Bible Commentaries
Esther 6

Verses 1-14

Chapter 6

Now that night king Ahasuerus couldn't go to sleep ( Esther 6:1 ),

He's lying there restless. No doubt God was in the restlessness. And so he said,

bring to me the chronicles [the history]; read to me ( Esther 6:1 ).

What's more boring than history? "Read to me the history books." Probably figured he'd go to sleep while they were reading. And as they were reading the history, the records, he came to the place where Mordecai had warned him of the assassination plot. And he said, "What was done to reward that man who warned me of the assassination?" And they said, "Nothing." He said, "Well, surely he should be rewarded."

And so in the morning, when Haman came whistling in, the king said to Haman,

Haman, what should the king do for the man that he seeks to honor very highly? ( Esther 6:6 )

Man, I love the way God turns the tables!

And Haman thought, Who would the king want to honor more than me? ( Esther 6:6 )

You know, this time he was really pride, puffed-up, and blind. "Who does the king want to honor more than me?" And so, thinking that the king was referring to him, he sort of expressed what was in his heart, really.

Let the king's royal robes be put upon him, and the king's crown upon his head and let him be driven in the king's chariot through the city, and send the couriers before him crying out, Behold the man whom the king delights to honor ( Esther 6:8 , Esther 6:9 ).

And so the king said, "Good idea. You make the arrangements,"

and do all that you've said for Mordecai: see that nothing is lacking ( Esther 6:10 ).

So Mordecai had the king's robe put on him, the king's crown, and he went through the streets in the chariot as they cried out, "Behold the man whom the king delights to honor." And Haman headed for home. He said, "You can't believe what's happened to me." And, of course, his counselors said, "Hey, you know, this is a bad day. Your star is in a bad position, man. You know, this doesn't look good. Your star is descending"

And so while he was there and just, you know, talking about his problems, they came in and said, "Hey, you're going to be late for the queen's banquet. You'd better get going." "