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Isang araw ng unang buwan, ika-20 taon ng paghahari ni Artaxerxes, binigyan ko siya ng kanyang inuming alak. Noon lamang niya ako nakitang malungkot. Tinanong niya ako, “Bakit ka nalulungkot? Tingin ko sa iyo'y wala ka namang sakit.” Natakot(A) ako kaya sinabi ko sa hari, “Nawa'y ingatan kayo ng Diyos, habang panahon! Nalulungkot po ako sapagkat ang lunsod na pinaglibingan sa aking mga ninuno ay wasak at ang mga pintuan niyon ay natupok ng apoy.”

“Ano ngayon ang nais mo?” tanong ng hari.

Nanalangin ako sa Diyos ng kalangitan, at pagkatapos, sinabi ko sa hari, “Kung pahihintulutan po ninyo ako, Kamahalan, nais kong umuwi sa Juda, upang itayong muli ang lunsod na pinaglibingan sa aking mga ninuno.”

Sinabi sa akin ng hari na noo'y katabi ng reyna, “Gaano ka katagal roon at kailan ka babalik?” Nagtakda ako ng panahon at malugod naman akong pinahintulutan.

Nakiusap ako sa hari na bigyan na rin niya ako ng mga liham para sa mga gobernador ng lalawigan sa Kanluran ng Ilog Eufrates upang paraanin ako patungong Juda. Gumawa rin siya ng sulat para kay Asaf, ang tagapamahala ng kagubatan ng kaharian upang bigyan ako ng mga trosong gagamitin sa pintuan ng muog ng Templo, sa pader ng lunsod at sa bahay na aking titirhan. Ang lahat ng ito ay ginawa ng hari dahil sa kabutihan ng Diyos sa akin.

Nang ako'y umalis, pinasamahan pa ako ng hari sa mga pinuno ng hukbo at sa isang hukbong nakakabayo. Pagdaan ko sa mga gobernador ng lalawigan sa Kanluran ng Eufrates, iniabot ko sa kanila ang liham ng hari. 10 Nang malaman ni Sanbalat na Horonita at ni Tobias na isang opisyal na Ammonita na may dumating upang itaguyod ang kapakanan ng mga Israelita, sila'y lubos na nagalit.

Ang Muling Pagtatayo ng Pader

11 Dumating ako sa Jerusalem. Tatlong araw na ako roon ay 12 hindi ko pa ipinaalam kaninuman ang ipinagagawa sa akin ng Diyos tungkol sa Jerusalem. Sa gabi nang ikatlong araw, gumising ako at lumabas ng lunsod na may ilang kasama. Ang tanging hayop na dinala namin ay ang asnong aking sinasakyan. 13 Lumabas ako sa Pintuan ng Libis sa daang patungo sa Bukal ng Dragon hanggang sa pintuang papunta sa tapunan ng basura. Sinuri kong mabuti ang giba-gibang pader ng Jerusalem at ang mga nasunog nitong pintuan. 14 Nagpatuloy ako sa Pintuang Bukal hanggang sa Paliguan ng Hari. Pagdating doon, walang madaanan ang sinasakyan kong asno. 15 Kaya't naglakad ako patungong Libis at siniyasat ko ang pader. Pagkatapos ay muli akong pumasok sa Pintuan ng Libis pabalik. 16 Hindi alam ng mga pinuno kung saan ako nanggaling at kung ano ang aking ginawa. Wala pa rin akong sinasabi sa mga Judio—sa mga pari, mga pinuno, mga opisyal, at sa iba pang magkakaroon ng bahagi sa gawain.

17 Pagkatapos, sinabi ko sa kanila, “Nakikita ninyo ang kalunus-lunos na kalagayan ng ating bayan. Wasak ang Jerusalem at sunog ang mga pintuan nito. Itayo nating muli ang pader ng lunsod upang mahango na tayo sa kahihiyan.” 18 At sinabi ko sa kanila kung paano ako pinagpala ng Diyos at kung ano ang sinabi sa akin ng hari.

“Kung gayon, simulan na natin ang pagtatayo,” ang sagot nila. Kaya't naghanda nga sila upang simulan ang gawain.

19 Ngunit nang malaman ito nina Sanbalat na Horonita at Tobias na isang opisyal na Ammonita, at maging si Gesem na taga-Arabia, pinagtawanan nila kami at hinamak, at sinabing, “Ano ang ginagawa ninyong iyan? Naghihimagsik ba kayo laban sa hari?”

20 Sinagot ko sila, “Pagtatagumpayin kami ng Diyos ng kalangitan, at kami na kanyang mga lingkod ay magsisimula nang magtayo. Ngunit kayo'y walang bahagi, karapatan o alaala man sa Jerusalem.”

1 After Nehemiah had obtained letters of Artaxerxes, 11 he came to Jerusalem, 17 and built the walls.

Now in the month [a]Nisan in the twentieth year of king [b]Artaxerxes, the wine stood before him, and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I was not before time sad in his presence.

And the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing, but sorrow of heart. Then was I sore afraid,

And I said to the King, God save the king forever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city and house of the sepulchers of my fathers lieth waste, and the gates thereof are devoured with fire?

And the king said unto me, For what thing doest thou require? Then I prayed [c]to the God of heaven,

And said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, I desire that thou wouldest send me to Judah unto the city of the sepulchers of my fathers, that I may build it.

And the King said unto me, (the Queen also sitting by him:) How long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou come again? So it pleased the king, and he sent me, and I set him a time.

After I said unto the King, If it please the King, let them give me letters to the captains beyond the [d]River, that they may convey me over, till I come into Judah,

And letters unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s [e]park, that he may give me timber to build the gates of the palace (which appertained to the house) and for the walls of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king gave me according to [f]the good hand of my God upon me.

¶ Then came I to the captains beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. And the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

10 But [g]Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah a servant an Ammonite heard it, and it grieved them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.

11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

12 And I rose in the night, I, and a few men with me: for I told no man, what God had put in mine heart to do at Jerusalem, and there was not a beast with me, save the beast whereon I rode.

13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, and came before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, how they were broken down, and the ports thereof devoured with the fire.

14 Then I went forth unto the gate of the [h]fountain, and to the king’s fish pool, and there was no room for the beast that was under me to pass.

15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and coming back, I entered by the gate of the valley, and returned.

16 And the rulers knew not whither I was gone, nor what I did, neither did I as yet tell it unto the Jews, nor to the Priests, nor to the noble men, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that labored in the work.

17 Afterward I said unto them, Ye see the misery that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire: come, and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more [i]a reproach.

18 Then I told them of the hand of my God, (which was good over me) and also of the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise, and build. So they [j]strengthened their hand to good.

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant an Ammonite, and [k]Geshem the Arabian heard it, they mocked us, and despised us, and said, What a thing is this that ye do? Will ye [l]rebel against the king?

20 Then answered I them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us, and we his servants will rise up and build: but as for you, ye have no portion nor right, nor [m]memorial in Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:1 Which was the first month of the year, and containeth part of March and part of April.
  2. Nehemiah 2:1 Who is also called Darius, read Ezra 7:1, and was the son of Hystaspis.
  3. Nehemiah 2:4 I desired God in mine heart to prosper mine enterprise.
  4. Nehemiah 2:7 Or, Euphrates.
  5. Nehemiah 2:8 Or, Paradise.
  6. Nehemiah 2:8 As God moved me to ask, and as he gave me good success therein.
  7. Nehemiah 2:10 These were great enemies to the Jews, and labored always both by force and subtlety to overcome them, and Tobiah, because his wife was a Jewess, had advertisement ever of their affairs, and so wrought them great trouble.
  8. Nehemiah 2:14 Or, conduit.
  9. Nehemiah 2:17 That is, contemned of other nations, as though God had forsaken us.
  10. Nehemiah 2:18 They were encouraged, and gave themselves to do well, and to travel in this worthy enterprise.
  11. Nehemiah 2:19 These were three chief governors under the king of Persia beyond Euphrates.
  12. Nehemiah 2:19 Thus the wicked when they will burden the children of God, ever lay treason unto their charge, both because it maketh them most odious to the world, and also stirreth the hatred of princes most against them.
  13. Nehemiah 2:20 Neither are ye of the number of the children of God (to whom he hath appointed this city only) neither did any of your predecessors ever fear God.

Nehemiah Sent to Judah

In the month of Nisan, (A)in the twentieth year of King (B)Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, (C)I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but (D)sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, (E)“Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, (F)when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed (G)to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” And the king said to me ((H)the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me (I)when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me (J)to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of (K)the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, (L)for the good hand of my God was upon me.

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls

Then I came to (M)the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when (N)Sanballat the Horonite and (O)Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

11 (P)So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by (Q)the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to (R)the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem (S)that were broken down (T)and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to (U)the Fountain Gate and to (V)the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night (W)by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, (X)how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer (Y)suffer derision.” 18 And I told them (Z)of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” (AA)So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and (AB)Geshem the Arab heard of it, (AC)they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? (AD)Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, (AE)“The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim[a] in Jerusalem.”

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:20 Or memorial

Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(A) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(B) Why should my face not look sad when the city(C) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(D)

The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

Then the king(E), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(F) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel(G) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,(H) the king granted my requests.(I) So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry(J) with me.

10 When Sanballat(K) the Horonite and Tobiah(L) the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.(M)

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days(N) 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate(O) toward the Jackal[a] Well and the Dung Gate,(P) examining the walls(Q) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate(R) and the King’s Pool,(S) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.(T) Come, let us rebuild the wall(U) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.(V) 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me(W) and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

19 But when Sanballat(X) the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem(Y) the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.(Z) “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,(AA) but as for you, you have no share(AB) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent or Fig