1During the month of Nisan = March–April; called Abib in the pre-exilic period; Ex 13:4; Dt 16:1 in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, Ezr 7:1,8; Neh 1:1 when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,

2so the king said to me, “Why are you Lit Why is your face sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but depression.” Lit sadness of heart Pr 15:13

3and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I Lit my face not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire? ” Ezr 4:12,21; Neh 1:3

4Then the king asked me, “What is your request? ”

5and 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, Lit city, the house of the graves of my fathers, Neh 1:3 so that I may rebuild it.” Ezr 4:21; Dn 9:18

6The 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, Neh 13:6 and it pleased the king to send me.

7I 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, Ezr 4:8-9; 8:36 so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah. Ezr 8:22

8And 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, Neh 7:2 the city wall, and the home where I will live.” Lit enter Ezr 3:7 The king granted my requests, for I was graciously strengthened by my God. Lit for the gracious hand of my God was on me Ezr 7:6; Neh 2:18

9I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. Ezr 8:36 The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me.

10When Sanballat the Horonite Jos 16:3,5; 18:13 and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased. Neh 4:7

11After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days, Ezr 8:32

12I 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 Lit animal with me was the one I was riding.

13I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s Or Dragon’s Well and the Dung Gate, Neh 3:13 and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Ezr 4:12; Neh 1:3

14I went on to the Fountain Gate Neh 3:15; 12:37 and the King’s Pool, 2Kg 18:17; 20:20 but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through.

15So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate Neh 3:13 and returned.

16The 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.

17So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down. Ezr 4:12; Neh 1:3; 2:3 Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, Neh 2:5 so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

18I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, Ezr 7:9; Neh 2:8 and what the king had said to me.

19When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, Neh 4:7 and Geshem the Arab Neh 6:1,6 heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king? ”

20I 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.” Ezr 4:3-4