Esther 6

General context

That night the king cannot sleep and has the book of records of the chronicles read to him. The reading finds that Mordecai reported Bigthana and Teresh, the two chamberlains who sought to lay hand on the king. The king asks what honour has been done to Mordecai for this, and his servants answer that nothing has been done. He asks who is in the court; Haman has just entered the outward court to ask that Mordecai be hanged on the gallows he has prepared. The king calls him in and asks what should be done for the man whom the king delights to honour. Haman, thinking the king can mean no one but himself, proposes that the royal apparel the king wears, the horse the king rides, and the crown royal be delivered to one of the king's most noble princes, who should array the man, lead him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him. The king tells Haman to make haste and do all of it for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king's gate, letting nothing fail of what he has said. Haman takes the apparel and the horse, arrays Mordecai, leads him through the street and makes the proclamation. Mordecai returns to the king's gate; Haman hurries home mourning with his head covered. When he tells Zeresh and his friends everything, his wise men and Zeresh say that if Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, before whom he has begun to fall, he will not prevail but will surely fall before him. While they are still speaking, the king's chamberlains arrive and hurry Haman to Esther's banquet.

Cited passages: Esther 6:1, Esther 6:2, Esther 6:3, Esther 6:4, Esther 6:5, Esther 6:6, Esther 6:7, Esther 6:8, Esther 6:9, Esther 6:10, Esther 6:11, Esther 6:12, Esther 6:13, Esther 6:14

Esther 6 (KJV)

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Historical context

The night is the one following the building of the gallows, so Haman's request and the reading of the chronicles fall on the same night. The record read to the king is the plot reported in the second chapter, where the chamberlains are called Bigthan and Teresh; here the first name is spelled Bigthana. The servants' answer that nothing has been done for Mordecai establishes that the reward was left undone until this night. The narrator gives no reason for the king's sleeplessness and names no agent behind it; the book of Esther never mentions God, and this chapter is no exception. Haman's assumption is reported as his inward thought by the narrator. His proposal names apparel, horse and the crown royal which is set upon his head; the king's command and the honour as carried out mention only the apparel and the horse, and the text does not say what became of the crown. The saying that Haman will surely fall is a prediction by his wise men and Zeresh, not the narrator's statement, and it is conditional on Mordecai being of the seed of the Jews, which the narrator has already established. Haman's covered head and mourning are stated without explanation.

Cited passages: Esther 6:1, Esther 5:14, Esther 6:2, Esther 2:21, Esther 6:3, Esther 6:6, Esther 6:8, Esther 6:10, Esther 6:11, Esther 6:13, Esther 2:5, Esther 6:12

Literary context

This is the chapter in which the plot turns, and it turns on a question asked without a name. Haman comes to ask for Mordecai's death and leaves having led Mordecai in honour through the city. The king's question, what shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour, is answered by Haman for the man he assumes it must be, and the king then returns Haman's own words to him: as thou hast said, let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. The phrase the man whom the king delighteth to honour runs through the king's question, Haman's answer, the proposal and the proclamation in the street. Verse 12 sets the two men's destinations side by side: Mordecai back to the king's gate, Haman home in mourning. Zeresh and the friends, who the day before advised a gallows and a merry banquet, now predict Haman's fall. The chapter ends without a pause, the chamberlains hurrying Haman to the banquet at which he will be named. The connection back to the chronicles of chapter 2 shows the narrator holding a detail in reserve for four chapters before using it.

Cited passages: Esther 6:4, Esther 6:11, Esther 6:6, Esther 6:10, Esther 6:7, Esther 6:9, Esther 6:12, Esther 5:14, Esther 6:13, Esther 6:14, Esther 2:23, Esther 6:1

Key moments

1. The king cannot sleep (Esther 6:1). The sleepless king has the book of records read before him.
2. Nothing done for Mordecai (Esther 6:3). The servants say no honour has been given Mordecai for exposing the plot.
3. Haman's assumption (Esther 6:6). Haman thinks the king can mean to honour no one but himself.
4. Do even so to Mordecai (Esther 6:10). The king orders Haman to carry out his own proposal for Mordecai the Jew.
5. Haman leads Mordecai (Esther 6:11). Haman arrays Mordecai and leads him on horseback through the city.
6. Thou shalt surely fall (Esther 6:13). Haman's wise men and Zeresh predict he will fall before Mordecai.
7. Hurried to the banquet (Esther 6:14). The king's chamberlains hasten Haman to Esther's banquet.

For reflection

The king asks his question without naming anyone, and Haman answers for the man he assumes it must be. What does the chapter show about hearing a question through one's own expectations?

People in this chapter

• Haman
• Mordecai
• Judah
• Esther

Also indexed here:

• Ahasuerus
• Bigthan
• Teresh
• Zeresh