16_NEH_02_01 And it came to pass in the month Nisan , in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king , [ that ] wine [ was ] before him : And I took up the wine , And gave [ it ] unto the king . now I had not been [ beforetime ] sad in his presence .
16_NEH_02_02 Wherefore the king said unto me , why [ Is ] thy countenance sad , seeing thou [ art ] not sick ? this [ Is ] nothing [ else ] but sorrow of heart . Then I was very sore afraid ,
16_NEH_02_03 And said unto the king , let the king live for ever : why should not my countenance be sad , when the city , the place of my fathers' sepulchres , [ lieth ] waste , And the gates thereof are consumed with fire ?
16_NEH_02_04 Then the king said unto me , for what dost thou make request ? So I prayed to the God of heaven .
16_NEH_02_05 And I said unto the king , if it please the king , And if thy servant have found favour in thy sight , that thou wouldest send me unto Judah , unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres , that I may build it .
16_NEH_02_06 And the king said unto me , [ the queen also sitting by him , ] for how long shall thy journey be ? And when Wilt thou Return ? So it pleased the king to send me ; And I set him A time .
16_NEH_02_07 moreover I said unto the king , if it please the king , let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river , that they may convey me over till I come into Judah ;
16_NEH_02_08 And A letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest , that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [ appertained ] to the house , And for the wall of the city , And for the house that I shall enter into . And the king granted me , according to the good hand of my God upon me .
16_NEH_02_09 Then I came to the governors beyond the river , And gave them the king's letters . now the king had sent captains of the army And horsemen with me .
16_NEH_02_10 when Sanballat the Horonite , And Tobiah the servant , the Ammonite , heard [ of it ] , it grieved them exceedingly that there was come A man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel .
16_NEH_02_11 So I came to Jerusalem , And was there three days .
16_NEH_02_12 And I arose in the night , I And some few men with me ; neither told I [ any ] man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem : neither [ was there any ] beast with me , save the beast that I rode upon .
16_NEH_02_13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley , even before the dragon Well , And to the dung port , And viewed the walls of Jerusalem , which were broken down , And the gates thereof were consumed with fire .
16_NEH_02_14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain , And to the king's pool : but [ there was ] no place for the beast [ that was ] under me to pass .
16_NEH_02_15 Then went I up in the night by the brook , And viewed the wall , And turned back , And entered by the gate of the valley , And [ So ] returned .
16_NEH_02_16 And the rulers knew not whither I went , or what I did ; neither had I as yet told [ it ] to the Jews , nor to the priests , nor to the nobles , nor to the rulers , nor to the rest that did the work .
16_NEH_02_17 Then said I unto them , ye see the distress that we [ are ] in , how Jerusalem [ lieth ] waste , And the gates thereof are burned with fire : come , And let us build up the wall of Jerusalem , that we be no more A reproach .
16_NEH_02_18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me ; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me . And they said , let us rise up And build . So they strengthened their hands for [ this ] good [ work ] .
16_NEH_02_19 but when Sanballat the Horonite , And Tobiah the servant , the Ammonite , And Geshem the Arabian , heard [ it ] , they laughed us to scorn , And despised us , And said , what [ Is ] this thing that ye do ? will ye rebel against the king ?
16_NEH_02_20 Then answered I them , And said unto them , the God of heaven , he will prosper us ; therefore we his servants will Arise And build : but ye have no portion , nor right , nor memorial , in Jerusalem .