Study Desk

When I heard this, I sat down and cried and was filled with sorrow for days. I did not eat, and I prayed to the God of heaven.

I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great God Who is honored with fear, Who keeps the agreement and loving-kindness for those who love Him and keep His Laws,

Then the king said to me, "What are you asking for?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Send a letter with me for Asaph, the keeper of the king's trees, that he may give me cut trees. These will be for making heavy wood pieces for the gates of the strong place by the house of God, and for the city wall, and for the house where I will stay." And the king gave me what I asked for, because the good hand of my God was upon me.

Then I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me except the one I was sitting on.

I told them how the hand of my God had brought good to me, and the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us get up and build." So they put their hands to the good work.

I answered them, "The God of heaven will make it go well for us. So we His servants will get up and build. But you have no share or right or anything to be remembered in Jerusalem."

Hear, O our God, how we are hated! Return their shame on their own heads. Let them be taken as servants to a strange land.

But we prayed to our God because of them. And we had men watching for them day and night.

When those who hated us heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought trouble to their plan, then all of us returned to the wall. Each one returned to his work.

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

So I said, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to stop the nations who hate us from putting us to shame?

I shook out the front of my clothing and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from all he has worked for, who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and made empty." And all the people said, "Let it be so!" and praised the Lord. Then they did as they had promised.

The rulers who were before me made the people work very hard. They took bread and wine from them, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their servants ruled over the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God.

O my God, remember me for good for all I have done for these people.

For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, "Their hands will become weak and the work will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

When I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was at home said, "Let us meet together inside the house of God, and close the doors of the Lord's house for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you at night."

But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And could a man such as I go into the house of God to save his life? I will not go in."

Then I understood that God had not sent him. He had spoken these words against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him to do it.

O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat by these works of theirs. And remember Noadiah and the rest of the men who tell what will happen who were trying to make me afraid.