¹⁸ And I told them of ^(A)the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.

So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they ^(B)set^[a] their hands to this good work.

¹³ for ^(A)it is God who works in you both to will and to do ^(B)for His good pleasure.

⁵ And ^(A)he strengthened himself, ^(B)built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired ^[a]the ^(C)Millo in the City of David, and made ^[b]weapons and shields in abundance.

¹³ Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

¹³ Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, ^(A)“I am with you, says the Lord.” ¹⁴ So ^(B)the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ^(C)governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; ^(D)and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

⁷ Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

²² And they kept the ^(A)Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and ^(B)turned the heart ^(C)of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

The Mighty Men of David^(A)

¹⁰ Now ^(B)these were the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to ^(C)the word of the Lord concerning Israel.