Nehemiah 2:7-15

7And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me 1for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, 8and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s 2forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of 3the fortress which is by the 4temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because 5the good hand of my God was on me.

9Then I came to 6the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now 7the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10When 8Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite 9official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

11So I 10came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my 11mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. 13So I went out at night by 12the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the 13Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem 14which were broken down and its 15gates which were consumed by fire. 14Then I passed on to 16the Fountain Gate and 17the King’s Pool, but there was no place for 18my mount to pass. 15So I went up at night by the 19ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned.