Dual Panel1And it came to pass in the month <02320> Nisan <05212>_, in the twentieth <06242> year <08141> of Artaxerxes <0783> the king <04428>_, [that] wine <03196> [was] before <06440> him: and I took up <05375> (8799) the wine <03196>_, and gave <05414> (8799) [it] unto the king <04428>_. Now I had not been [beforetime] sad <07451> in his presence <06440>_.
2Wherefore the king <04428> said <0559> (8799) unto me, Why [is] thy countenance <06440> sad <07451>_, seeing thou [art] not sick <02470> (8802)_? this [is] nothing [else] but sorrow <07455> of heart <03820>_. Then I was very <03966> sore <07235> (8687) afraid <03372> (8799)_,
3And said <0559> (8799) unto the king <04428>_, Let the king <04428> live <02421> (8799) for ever <05769>_: why should not my countenance <06440> be sad <03415> (8799)_, when the city <05892>_, the place <01004> of my fathers <01>_' sepulchres <06913>_, [lieth] waste <02720>_, and the gates <08179> thereof are consumed <0398> (8795) with fire <0784>_?
4Then the king <04428> said <0559> (8799) unto me, For what dost thou make request <01245> (8764)_? So I prayed <06419> (8691) to the God <0430> of heaven <08064>_.
5And I said <0559> (8799) unto the king <04428>_, If it please <02895> (8804) the king <04428>_, and if thy servant <05650> have found favour <03190> (8799) in thy sight <06440>_, that thou wouldest send <07971> (8799) me unto Judah <03063>_, unto the city <05892> of my fathers <01>_' sepulchres <06913>_, that I may build <01129> (8799) it.
6And the king <04428> said <0559> (8799) unto me, (the queen <07694> also sitting <03427> (8802) by him <0681>,) For how long shall thy journey <04109> be? and when wilt thou return <07725> (8799)_? So it pleased <03190> (8799) <06440> the king <04428> to send <07971> (8799) me; and I set <05414> (8799) him a time <02165>_. {queen: Heb. wife}
7Moreover I said <0559> (8799) unto the king <04428>_, If it please <02895> (8804) the king <04428>_, let letters <0107> be given <05414> (8799) me to the governors <06346> beyond <05676> the river <05104>_, that they may convey me over <05674> (8686) till I come <0935> (8799) into Judah <03063>_;
8And a letter <0107> unto Asaph <0623> the keeper <08104> (8802) of the king's <04428> forest <06508>_, that he may give <05414> (8799) me timber <06086> to make beams <07136> (8763) for the gates <08179> of the palace <01002> which [appertained] to the house <01004>_, and for the wall <02346> of the city <05892>_, and for the house <01004> that I shall enter into <0935> (8799)_. And the king <04428> granted <05414> (8799) me, according to the good <02896> hand <03027> of my God <0430> upon me.
9Then I came <0935> (8799) to the governors <06346> beyond <05676> the river <05104>_, and gave <05414> (8799) them the king's <04428> letters <0107>_. Now the king <04428> had sent <07971> (8799) captains <08269> of the army <02428> and horsemen <06571> with me.
10When Sanballat <05571> the Horonite <02772>_, and Tobiah <02900> the servant <05650>_, the Ammonite <05984>_, heard <08085> (8799) [of it], it grieved <03415> (8799) them exceedingly <07451> <01419> that there was come <0935> (8804) a man <0120> to seek <01245> (8763) the welfare <02896> of the children <01121> of Israel <03478>_.
11So I came <0935> (8799) to Jerusalem <03389>_, and was there three <07969> days <03117>_.
12And I arose <06965> (8799) in the night <03915>_, I and some <04592> few <04592> men <0582> with me; neither told <05046> (8689) I [any] man <0120> what my God <0430> had put <05414> (8802) in my heart <03820> to do <06213> (8800) at Jerusalem <03389>_: neither [was there any] beast <0929> with me, save the beast <0929> that I rode upon <07392> (8802)_.
13And I went out <03318> (8799) by night <03915> by the gate <08179> of the valley <01516>_, even before <06440> the dragon <08577> well <05869> (8677) <05886>_, and to the dung <0830> port <08179>_, and viewed <07663> (8802) (8675) <07665> (8799) the walls <02346> of Jerusalem <03389>_, which were broken down <06555> (8803)_, and the gates <08179> thereof were consumed <0398> (8795) with fire <0784>_.
14Then I went on <05674> (8799) to the gate <08179> of the fountain <05869>_, and to the king's <04428> pool <01295>_: but [there was] no place <04725> for the beast <0929> [that was] under me to pass <05674> (8800)_.
15Then went I up <05927> (8802) in the night <03915> by the brook <05158>_, and viewed <07663> (8802) (8675) <07665> (8799) the wall <02346>_, and turned back <07725> (8799)_, and entered <0935> (8799) by the gate <08179> of the valley <01516>_, and [so] returned <07725> (8799)_.
16And the rulers <05461> knew <03045> (8804) not whither I went <01980> (8804)_, or what I did <06213> (8802)_; neither had I as yet <03651> told <05046> (8689) [it] to the Jews <03064>_, nor to the priests <03548>_, nor to the nobles <02715>_, nor to the rulers <05461>_, nor to the rest <03499> that did <06213> (8802) the work <04399>_.
17Then said <0559> (8799) I unto them, Ye see <07200> (8802) the distress <07451> that we [are] in, how Jerusalem <03389> [lieth] waste <02720>_, and the gates <08179> thereof are burned <03341> (8738) with fire <0784>_: come <03212> (8798)_, and let us build up <01129> (8799) the wall <02346> of Jerusalem <03389>_, that we be no more a reproach <02781>_.
18Then I told <05046> (8686) them of the hand <03027> of my God <0430> which was good <02896> upon me; as also the king's <04428> words <01697> that he had spoken <0559> (8804) unto me. And they said <0559> (8799)_, Let us rise up <06965> (8799) and build <01129> (8804)_. So they strengthened <02388> (8762) their hands <03027> for [this] good <02896> [work].
19But when Sanballat <05571> the Horonite <02772>_, and Tobiah <02900> the servant <05650>_, the Ammonite <05984>_, and Geshem <01654> the Arabian <06163>_, heard <08085> (8799) [it], they laughed us to scorn <03932> (8686)_, and despised <0959> (8799) us, and said <0559> (8799)_, What [is] this thing <01697> that ye do <06213> (8802)_? will ye rebel <04775> (8802) against the king <04428>_?
20Then answered <07725> (8686) <01697> I them, and said <0559> (8799) unto them, The God <0430> of heaven <08064>_, he will prosper <06743> (8686) us; therefore we his servants <05650> will arise <06965> (8799) and build <01129> (8804)_: but ye have no portion <02506>_, nor right <06666>_, nor memorial <02146>_, in Jerusalem <03389>_.