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[244]
Now when the king had promised so to do, Haman went away very glad,
because he alone had the honor of supping with the king at Esther's banquet,
and because no one else partook of the same honor with kings but himself;
yet when he saw Mordecai in the court, he was very much displeased, for
he paid him no manner of respect when he saw him. So he went home and called
for his wife Zeresh, and his friends, and when they were come, he showed
them what honor he enjoyed not only from the king, but from the queen also,
for as he alone had that day supped with her, together with the king, so
was he also invited again for the next day; "yet," said he, "am
I not pleased to see Mordecai the Jew in the court." Hereupon his
wife Zeresh advised him to give order that a gallows should be made fifty
cubits high, and that in the morning he should ask it of the king that
Mordecai might be hanged thereon. So he commended her advice, and gave
order to his servants to prepare the gallows, and to place it in the court,
for the punishment of Mordecai thereon, which was accordingly prepared.
But God laughed to scorn the wicked expectations of Haman; and as he knew
what the event would be, he was delighted at it, for that night he took
away the king's sleep; and as the king was not willing to lose the time
of his lying awake, but to spend it in something that might be of advantage
to his kingdom, he commanded the scribe to bring him the chronicles of
the former kings, and the records of his own actions; and when he had brought
them, and was reading them, one was found to have received a country on
account of his excellent management on a certain occasion, and the name
of the country was set down; another was found to have had a present made
him on account of his fidelity: then the scribe came to Bigthan and Teresh,
the eunuchs that had made a conspiracy against the king, which Mordecai
had discovered; and when the scribe said no more but that, and was going
on to another history, the king stopped him, and inquired "whether
it was not added that Mordecai had a reward given him?" and when he
said there was no such addition, he bade him leave off; and he inquired
of those that were appointed for that purpose, what hour of the night it
was; and when he was informed that it was already day, he gave order, that
if they found any one of his friends already come, and standing before
the court, they should tell him. Now it happened that Haman was found there,
for he was come sooner than ordinary to petition the king to have Mordecai
put to death; and when the servants said that Haman was before the court,
he bid them call him in; and when he was come in, he said, "Because
I know that thou art my only fast friend, I desire thee to give me advice
how I may honor one that I greatly love, and that after a manner suitable
to my magnificence." Now Haman reasoned with himself, that what opinion
he should give it would be for himself, since it was he alone who was beloved
by the king: so he gave that advice which he thought of all other the best;
for he said, "If thou wouldst truly honor a man whom thou sayest thou
dost love, give order that he may ride on horseback, with the same garment
on which thou wearest, and with a gold chain about his neck, and let one
of thy intimate friends go before him, and proclaim through the whole city,
that whosoever the king honoreth obtaineth this mark of his honor."
This was the advice which Haman gave, out of a supposal that such a reward
would come to himself. Hereupon the king was pleased with the advice, and
said, "Go thou therefore, for thou hast the horse, the garment, and
the chain, ask for Mordecai the Jew, and give him those things, and go
before his horse and proclaim accordingly; for thou art," said he,
"my intimate friend, and hast given me good advice; be thou then the
minister of what thou hast advised me to. This shall be his reward from
us, for preserving my life." When he heard this order, which was entirely
unexpected, he was confounded in his mind, and knew not what to do. However,
he went out and led the horse, and took the purple garment, and the golden
chain for the neck, and finding Mordecai before the court, clothed in sackcloth,
he bid him put that garment off, and put the purple garment on. But Mordecai,
not knowing the truth of the matter, but thinking that it was done in mockery,
said, "O thou wretch, the vilest of all mankind, dost thou thus laugh
at our calamities?" But when he was satisfied that the king bestowed
this honor upon him, for the deliverance he had procured him when he convicted
the eunuchs who had conspired against him, he put on that purple garment
which the king always wore, and put the chain about his neck, and got on
horseback, and went round the city, while Haman went before and proclaimed,
"This shall be the reward which the king will bestow on every one
whom he loves, and esteems worthy of honor." And when they had gone
round the city, Mordecai went in to the king; but Haman went home, out
of shame, and informed his wife and friends of what had happened, and this
with tears; who said, that he would never be able to be revenged of Mordecai,
for that God was with him.
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