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Nehemiah 2
New International Version
Nehemiah 2
New International Version
Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(A) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(B) Why should my face not look sad when the city(C) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(D)”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
6 Then the king(E), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(F) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel(G) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,(H) the king granted my requests.(I) 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry(J) with me.
10 When Sanballat(K) the Horonite and Tobiah(L) the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.(M)
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days(N) 12 I 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.
13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate(O) toward the Jackal[a] Well and the Dung Gate,(P) examining the walls(Q) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate(R) and the King’s Pool,(S) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The 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.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.(T) Come, let us rebuild the wall(U) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.(V)” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me(W) and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
19 But when Sanballat(X) the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem(Y) the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.(Z) “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,(AA) but as for you, you have no share(AB) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent or Fig
Nehemías 2
Dios Habla Hoy
Nehemías 2
Dios Habla Hoy
2 1 Y un día del mes de Nisán, en el año veinte de su reinado, mientras yo le servía vino, el rey me vio tan triste 2 que me preguntó:
—Te veo muy triste. ¿Qué te pasa? No pareces estar enfermo, así que has de tener algún problema.
En ese momento sentí un gran temor, 3 y le dije al rey:
—¡Viva siempre Su Majestad! ¿Y cómo no he de verme triste, si la ciudad donde están las tumbas de mis padres se halla en ruinas y sus puertas han sido quemadas?
4 —¿Qué puedo hacer por ti? —preguntó el rey.
Entonces me encomendé al Dios del cielo, 5 y respondí al rey:
—Si a Su Majestad le parece bien, y si he alcanzado su favor, pido a Su Majestad que me mande a Judá, a la ciudad donde están enterrados mis padres, para que yo la reconstruya.
6 El rey, a cuyo lado estaba sentada la reina, me contestó:
—¿Cuánto tiempo durará tu viaje? ¿Cuándo volverás?
Yo le indiqué la fecha, y él aceptó dejarme ir. 7 Además le dije que, si lo estimaba conveniente, se me diera una orden por escrito dirigida a los gobernadores al oeste del río Éufrates, para que me dejaran pasar libremente hasta llegar a Judá; 8 y otra orden escrita para que Asaf, el guardabosques del rey, me diera madera para recubrir las puertas de la ciudadela del templo, así como para la muralla de la ciudad y para la casa donde yo tenía que vivir. Y el rey me lo concedió todo porque yo contaba con la bondadosa ayuda de mi Dios.
9 Cuando llegué ante los gobernadores al oeste del Éufrates, les entregué las cartas del rey, quien además había enviado conmigo una escolta de caballería al mando de jefes del ejército. 10 Pero cuando supieron esto Sambalat el de Horón y Tobías, el funcionario amonita, se disgustaron mucho porque había llegado alguien interesado en ayudar a los israelitas.
Proyecto de reconstrucción de la muralla
11 Llegué por fin a Jerusalén. Y a los tres días de estar allí, 12 me levanté de noche, acompañado de algunos hombres, pero sin decir a nadie lo que Dios me había inspirado hacer por Jerusalén. No llevaba yo más cabalgadura que la que montaba. 13 Aquella misma noche salí por la puerta del Valle en dirección a la fuente del Dragón y a la puerta del Basurero, e inspeccioné la muralla de Jerusalén, que estaba derrumbada y sus puertas quemadas. 14 Luego seguí hacia la puerta de la Fuente y el estanque del Rey; pero mi cabalgadura no podía pasar por allí. 15 Siendo todavía de noche, subí a lo largo del arroyo, y después de haber inspeccionado la muralla, regresé entrando por la puerta del Valle.
16 Los gobernantes no sabían a dónde había ido yo, ni lo que andaba haciendo. Tampoco había yo informado hasta entonces a los judíos, es decir, a los sacerdotes, nobles, gobernantes y demás personas que habían de participar en la obra. 17 Así que les dije:
—Ustedes saben bien que nos encontramos en una situación difícil, pues Jerusalén está en ruinas y sus puertas quemadas. Únanse a mí y reconstruyamos la muralla de Jerusalén, para que ya no seamos objeto de burla.
18 Y cuando les conté la forma tan bondadosa en que Dios me había ayudado y las palabras que me había dicho el rey, ellos respondieron:
—¡Comencemos la reconstrucción!
Y con muy buen espíritu se animaron unos a otros. 19 Pero cuando lo supieron Sambalat el de Horón, Tobías el funcionario amonita, y Guésem el árabe, se burlaron de nosotros y nos dijeron con desprecio:
—¿Qué se traen ustedes entre manos? ¿Acaso piensan rebelarse contra el rey?
20 Pero yo les contesté:
—El Dios del cielo nos dará el éxito. Nosotros, sus siervos, vamos a comenzar la reconstrucción, y ustedes no tienen parte, ni derecho, ni memoria en Jerusalén.
Nehemiah 2
English Standard Version
Nehemiah 2
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. 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 ((H)the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me (I)when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me (J)to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of (K)the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, (L)for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls
9 Then I came to (M)the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when (N)Sanballat the Horonite and (O)Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
11 (P)So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by (Q)the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to (R)the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem (S)that were broken down (T)and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to (U)the Fountain Gate and to (V)the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night (W)by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, (X)how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer (Y)suffer derision.” 18 And I told them (Z)of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” (AA)So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and (AB)Geshem the Arab heard of it, (AC)they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? (AD)Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, (AE)“The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim[a] in Jerusalem.”
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 2:20 Or memorial
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Dios Habla Hoy (DHH)
Dios habla hoy ®, © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1983, 1996.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.