The Meaning of Esther 6:1 Explained

Esther 6:1

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.

YLT: 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,

Darby: On that night sleep fled from the king. And he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Esther 6:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Esther 6:1-14 - Gratitude For A Forgotten Service
There was a divine providence in this royal sleeplessness. On the very next night Haman would be hanging on the gallows, and it would be too late for him to render this honor to the hated Jew. Therefore, on this night the king must be reminded of a forgotten incident, must ask if the chivalrous informant had been rewarded, and must, through Haman, decree his splendid reward. When we are suffering indignity at the hand of our enemies, who seem to pass out of our lives without making reparation, let us turn to this story, and remember that as honor came to Mordecai through Haman, so honor and reparation shall accrue through the very circumstances and people that seem most threatening. The wrath of man is made to praise God. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Esther 6:1 mean?

Night that could not sleep the king so one was commanded to bring - the book of the records of the chronicles and they were read before the king
בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא נָדְדָ֖ה שְׁנַ֣ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְהָבִ֞יא אֶת־ סֵ֤פֶר הַזִּכְרֹנוֹת֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיִּהְי֥וּ נִקְרָאִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

בַּלַּ֣יְלָה  Night 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
נָדְדָ֖ה  could  not 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָדַד  
Sense: to retreat, flee, depart, move, wander abroad, stray, flutter.
שְׁנַ֣ת  sleep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שֵׁנָא 
Sense: sleep.
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  so  one  was  commanded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְהָבִ֞יא  to  bring 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
סֵ֤פֶר  the  book 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
הַזִּכְרֹנוֹת֙  of  the  records 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: זִכָּרֹון  
Sense: memorial, reminder, remembrance.
הַיָּמִ֔ים  the  chronicles 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וַיִּהְי֥וּ  and  they  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נִקְרָאִ֖ים  read 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לִפְנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.