Nehemiah 2
Nehemiah, a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, was visibly sad in the king's presence, prompting the king to ask the reason for his sorrow. Nehemiah explained that he was mourning the desolate state of Jerusalem, and the king granted him permission to travel to Judea to rebuild the city. The king also provided Nehemiah with letters to the governors of the region and to the keeper of the king's forest, allowing him to gather materials for the rebuilding project. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah secretly inspected the city's walls and gates at night, then rallied the Jews to join him in rebuilding the walls, but their efforts were met with ridicule and opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.
1Now it happened that, in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes, wine was before him; and I lifted up the wine, and I gave it to the king. And I was like someone languishing before his face2And the king said to me: "Why is your expression sad, though you do not appear to be sick? This is not without cause, but some evil, I know not what, is in your heart." And I was struck with an exceedingly great fear3And I said to the king: "O king, live forever. Why should my expression not be mournful, since the city of the house of the sepulchers of my father is desolate, and its gates have been burned with fire?4And the king said to me: "What would you request?" And I prayed to the God of heaven5And I said to the king: "If it seems good to the king, and if your servant is pleasing before your face: that you would send me into Judea, to the city of the sepulcher of my father. And I will rebuild it.6And the king said to me, with the queen who was sitting beside him: "Until what time will your journey be, and when will you return?" And it was pleasing before the countenance of the king, and so he sent me. And I established a time for him7And I said to the king: "If it seems good to the king, may he give me letters to the governors of the region beyond the river, so that they may lead me through, until I arrive in Judea8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, so that he may give me timber, in order that I may be able to cover the gates of the tower of the house, and the walls of the city, and the house that I will enter." And the king granted to me in accord with the good hand of my God, who is with me9And I went to the governors of the region beyond the river, and I gave them the letters of the king. Now the king had sent with me military leaders and horsemen10And Sanballat, a Horonite, and the servant Tobiah, an Ammonite, heard this. And they were saddened, with a great affliction, that a man had arrived who was seeking the prosperity of the sons of Israel11And I arrived at Jerusalem, and I was there for three days12And I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. And I did not reveal to anyone what God had placed in my heart to do in Jerusalem. And there was no animal with me, except the animal on which I was sitting13And I departed in the night through the gate of the valley, and before the fountain of the dragon, and toward the dung gate. And I considered the wall of Jerusalem, which was broken apart, and its gates, which had been consumed by fire14And I continued on to the gate of the fountain, and to the aqueduct of the king. And there was no room for the beast on which I was sitting to pass through15And so I climbed up in the night along the torrent, and I considered the wall. And turning back, I went by the gate of the valley, and I returned16Now the magistrates did not know where I had gone, or what I had done. For I had revealed nothing, even to that point in time, to the Jews, or to the priests, or to the nobles, or to the magistrates, or to the others who were doing the work17And so I said to them: "You know the affliction in which we are, because Jerusalem is desolate, and its gates have been consumed by fire. Come, and let us rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and let us no longer be in disgrace.18And I revealed to them how the hand of my God was with me for good, and the words of the king, which he had spoken to me. And I said: "Let us rise up, and build." And their hands were strengthened for good19But Sanballat, a Horonite, and the servant Tobiah, an Ammonite, and Geshem, an Arab, heard of it. And they ridiculed and disparaged us, and they said: "What is this thing that you are doing? Could you be rebelling against the king?20And I replied to them a word, and I said to them: "The God of heaven himself is helping us, and we are his servants. Let us rise up and build. But there is no portion, or justice, or remembrance in Jerusalem for you.
Share this chapter