6:1 Throughout that night the king was unable to sleep, so he asked for the book containing the historical records to be brought. As the records were being read in the king’s presence, 

Shakespeare said, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Most kings were murderers, adulterers, and thieves. Their consciences did not sleep well at night. Extra-biblical sources confirm that the Persian kings maintained an elaborate recording system. The Greek historian Herodotus noted that the king kept especially clear records of those who served him well.

6:2 it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

The servant was reading the minutes of meetings in order to put the king to sleep. The servant came to the section where Mordecai rescued the king from an assassination by the Persian mafia. 

6:3 The king asked, “What great honor was bestowed on Mordecai because of this?” The king’s attendants who served him responded, “Not a thing was done for him.”

Mordecai was not rewarded for this heroic act, even though it happened five years earlier.

6:4 Then the king said, “Who is that in the courtyard?” Now Haman had come to the outer courtyard of the palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had constructed for him.

God is slow, but He is never late. His timing is perfect. Just as the king was wanting to reward Mordecai, Haman was wanting to torture and execute Mordecai. The timing of God shows that He has a sense of humor. Haman arrived at just the wrong time and for just the wrong reason.

6:5 The king’s attendants said to him, “It is Haman who is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him enter.”

Haman was invited into the king’s palace. Haman’s goal was to get the king’s signet ring so that he could sign the papers to execute Mordecai the next morning.

6:6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman thought to himself, “Who is it that the king would want to honor more than me?”

Haman thought that the king was talking about him. Haman had been made Prime Minister, he was given the signet ring, and he was invited to the queen’s banquet.

6:7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, 8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one bearing the royal insignia!

Haman wanted to be king. When the time was right, Haman would assassinate Xerxes and seize power for himself. Ancient kings did not live very long. There was always an assassin around the corner waiting to ponce on them and seize their crown.

Many skeptics suggest that the Bible is in error when it speaks of a horse wearing a royal crown on its head. However, an Assyrian relic actually shows a horse with a crown on its head, signifying that it was a royal horse.

6:9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’ ”

Yesterday, Mordecai was wearing sackcloth and ashes. Today, he was wearing royal clothes.

6:10 The king then said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the clothing and the horse, just as you have described, and do as you just indicated to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Don’t neglect a single thing of all that you have said.”

The king may have suspected Haman’s motive. The Abrahamic Covenant was at work. Haman wanted to dishonor Mordecai, but Haman himself ended up honoring Mordecai.

6:11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai. He led him about on the horse throughout the plaza of the city, calling before him, “So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!”

Instead of hanging Mordecai, Haman honored Mordecai.

6:12 Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head.

Haman sadly returned to his home. His political career seemed to be sliding down a slippery path.

6:13 Haman then related to his wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. These wise men, along with his wife Zeresh, said to him, “If indeed this Mordecai before whom you have begun to fall is Jewish, you will not prevail against him. No, you will surely fall before him!”

It seems that Haman’s family and friends had some biblical understanding of Jewish history. Maybe they heard what happened to the enemies of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon.

6:14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 

Events were moving too fast for Haman. He did not have as much control of things as he had thought. Like a lamb led to slaughter, Haman was escorted off to his just due.