Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

Then the people of the land discouraged {the people of Judah} and made them afraid to build

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which are come up from thee to us unto Ierusalem, into that seditious and wicked city, build the same? And make up the walls of it? And bring it out of the foundation?

Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings.

We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

Now give order to make these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until the order shall be given from me;

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

And they said to them after this manner: What are the names of the men that build this building?

Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.

Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

And he said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is at Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.

Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem. And from that [time] until now it is being built, but not yet finished.'

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: Let the house be built for a place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be solidly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits,

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

And by me is made a decree concerning that which ye do with the elders of these Jews to build this house of God, that of the riches of the king, that are of the tribute beyond the river, speedily let the outlay be given to these men, that they cease not;

I hereby also decree that whoever shall alter the wording of this edict, let his residence be torn down for timber to build a gallows, hang him on it, and turn his home into an outhouse.

And the elders of the Jews built; and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and completed it according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

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.

also a letter unto Asaph, keeper of the park that belongeth unto the king, that he may give me timber to build up the gates of the fortress which pertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house whereinto I shall enter. And the king gave me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

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.

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.

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.

And Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they built the sheep-gate. They hallowed it, and set up its doors; and they hallowed it even to the tower of Meah, to the tower of Hananeel.

And next to them built the men of Jericho. And next to them built Zaccur the son of Imri.

But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.

The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.

But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.

And it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

Now when our enemies heard that we knew about their plot against us, and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each one to his work.

They that built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that loaded, wrought in the work with one hand, and with the other they held a weapon.

And the builders had every one his sword girded by his side, and built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, and our children are just like their children, still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people."

And it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobijah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),

In it was written, It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause you build the wall, that you may be their king, according to these words.

Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

Then I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.”

Now the city was large and great; but the people in it were few, and no houses were built.

Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the raised platform built for the Levites and cried out loudly to the Lord their God.

and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet,

Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

also from Beth-Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves hamlets round about Jerusalem.

Be mindful of me, O my God, for this, and do not blot out my kind acts that I have done, for the house of my God, and for its charges.

And I shall contend with them, and I shall curse them and I shall strike of them men, and I shall make them bald, and cause them to swear by God, If ye shall give your daughters to their sons, and if ye shall lift up from their daughters to your sons and to yourselves.

When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.

In the twelfth year of the reign of King Ahasuerus, in the first month (the month Nisan), the (that is, the lot) was cast in Haman's presence to determine the best day and month to carry out his plot. The lot indicated the twelfth month, the month Adar.

Mordecai also gave him a copy of the text of the decree which had been issued in Susa for the Jews destruction, so that he might show Esther and explain it to her, and order her to go in to the king to seek his favor and plead with him for [the lives of] her people.

His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows 75 feet high. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.

Then Esther spoke again to the king and fell down at his feet and wept and implored him to avert the evil plot of Haman the Agagite and his plan which he had devised against the Jews [because the decree to annihilate the Jews was still in effect].

And he wrote in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback riding on coursers, horses of blood reared in the breeding studs:

The couriers mounted on coursers and horses of blood went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the fortress.

But when it came {to the attention of} the king, he {gave orders in writing} [that] his evil plot that he had devised against the Jews should return on his head, and they hung him and his sons on the gallows.

With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

If you yourself would seek God, then you would plead to Shaddai for grace.

Although I am innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my judge for mercy.

If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

If the scourge slays suddenly, he will laugh at the plight of the innocent.

And [if my head] grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime; {and you repeat your exploits against me}.

Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born like the foal of a wild ass.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

But I will speak to the Almighty; I shall delight to plead before God.

{Will you show partiality for him}? Or do you want to plead God's case?

Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

“Is there no end to [your futile] words of wind?
Or what plagues you [so much] that you [so boldly] answer [me like this]?

O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:

His troops come on together, build a siege ramp against me, and encamp around my tent.

I call to my servant, but he does not answer; I must {personally} plead with him.

For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Who [is] Shaddai that we should serve him, or what would we benefit when we plead with him?'

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

I would plead my case before Him
and fill my mouth with arguments.

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

He hath built as a moth his house, And as a booth a watchman hath made.

No, neither gold nor Crystal, neither sweet odours nor golden plate.

{when he made} a rule for the rain and a way for [the] thunder's lightning bolt,

On [the] right hand the brood rises up; {they put me to flight}, and they build up their {siege ramps} against me.

If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

to show favor to him and to plead, "Deliver him from having to go down to the Pit I know where his ransom is!'

And I placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,

Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiades
or loosen the belt of Orion?

Does the eagle soar high at your command and build its nest on the highest crags?

Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?

If any man draw out a sword at him, it shall not hurt him: there may neither spear, javelin, nor breast plate abide him.

Why do the nations rebel
and the peoples plot in vain?