1 And it came to pass in the month|strong="H2320" Nisan|strong="H5212", in the twentieth|strong="H6242" year|strong="H8141" of Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" the king|strong="H4428", that wine|strong="H3196" was before|strong="H6440" him: and I took up|strong="H5375" the wine|strong="H3196", and gave|strong="H5414" it unto the king|strong="H4428". Now I had not been beforetime sad|strong="H7451" in his presence|strong="H6440".
2 Wherefore the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto me, Why is thy countenance|strong="H6440" sad|strong="H7451", seeing thou art not sick|strong="H2470"? this is nothing else but sorrow|strong="H7455" of heart|strong="H3820". Then I was very|strong="H3966" sore|strong="H7235" afraid|strong="H3372",
3 And said|strong="H0559" unto the king|strong="H4428", Let the king|strong="H4428" live|strong="H2421" for ever|strong="H5769": why should not my countenance|strong="H6440" be sad|strong="H3415", when the city|strong="H5892", the place|strong="H1004" of my fathers’|strong="H0001" sepulchres|strong="H6913", lieth waste|strong="H2720", and the gates|strong="H8179" thereof are consumed|strong="H0398" with fire|strong="H0784"?
4 Then the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto me, For what dost thou make request|strong="H1245"? So I prayed|strong="H6419" to the God|strong="H0430" of heaven|strong="H8064".
5 And I said|strong="H0559" unto the king|strong="H4428", If it please|strong="H2895" the king|strong="H4428", and if thy servant|strong="H5650" have found favour|strong="H3190" in thy sight|strong="H6440", that thou wouldest send|strong="H7971" me unto Judah|strong="H3063", unto the city|strong="H5892" of my fathers’|strong="H0001" sepulchres|strong="H6913", that I may build|strong="H1129" it.
6 And the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto me, (the queen|strong="H7694" also sitting|strong="H3427" by him|strong="H0681",) For how long shall thy journey|strong="H4109" be? and when wilt thou return|strong="H7725"? So it pleased|strong="H3190" the king|strong="H4428" to send|strong="H7971" me; and I set|strong="H5414" him a time|strong="H2165".
7 Moreover I said|strong="H0559" unto the king|strong="H4428", If it please|strong="H2895" the king|strong="H4428", let letters|strong="H0107" be given|strong="H5414" me to the governors|strong="H6346" beyond|strong="H5676" the river|strong="H5104", that they may convey me over|strong="H5674" till I come|strong="H0935" into Judah|strong="H3063";
8 And a letter|strong="H0107" unto Asaph|strong="H0623" the keeper|strong="H8104" of the king’s|strong="H4428" forest|strong="H6508", that he may give|strong="H5414" me timber|strong="H6086" to make beams|strong="H7136" for the gates|strong="H8179" of the palace|strong="H1002" which appertained to the house|strong="H1004", and for the wall|strong="H2346" of the city|strong="H5892", and for the house|strong="H1004" that I shall enter into|strong="H0935". And the king|strong="H4428" granted|strong="H5414" me, according to the good|strong="H2896" hand|strong="H3027" of my God|strong="H0430" upon me.
9 Then I came|strong="H0935" to the governors|strong="H6346" beyond|strong="H5676" the river|strong="H5104", and gave|strong="H5414" them the king’s|strong="H4428" letters|strong="H0107". Now the king|strong="H4428" had sent|strong="H7971" captains|strong="H8269" of the army|strong="H2428" and horsemen|strong="H6571" with me.
10 When Sanballat|strong="H5571" the Horonite|strong="H2772", and Tobiah|strong="H2900" the servant|strong="H5650", the Ammonite|strong="H5984", heard|strong="H8085" of it, it grieved|strong="H3415" them exceedingly|strong="H7451" that there was come|strong="H0935" a man|strong="H0120" to seek|strong="H1245" the welfare|strong="H2896" of the children|strong="H1121" of Israel|strong="H3478".
11 So I came|strong="H0935" to Jerusalem|strong="H3389", and was there three|strong="H7969" days|strong="H3117".
12 And I arose|strong="H6965" in the night|strong="H3915", I and some|strong="H4592" few|strong="H4592" men|strong="H0582" with me; neither told|strong="H5046" I any man|strong="H0120" what my God|strong="H0430" had put|strong="H5414" in my heart|strong="H3820" to do|strong="H6213" at Jerusalem|strong="H3389": neither was there any beast|strong="H0929" with me, save the beast|strong="H0929" that I rode upon|strong="H7392".
13 And I went out|strong="H3318" by night|strong="H3915" by the gate|strong="H8179" of the valley|strong="H1516", even before|strong="H6440" the dragon|strong="H8577" well|strong="H5869", and to the dung|strong="H0830" port|strong="H8179", and viewed|strong="H7663" the walls|strong="H2346" of Jerusalem|strong="H3389", which were broken down|strong="H6555", and the gates|strong="H8179" thereof were consumed|strong="H0398" with fire|strong="H0784".
14 Then I went on|strong="H5674" to the gate|strong="H8179" of the fountain|strong="H5869", and to the king’s|strong="H4428" pool|strong="H1295": but there was no place|strong="H4725" for the beast|strong="H0929" that was under me to pass|strong="H5674".
15 Then went I up|strong="H5927" in the night|strong="H3915" by the brook|strong="H5158", and viewed|strong="H7663" the wall|strong="H2346", and turned back|strong="H7725", and entered|strong="H0935" by the gate|strong="H8179" of the valley|strong="H1516", and so returned|strong="H7725".
16 And the rulers|strong="H5461" knew|strong="H3045" not whither I went|strong="H1980", or what I did|strong="H6213"; neither had I as yet|strong="H3651" told|strong="H5046" it to the Jews|strong="H3064", nor to the priests|strong="H3548", nor to the nobles|strong="H2715", nor to the rulers|strong="H5461", nor to the rest|strong="H3499" that did|strong="H6213" the work|strong="H4399".
17 Then said|strong="H0559" I unto them, Ye see|strong="H7200" the distress|strong="H7451" that we are in, how Jerusalem|strong="H3389" lieth waste|strong="H2720", and the gates|strong="H8179" thereof are burned|strong="H3341" with fire|strong="H0784": come|strong="H3212", and let us build up|strong="H1129" the wall|strong="H2346" of Jerusalem|strong="H3389", that we be no more a reproach|strong="H2781".
18 Then I told|strong="H5046" them of the hand|strong="H3027" of my God|strong="H0430" which was good|strong="H2896" upon me; as also the king’s|strong="H4428" words|strong="H1697" that he had spoken|strong="H0559" unto me. And they said|strong="H0559", Let us rise up|strong="H6965" and build|strong="H1129". So they strengthened|strong="H2388" their hands|strong="H3027" for this good|strong="H2896" work.
19 But when Sanballat|strong="H5571" the Horonite|strong="H2772", and Tobiah|strong="H2900" the servant|strong="H5650", the Ammonite|strong="H5984", and Geshem|strong="H1654" the Arabian|strong="H6163", heard|strong="H8085" it, they laughed us to scorn|strong="H3932", and despised|strong="H0959" us, and said|strong="H0559", What is this thing|strong="H1697" that ye do|strong="H6213"? will ye rebel|strong="H4775" against the king|strong="H4428"?
20 Then answered|strong="H7725" I them, and said|strong="H0559" unto them, The God|strong="H0430" of heaven|strong="H8064", he will prosper|strong="H6743" us; therefore we his servants|strong="H5650" will arise|strong="H6965" and build|strong="H1129": but ye have no portion|strong="H2506", nor right|strong="H6666", nor memorial|strong="H2146", in Jerusalem|strong="H3389".