Study Desk

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 the fortress which is by the house of God, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go." And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my heart to do for Jerusalem; and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding.

Then I passed on to the Spring Gate and the King's Pool, but there was no place for my animal to pass.

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

Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the River.

After him the Levites made repairs under Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, the official of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.

He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they complete it in a day? Can they bring the stones to life from the dusty rubble, though they are burned?"

Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.

Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have vexed the builders.

Then I saw their fear. And I arose and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: "Do not fear them; remember the Lord who is great and fearsome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."

As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me.

At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, there gather together to us. Our God will fight for us."

At that time I also said to the people, "Let each man with his young man spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a worker by day."

Also there were those who were saying, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.

Moreover, from the day that I was put in command to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my relatives have eaten the governor's food allowance.

I also took hold of the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my young men were gathered there for the work.

Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this I did not require the governor's food allowance, because the slavery was heavy on this people.

Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will become limp in doing the work, and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Now I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night."