Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 On that night the king couldn't sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
1
That night the king couldn't sleep. He ordered the record book, the day-by-day journal of events, to be brought and read to him.
2 It was found written that Mordekhai had told of Bigtana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those who kept the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king Achashverosh.
2
They came across the story there about the time that Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh - the two royal eunuchs who guarded the entrance and who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 The king said, What honor and dignity has been bestowed on Mordekhai for this? Then the king's servants who ministered to him said, "Nothing has been done for him."
3
The king asked, "What great honor was given to Mordecai for this?" "Nothing," replied the king's servants who were in attendance. "Nothing has been done for him."
4 The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak to the king to hang Mordekhai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
4
The king said, "Is there anybody out in the court?" Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the king's palace to talk to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had built for him.
5 The king's servants said to him, Behold, Haman stands in the court. The king said, Let him come in.
5
The king's servants said, "Haman is out there, waiting in the court." "Bring him in," said the king.
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, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?
6
When Haman entered, the king said, "What would be appropriate for the man the king especially wants to honor?"
7 Haman said to the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor,
7
So he answered the king, "For the man the king delights to honor, do this:
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 crown royal is set:
8
Bring a royal robe that the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crown on its head.
9 and 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 therewith whom the king delights to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
9
Then give the robe and the horse to one of the king's most noble princes. Have him robe the man whom the king especially wants to honor; have the prince lead him on horseback through the city square, proclaiming before him, 'This is what is done for the man whom the king especially wants to honor!'"
10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordekhai the Yehudi, who sits at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.
10
"Go and do it," the king said to Haman. "Don't waste another minute. Take the robe and horse and do what you have proposed to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the King's Gate. Don't leave out a single detail of your plan."
11 Then took Haman the clothing and the horse, and arrayed Mordekhai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
11
So Haman took the robe and horse; he robed Mordecai and led him through the city square, proclaiming before him, "This is what is done for the man whom the king especially wants to honor!"
12 Mordekhai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
12
Then Mordecai returned to the King's Gate, but Haman fled to his house, thoroughly mortified, hiding his face.
13 Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife to him, If Mordekhai, before whom you have begun to fall, be of the seed of the Yehudim, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him.
13
When Haman had finished telling his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his knowledgeable friends who were there and his wife Zeresh said, "If this Mordecai is in fact a Jew, your bad luck has only begun. You don't stand a chance against him - you're as good as ruined."
14 While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Ester had prepared.
14
While they were still talking, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman off to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.