1 ARST That night the king was unable to sleep. So he told{ the young men who attended him} to bring in the royal chronicles. One{ of the young men got the chronicles and} began to read them out loud to the king. BSB BSB: That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.
2 ARST The chronicles said that Bigthan and Teresh, two of the royal guardians who protected the doorway{ to the king’ s private quarters}, had planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. The chronicles also said that Mordecai{ had discovered their plot and} had let the king know about it.{ By doing that, Mordecai saved the king’ s life.} BSB BSB: And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 ARST Then the king asked,“In what great way did I honor Mordecai for saving my life?” The young men who attended him replied,“No one did anything for him.” BSB BSB: The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.
4 ARST At that moment, Haman entered the outer courtyard of the king’ s house. He had come to tell the king that he wanted to hang Mordecai on the pole that he had set up for Mordecai. The king{ wanted to consult someone about the best way to honor Mordecai, so he} asked,“Who is out in the courtyard?” BSB BSB: “Who is in the court?” the king asked. Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.
5 ARST The young men replied,“O king, Haman is standing in the courtyard.” The king said,“Bring him in.” BSB BSB: So the king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” “Bring him in,” ordered the king.
6 ARST When Haman came in, the king asked him,“What should I do for the man whom I would really like to honor?” Haman thought to himself,“Certainly I am the person whom the king would like to honor more than anyone else!” BSB BSB: Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”
7 ARST Haman replied to the king,“If you really want to honor someone, BSB BSB: And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor,
8 ARST tell your servants to bring one of your own royal robes that you have already worn yourself. Have them also bring a horse that you have already ridden yourself and put a royal crown on its head{ to show that it belongs to you}. BSB BSB: have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head.
9 ARST Then,{ on your behalf,} have one of your most noble officials present the man with the robe and the horse. Have your servants clothe the man whom you really want to honor{ with the robe}. Have them seat that man on the horse and then lead the horse through the public square of the city. Have them shout out{ to everyone} in front of them,‘The king is doing this because he really wants to honor this man!’” BSB BSB: Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”
10 ARST The king{ liked this plan, so he} replied to Haman,“Go quickly! Take the robe and the horse and do what you have just described for Mordecai the Jew. He{ is one of my servants who} sits by the gate to the palace. Make sure that you do absolutely everything that you have said.” BSB BSB: “Hurry,” said the king to Haman, “and do just as you proposed. Take the robe and the horse to Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything that you have suggested.”
11 ARST So Haman{ did what the king commanded. He} got the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai, seated him on the horse, and then led the horse through the public square of the city. As he did, he shouted out to everyone in front of him,“The king is doing this because he really wants to honor this man!” BSB BSB: So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai, and paraded him through the city square, crying out before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!”
12 ARST Then Mordecai went back to{ his place at} the king’ s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, covering{ his} head{ because he felt so} humiliated. BSB BSB: Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief.
13 ARST Haman{ gathered} all his friends{ together once again. He} told them and his wife Zeresh everything that had happened to him{ that day. Some of his friends were also} his advisors{, and they} and his wife Zeresh told him,“Mordecai has begun to defeat you. Since he is one of the Jewish people, you will not win against him. Instead, he will certainly defeat you.” BSB BSB: Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is Jewish, you will not prevail against him—for surely you will fall before him.”
14 ARST While they were still talking together,{ some of} the royal guardians arrived to bring Haman quickly to the banquet that Esther{ and her servants} had prepared. BSB BSB: While they were still speaking with Haman, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed him to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.