Esther 6:1
New International Version
That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.

New Living Translation
That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him.

English Standard Version
On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Berean Standard Bible
That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.

King James Bible
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

New King James Version
That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

New American Standard Bible
During that night the king could not sleep, so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

NASB 1995
During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

NASB 1977
During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Legacy Standard Bible
During that night, sleep had fled from the king, so he said for them to bring the book of memoranda, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Amplified Bible
On that night the king could not sleep; so he ordered that the book of records and memorable deeds, the chronicles, be brought, and they were read before the king.

Christian Standard Bible
That night sleep escaped the king, so he ordered the book recording daily events to be brought and read to the king.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
That night sleep escaped the king, so he ordered the book recording daily events to be brought and read to the king.

American Standard Version
On that night could not the king sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And in that night the sleep of the King fled away, and he said to bring the Scroll of the Records of the Words of Days, and the Readers were reading before the King.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But the Lord removed sleep from the king that night: and he told his servant to bring in the books, the registers of daily events, to read to him.

Contemporary English Version
That night the king could not sleep, and he had a servant read him the records of what had happened since he had been king.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him. And when they were reading them before him,

English Revised Version
On that night could not the king sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That night the king could not sleep. So he told [a servant] to bring the official daily records, and they were read to the king.

Good News Translation
That same night the king could not get to sleep, so he had the official records of the empire brought and read to him.

International Standard Version
That night the king could not sleep, so he gave instructions to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read to the king.

JPS Tanakh 1917
On that night could not the king sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Literal Standard Version
On that night the sleep of the king has fled away, and he commands to bring in the scroll of memorials of the chronicles, and they are read before the king,

Majority Standard Bible
That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.

New American Bible
That night the king, unable to sleep, asked that the chronicle of notable events be brought in. While this was being read to him,

NET Bible
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,

New Revised Standard Version
On that night the king could not sleep, and he gave orders to bring the book of records, the annals, and they were read to the king.

New Heart English Bible
On that night, the king couldn't sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king.

Webster's Bible Translation
In that night the king could not sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

World English Bible
On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king.

Young's Literal Translation
On that night hath the sleep of the king fled away, and he saith to bring in the book of memorials of the Chronicles, and they are read before the king,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Mordecai is Honored
1That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him. 2And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.…

Cross References
Esther 2:22
When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai's behalf.

Esther 2:23
After the report had been investigated and verified, both officials were hanged on the gallows. And all this was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.

Esther 10:2
And all of Mordecai's powerful and magnificent accomplishments, together with the full account of the greatness to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia?

Daniel 2:1
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him.

Daniel 6:18
Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.


Treasury of Scripture

On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

that night.

Esther 5:8
If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.

Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

1 Samuel 23:26,27
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them…

could not the king sleep.

Daniel 2:1
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

Daniel 6:18
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

the book of records.

Esther 2:23
And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

Malachi 3:16
Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Jump to Previous
Book Books Chronicles Commanded Couldn't Deeds Fled Memorable Memorials Night Order Ordered Orders Read Reading Record Records Reign Sleep Unable
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Book Books Chronicles Commanded Couldn't Deeds Fled Memorable Memorials Night Order Ordered Orders Read Reading Record Records Reign Sleep Unable
Esther 6
1. Xerxes, reading of the good service done by Mordecai, takes care for his reward.
4. Haman, coming to ask that Mordecai might be hanged,
10. gives counsel that he might do him honor.
12. Complaining of this, his friends tell him of his final destiny.














VI.

(1) Could not the king sleep.--Literally, the king's sleep fled away. Here, in the most striking way in the whole book, the workings of God's providence on behalf of His people are shown. "God Himself is here, though His name be absent." The king's sleepless night falls after the day when Haman has resolved to ask on the morrow for Mordecai's execution, a foretaste of the richer vengeance he hopes to wreak on the whole nation of the Jews. It is by a mere chance, one would say, looking at the matter simply in its human aspect, that the king should call for the book of the royal chronicles, and not for music. It was by a mere chance too. it might seem, that the reader should happen to light upon the record of Mordecai's services; and yet when all these apparent accidents are wrought up into the coincidence they make, how completely is the providence visible, the power that will use men as the instruments of its work, whether they know it, or know it not, whether they be willing or unwilling, whether the glory of God is to be manifested in and by and through them, or manifested on them only.

They were read before the king.--Canon Rawlinson remarks that there is reason to think that the Persian kings were in most cases unable to read.

Verse 1. - The book of records of the chronicles. Compare Esther 2:23, where the title is given more briefly, as "the book of the chronicles." See also Esther 10:2. The character of the book has been already explained (see comment on Esther 2:23). They were read. Either because the king could not read himself ('Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 4. p. 184), or because the sound of a man's voice might (it was thought) induce drowsiness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
That
הַה֔וּא (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

night,
בַּלַּ֣יְלָה (bal·lay·lāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

sleep
שְׁנַ֣ת (šə·naṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8142: Sleep

escaped
נָדְדָ֖ה (nā·ḏə·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5074: To wave to and fro, to rove, flee, to drive away

the king;
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

so he ordered
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

the book
סֵ֤פֶר (sê·p̄er)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

of records,
הַזִּכְרֹנוֹת֙ (haz·ziḵ·rō·nō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2146: Memorial, remembrance

the chronicles,
דִּבְרֵ֣י (diḇ·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

to be brought in
לְהָבִ֞יא (lə·hā·ḇî)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and read
נִקְרָאִ֖ים (niq·rā·’îm)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

to
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

him.
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king


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OT History: Esther 6:1 On that night the king couldn't sleep (Est Esth. Es)
Esther 5:14
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