Study Desk

Then I said to them, "You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates have been burned by fire. Come, let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a disgrace."

And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let's arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work.

So I answered them and said to them, "The God of heaven will make us successful; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no part, right, or memorial in Jerusalem."

So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

So all of them conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.

And so in Judah it was said: "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubble; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall."

So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared.

At that time I also said to the people, "Each man with his servant shall spend the night within Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day."

So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me—none of us removed our clothes; each took his weapon even to the water.

For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let's get grain so that we may eat and live."

And there were others who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses so that we might get grain because of the famine."

So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, "You are lending at interest, each to his brother!" Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.

So I said, "The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the taunting of the nations, our enemies?

Then they said, "We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say." So I called the priests and made them take an oath to act in accordance with this promise.

I also shook out the front of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every person from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this promise; just so may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people acted in accordance with this promise.

But the previous governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of my fear of God.

So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"

"You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, 'A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let's consult together."

He was hired for this reason, that I would become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could taunt me.

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.