Nehemiah 2:8-18

8and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s 1forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of 2the fortress which is by the 3temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because 4the good hand of my God was on me.

9Then I came to 5the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now 6the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10When 7Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite 8official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

11So I 9came 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 10mind 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 11the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the 12Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem 13which were broken down and its 14gates which were consumed by fire. 14Then I passed on to 15the Fountain Gate and 16the King’s Pool, but there was no place for 17my mount to pass. 15So I went up at night by the 18ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. 16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.

17Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that 19Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” 18I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” 20So they put their hands to the good work.