Nehemiah 2:8-18

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.