1 And it came1961 to pass in the month2320 Nisan,5212 in the twentieth6242 year8141 of Artaxerxes783 the king,4428 that wine3196 was before6440 him: and I took5375 up the wine,3196 and gave5414 it to the king.4428 Now I had not been1961 beforetime sad7451 in his presence.6440

2 Why the king4428 said559 to me, Why4069 is your countenance6440 sad,7451 seeing you are not sick?2470 this2088 is nothing369 else but sorrow7455 of heart.3820 Then I was very3966 sore7235 afraid,3372

3 And said559 to the king,4428 Let the king4428 live2421 for ever:5769 why4069 should not my countenance6440 be sad,7489 when834 the city,5892 the place1004 of my fathers'1 sepulchers,6913 lies waste,2720 and the gates8179 thereof are consumed398 with fire?784

4 Then the king4428 said559 to me, For what4100 do you make request?1245 So I prayed6419 to the God430 of heaven.8064

5 And I said559 to the king,4428 If518 it please2895 the king,4428 and if518 your servant5650 have found favor3190 in your sight,6440 that you would send7971 me to Judah,3063 to the city5892 of my fathers'1 sepulchers,6913 that I may build1129 it.

6 And the king4428 said559 to me, (the queen7694 also sitting3427 by him,) For how5704 long5704 shall your journey4109 be? and when4970 will you return?7725 So it pleased3190 the king4428 to send7971 me; and I set5414 him a time.2165

7 Moreover I said559 to the king,4428 If it please2895 the king,4428 let letters107 be given5414 me to the governors6346 beyond5676 the river,5104 that they may convey5674 me over5674 till5704 I come935 into413 Judah;3063

8 And a letter107 to Asaph623 the keeper8104 of the king's4428 forest,6508 that he may give5414 me timber6086 to make beams7136 for the gates8179 of the palace1002 which834 appertained to the house,1004 and for the wall2346 of the city,5892 and for the house1004 that I shall enter935 into.5921 And the king4428 granted5414 me, according to the good2896 hand3027 of my God430 on me.

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

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

11 So I came935 to Jerusalem,3389 and was there8033 three7969 days.3117

12 And I arose6965 in the night,3915 I and some4592 few4592 men582 with me; neither3808 told5046 I any man120 what4100 my God430 had put5414 in my heart3820 to do6213 at Jerusalem:3389 neither369 was there any beast929 with me, save3588 518 the beast929 that I rode7392 on.

13 And I went3318 out by night3915 by the gate8179 of the valley,1516 even before413 6440 the dragon8577 well,5869 and to the dung830 port,8179 and viewed7663 the walls2346 of Jerusalem,3389 which834 were broken6555 down, and the gates8179 thereof were consumed398 with fire.784

14 Then I went5674 on413 to the gate8179 of the fountain,5869 and to the king's4428 pool:1295 but there was no369 place4725 for the beast929 that was under8478 me to pass.5674

15 Then went5927 I up in the night3915 by the brook,5158 and viewed7663 the wall,2346 and turned7725 back,7725 and entered935 by the gate8179 of the valley,1516 and so returned.7725

16 And the rulers5461 knew3045 not where575 I went,1980 or what4100 I did;6213 neither3808 had I as yet5704 3651 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 to them, You see7200 the distress7451 that we are in, how834 Jerusalem3389 lies waste,2720 and the gates8179 thereof are burned3341 with fire:784 come,3212 and let us build1129 up the wall2346 of Jerusalem,3389 that we be no3808 more5750 a reproach.2781

18 Then I told5046 them of the hand3027 of my God430 which834 was good2896 on me; as also637 the king's4428 words1697 that he had spoken559 to me. And they said,559 Let us rise6965 up 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 laughed3932 us to scorn, and despised959 us, and said,559 What4100 is this2088 thing1697 that you do?6213 will you rebel4775 against5921 the king?4428

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