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 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.

They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.

20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

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