Nehemiah 1
1These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was at the fortress of Susa.H1697H5166H1121H2446H2320H3691H6242H8141H7800H10022Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.H2607H259H251H935H582H3063H7592H3064H6413H7604H7628H33893They said to me, "Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire."H559H7604H7604H7628H4082H1419H7451H2781H2346H3389H6555H8179H3341H7844When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.H8085H1697H3427H1058H56H3117H6684H6419H6440H430H80645Then I said, "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,H559H577H3068H430H8064H1419H3372H410H8104H1285H2617H157H8104H46876listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!H241H7183H5869H6605H8085H8605H5650H6419H6440H3117H3119H3915H1121H3478H5650H3034H2403H1121H3478H2398H1H1004H23987We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.H2254H2254H8104H4687H2706H4941H6680H5650H48728"Please remember what you told your servant Moses: 'If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations.H2142H1697H6680H5650H4872H559H4603H6327H59719But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.'H7725H8104H4687H6213H5080H7097H8064H6908H935H4725H977H7931H803410"The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants.H5650H5971H6299H1419H3581H2389H302711O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me." In those days I was the king's cup-bearer.H136H577H241H7183H8605H5650H8605H5650H2655H3372H8034H6743H5650H3117H5414H7356H6440H376H4428H8248
Nehemiah 2
2Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence.H2320H5212H6242H8141H783H4428H3196H6440H5375H3196H5414H4428H7451H64402So the king asked me, "Why are you looking so sad? You don't look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled." Then I was terrified,H4428H559H6440H7451H2470H7455H3820H3966H7235H33723but I replied, "Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire."H559H4428H4428H2421H5769H6440H3415H5892H1004H1H6913H2720H8179H398H7844The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?" With a prayer to the God of heaven,H4428H559H1245H6419H430H80645I replied, "If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried."H559H4428H2895H4428H5650H3190H6440H7971H3063H5892H1H6913H11296The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, "How long will you be gone? When will you return?" After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.H4428H559H7694H3427H681H4109H7725H3190H6440H4428H7971H5414H21657I also said to the king, "If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah.H559H4428H2895H4428H107H5414H6346H5676H5104H5674H935H30638And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king's forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself." And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.H107H623H8104H4428H6508H5414H6086H7136H8179H1002H1004H2346H5892H1004H935H4428H5414H2896H3027H4309When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king's letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.H935H6346H5676H5104H5414H4428H107H4428H7971H8269H2428H657110But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.H5571H2772H2900H5650H5984H8085H3415H7451H1419H935H120H1245H2896H1121H347811So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later,H935H3389H7969H311712I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.H6965H3915H4592H4592H582H5046H120H430H5414H3820H6213H3389H929H929H739213After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal's Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates.H3318H3915H8179H1516H6440H8577H5869H5886H830H8179H7663H7665H2346H3389H6555H8179H398H78414Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but my donkey couldn't get through the rubble.H5674H8179H5869H4428H1295H4725H929H567415So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.H5927H3915H5158H7663H7665H2346H7725H935H8179H1516H772516The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration.H5461H3045H1980H6213H3651H5046H3064H3548H2715H5461H3499H6213H439917But now I said to them, "You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!"H559H7200H7451H3389H2720H8179H3341H784H3212H1129H2346H3389H278118Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, "Yes, let's rebuild the wall!" So they began the good work.H5046H3027H430H2896H4428H1697H559H559H6965H1129H2388H3027H289619But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. "What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?" they asked.H5571H2772H2900H5650H5984H1654H6163H8085H3932H959H559H1697H6213H4775H442820I replied, "The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem."H7725H1697H559H430H8064H6743H5650H6965H1129H2506H6666H2146H3389
Nehemiah 3
3Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel.H475H1419H3548H6965H251H3548H1129H6629H8179H6942H5975H1817H4026H3968H6942H4026H2606 2People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri.H3027H1129H582H3405H1129H2139H1121H566 3The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.H1709H8179H1121H5570H1129H7136H5975H1817H4514H1280 4Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana.H3027H2388H4822H1121H223H1121H6976H3027H2388H4918H1121H1296H1121H4898H3027H2388H6659H1121H1195 5Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.H3027H8621H2388H117H935H6677H5656H113 6The Old City Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.H3465H8179H2388H3111H1121H6454H4918H1121H1152H7136H5975H1817H4514H1280 7Next to them were Melatiah from Gibeon, Jadon from Meronoth, people from Gibeon, and people from Mizpah, the headquarters of the governor of the province west of the Euphrates River.H3027H2388H4424H1393H3036H4824H582H1391H4709H3678H6346H5676H5104 8Next was Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the Broad Wall.H3027H2388H5816H1121H2736H6884H3027H2388H2608H1121H7546H5800H3389H7342H2346 9Rephaiah son of Hur, the leader of half the district of Jerusalem, was next to them on the wall.H3027H2388H7509H1121H2354H8269H2677H6418H3389 10Next Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired the wall across from his own house, and next to him was Hattush son of Hashabneiah.H3027H2388H3042H1121H2739H1004H3027H2388H2407H1121H2813 11Then came Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab, who repaired another section of the wall and the Tower of the Ovens.H4441H1121H2766H2815H1121H6355H2388H8145H4060H4026H8574 12Shallum son of Hallohesh and his daughters repaired the next section. He was the leader of the other half of the district of Jerusalem.H3027H2388H7967H1121H3873H8269H2677H6418H3389H1323 13The Valley Gate was repaired by the people from Zanoah, led by Hanun. They set up its doors and installed its bolts and bars. They also repaired the 1,500 feet of wall to the Dung Gate.H1516H8179H2388H2586H3427H2182H1129H5975H1817H4514H1280H505H520H2346H830H8179 14The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, the leader of the Beth-hakkerem district. He rebuilt it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.H830H8179H2388H4441H1121H7394H8269H6418H1021H1129H5975H1817H4514H1280 15The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallum son of Col-hozeh, the leader of the Mizpah district. He rebuilt it, roofed it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. Then he repaired the wall of the pool of Siloam near the king's garden, and he rebuilt the wall as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David.H8179H5869H2388H7968H1121H3626H8269H6418H4709H1129H2926H5975H1817H4514H1280H2346H1295H7975H4428H1588H4609H3381H5892H1732 16Next to him was Nehemiah son of Azbuk, the leader of half the district of Beth-zur. He rebuilt the wall from a place across from the tombs of David's family as far as the water reservoir and the House of the Warriors.H310H2388H5166H1121H5802H8269H2677H6418H1049H6913H1732H1295H6213H1004H1368 17Next to him, repairs were made by a group of Levites working under the supervision of Rehum son of Bani. Then came Hashabiah, the leader of half the district of Keilah, who supervised the building of the wall on behalf of his own district.H310H2388H3881H7348H1121H1137H3027H2388H2811H8269H2677H6418H7084H6418 18Next down the line were his countrymen led by Binnui son of Henadad, the leader of the other half of the district of Keilah.H310H2388H251H942H1121H2582H8269H2677H6418H7084 19Next to them, Ezer son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired another section of wall across from the ascent to the armory near the angle in the wall.H3027H2388H5829H1121H3442H8269H4709H8145H4060H5927H5402H4740 20Next to him was Baruch son of Zabbai, who zealously repaired an additional section from the angle to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.H310H1263H1121H2079H2734H2388H8145H4060H4740H6607H1004H475H1419H3548 21Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz rebuilt another section of the wall extending from the door of Eliashib's house to the end of the house.H310H2388H4822H1121H223H1121H6976H8145H4060H6607H1004H475H8503H1004H475 22The next repairs were made by the priests from the surrounding region.H310H2388H3548H582H3603 23After them, Benjamin and Hasshub repaired the section across from their house, and Azariah son of Maaseiah and grandson of Ananiah repaired the section across from his house.H310H2388H1144H2815H1004H310H2388H5838H1121H4641H1121H6055H681H1004 24Next was Binnui son of Henadad, who rebuilt another section of the wall from Azariah's house to the angle and the corner.H310H2388H1131H1121H2582H8145H4060H1004H5838H4740H6438 25Palal son of Uzai carried on the work from a point opposite the angle and the tower that projects up from the king's upper house beside the court of the guard. Next to him were Pedaiah son of Parosh,H6420H1121H186H4740H4026H3318H4428H5945H1004H2691H4307H310H6305H1121H6551 26with the Temple servants living on the hill of Ophel, who repaired the wall as far as a point across from the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower.H5411H3427H6077H4325H8179H4217H4026H3318 27Then came the people of Tekoa, who repaired another section across from the great projecting tower and over to the wall of Ophel.H310H8621H2388H8145H4060H1419H4026H3318H2346H6077 28Above the Horse Gate, the priests repaired the wall. Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house.H5483H8179H2388H3548H376H5048H1004 29Next Zadok son of Immer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house, and beyond him was Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the gatekeeper of the East Gate.H310H2388H6659H1121H564H1004H310H2388H8098H1121H7935H8104H4217H8179 30Next Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section, while Meshullam son of Berekiah rebuilt the wall across from where he lived.H310H2388H2608H1121H8018H2586H8345H1121H6764H8145H4060H310H2388H4918H1121H1296H5393 31Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner.H310H2388H4441H6885H1121H1004H5411H7402H8179H4663H5944H6438 32The other goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate.H5944H6438H6629H8179H2388H6884H7402
Nehemiah 4
4Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews,H5571H8085H1129H2346H2734H7235H3707H3932H30642saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they're doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?"H559H6440H251H2428H8111H559H6213H537H3064H5800H2076H3615H3117H2421H68H6194H6083H83133Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, "That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!"H2900H5984H681H559H1129H7776H5927H6555H68H23464Then I prayed, "Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land!H8085H430H939H7725H2781H7218H5414H961H776H76335Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders."H3680H5771H2403H4229H6440H3707H11296At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.H1129H2346H2346H7194H2677H5971H3820H62137But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious.H5571H2900H6163H5984H796H8085H2346H3389H724H5927H6555H2490H5640H3966H27348They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion.H7194H3162H935H3898H3389H6213H84429But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.H6419H430H5975H4929H3119H3915H644010Then the people of Judah began to complain, "The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves."H3063H559H3581H5449H3782H7235H6083H3201H1129H234611Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, "Before they know what's happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work."H6862H559H3045H7200H935H8432H8432H2026H4399H767312The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, "They will come from all directions and attack us!"H3064H3427H681H935H559H6235H6471H4725H772513So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.H5975H8482H4725H310H2346H6706H6708H5975H5971H4940H2719H7420H719814Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, "Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!"H7200H6965H559H2715H5461H3499H5971H3372H6440H2142H136H1419H3372H3898H251H1121H1323H802H100415When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.H341H8085H3045H430H6565H6098H6565H7725H2346H376H439916But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of JudahH3117H2677H5288H6213H4399H2677H2388H7420H4043H7198H8302H8269H310H1004H306317who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.H1129H2346H5375H5447H6006H259H3027H6213H4399H259H2388H797318All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.H1129H376H2719H631H4975H1129H8628H7782H68119Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, "The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.H559H2715H5461H3499H5971H4399H7235H7342H6504H2346H376H7350H25120When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!"H4725H8085H6963H7782H6908H430H389821We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard.H6213H4399H2677H2388H7420H5927H7837H3556H331822I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night and work during the day.H6256H559H5971H376H5288H3885H8432H3389H3915H4929H4399H311723During this time, none of us—not I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me—ever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water.H251H5288H582H4929H310H587H6584H899H376H7973H4325
Nehemiah 5
5About this time some of the men and their wives raised a cry of protest against their fellow Jews.H1419H6818H5971H802H251H30642They were saying, "We have such large families. We need more food to survive."H3426H559H1121H1323H7227H3947H1715H398H24213Others said, "We have mortgaged our fields, vineyards, and homes to get food during the famine."H3426H559H6148H7704H3754H1004H3947H1715H74584And others said, "We have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes.H3426H559H3867H3701H4428H4060H7704H37545We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others."H1320H1320H251H1121H1121H3533H1121H1323H5650H1323H3426H3533H410H3027H312H7704H37546When I heard their complaints, I was very angry.H3966H2734H8085H2201H16977After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, "You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!" Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.H4427H3820H7378H2715H5461H559H5378H5383H5375H4855H376H251H5414H1419H69528At the meeting I said to them, "We are doing all we can to redeem our Jewish relatives who have had to sell themselves to pagan foreigners, but you are selling them back into slavery again. How often must we redeem them?" And they had nothing to say in their defense.H559H1767H7069H251H3064H4376H1471H4376H251H4376H2790H4672H16979Then I pressed further, "What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?H559H2896H1697H6213H3212H3374H430H2781H1471H34110I myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending the people money and grain, but now let us stop this business of charging interest.H251H5288H5383H3701H1715H5800H485511You must restore their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes to them this very day. And repay the interest you charged when you lent them money, grain, new wine, and olive oil."H7725H3117H7704H3754H2132H1004H3967H3701H1715H8492H3323H538312They replied, "We will give back everything and demand nothing more from the people. We will do as you say." Then I called the priests and made the nobles and officials swear to do what they had promised.H559H7725H1245H6213H559H7121H3548H7650H6213H169713I shook out the folds of my robe and said, "If you fail to keep your promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property!" The whole assembly responded, "Amen," and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.H5287H2684H559H430H5287H376H1004H3018H6965H1697H5287H7386H6951H559H543H1984H3068H5971H6213H169714For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.H3117H6680H6346H776H3063H6242H8141H8147H7970H8141H783H4428H8147H6240H8141H251H398H3899H634615The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.H7223H6346H6440H3513H5971H3947H3899H3196H310H705H8255H3701H1571H5288H7980H5971H6213H6440H3374H43016I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall.H2388H4399H2346H7069H7704H5288H6908H439917I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands!H7979H3967H2572H376H3064H5461H935H1471H543918The provisions I paid for each day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor's food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden.H6213H3117H259H7794H8337H1305H6629H6833H6213H6235H3117H7235H3196H5973H1245H3899H6346H5656H3513H597119Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.H2142H430H2896H6213H5971
Dublin, OH
, I was at the fortress of Susa.H1697
