1 And it came to pass1961 in the month2320 Nisan,5212 in the twentieth6242 year8141 of Artaxerxes783 the king,4428 that wine3196 was before6440 him: and I took up5375 853 the wine,3196 and gave5414 it unto the king.4428 Now I had not3808 been1961 formerly sad7451 in his presence.6440

2 Wherefore the king4428 said559 unto me, Why4069 is thy countenance6440 sad,7451 seeing thou859 art not369 sick?2470 this2088 is nothing369 else but3588 518 sorrow7455 of heart.3820 Then I was very3966 sore7235 afraid,3372

3 And said559 unto the king,4428 Let the king4428 live2421 forever:5769 why4069 should not3808 my countenance6440 be sad,7489 when834 the city,5892 the place1004 of my fathers'1 sepulchers,6913 lieth waste,2720 and the gates8179 thereof are consumed398 with fire?784

4 Then the king4428 said559 unto me, For5921 what4100 2088 dost thou859 make request?1245 So I prayed6419 to413 the God430 of heaven.8064

5 And I said559 unto the king,4428 If518 it please2895 5921 the king,4428 and if518 thy servant5650 have found favor3190 in thy sight,6440 that834 thou wouldest send7971 me unto413 Judah,3063 unto413 the city5892 of my fathers'1 sepulchers,6913 that I may build1129 it.

6 And the king4428 said559 unto me, (the queen7694 also sitting3427 by681 him,) For5704 how long4970 shall thy journey4109 be?1961 and when4970 wilt thou return?7725 So it pleased3190 6440 the king4428 to send7971 me; and I set5414 him a time.2165

7 Moreover I said559 unto the king,4428 If518 it please2895 5921 the king,4428 let letters107 be given5414 me to5921 the governors6346 beyond5676 the river,5104 that834 they may convey me over5674 till5704 834 I come935 into413 Judah;3063

8 And a letter107 unto413 Asaph623 the keeper8104 of the king's4428 forest,6508 that834 he may give5414 me timber6086 to make beams7136 for853 the gates8179 of the palace1002 which834 appertained to the house,1004 and for the wall2346 of the city,5892 and for the house1004 that834 I shall enter935 into.413 And the king4428 granted5414 me, according to the good2896 hand3027 of my God430 upon5921 me.

9 Then I came935 to413 the governors6346 beyond5676 the river,5104 and gave5414 them853 the king's4428 letters.107 Now the king4428 had sent7971 captains8269 of the army2428 and horsemen6571 with5973 me.

10 When Sanballat5571 the Horonite,2772 and Tobiah2900 the servant,5650 the Ammonite,5984 heard8085 of it, it grieved7489 them exceedingly1419 7451 that834 there was come935 a man120 to seek1245 the welfare2896 of the children1121 of Israel.3478

11 So I came935 to413 Jerusalem,3389 and was1961 there8033 three7969 days.3117

12 And I arose6965 in the night,3915 I589 and some few4592 men376 with5973 me; neither3808 told5046 I any man120 what4100 my God430 had put5414 in413 my heart3820 to do6213 at Jerusalem:3389 neither369 was there any beast929 with5973 me, save3588 518 the beast929 that834 I589 rode7392 upon.

13 And I went out3318 by night3915 by the gate8179 of the valley,1516 even before413 6440 the dragon8577 well,5869 and to413 the dung830 port,8179 and viewed1961 7663 the walls2346 of Jerusalem,3389 which834 were broken down,6555 and the gates8179 thereof were consumed398 with fire.784

14 Then I went on5674 to413 the gate8179 of the fountain,5869 and to413 the king's4428 pool:1295 but there was no369 place4725 for the beast929 that was under8478 me to pass.5674

15 Then went I up1961 5927 in the night3915 by the brook,5158 and viewed1961 7663 the wall,2346 and turned back,7725 and entered935 by the gate8179 of the valley,1516 and so returned.7725

16 And the rulers5461 knew3045 not3808 whither575 I went,1980 or what4100 I589 did;6213 neither3808 had I as5704 yet3651 told5046 it to the Jews,3064 nor to the priests,3548 nor to the nobles,2715 nor to the rulers,5461 nor to the rest3499 that did6213 the work.4399

17 Then said559 I unto413 them, Ye859 see7200 the distress7451 that834 we587 are in, how834 Jerusalem3389 lieth waste,2720 and the gates8179 thereof are burned3341 with fire:784 come,1980 and let us build up1129 853 the wall2346 of Jerusalem,3389 that we be1961 no3808 more5750 a reproach.2781

18 Then I told5046 them of853 the hand3027 of my God430 which834 1931 was good2896 upon5921 me; as also637 the king's4428 words1697 that834 he had spoken559 unto me. And they said,559 Let us rise up6965 and build.1129 So they strengthened2388 their hands3027 for this good2896 work.

19 But when Sanballat5571 the Horonite,2772 and Tobiah2900 the servant,5650 the Ammonite,5984 and Geshem1654 the Arabian,6163 heard8085 it, they laughed us to scorn,3932 and despised959 5921 us, and said,559 What4100 is this2088 thing1697 that834 ye859 do?6213 will ye859 rebel4775 against5921 the king?4428

20 Then answered7725 1697 I them, and said559 unto them, The God430 of heaven,8064 he1931 will prosper6743 us; therefore we587 his servants5650 will arise6965 and build:1129 but ye have no369 portion,2506 nor right,6666 nor memorial,2146 in Jerusalem.3389