1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

Nehemiah’s Concern for Jerusalem

In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign,^[a] I was at the fortress of Susa.

A Call to Justice and Mercy

7 On December 7^[a] of the fourth year of King Darius’s reign, another message came to Zechariah from the Lord.

10 ^[a]The document was ratified and sealed with the following names:

The governor:

Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah.

² At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa.

² In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.^[a]

⁷ Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.

¹⁵ At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.

Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem

2 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan,^[a] during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence.

⁹ Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19,^[a] and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.