Nehemiah 1:1-3

1These are the words of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah: During the month of Chislev, in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year as king, while I was in the fortress at Susa,

2one of my brothers, Hanani, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had survived captivity and about Jerusalem.

3They told me, “Those who survived captivity are in the province. They are enduring serious troubles and being insulted. The wall of Jerusalem has been broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.”