Nehemiah 2

1And it came to pass in the monthH2320 NisanH5212, in the twentieth yearH8141 of ArtaxerxesH783 the kingH4428, when wineH3196 wasH1961 before him, that I tookH5375 up the wineH3196, and gaveH5414 it unto the kingH4428. Now I had not beenH1961 beforetime sad in his presenceH6440. 2And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto me, WhyH4069 is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sickH2470? this is nothingH369 else but sorrow of heartH3820. Then I was veryH3966 sore afraidH3372. 3And I saidH559 unto the kingH4428, Let the kingH4428 liveH2421 for everH5769: whyH4069 should not my countenance be sad, whenH834 the cityH5892, the place of my fathers’H1 sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gatesH8179 thereof are consumedH398 with fireH784? 4Then the kingH4428 saidH559 unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayedH6419 to the GodH430 of heavenH8064. 5And I saidH559 unto the kingH4428, If it please the kingH4428, and if thy servantH5650 have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest sendH7971 me unto JudahH3063, unto the cityH5892 of my fathers’H1 sepulchres, that I may buildH1129 it. 6And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto me (the queen also sittingH3427 by him), For how long shall thy journeyH4109 beH1961? and when wilt thou returnH7725? So it pleased the kingH4428 to sendH7971 me; and I setH5414 him a timeH2165. 7Moreover I saidH559 unto the kingH4428, If it please the kingH4428, let lettersH107 be givenH5414 me to the governorsH6346 beyond the RiverH5104, that they may let me passH5674 through till I comeH935 unto JudahH3063; 8and a letterH107 unto AsaphH623 the keeperH8104 of the king’sH4428 forest, that he may giveH5414 me timber to makeH5414 beams for the gatesH8179 of the castle which appertaineth to the houseH1004, and for the wallH2346 of the cityH5892, and for the houseH1004 that I shall enter into. And the kingH4428 granted me, according to the goodH2896 handH3027 of my GodH430 upon me.

9Then I cameH935 to the governorsH6346 beyond the RiverH5104, and gaveH5414 them the king’sH4428 lettersH107. Now the kingH4428 had sentH7971 with me captains of the armyH2428 and horsemenH6571. 10And whenH834 SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, and TobiahH2900 the servantH5650, the AmmoniteH5984, heardH8085 of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was comeH935 a manH120 to seekH1245 the welfare of the children of IsraelH3478. 11So I cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, and wasH1961 there threeH7969 daysH3117. 12And I aroseH6965 in the nightH3915, I and some fewH4592 menH376 with me; neither toldH5046 I any manH376 what my GodH430 putH5414 into my heartH3820 to do for JerusalemH3389; neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rodeH7392 upon. 13And I wentH3318 out by nightH3915 by the valleyH1516 gateH8179, even toward the jackal’s well, and to the dung gateH8179, and viewed the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389, which were brokenH6555 downH6555, and the gatesH8179 thereof were consumedH398 with fireH784. 14Then I went on to the fountain gateH8179 and to the king’sH4428 poolH1295: but there was no placeH4725 for the beast that was under me to passH5674. 15Then wentH935 I up in the nightH3915 by the brook, and viewed the wallH2346; and I turnedH7725 backH7725, and entered by the valleyH1516 gateH8179, and so returnedH7725. 16And the rulers knewH3045 not whither I wentH1980, or what I did; neither had I as yet toldH5046 it to the JewsH3064, nor to the priestsH3548, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the restH3499 that did the workH4399.

17Then saidH559 I unto them, Ye seeH7200 the evilH7451 case that we are in, how JerusalemH3389 lieth waste, and the gatesH8179 thereof are burnedH3341 with fireH784: come, and let us buildH1129 up the wallH2346 of JerusalemH3389, that we beH1961 no more a reproachH2781. 18And I toldH5046 them of the handH3027 of my GodH430 which was goodH2896 upon me, as alsoH637 of the king’sH4428 wordsH1697 that he had spoken unto me. And they saidH559, Let us riseH6965 up and buildH1129. So they strengthenedH2388 their handsH3027 for the goodH2896 work. 19But whenH834 SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, and TobiahH2900 the servantH5650, the AmmoniteH5984, and GeshemH1654 the Arabian, heardH8085 it, they laughed us to scorn, and despisedH959 us, and saidH559, What is this thingH1697 that ye do? will ye rebelH4775 against the kingH4428? 20Then answered I them, and saidH559 unto them, The GodH430 of heavenH8064, he will prosperH6743 us; therefore we his servantsH5650 will ariseH6965 and buildH1129: but ye have no portionH2506, nor right, nor memorialH2146, in JerusalemH3389.