Esther 6

6:1 the king had trouble sleeping: God was working to protect Esther and Mordecai. • the book of the history of his reign: Ancient kings kept royal annals of their reigns.

6:2 Providentially, the king’s servant happened to open the royal annals to the page describing how Mordecai had exposed the plot (2:21-23).

6:3 What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai? The Persian kings were known for generosity to their supporters, so the king was probably surprised that nothing had been done.

6:4-6 Just as the king was pondering what to do to honor Mordecai, Haman arrived to seek Mordecai’s death. With great irony, the narrator recounts the king’s consulting with him about how to reward Mordecai.

6:7-9 Haman delighted in public acclaim and recognition. He wanted to be honored as the king, to wear kingly attire, and to ride the king’s horse; in other words, he wanted to be king for a day. • Haman thought another one of the king’s most noble officials would honor him through the streets of Susa. Instead, Haman himself would fill that role for Mordecai (6:10).

6:10-12 do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew: With utter shock at this complete reversal, Haman could do nothing but obey the king’s command, right down to the last detail.

6:13 Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans: Haman’s wife and friends could see that this was more than just a series of coincidences. The text does not explain why Zeresh and the advisers felt that the fact of Mordecai’s Jewish heritage would necessarily mean that Haman’s plans would not succeed.