In this document, I, Hacaliah's son Nehemiah, recount what occurred during the twentieth year of Artaxerxes.

In the month of Chislev, while I was in Shushan at the palace, Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, about those who had survived the Babylonian captivity, and about Jerusalem.

They told me, "The survivors of the captivity there in the province are living in great distress and shame. Furthermore, the Jerusalem wall remains broken down and its gates have been burned by fire."

When I heard this, I sat down and cried, mourning for a number of days while I fasted and prayed in the presence of the God of Heaven.

I said, "Please, LORD, God of Heaven, the great and fearsome God who keeps the covenant, showing gracious love to those who love you and keep your commands,

please turn your attention to observe carefully and listen to the prayer of your servant today that I am presenting to you day and night on behalf of your servants, the Israelis.

"If you rebel, I will scatter you among the nations but if you return to me, keeping my commands and doing them, even if your exiled people are in the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to establish my Name.'

"And now, Lord, I ask you to listen to the prayer of your servant and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your Name. I ask you, please prosper your servant today by granting him to receive favor from this man." Now I was the king's senior security advisor.

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.

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."

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?"

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,

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

So Eliashib the high priest came forward, along with his fellow priests, and reconstructed the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and installed its doors. They also consecrated the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel.

with Uriah's son Meremoth (who was also a grandson of Hakkoz) next to them, Berechiah's son Meshullam (who was also a grandson of Meshezabel) next to them, and next to him Baana's son Zadok.

Next to them the Tekoites worked valiantly, even though their leading officials weren't fully dedicated to the work of their lord.

Next to him, Hur's son Rephaiah, ruling official for half of the Jerusalem district, did repairs.

Harim's son Malchijah and Pahath-moab's son Hasshub repaired another section, along with the Tower of the Ovens,

and next to him Hallohesh's son Shallum, ruling official for the other half of the Jerusalem district, did repairs, as did his daughters.

Hanun and the residents of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate, reconstructing it and installing its doors, including locks and security bars. They also rebuilt 1,000 cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.

Rechab's descendant Malchijah, ruling official of the Beth-haccherem district, repaired the Dung Gate, reconstructing it, installing its doors, its locks, and its security bars.

Colhozeh's son Shallum, ruling official of the Mizpah district, repaired the Fountain Gate, reconstructing it, installing its doors, its locks, and its security bars, as well as the Pool of Shelach near the royal garden as far as the stairway that descends from the City of David.

Next to him Azbuk's son Nehemiah, ruling official of half of the Beth-zur district, carried on repairs as far as the tombs of David, then to the artificial pool that had been installed there, and then as far as the military barracks.

Next to him the descendants of Levi, led by Bani's son Rehum, carried on repairs. Next to him Hashabiah, ruling official for half of the Keilah district, did repairs for his district.

Next to him their brothers, led by Henadad's son Bavvai, ruling official for the other half of the Keilah district, carried on repairs.

Next to him Jeshua's son Ezer, ruling official of Mizpah, repaired another section near the ascent to the armory at the Angle.

Next to him Zabbai's son Baruch worked valiantly on another section from the angle of the wall as far as the door to the house belonging to Eliashib the high priest.

Then next to him Uriah's son Meremoth, grandson of Hakkoz, repaired another section from the door of Eliashib's house as far as the rear of the property,

Next to them Benjamin and Hasshub carried on repairs near their house, followed by Maaseiah's son Azariah, grandson of Ananiah, who worked beside his own house.

Following him, Henadad's son Binnui repaired another section from Azariah's house to the angle of the wall, and then to the corner.

Uzai's son Palal carried on repairs over against the angle of the wall at the tower that stands out from the king's upper palace, which is located by the royal guard's court. Next to him, Parosh's son Pedaiah carried on repairs.

Next to Pedaiah, the Tekoites repaired another section from the prominent tower as far as the wall of the Ophel.

Then next to them, Immer's son Zadok did repairs as far as his own house. Next to him, Shecaniah's son Shemaiah, custodian of the East Gate, carried on repairs.

Next to him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried on repairs up to the house of the Temple Servants and the merchants, up to the Muster Gate as far as the ascent to the corner.

Between the ascent of the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants carried on repairs.

Tobiah the Ammonite stood to the side, commenting, "If a fox were to jump onto what they're building, it would collapse their stone wall!"

But we prayed to our God. We also set up guards day and night because of them.

Meanwhile, the people of Judah said, "The builders are tired and there's so much rubble that we can't reconstruct the wall!"

Looking things over, I stood up and spoke to the officials, the military leaders, and the rest of the people: "Don't fear them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord. Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

Our opponents heard that we had learned about them, that God had brought their plans to failure, and that each and every one of us had come to work on the wall.

From that day on, half of my helpers engaged in the work while the other half kept spears, shields, bows, and armor ready. The senior officials backed all of the Judeans

I told the officials, rulers, and the rest of the people, "The project is large and extensive, and we are separated from each other on the wall,

so wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to us, and our God will fight for us!"

So we worked hard, half of us holding spears from dawn to dusk.

because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive."

Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others."

So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them.

I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word.

So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies?

In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor.

Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God.

Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work.

Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor's allotment, because demands on the people were heavy.

When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had completed the wall and that no break remained in it (even though by that time I hadn't yet installed the doors in the gates),

Later I visited Delaiah's son Shemaiah, a grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined at home. He kept urging me, "Let's meet together at the house of God, within the Temple, and take refuge there, because they're coming to kill you. In fact, they're coming at night to kill you!"

"Remember me, my God, and take note of what Tobiah and Sanballat are doing. Also take note of the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who intend to make me afraid."

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul in 52 days.

When all of our enemies including the surrounding nations heard this, they became very discouraged, since they saw that the work had been done by our God.

Meanwhile, at that time the nobles of Judah continued to send many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah kept sending letters to them.

For many Judeans had sworn allegiance to him, since he was son-in-law to Arah's son Shecaniah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Berechiah's son Meshullam.

After the wall had been completed and its doors installed, then the gatekeepers, singers, and descendants of Levi were appointed.

I charged them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until mid-day. Until then, let everyone stand watch, keeping the gates shut and locked. Appoint security watches from those who live in Jerusalem. Everyone should maintain his own watch near his house."

I found a register of the original inhabitants in which there was recorded a list of descendants of the province of Judah who returned from captivity, from those who had been exiled by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They had come back to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his town.

They were coming with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. Here is the enumeration of: The Men of Israel:

Descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721

The Priests: Jedaiah's descendants from the household of Jeshua: 973

The Descendants of Levi: Jeshua of Kadmiel's descendants: that is, Hodevah's descendants: 74

The Temple Servants: Descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, and Tabbaoth.

Descendants of Keros, Sia, and Padon.

Descendants of Lebanah, Hagabah, and Shalmai.

Descendants of Hanan, Giddel, and Gahar.

Descendants of Reaiah, Rezin, and Nekoda.

Descendants of Gazzam, Uzza, and Paseah.

Descendants of Besai, Meunim, and Nephushesim,

Descendants of Bakbuk, Hakupha, and Harhur.

Descendants of Bazlith, Mehida, and Harsha.

Descendants of Barkos, Sisera, and Temah.

Descendants of Neziah and Hatipha.

The Descendants of Solomon's Servants: Descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, and Perida,

Descendants of Jaala, Darkon, and Giddel,

Descendants of Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Ammon;

All of the Temple Servants and descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.

Here is a list of returnees from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, who could not prove their ancestry and lineage from Israel:

Descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda: 642

Of the Priests: Descendants of Habaiah, Koz, and Barzillai, who married one of the daughters of Barzillai from Gilead and took that name.

Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor contributed 1,000 gold drachmas to the treasury, along with 50 basins, and 530 priestly garments.

Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver units for the work.

The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver units, and 67 priestly garments.

The priests, descendants of Levi, gatekeepers, singers, some of the people, the Temple Servants, and all the Israelis settled in their cities.

So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Law before the assembled people. Both men and women were in attendance, as well as all who could understand what they were hearing.

Ezra read from it, facing the plaza in front of the Water Gate, from early in the morning until mid-day in the presence of the men and women, as well as all who could understand. All the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people. Because he was visible above all the people there, as he opened it, all the people stood up.

Furthermore, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the descendants of Levi taught the Law to the people while the people remained standing.

All the people gathered as a united body into the plaza in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.

Because all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Law, Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the descendants of Levi who taught the people told everyone, "This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep."