⁶ While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for ^(A)in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes ^(B)king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king

Nehemiah's Generosity

¹⁴ Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ^(A)the twentieth year to ^(B)the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, ^(C)neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

²⁵ but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds^[a] among the wheat and went away.

⁵ 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.” ⁶ And the king said to me (^(A)the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me ^(B)when I had given him a time.

Nehemiah Sent to Judah

2 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.

²² And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread ^(A)seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful ^(B)and had turned the heart of ^(C)the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

¹⁷ Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. ¹⁸ And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served ^(A)the Asherim and the idols. And ^(B)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.

The Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses ^(A)delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, ^(B)“Up, make us gods who shall ^(C)go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”