1
And it cameH1961 to pass in the monthH2320 Nisan,H5212 in the twentiethH6242 yearH8141 of ArtaxerxesH783 the king,H4428 that wineH3196 was beforeH6440 him: and I tookH5375 up the wine,H3196 and gaveH5414 it to the king.H4428 Now I had not beenH1961 beforetime sadH7451 in his presence.H6440
2
Why the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, WhyH4069 is your countenanceH6440 sad,H7451 seeing you are not sick?H2470 thisH2088 is nothingH369 else but sorrowH7455 of heart.H3820 Then I was veryH3966 soreH7235 afraid,H3372
3
And saidH559 to the king,H4428 Let the kingH4428 liveH2421 for ever:H5769 whyH4069 should not my countenanceH6440 be sad,H7489 whenH834 the city,H5892 the placeH1004 of my fathers'H1 sepulchers,H6913 lies waste,H2720 and the gatesH8179 thereof are consumedH398 with fire?H784
4
Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, For whatH4100 do you make request?H1245 So I prayedH6419 to the GodH430 of heaven.H8064
5
And I saidH559 to the king,H4428 IfH518 it pleaseH2895 the king,H4428 and ifH518 your servantH5650 have found favorH3190 in your sight,H6440 that you would sendH7971 me to Judah,H3063 to the cityH5892 of my fathers'H1 sepulchers,H6913 that I may buildH1129 it.
6
And the kingH4428 saidH559 to me, (the queenH7694 also sittingH3427 by him,) For howH5704 longH5704 shall your journeyH4109 be? and whenH4970 will you return?H7725 So it pleasedH3190 the kingH4428 to sendH7971 me; and I setH5414 him a time.H2165
7
Moreover I saidH559 to the king,H4428 If it pleaseH2895 the king,H4428 let lettersH107 be givenH5414 me to the governorsH6346 beyondH5676 the river,H5104 that they may conveyH5674 me overH5674 tillH5704 I comeH935 intoH413 Judah;H3063
8
And a letterH107 to AsaphH623 the keeperH8104 of the king'sH4428 forest,H6508 that he may giveH5414 me timberH6086 to make beamsH7136 for the gatesH8179 of the palaceH1002 whichH834 appertained to the house,H1004 and for the wallH2346 of the city,H5892 and for the houseH1004 that I shall enterH935 into.H5921 And the kingH4428 grantedH5414 me, according to the goodH2896 handH3027 of my GodH430 on me.
9
Then I cameH935 to the governorsH6346 beyondH5676 the river,H5104 and gaveH5414 them the king'sH4428 letters.H107 Now the kingH4428 had sentH7971 captainsH8269 of the armyH2428 and horsemenH6571 with me.
10
When SanballatH5571 the Horonite,H2772 and TobiahH2900 the servant,H5650 the Ammonite,H5984 heardH8085 of it, it grievedH7489 them exceedinglyH1419 that there was comeH935 a manH120 to seekH1245 the welfareH2896 of the childrenH1121 of Israel.H3478
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So I cameH935 to Jerusalem,H3389 and was thereH8033 threeH7969 days.H3117
12
And I aroseH6965 in the night,H3915 I and someH4592 fewH4592 menH582 with me; neitherH3808 toldH5046 I any manH120 whatH4100 my GodH430 had putH5414 in my heartH3820 to doH6213 at Jerusalem:H3389 neitherH369 was there any beastH929 with me, saveH3588 H518 the beastH929 that I rodeH7392 on.
13
And I wentH3318 out by nightH3915 by the gateH8179 of the valley,H1516 even beforeH413 H6440 the dragonH8577 well,H5869 and to the dungH830 port,H8179 and viewedH7663 the wallsH2346 of Jerusalem,H3389 whichH834 were brokenH6555 down, and the gatesH8179 thereof were consumedH398 with fire.H784
14
Then I wentH5674 onH413 to the gateH8179 of the fountain,H5869 and to the king'sH4428 pool:H1295 but there was noH369 placeH4725 for the beastH929 that was underH8478 me to pass.H5674
15
Then wentH5927 I up in the nightH3915 by the brook,H5158 and viewedH7663 the wall,H2346 and turnedH7725 back,H7725 and enteredH935 by the gateH8179 of the valley,H1516 and so returned.H7725
16
And the rulersH5461 knewH3045 not whereH575 I went,H1980 or whatH4100 I did;H6213 neitherH3808 had I as yetH5704 H3651 toldH5046 it to the Jews,H3064 nor to the priests,H3548 nor to the nobles,H2715 nor to the rulers,H5461 nor to the restH3499 that didH6213 the work.H4399
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Then saidH559 I to them, You seeH7200 the distressH7451 that we are in, howH834 JerusalemH3389 lies waste,H2720 and the gatesH8179 thereof are burnedH3341 with fire:H784 come,H3212 and let us buildH1129 up the wallH2346 of Jerusalem,H3389 that we be noH3808 moreH5750 a reproach.H2781
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Then I toldH5046 them of the handH3027 of my GodH430 whichH834 was goodH2896 on me; as alsoH637 the king'sH4428 wordsH1697 that he had spokenH559 to me. And they said,H559 Let us riseH6965 up and build.H1129 So they strengthenedH2388 their handsH3027 for this goodH2896 work.
19
But when SanballatH5571 the Horonite,H2772 and TobiahH2900 the servant,H5650 the Ammonite,H5984 and GeshemH1654 the Arabian,H6163 heardH8085 it, they laughedH3932 us to scorn, and despisedH959 us, and said,H559 WhatH4100 is thisH2088 thingH1697 that you do?H6213 will you rebelH4775 againstH5921 the king?H4428
20
Then answeredH7725 H1697 I them, and saidH559 to them, The GodH430 of heaven,H8064 he will prosperH6743 us; therefore we his servantsH5650 will ariseH6965 and build:H1129 but you have noH369 portion,H2506 nor right,H6666 nor memorial,H2146 in Jerusalem.H3389
