Esther 6 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

That night, the king couldn't sleep. So he ordered the official royal chronicles — the record of daily events — to be brought and read to him.

They found the account of how Mordecai had reported the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the entrance, who had conspired to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

The king asked, "What honor or recognition was given to Mordecai for this?" The king's attendants answered, "Nothing was done for him."

The king said, "Who's in the court?" Now, Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to ask the king about impaling Mordecai on the stake he had set up.

The king's attendants told him, "Haman is standing in the court." The king said, "Bring him in."

When Haman came in, the king asked him, "What should be done for a man the king wants to honor?" Haman thought to himself, "Who would the king want to honor more than me?"

So Haman said to the king, "For a man the king wants to honor —

have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn, and a horse the king himself has ridden, with a royal crown placed on its head.

Then hand the robe and horse to one of the king's most noble officials. Let them dress the man the king wants to honor, lead him on horseback through the city square, and announce before him: 'This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!'"

The king said to Haman, "Hurry! Take the robe and the horse just as you described, and do all of this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Don't leave out a single detail of what you've suggested."

So Haman took the robe and the horse, dressed Mordecai, led him on horseback through the city square, and announced before him, "This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!"

Afterward, Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, mourning, with his head covered in shame.

Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisors and his wife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai — the man you've started to fall before — is Jewish, you won't defeat him. You will certainly fall before him."

While they were still talking, the king's eunuchs arrived and rushed Haman off to the banquet Esther had prepared.