1 And it came to pass in the month 2320 Nisan 5212, in the twentieth 6242 year 8141 of Artaxerxes 783 the king 4428, that wine 3196 was before 6440 him: and I took up 5375 the wine 3196, and gave 5414 it unto the king 4428. Now I had not been beforetime sad 7451 in his presence 6440.
2 Wherefore the king 4428 said 559 unto me, Why is thy countenance 6440 sad 7451, seeing thou art not sick 2470? this is nothing else but sorrow 7455 of heart 3820. Then I was very 3966 sore 7235 afraid 3372,
3 And said 559 unto the king 4428, Let the king 4428 live 2421 for ever 5769: why should not my countenance 6440 be sad 3415, when the city 5892, the place 1004 of my fathers 1' sepulchres 6913, lieth waste 2720, and the gates 8179 thereof are consumed 398 with fire 784?
4 Then the king 4428 said 559 unto me, For what dost thou make request 1245? So I prayed 6419 to the God 430 of heaven 8064.
5 And I said 559 unto the king 4428, If it please 2895 the king 4428, and if thy servant 5650 have found favour 3190 in thy sight 6440, that thou wouldest send 7971 me unto Judah 3063, unto the city 5892 of my fathers 1' sepulchres 6913, that I may build 1129 it.
6 And the king 4428 said 559 unto me, (the queen 7694 also sitting 3427 by him 681,) For how long shall thy journey 4109 be? and when wilt thou return 7725? So it pleased 3190 6440 the king 4428 to send 7971 me; and I set 5414 him a time 2165.
7 Moreover I said 559 unto the king 4428, If it please 2895 the king 4428, let letters 107 be given 5414 me to the governors 6346 beyond 5676 the river 5104, that they may convey me over 5674 till I come 935 into Judah 3063;
8 And a letter 107 unto Asaph 623 the keeper 8104 of the king's 4428 forest 6508, that he may give 5414 me timber 6086 to make beams 7136 for the gates 8179 of the palace 1002 which appertained to the house 1004, and for the wall 2346 of the city 5892, and for the house 1004 that I shall enter into 935. And the king 4428 granted 5414 me, according to the good 2896 hand 3027 of my God 430 upon me.
9 Then I came 935 to the governors 6346 beyond 5676 the river 5104, and gave 5414 them the king's 4428 letters 107. Now the king 4428 had sent 7971 captains 8269 of the army 2428 and horsemen 6571 with me.
10 When Sanballat 5571 the Horonite 2772, and Tobiah 2900 the servant 5650, the Ammonite 5984, heard 8085 of it, it grieved 3415 them exceedingly 7451 1419 that there was come 935 a man 120 to seek 1245 the welfare 2896 of the children 1121 of Israel 3478.
11 So I came 935 to Jerusalem 3389, and was there three 7969 days 3117.
12 And I arose 6965 in the night 3915, I and some 4592 few 4592 men 582 with me; neither told 5046 I any man 120 what my God 430 had put 5414 in my heart 3820 to do 6213 at Jerusalem 3389: neither was there any beast 929 with me, save the beast 929 that I rode upon 7392.
13 And I went out 3318 by night 3915 by the gate 8179 of the valley 1516, even before 6440 the dragon 8577 well 5869 5886, and to the dung 830 port 8179, and viewed 7663 7665 the walls 2346 of Jerusalem 3389, which were broken down 6555, and the gates 8179 thereof were consumed 398 with fire 784.
14 Then I went on 5674 to the gate 8179 of the fountain 5869, and to the king's 4428 pool 1295: but there was no place 4725 for the beast 929 that was under me to pass 5674.
15 Then went I up 5927 in the night 3915 by the brook 5158, and viewed 7663 7665 the wall 2346, and turned back 7725, and entered 935 by the gate 8179 of the valley 1516, and so returned 7725.
16 And the rulers 5461 knew 3045 not whither I went 1980, or what I did 6213; neither had I as yet 3651 told 5046 it to the Jews 3064, nor to the priests 3548, nor to the nobles 2715, nor to the rulers 5461, nor to the rest 3499 that did 6213 the work 4399.
17 Then said 559 I unto them, Ye see 7200 the distress 7451 that we are in, how Jerusalem 3389 lieth waste 2720, and the gates 8179 thereof are burned 3341 with fire 784: come 3212, and let us build up 1129 the wall 2346 of Jerusalem 3389, that we be no more a reproach 2781.
18 Then I told 5046 them of the hand 3027 of my God 430 which was good 2896 upon me; as also the king's 4428 words 1697 that he had spoken 559 unto me. And they said 559, Let us rise up 6965 and build 1129. So they strengthened 2388 their hands 3027 for this good 2896 work.
19 But when Sanballat 5571 the Horonite 2772, and Tobiah 2900 the servant 5650, the Ammonite 5984, and Geshem 1654 the Arabian 6163, heard 8085 it, they laughed us to scorn 3932, and despised 959 us, and said 559, What is this thing 1697 that ye do 6213? will ye rebel 4775 against the king 4428?
20 Then answered 7725 1697 I them, and said 559 unto them, The God 430 of heaven 8064, he will prosper 6743 us; therefore we his servants 5650 will arise 6965 and build 1129: but ye have no portion 2506, nor right 6666, nor memorial 2146, in Jerusalem 3389.