Dual Panel1And it came<1961> about in the month<2320> Nisan<5212>, in the twentieth<6242> year<8141> of King<4428> Artaxerxes<783>, that wine<3196> was before<6440> him, and I took<5375> up the wine<3196> and gave<5414> it to the king<4428>. Now I had not been<1961> sad<7451> in his presence<6440>.
2So the king<4428> said<559> to me, "Why<4069> is your face<6440> sad<7451> though you are not sick<2470>? This<2088> is nothing<369> but sadness<7455> of heart<3820>." Then I was very<3966> much<7235> afraid<3372>.
3I said<559> to the king<4428>, "Let the king<4428> live<2421> forever<5769>. Why<4069> should my face<6440> not be sad<7489> when<834> the city<5892>, the place<1004> of my fathers'<1> tombs<6913>, lies desolate<2720> and its gates<8179> have been consumed<398> by fire<784>?"
4Then the king<4428> said<559> to me, "What<4100> would you request<1245>?" So I prayed<6419> to the God<430> of heaven<8064>.
5I said<559> to the king<4428>, "If<518> it please<2895> the king<4428>, and if<518> your servant<5650> has found<3190> favor<3190> before<6440> you, send<7971> me to Judah<3063>, to the city<5892> of my fathers'<1> tombs<6913>, that I may rebuild<1129> it."
6Then the king<4428> said<559> to me, the queen<7694> sitting<3427> beside<681> him, "How<4970> long<5704><4970> will your journey<4109> be, and when<4970> will you return<7725>?" So it pleased<3190> the king<4428> to send<7971> me, and I gave<5414> him a definite<2165> time<2165>.
7And I said<559> to the king<4428>, "If<518> it please<2895> the king<4428>, let letters<107> be given<5414> me for the governors<6346> of the provinces beyond<5676> the River<5104>, that they may allow me to pass<5674> through<5674> until<5704><834> I come<935> to Judah<3063>,
8and a letter<107> to Asaph<623> the keeper<8104> of the king's<4428> forest<6508>, that he may give<5414> me timber<6086> to make<7136> beams<7136> for the gates<8179> of the fortress<1002> which<834> is by the temple<1004>, for the wall<2346> of the city<5892> and for the house<1004> to which<834> I will go<935>." And the king<4428> granted<5414> them to me because the good<2896> hand<3027> of my God<430> was on me.
9Then I came<935> to the governors<6346> of the provinces beyond<5676> the River<5104> and gave<5414> them the king's<4428> letters<107>. Now the king<4428> had sent<7971> with me officers<8269> of the army<2428> and horsemen<6571>.
10When Sanballat<5571> the Horonite<2772> and Tobiah<2900> the Ammonite<5984> official<5650> heard<8085> about it, it was very<7463><1419> displeasing<7489> to them that someone<120> had come<935> to seek<1245> the welfare<2899> of the sons<1121> of Israel<3478>.
11So I came<935> to Jerusalem<3389> and was there<8033> three<7969> days<3117>.
12And I arose<6965> in the night<3915>, I and a few<4592> men<376> with me. I did not tell<5046> anyone<120> what<4100> my God<430> was putting<5414> into my mind<3820> to do<6213> for Jerusalem<3389> and there<369> was no<369> animal<929> with me except<3588><518> the animal<929> on which<834> I was riding<7392>.
13So I went<3318> out at night<3915> by the Valley<1516> Gate<8179> in the direction<6440> of the Dragon's<5886> Well<5886> and on to the Refuse<830> Gate<8179>, inspecting<7663> the walls<2346> of Jerusalem<3389> which<834> were broken<6555> down<6555> and its gates<8179> which were consumed<398> by fire<784>.
14Then I passed<5674> on to the Fountain<5871> Gate<8179> and the King's<4428> Pool<1295>, but there<369> was no<369> place<4725> for my mount<929> to pass<5674>.
15So I went<5927> up at night<3915> by the ravine<5158> and inspected<7663> the wall<2346>. Then I entered<935> the Valley<1516> Gate<8179> again and returned<7725>.
16The officials<5461> did not know<3045> where<575> I had gone<1980> or what<4100> I had done<6213>; nor<3808> had I as yet<3651> told<5046> the Jews<3064>, the priests<3548>, the nobles<2715>, the officials<5461> or the rest<3499> who did<6213> the work<4399>.
17Then I said<559> to them, "You see<7200> the bad<7451> situation<7463> we are in, that Jerusalem<3389> is desolate<2720> and its gates<8179> burned<3341> by fire<784>. Come<1980>, let us rebuild<1129> the wall<2346> of Jerusalem<3389> so<3808> that we will no<3808> longer<5750> be a reproach<2781>."
18I told<5046> them how<834> the hand<3027> of my God<430> had been favorable<2896> to me and also<637> about the king's<4428> words<1697> which<834> he had spoken<559> to me. Then they said<559>, "Let us arise<6965> and build<1129>." So they put<2388> their hands<3027> to the good<2899> work.
19But when Sanballat<5571> the Horonite<2772> and Tobiah<2900> the Ammonite<5984> official<5650>, and Geshem<1654> the Arab<6163> heard<8085> it, they mocked<3932> us and despised<959> us and said<559>, "What<4100> is this<2088> thing<1697> you are doing<6213>? Are you rebelling<4775> against<5921> the king<4428>?"
20So I answered<7725> them and said<559> to them, "The God<430> of heaven<8064> will give<6743> us success<6743>; therefore we His servants<5650> will arise<6965> and build<1129>, but you have<369> no<369> portion<2506>, right<6666> or memorial<2146> in Jerusalem<3389>."