Nehemiah 2:11-3:5

New International Version

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

¹¹I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days^(A) ¹²I 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.

¹³By night I went out through the Valley Gate^(B) toward the Jackal^[a] Well and the Dung Gate,^(C) examining the walls^(D) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate^(E) and the King’s Pool,^(F) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; ¹⁵so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. ¹⁶The 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.

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

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

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

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

Builders of the Wall

3 Eliashib^(P) the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt^(Q) the Sheep Gate.^(R) They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.^(S) ²The men of Jericho^(T) built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.

³The Fish Gate^(U) was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. ⁴Meremoth^(V) son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. ⁵The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa,^(W) but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.^[b]