When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble -- burned as they are?...  Read More

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of the Hananel.The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its bea...  Read More

Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him -- His name is the LORD.A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His Holy dwelling.God sets the lonely in families, He leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.  (Psalm 68:4-6). My heart is gripped by the very poignant things the Psalmist rev...  Read More

I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work.But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. "What is it you are doing?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"I answered them by saying, "The Go...  Read More

So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a f...  Read More

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?" . . . The king said to me, "What is it you want?"Then I prayed to the God of heaven and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your...  Read More

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven. Then I said:"LORD, the God of Heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, t...  Read More

The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The...  Read More

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning?Have you not understood since the earth was founded?He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers.He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.  . . . "To whom ...  Read More

Praise be to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended His good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.  . . . I assembled the...  Read More

Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their ex...  Read More

When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.  . . . When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like yo...  Read More