Here again, we see God’s providence at work as the king couldn’t sleep, Esther 6:1. It’s possible that God was now at work in all parties concerning the conspiracy of Haman, and He wouldn’t allow the king to sleep. Because he couldn’t sleep, he asked for the book of the chronicles to be read to him, Esther 6:1 / Malachi 3:16.
Although the text doesn’t tell us, it’s certainly possible that he used this to help him get to sleep on occasion, but this time the written record caught his attention because it was about how Mordecai had saved him from the plot of his two eunuchs, Esther 6:2 / Esther 2:21.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Targum says the king had a dream, which was as follows: ‘And the king sat one in the similitude of a man who spoke these words to him: Haman desireth to slay thee, and to make himself king in thy stead. Behold, he will come unto thee early in the morning, to ask from thee the man who rescued thee from death, that he may slay him, but say thou unto Haman, What shall be done for the man whose honour the king studieth? And thou wilt find that he will ask nothing less from thee than the royal vestments, the regal crown, and the horse on which the king rides.’
At that time, Mordecai hadn’t been rewarded for his act of loyalty in reference to the king. He had saved the king’s life by preventing the assassination plot of Bigthan and Teresh, Esther 2:21.
The king didn’t remember anything being done for him either, which is why he wanted to know if he had been honoured for his noble deed, Esther 6:3. When he later discovered that Mordecai was a Jew, then he would conclude that the Jews were actually loyal to the king, Esther 6:14.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It was a settled principle of the Persian government that ‘Royal Benefactors’ were to receive an adequate reward. The names of such persons were placed on a special roll, and care was taken that they should be properly recompensed, though they sometimes waited for months or years before they were rewarded.’
Haman had come early in the morning in order to get the king’s permission to hang Mordecai and the king wanted to know who it was, Esther 6:4. When he found out it was Haman, he invited him in Esther 6:5.
Before Haman was able to say anything to the king, the king was asking Haman for his advice on how he should honour a man that he was delighted with, Esther 6:6.
Haman, in his arrogant pride, thought the king wanted to honour him, Esther 6:6, and so, he went out of his way to think of the best honour possible that would feed his ego. This is why you see him wanting to wear the royal robe and to be paraded around on a horse that the king has ridden, Esther 6:7-9.
Wearing the king’s clothing, Esther 6:8, demonstrated the king’s favour of the one who was presented before the people, 1 Samuel 18:4 / 2 Kings 2:13-14 / Isaiah 61:3 / Isaiah 61:10 / Zechariah 3 / Mark 5:27. We can imagine how Haman is feeling at this point; he would be well pleased with himself and full of himself.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Only the king seems to have been ignorant of the feud between Mordecai and Haman; certainly, everybody in Shushan must have been aware of it. Thus, the king had no idea of the irony of the situation in which he placed his favourite minister. However, the whole city of Shushan would have been astounded at this development.’
We can only imagine the shock that came to Haman once he heard that he was to give the robe and the horse and more or less kneel down and pay homage to Mordecai, Esther 6:10 / Romans 8:28.
Haman wanted to kill Mordecai, but now he has to give him the honour that he thought he was going to receive. We can imagine how low he must have felt when he had to dress Mordecai in the royal robe and the horse with the royal crest and then have to parade him around town in front of everyone, Esther 6:11 / Proverbs 16:18.
Notice that Haman was so upset that he went home to mourn with his head covered, Esther 6:12. His wife and his friends didn’t help matters because they told Haman that if Mordecai was a Jew, then he didn’t stand a chance of defeating him.
Haman would surely fall before Mordecai, Esther 6:13. The tables have now been turned, as Haman wanted to oppress God’s people, God would raise them up, 1 Samuel 2:8 / Revelation 3:8-9.
While Haman was throwing himself a pity party, the king’s eunuchs told him to come to the banquet prepared by the queen, Esther 6:14. No doubt receiving the invite to the banquet would have made Haman feel a little better, but as we’re about to see in the next chapter, things aren’t going to go well for Haman, Matthew 7:1-2.