Nehemiah 2

1And it came to pass in the monthH2320 NisanH5212, in the twentieth yearH8141 of ArtaxerxesH783 the kingH4428, [that] wineH3196 wasH1961 before him, and I tookH5375 up the wineH3196 and gaveH5414 it to the kingH4428. Now, I had never beenH1961 sad in his presenceH6440. 2And the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, WhyH4069 is thy faceH6440 sad, seeing thou art not sickH2470? this is nothingH369 else but sadnessH7455 of heartH3820. And I was veryH3966 sore afraidH3372. 3And I saidH559 to the kingH4428, Let the kingH4428 liveH2421 for everH5769! WhyH4069 should not my countenance be sad, whenH834 the cityH5892, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lies waste, and its gatesH8179 are consumedH398 with fireH784? 4And the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayedH6419 to the 1GodH430 of the heavensH8064. 5And I saidH559 to the kingH4428, If it please the kingH4428, and if thy servantH5650 have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest sendH7971 me to JudahH3063, to the cityH5892 of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may buildH1129 it. 6And the kingH4428 saidH559 to me — the queen also sittingH3427 by him, — For how long shall thy journeyH4109 beH1961, and when wilt thou returnH7725? And it pleased the kingH4428 to sendH7971 me; and I setH5414 him a timeH2165. 7And I saidH559 to the kingH4428, If it please the kingH4428, let lettersH107 be givenH5414 me to the governorsH6346 beyond the riverH5104, that they may setH5414 me forward till I comeH935 into JudahH3063; 8and a letterH107 to AsaphH623 the keeperH8104 of the king's forest, that he may giveH5414 me timber to makeH5414 beams for the gatesH8179 of the palace which [appertains] 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 2GodH430 upon me. 9And I cameH935 to the governorsH6346 beyond the riverH5104, and gaveH5414 them the king's lettersH107. Now the kingH4428 had sentH7971 captains of a force and horsemenH6571 with me. 10And whenH834 SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, and Tobijah the servantH5650, the AmmoniteH5984, heardH8085 [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there had comeH935 a manH120 to seekH1245 the welfare of the children of IsraelH3478. 11And I cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, and wasH1961 there threeH7969 daysH3117. 12And I aroseH6965 in the nightH3915, I and some fewH4592 menH376 with me — but I toldH5046 no manH376 what my 3GodH430 had putH5414 in my heartH3820 to do for JerusalemH3389 — and there was no beast with me, except the beast that I rodeH7392 upon. 13And I wentH3318 out by nightH3915 by the valley-gate, even toward the jackal-fountain, and to the dung-gate; and I viewed the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389, which were in ruins, and its gatesH8179 were consumedH398 with fireH784. 14And I went on to the fountain-gate, and to the king's poolH1295; and there was no placeH4725 for the beast under me to passH5674. 15And I wentH935 up in the nightH3915 through the valleyH1516, and viewed the wallH2346, and turnedH7725 backH7725, and entered by the valley-gate and returnedH7725. 16And the rulers did not knowH3045 whither I wentH1980 or what I did, for I had not 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. 17And I saidH559 to them, Ye seeH7200 the distress that we are in, that JerusalemH3389 lies waste, and its gatesH8179 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 4GodH430 which had been goodH2896 upon me; as alsoH637 of the king's wordsH1697 which he had saidH559 unto me. And they saidH559, Let us riseH6965 up and buildH1129. And they strengthenedH2388 their handsH3027 for the goodH2896 [work]. 19And SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, and Tobijah the servantH5650, the AmmoniteH5984, and GeshemH1654 the Arabian, heardH8085 it; and they mockedH3932 us and despisedH959 us, and saidH559, What is this thingH1697 which ye do? will ye rebelH4775 against the kingH4428? 20And I answered them, and saidH559 to them, The 5GodH430 of the heavensH8064, he will prosperH6743 us, and we his servantsH5650 will ariseH6965 and buildH1129; but ye have no portionH2506, nor right, nor memorialH2146 in JerusalemH3389.