches us that we don’t have to take revenge or fight for recognition—God sees everything and will bring justice in His perfect time. When we trust Him, stay faithful, and do what is right, He will take care of the rest.
Esther 6:1-7:10 (WEB)
6:1 On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king. 2 It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were doorkeepers, who had tried to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus. 3 The king said, “What honor and dignity has been given to Mordecai for this?”Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging 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, “Who would the king delight to honor more than 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 royal crown is set. 9 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 whom the king delights to honor with them, and have him ride on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’ ”10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.”11 Then Haman took the clothing and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and had him ride through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”12 Mordecai came back 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 happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him, but you will surely fall before him.” 14 While they were yet talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.7:1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. 2 The king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition, queen Esther? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”3 Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”5 Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”6 Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!”Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. 7 The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. 8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.9 Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king, said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.”The king said, “Hang him on it!”10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath was pacified.