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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV 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.
- BSB That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.
- NKJV 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.
- NASB 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
That same night the sleepless king has the royal chronicles read to him. A small, providential detail begins the great reversal.
Overview
The king's insomnia and choice to hear the records read are ordinary events, yet they fall precisely when Haman plots Mordecai's death. Though God is unnamed, His unseen hand is unmistakable in this timing. The verse beautifully illustrates how divine providence governs even a restless night to accomplish the deliverance of His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Dan 2:1In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.
- Dan 6:18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.
- Esth 2:23When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.
- Isa 41:17The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, Yahweh, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Rom 11:33Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
- Esth 5:8If I have found favor 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 will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”
- Esth 10:2All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
- 1 Sam 23:26–27Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David hurried to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.
- Mal 3:16Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name.
- Gen 22:14Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.”
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Though God is never named, his hidden hand preserves the people from whom the Messiah will come — a deliverance 'for such a time as this' that anticipates the open deliverance of Christ.
How Esther 6:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.