Esther 6:1

Honor for Mordecai

1 That same night, the king simply couldn't sleep. He had the official royal records brought in, and his young male servants began reading them to the king.

Esther 6:1 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 6:1

On that night could not the king sleep
The night after he had been at Esther's banquet, which it might be thought would rather have caused sleep; and therefore Jarchi calls it a miracle; and no doubt it was owing to the overruling providence of God, and not to anxious thoughts about his neglect of Esther so long, nor what should be her request to him, nor jealousy of any amorous intrigue with Haman, nor of any conspiracy of theirs against his life:

and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles;
the diaries or journal, in which memorable facts were recorded; this he did to divert himself, and pass away time; though here also the providence of God was specially concerned; for otherwise he might have sent for any of his wives and concubines, or singing men and women, to have diverted him:

and they were read before the king;
until the morning, until it was time to rise, as appears by what follows.

Esther 6:1 In-Context

1 That same night, the king simply couldn't sleep. He had the official royal records brought in, and his young male servants began reading them to the king.

2 They came to the report about Mordecai informing on Bigthan and Teresh. (They were the two royal eunuchs among the guards protecting the king's doorway, who secretly planned to kill King Ahasuerus.)

3 "What was done to honor and reward Mordecai for this?" the king asked. His young male servants replied, "Nothing was done for him, sir."

4 "Who is that out in the courtyard?" the king asked. (Haman had just entered the outer courtyard of the palace. He had come to tell the king to impale Mordecai on the pole that he had set up for him.)

5 The king's servants answered, "That's Haman standing out in the courtyard, sir." So the king said, "Have him come in."