19 Now when the virgins were gathered together ⁱthe second time, Mordecai was sitting ^jat the king’s gate. 20 ^kEsther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just ^las when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, ^mBigthan and ⁿTeresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, ^oand he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows.¹ And it was recorded in ^pthe book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

1 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring ^othe book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written how ^pMordecai had told about ^qBigthana¹ and ^rTeresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered ^sthe outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on ^tthe gallows² that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man ^uwhom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” 7 And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, ^vand the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head ^wa royal crown³ is set. 9 And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, ^xproclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’” 10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits ^yat the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” 11 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”