Nehemiah 2:1-4

English Standard Version

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. ² 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. ³ 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?” ⁴ Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed ^(G)to the God of heaven.