Nehemiah 2

1And it came to pass in the monthH2320 NisanH5212, in the twentiethH6242 yearH8141 of ArtaxerxesH783 the kingH4428, that wineH3196 was beforeH6440 him: and I took upH5375 the wineH3196, and gaveH5414 it to the kingH4428. Now I had not in times past been sadH7451 in his presenceH6440. 2Therefore the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, Why is thy countenanceH6440 sadH7451, seeing thou art not sickH2470? this is nothing but sorrowH7455 of heartH3820. Then I was veryH3966 greatlyH7235 afraidH3372, 3And saidH559 to the kingH4428, Let the kingH4428 liveH2421 for everH5769: why should not my countenanceH6440 be sadH3415, when the cityH5892, the placeH1004 of my fathersH1’ sepulchresH6913, lieth wasteH2720, and its gatesH8179 are consumedH398 with fireH784? 4Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, For what dost thou make requestH1245? So I prayedH6419 to the GodH430 of heavenH8064. 5And I saidH559 to the kingH4428, If it should pleaseH2895 the kingH4428, and if thy servantH5650 hath found favourH3190 in thy sightH6440, that thou wouldest sendH7971 me to JudahH3063, to the cityH5892 of my fathersH1’ sepulchresH6913, that I may buildH1129 it. 6And the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, (the queenH7694 also sittingH3427 by himH681,) For how long shall thy journeyH4109 be? and when wilt thou returnH7725? So it pleasedH3190H6440 the kingH4428 to sendH7971 me; and I setH5414 him a timeH2165.1 7Moreover I saidH559 to the kingH4428, If it should pleaseH2895 the kingH4428, let lettersH107 be givenH5414 me to the governorsH6346 beyondH5676 the riverH5104, that they may let me pass throughH5674 till I comeH935 into JudahH3063; 8And a letterH107 to AsaphH623 the keeperH8104 of the king’sH4428 forestH6508, that he may giveH5414 me timberH6086 to make beamsH7136 for the gatesH8179 of the palaceH1002 which is near to the houseH1004, and for the wallH2346 of the cityH5892, and for the houseH1004 that I shall enterH935. And the kingH4428 grantedH5414 me, according to the goodH2896 handH3027 of my GodH430 upon me.

9Then I cameH935 to the governorsH6346 beyondH5676 the riverH5104, and gaveH5414 them the king’sH4428 lettersH107. Now the kingH4428 had sentH7971 captainsH8269 of the armyH2428 and horsemenH6571 with me. 10When SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, and TobiahH2900 the servantH5650, the AmmoniteH5984, heardH8085 of it, it grievedH3415 them exceedinglyH7451H1419 that there had comeH935 a manH120 to seekH1245 the welfareH2896 of the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478. 11So I cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, and was there threeH7969 daysH3117. 12And I aroseH6965 in the nightH3915, I and someH4592 fewH4592 menH582 with me; neither toldH5046 I any manH120 what my GodH430 had putH5414 in my heartH3820 to doH6213 at JerusalemH3389: neither was there any beastH929 with me, except the beastH929 that I rode uponH7392. 13And I went outH3318 by nightH3915 by the gateH8179 of the valleyH1516, even beforeH6440 the dragonH8577 wellH5869H5886, and to the dungH830 portH8179, and viewedH7663H7665 the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389, which were broken downH6555, and their gatesH8179 were consumedH398 with fireH784. 14Then I went onH5674 to the gateH8179 of the fountainH5869, and to the king’sH4428 poolH1295: but there was no placeH4725 for the beastH929 that was under me to passH5674. 15Then I went upH5927 in the nightH3915 by the brookH5158, and viewedH7663H7665 the wallH2346, and turned backH7725, and enteredH935 by the gateH8179 of the valleyH1516, and so returnedH7725. 16And the rulersH5461 knewH3045 not where I wentH1980, or what I didH6213; neither had I as yetH3651 toldH5046 it to the JewsH3064, nor to the priestsH3548, nor to the noblesH2715, nor to the rulersH5461, nor to the restH3499 that didH6213 the workH4399. 17Then saidH559 I to them, Ye seeH7200 the distressH7451 that we are in, how JerusalemH3389 lieth wasteH2720, and its gatesH8179 are burnedH3341 with fireH784: comeH3212, and let us build upH1129 the wallH2346 of JerusalemH3389, that we may be no more a reproachH2781. 18Then I toldH5046 them of the handH3027 of my GodH430 which was goodH2896 upon me; as also the king’sH4428 wordsH1697 that he had spokenH559 to me. And they saidH559, Let us riseH6965 and buildH1129. So they strengthenedH2388 their handsH3027 for this goodH2896 work . 19But when SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, and TobiahH2900 the servantH5650, the AmmoniteH5984, and GeshemH1654 the ArabianH6163, heardH8085 it, they mockedH3932, and despisedH959 us, and saidH559, What is this thingH1697 that ye doH6213? will ye rebelH4775 against the kingH4428? 20Then I answeredH7725H1697 them, and saidH559 to them, The GodH430 of heavenH8064, he will prosperH6743 us; therefore we his servantsH5650 will ariseH6965 and buildH1129: but ye have no portionH2506, nor rightH6666, nor memorialH2146, in JerusalemH3389.