1And it came to pass in the month Nisan , in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king , when wine was before him , that I took up the wine , and gave it unto the king . Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence . 2And the king said unto me , Why is thy countenance sad , seeing thou art not sick ? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart . Then I was very sore afraid . 3And I said unto the king , Let the king live for ever : why should not my countenance be sad , when the city , the place of my fathers’ sepulchres , lieth waste , and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? 4Then the king said unto me , For what dost thou make request ? So I prayed to the God of heaven . 5And I said unto the king , If it please the king , and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight , that thou wouldest send me unto Judah , unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres , that I may build it .
Nehemiah's Request to the King
6And the king said unto me ( the queen also sitting by him ), For how long shall thy journey be ? and when wilt thou return ? So it pleased the king to send me ; and I set him a time . 7Moreover I said unto the king , If it please the king , let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River , that they may let me pass through till I come unto Judah ; 8and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king ’s forest , that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house , and for the wall of the city , and for the house that I shall enter into . And the king granted me , according to the good hand of my God upon me .
Nehemiah's Journey to Jerusalem
9Then I came to the governors beyond the River , and gave them the king ’s letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen . 10And when Sanballat the Horonite , and Tobiah the servant , the Ammonite , heard of it , it grieved them exceedingly , for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel . 11So I came to Jerusalem , and was there three days . 12And I arose in the night , I and some few men with me ; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem ; neither was there any beast with me , save the beast that I rode upon . 13And I went out by night by the valley gate , even toward the jackal’s well , and to the dung gate , and viewed the walls of Jerusalem , which were broken down , and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. 14Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king ’s pool : but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass . 15Then went I up in the night by the brook , and viewed the wall ; and I turned back , and entered by the valley gate , and so returned . 16And the rulers knew not whither I went , or what I did ; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews , nor to the priests , nor to the nobles , nor to the rulers , nor to the rest that did the work .
Nehemiah's Vision for Restoration
17Then said I unto them , Ye see the evil case that we are in , how Jerusalem lieth waste , and the gates thereof are burned with fire : come , and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem , that we be no more a reproach . 18And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me , as also of the king ’s words that he had spoken unto me . And they said , Let us rise up and build . So they strengthened their hands for the good work . 19But when Sanballat the Horonite , and Tobiah the servant , the Ammonite , and Geshem the Arabian , heard it , they laughed us to scorn , and despised us , and said , What is this thing that ye do ? will ye rebel against the king ? 20Then answered I them , and said unto them , The God of heaven , he will prosper us ; therefore we his servants will arise and build : but ye have no portion , nor right , nor memorial , in Jerusalem .