Nehemiah 2 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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World English Bible Classic
[1] In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, I picked up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence. [2] The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.”Then I was very much afraid. [3] I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why shouldn’t my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?” [4] Then the king said to me, “What is your request?”So I prayed to the God of heaven. [5] I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may build it.” [6] The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him), “How long will your journey be? When will you return?”So it pleased the king to send me, and I set a time for him. [7] Moreover I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah; [8] and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I will occupy.”The king granted my requests, because of the good hand of my God on me. [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. [10] When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. [11] So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. [12] I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me except the animal that I rode on. [13] I went out by night by the valley gate toward the jackal’s well, then to the dung gate; and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire. [14] Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king’s pool, but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass. [15] Then I went up in the night by the brook and inspected the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. [16] The rulers didn’t know where I went, or what I did. I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work. [17] Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let’s build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.” [18] I told them about the hand of my God which was good on me, and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me.They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. [19] But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” [20] Then I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.”
King James Version

The King’s Commission

[1] And it came to pass in the month H2320 Nisan, H5212 in the twentieth H6242 year H8141 of Artaxerxes H783 the king, H4428 that wine H3196 was before H6440 him: and I took up H5375 (QalImpf) the wine, H3196 and gave H5414 (QalImpf) it unto the king. H4428 Now I had not been beforetime sad H7451 in his presence. H6440 [2] Wherefore the king H4428 said H559 (QalImpf) unto me, Why is thy countenance H6440 sad, H7451 seeing thou art not sick? H2470 (QalActPtc) this is nothing else but sorrow H7455 of heart. H3820 Then I was very H3966 sore H7235 (HiphInf) afraid, H3372 (QalImpf) [3] and said H559 (QalImpf) unto the king, H4428 Let the king H4428 live H2421 (QalImpf) for ever: H5769 why should not my countenance H6440 be sad, H3415 (QalImpf) when the city, H5892 the place H1004 of my fathers’ H1 sepulchres, H6913 lieth waste, H2720 and the gates H8179 thereof are consumed H398 (PualPerf) with fire? H784 [4] Then the king H4428 said H559 (QalImpf) unto me, For what dost thou make request? H1245 (PielPtc) So I prayed H6419 (HithImpf) to the God H430 of heaven. H8064 [5] And I said H559 (QalImpf) unto the king, H4428 If it please H2895 (QalPerf) the king, H4428 and if thy servant H5650 have found favour H3190 (QalImpf) in thy sight, H6440 that thou wouldest send H7971 (QalImpf) me unto Judah, H3063 unto the city H5892 of my fathers’ H1 sepulchres, H6913 that I may build H1129 (QalImpf) it. [6] And the king H4428 said H559 (QalImpf) unto me, (the queen H7694§ also sitting H3427 (QalActPtc) by him,) H681 For how long shall thy journey H4109 be? and when wilt thou return? H7725 (QalImpf) So it pleased H3190 (QalImpf) the king H4428 to send H7971 (QalImpf) me; and I set H5414 (QalImpf) him a time. H2165 [7] Moreover I said H559 (QalImpf) unto the king, H4428 If it please H2895 (QalPerf) the king, H4428 let letters H107 be given H5414 (QalImpf) me to the governors H6346 beyond H5676 the river, H5104 that they may convey me over H5674 (HiphImpf) till I come H935 (QalImpf) into Judah; H3063 [8] and a letter H107 unto Asaph H623 the keeper H8104 (QalActPtc) of the king’s H4428 forest, H6508 that he may give H5414 (QalImpf) me timber H6086 to make beams H7136 (PielInf) for the gates H8179 of the palace H1002 which appertained to the house, H1004 and for the wall H2346 of the city, H5892 and for the house H1004 that I shall enter into. H935 (QalImpf) And the king H4428 granted H5414 (QalImpf) me, according to the good H2896 hand H3027 of my God H430 upon me. [9] Then I came H935 (QalImpf) to the governors H6346 beyond H5676 the river, H5104 and gave H5414 (QalImpf) them the king’s H4428 letters. H107 Now the king H4428 had sent H7971 (QalImpf) captains H8269 of the army H2428 and horsemen H6571 with me. [10] When Sanballat H5571 the Horonite, H2772 and Tobiah H2900 the servant, H5650 the Ammonite, H5984 heard H8085 (QalImpf) of it grieved H3415 (QalImpf) them exceedingly H7451 that there was come H935 (QalPerf) a man H120 to seek H1245 (PielInf) the welfare H2896 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 [11] So I came H935 (QalImpf) to Jerusalem, H3389 and was there three H7969 days. H3117

Surveys Jerusalem

[12] And I arose H6965 (QalImpf) in the night, H3915 I and some H4592 few H4592 men H582 with me; neither told H5046 (HiphPerf) I any man H120 what my God H430 had put H5414 (QalActPtc) in my heart H3820 to do H6213 (QalInf) at Jerusalem: H3389 neither was there any beast H929 with me, save the beast H929 that I rode upon. H7392 (QalActPtc) [13] And I went out H3318 (QalImpf) by night H3915 by the gate H8179 of the valley, H1516 even before H6440 the dragon H8577 well, H5869 (QK) and to the dung H830 port, H8179 and viewed H7663 (QalActPtc/Qere) the walls H2346 of Jerusalem, H3389 which were broken down, H6555 (QalPasPtc) and the gates H8179 thereof were consumed H398 (PualPerf) with fire. H784 [14] Then I went on H5674 (QalImpf) to the gate H8179 of the fountain, H5869 and to the king’s H4428 pool: H1295 but there was no place H4725 for the beast H929 that was under me to pass. H5674 (QalInf) [15] Then went I up H5927 (QalActPtc) in the night H3915 by the brook, H5158 and viewed H7663 (QalActPtc/Qere) the wall, H2346 and turned back, H7725 (QalImpf) and entered H935 (QalImpf) by the gate H8179 of the valley, H1516 and so returned. H7725 (QalImpf) [16] And the rulers H5461 knew H3045 (QalPerf) not whither I went, H1980 (QalPerf) or what I did; H6213 (QalActPtc) neither had I as yet H3651 told H5046 (HiphPerf) it to the Jews, H3064 nor to the priests, H3548 nor to the nobles, H2715 nor to the rulers, H5461 nor to the rest H3499 that did H6213 (QalActPtc) the work. H4399 [17] Then said H559 (QalImpf) I unto them, Ye see H7200 (QalActPtc) the distress H7451 that we are in, how Jerusalem H3389 lieth waste, H2720 and the gates H8179 thereof are burned H3341 (NiphPerf) with fire: H784 come, H3212 (QalImpv) and let us build up H1129 (QalImpf) the wall H2346 of Jerusalem, H3389 that we be no more a reproach. H2781 [18] Then I told H5046 (HiphImpf) them of the hand H3027 of my God H430 which was good H2896 upon me; as also the king’s H4428 words H1697 that he had spoken H559 (QalPerf) unto me. And they said, H559 (QalImpf) Let us rise up H6965 (QalImpf) and build. H1129 (QalPerf) So they strengthened H2388 (PielImpf) their hands H3027 for this good H2896 work.

Meets Opposition

[19] But when Sanballat H5571 the Horonite, H2772 and Tobiah H2900 the servant, H5650 the Ammonite, H5984 and Geshem H1654 the Arabian, H6163 heard H8085 (QalImpf) it, they laughed us to scorn, H3932 (HiphImpf) and despised H959 (QalImpf) us, and said, H559 (QalImpf) What is this thing H1697 that ye do? H6213 (QalActPtc) will ye rebel H4775 (QalActPtc) against the king? H4428 [20] Then answered H7725 (HiphImpf) I them, and said H559 (QalImpf) unto them, The God H430 of heaven, H8064 he will prosper H6743 (HiphImpf) us; therefore we his servants H5650 will arise H6965 (QalImpf) and build: H1129 (QalPerf) but ye have no portion, H2506 nor right, H6666 nor memorial, H2146 in Jerusalem. H3389

Footnotes

  1. § 2:6 Heb. wife
Byzantine Greek New Testament
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