Nehemiah Sent
1 And it came about in the month Nisan, (A)in the twentieth year of King (B)Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and (C)I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
1 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.
1 During the month of Nisan(a) in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(A) when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,
1 It came about in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, during the month of Nissan, the king was about to drink some wine that I was preparing for him. Now I had never looked troubled in his presence.
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was placed before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not [previously] been sad in his presence.
2 So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? (D)This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
2 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,
2 so the king said to me, “Why are you(b) sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but depression.”(c)(B)I was overwhelmed with fear
2 The king asked me, "Why do you look so troubled, since you're not ill? This cannot be anything else but troubles of the heart."
2 So the king said to me, “Why do you look sad when you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very frightened,
3 I said to the king, “(E)Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad (F)when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”
3 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?
3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I(d) not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”(C)
3 Then I was filled with fear. I replied to the king, "May the king live forever. Why shouldn't I be troubled, since the city where my ancestral sepulchers are located lies waste, with its gates burned by fire?"
3 and I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”
5 I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
5 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.
5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried,(e)(E) so that I may rebuild it.”(F)
5 So I prayed to the God of heaven and I replied to the king, "If it seems good to you, and if your servant has found favor with you, would you send me to Judah, to the city where my ancestral sepulchers are located, so I can rebuild it?"
5 I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your presence, [I ask] that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, so that I may rebuild it.”
6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and (H)I gave him a definite time.
6 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.
6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time,(G) and it pleased the king to send me.
6 With his queen seated beside him, the king asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you return?" The king thought it was a good idea to send me, so I presented him with a prepared plan.
6 The king, beside whom the queen was sitting, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time [for my return].
7 And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me (I)for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah,
7 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;
7 I also said to the king: “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River,(H) so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.(I)
7 I also asked the king, "If it seems good to you, order that letters of authorization be given me for the Trans-Euphrates governors, so they will allow me to pass through to Judah,
7 Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the provinces beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will allow me to pass through until I reach Judah,
8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s (J)forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of (K)the fortress which is by the (a)temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because (L)the good hand of my God was on me.
8 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.
8 And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress,(J) the city wall, and the home where I will live.”(f)(K) The king granted my requests, for I was graciously strengthened by my God.(g)(L)
8 along with a letter to Asaph, the royal Commissioner of Forests, so that he will supply me with timber to craft beams for the gatehouses of the Temple, for the city walls, and for the house in which I will be living."
8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to construct beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, and for the city wall and for the house which I will occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls
9 Then I came to (M)the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now (N)the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
9 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.
9 I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters.(M) The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me.
9 The king granted this for me, according to the good hand of my God. So I went to the Trans-Euphrates governors and gave them the king's letters of authorization. The king also sent army officers and cavalry to accompany me.
9 Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the [Euphrates] River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent officers of the army and horsemen with me.
10 When (O)Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite (b)official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.
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.
10 When Sanballat the Horonite(N) and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.(O)
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and his servant Tobiah the Ammonite heard of this, they were greatly distressed because someone had come to do good for the Israelis.
Nehemiah Inspects The Walls And Decides To Restore Them
12 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 (c)mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding.
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.
12 I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took(h) was the one I was riding.
12 Then I got up at night, along with a few men with me. I had not confided to any person what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. Furthermore, there was no other animal with me except for the one I was riding.
12 Then I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting in my heart to do for Jerusalem, and there was no animal with me except the one on which I was riding [so as not to attract attention].
13 So I went out at night by (Q)the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the (d)Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem (R)which were broken down and its (S)gates which were consumed by fire.
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.
13 I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s(i) Well and the Dung Gate,(Q) and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.(R)
13 So I went out during the night through the Valley Gate toward Dragon's Well, and from there to the Dung Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and burned by fire.
13 So I went out at night by the Valley Gate toward the Dragon’s Well and to the Refuse Gate and inspected the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire.
14 Then I passed on to (T)the Fountain Gate and (U)the King’s Pool, but there was no place for (e)my mount to pass.
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.
14 I went on to the Fountain Gate(S) and the King’s Pool,(T) but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through.
14 I proceeded to the Fountain Gate, and then to the King's Pool, but there wasn't sufficient clearance for the animal I was riding to pass.
14 Then I passed over to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no place for the animal that I was riding to pass.
15 So I went up at night by the (V)ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned.
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.
15 So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate(U) and returned.
15 I traveled the valley by night to inspect the wall, returning through the Valley Gate.
15 So I went up at night by the ravine [of Kidron] and inspected the wall; then I turned back and entered [the city] by the Valley Gate, and returned.
16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.
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 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work.
16 The local officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done I informed neither the Judeans, nor the priests, nor the nobles, nor the officials, nor any of the rest who would be doing the work.
16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the rest who did the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that (W)Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.”
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.
17 So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down.(V) Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall,(W) so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”
17 Later I told them, "You all are watching the predicament we're in, how Jerusalem lies desolate, with its gates burned by fire. Let's rebuild the Jerusalem wall so we're no longer a disgrace."
17 Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in—how Jerusalem is desolate and lies in ruins and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, and let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”
18 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 us arise and build.” (X)So they put their hands to the good work.
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.
18 I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me,(X) and what the king had said to me.They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and they were encouraged(j) to do this good work.
18 Then I told them how good my God had been to me, and about what the king had told me. They replied, "Let's get out there and build!" So they encouraged themselves to do good.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite (f)official, and (Y)Geshem the Arab heard it, (Z)they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? (AA)Are you rebelling against the king?”
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?
19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official,(Y) and Geshem the Arab(Z) heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, his servant Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they jeered at us and despised us when they said, "What is this thing that you're doing? You're rebelling against the king, aren't you?"
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked us and regarded us with contempt and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 So I answered them and said to them, “(AB)The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, (AC)but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
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.
20 I gave them this reply, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”(AA)
20 In reply to them, I said, "The God of Heaven will prosper us. That's why we're preparing to build. But as far as you're concerned, there exists no ancestral heritage, no legal right, nor any historic claim in Jerusalem.
20 I answered them, “The God of heaven [has appointed us for His purpose and] will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right, or memorial in Jerusalem.”