Esther 6

1-13 The King Honors Mordecai

1-3 That night the king can’t sleep, so he reads the book of records and discovers that Mordecai foiled a plot to kill him (2:19-23).

2-5 After he asks, his servants tell him the Mordecai has not been honored for this, so he asks who is in the court. It’s Haman; he’s come to ask the king to hang Mordecai.

6-9 The king asks Haman what should be done to honor a man. Thinking he’s the man, Haman suggests putting him on a royal horse, in royal robes, and having a noble official lead him through the open square of the city, proclaiming “Thus shall it be done to the man the king wishes to honor.”

10-11 The king tells Haman to honor Mordecai in this way, and he does. This account is typical of biblical writing. It doesn’t go into a description of Haman’s haughty demeanor or how he looked in his humiliation, does not describe his facial expressions, but somehow you see them anyway.

12-13 Mordecai goes back to the gate; Haman returns home mourning with his head covered [now here’s a description], where his wife (Zeresh) and friends tell him that he will surely fall before Mordecai. Some friends. They encourage his haughtiness, then predict his downfall, as if they’re not partially responsible.. Mordecai seems unaffected by the honor bestowed on him. This is a perfect example of Jesus’ teaching that “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).

14 The king’s eunuchs come to escort Haman to Esther’s banquet.