17 So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down.(A) Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall,(B) so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” 18 I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me,(C) and what the king had said to me.

They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and they were encouraged[a] to do this good work.

19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official,(D) and Geshem the Arab(E) heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I gave them this reply, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:18 Lit they put their hands

17 So I said to them, “You see the trouble that we’re in: Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are destroyed by fire! Come, let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we won’t continue to be in disgrace.” 18 I told them that my God had taken care of me, and also told them what the king had said to me.

“Let’s start rebuilding!” they said, and they eagerly began the work.[a]

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and made fun of us. “What are you doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 “The God of heaven will give us success!” I replied. “As God’s servants, we will start building. But you will have no share, right, or claim in Jerusalem.”

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:18 Or they strengthened their hands for the good.