The Book of Nehemiah

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- Chapter 2 -

Nehemiah is sent to Judah

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, he selected wine, and I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never before been sad in his presence.

But the king said to me, “Why is your face so sad? You do not appear to be ill. This must be sadness of heart.” Then I became very much afraid.

I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad? The city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.”

Then the king said to me, “What do you want me to do?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

I replied to the king, “If it seems good to the king, and if your servant has done well in your sight, you could send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

The king replied to me, and the queen was also sitting beside him, “How long shall you be away and when will you return?” The king was glad to send me when I gave him the dates.

Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors in the Province Beyond the River so that they may permit me to pass through their territories on my way to Judah.

May there also be a letter for Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, so that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress next to the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house in which I will live.” So because the good hand of God was on me, the king granted me my requests.

I came to the governors in the Province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, they were greatly displeased that someone had come who was seeking to help the people of Israel.

Nehemiah visits the wall of Jerusalem

So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.

I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me, other than the one I was riding.

I went out by night by the Valley Gate, toward the Jackal’s Well and to the Dung Gate, and inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken open, and the wooden gates were destroyed by fire.

Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool. The place was too narrow for the animal I was riding to pass through.

So I went up that night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned.

The rulers did not know where I went or what I did, and I had not yet informed the Jews, nor the priests, nor the nobles, nor the rulers, nor the rest who did the work.

I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so we will no longer be in disgrace.”

I told them that the good hand of my God was on me and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us, and they said, “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

Then I answered them, “The God of heaven will give us success. We are his servants and we will arise and build. But you have no share, no right, and no historic claim in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah is sent to Judah

In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, I picked up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence.

The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.

I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why shouldn’t my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?”

Then the king said to me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may build it.”

The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him), “How long will your journey be? When will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I set a time for him.

Moreover I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah;

and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I will occupy.” The king granted my requests, because of the good hand of my God on me.

Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

Nehemiah visits the wall of Jerusalem

So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me except the animal that I rode on.

I went out by night by the valley gate toward the jackal’s well, then to the dung gate; and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire.

Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king’s pool, but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass.

Then I went up in the night by the brook and inspected the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.

The rulers didn’t know where I went, or what I did. I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work.

Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let’s build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.”

I told them about the hand of my God which was good on me, and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”

Then I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.”