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Chapter 2
Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem
1
Now in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,
𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤃𐤔 𐤍𐤉𐤎𐤍 𐤏𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤍𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤀𐤓𐤕𐤇𐤔𐤎𐤕𐤀 𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤀 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤓𐤏 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅
וַיְהִ֣י׀ בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֗ן עֶשְׂרִ֛ים שְׁנַ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא יַ֣יִן לְפָנָ֑יו וָאֶשָּׂ֤א אֶת־ הַיַּ֙יִן֙ וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְלֹא־ הָיִ֥יתִי רַ֖ע לְפָנָֽיו׃ way·hî bə·ḥō·ḏeš nî·sān ‘eś·rîm šə·naṯ ham·me·leḵ lə·’ar·taḥ·šast ya·yin lə·p̄ā·nāw wā·’eś·śā ’eṯ- hay·ya·yin wā·’et·tə·nāh lam·me·leḵ wə·lō- hā·yî·ṯî ra‘ lə·p̄ā·nāw — WLC · 1
2
so the king said to me, “Why [is] your face sad, though you [are] not ill? This could only be… sadness of the heart.” I was overwhelmed with fear…
𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤉 𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤏 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤊 𐤇𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤆𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤓𐤏 𐤋𐤁 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤓𐤀 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤃
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ לִ֨י מַדּ֣וּעַ׀ פָּנֶ֣יךָ רָעִ֗ים וְאַתָּה֙ אֵֽינְךָ֣ חוֹלֶ֔ה זֶ֔ה אֵ֣ין כִּי־ אִ֖ם רֹ֣עַֽ לֵ֑ב וָאִירָ֖א הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃ ham·me·leḵ way·yō·mer lî mad·dū·a‘ pā·ne·ḵā rā·‘îm wə·’at·tāh ’ê·nə·ḵā ḥō·w·leh zeh ’ên kî- ’im rō·a‘ lêḇ wā·’î·rā har·bêh mə·’ōḏ — WLC · 2
3
and replied to the king, “May the king live forever…! Why should I not be sad… when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤏 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤓𐤏𐤅 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤒𐤁𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤔𐤎
וָאֹמַ֣ר לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יִחְיֶ֑ה לְעוֹלָ֣ם מַדּ֜וּעַ לֹא־ יֵרְע֣וּ פָנַ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָעִ֜יר בֵּית־ אֲבֹתַי֙ קִבְר֤וֹת חֲרֵבָ֔ה וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ אֻכְּל֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃ס wā·’ō·mar lam·me·leḵ ham·me·leḵ yiḥ·yeh lə·‘ō·w·lām mad·dū·a‘ lō- yê·rə·‘ū p̄ā·nay ’ă·šer hā·‘îr bêṯ- ’ă·ḇō·ṯay qiḇ·rō·wṯ ḥă·rê·ḇāh ū·šə·‘ā·re·hā ’uk·kə·lū ḇā·’êš — WLC · 3
4
“What… is your request?” replied the king… So I prayed to the God of heaven
𐤌𐤄 𐤆𐤄 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤌𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤋 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌
מַה־ זֶּ֖ה אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִי֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל־ וָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֔ל אֶל־ אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ mah- zeh ’at·tāh mə·ḇaq·qêš way·yō·mer lî ham·me·leḵ ‘al- wā·’eṯ·pal·lêl ’el- ’ĕ·lō·hê haš·šā·mā·yim — WLC · 4
5
and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city where my fathers are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”
𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤊 𐤉𐤉𐤈𐤁 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤕𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤀𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤒𐤁𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤍𐤄
וָאֹמַ֣ר לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־ עַל־ ט֔וֹב הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ וְאִם־ עַבְדְּךָ֖ יִיטַ֥ב לְפָנֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר תִּשְׁלָחֵ֣נִי אֶל־ יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־ עִ֛יר אֲבֹתַ֖י קִבְר֥וֹת וְאֶבְנֶֽנָּה׃ wā·’ō·mar lam·me·leḵ ’im- ‘al- ṭō·wḇ ham·me·leḵ wə·’im- ‘aḇ·də·ḵā yî·ṭaḇ lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā ’ă·šer tiš·lā·ḥê·nî ’el- yə·hū·ḏāh ’el- ‘îr ’ă·ḇō·ṯay qiḇ·rō·wṯ wə·’eḇ·nen·nāh — WLC · 5
6
Then the king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long… will your journey take, and when will you return?” So it pleased… the king to send me, and I set a time.
𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤔𐤂𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤕 𐤀𐤑𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤃 𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤊 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤉𐤈𐤁 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤆𐤌𐤍
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וְהַשֵּׁגַ֣ל׀ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶצְל֗וֹ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ לִ֨י עַד־ מָתַ֛י מַֽהֲלָכֲךָ֖ יִהְיֶ֥ה וּמָתַ֣י תָּשׁ֑וּב וַיִּיטַ֤ב לִפְנֵֽי־ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֔נִי וָֽאֶתְּנָ֥ה ל֖וֹ זְמָֽן׃ ham·me·leḵ wə·haš·šê·ḡal yō·wō·še·ḇeṯ ’eṣ·lōw way·yō·mer lî ‘aḏ- mā·ṯay ma·hă·lā·ḵă·ḵā yih·yeh ū·mā·ṯay tā·šūḇ way·yî·ṭaḇ lip̄·nê- ham·me·leḵ way·yiš·lā·ḥê·nî wā·’et·tə·nāh lōw zə·mān — WLC · 6
7
I also said to [him], “If it pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors west of the Euphrates, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach… Judah.
𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤂𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤇𐤅𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤄𐤍𐤄𐤓 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄
וָאוֹמַר֮ לַמֶּלֶךְ֒ אִם־ עַל־ ט֔וֹב הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אִגְּרוֹת֙ יִתְּנוּ־ לִ֔י עַֽל־ פַּחֲו֖וֹת עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר אֲשֶׁר֙ יַעֲבִיר֔וּנִי עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־ אָב֖וֹא אֶל־ יְהוּדָֽה׃ wā·’ō·w·mar lam·me·leḵ ’im- ‘al- ṭō·wḇ ham·me·leḵ ’ig·gə·rō·wṯ yit·tə·nū- lî ‘al- pa·ḥă·wō·wṯ ‘ê·ḇer han·nā·hār ’ă·šer ya·‘ă·ḇî·rū·nî ‘aḏ ’ă·šer- ’ā·ḇō·w ’el- yə·hū·ḏāh — WLC · 7
8
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s… forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy…” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.
𐤅𐤀𐤂𐤓𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤎𐤐 𐤔𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤄𐤐𐤓𐤃𐤎 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤕 𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤋𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤕 𐤅𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤄𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤊𐤉𐤃 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤉
וְאִגֶּ֡רֶת אֶל־ אָסָף֩ שֹׁמֵ֨ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הַפַּרְדֵּ֜ס אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתֶּן־ לִ֣י עֵצִ֡ים לְ֠קָרוֹת אֶת־ שַׁעֲרֵ֨י הַבִּירָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־ לַבַּ֙יִת֙ הָעִ֔יר וּלְחוֹמַ֣ת וְלַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־ אָב֣וֹא אֵלָ֑יו הַטּוֹבָ֥ה כְּיַד־ אֱלֹהַ֖י עָלָֽי׃ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּתֶּן־ לִ֣י wə·’ig·ge·reṯ ’el- ’ā·sāp̄ šō·mêr ’ă·šer lam·me·leḵ hap·par·dês ’ă·šer yit·ten- lî ‘ê·ṣîm lə·qā·rō·wṯ ’eṯ- ša·‘ă·rê hab·bî·rāh ’ă·šer- lab·ba·yiṯ hā·‘îr ū·lə·ḥō·w·maṯ wə·lab·ba·yiṯ ’ă·šer- ’ā·ḇō·w ’ê·lāw haṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh kə·yaḏ- ’ĕ·lō·hay ‘ā·lāy ham·me·leḵ way·yit·ten- lî — WLC · 8
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Then I went to the governors west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋 𐤐𐤇𐤅𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤄𐤍𐤄𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤂𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤅𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤌𐤐 𐤏𐤌𐤉
וָֽאָב֗וֹא אֶֽל־ פַּֽחֲווֹת֙ עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֔ר וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אִגְּר֣וֹת הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח חַ֖יִל שָׂ֥רֵי וּפָרָשִֽׁים׃פ עִמִּי֙ wā·’ā·ḇō·w ’el- pa·ḥă·wō·wṯ ‘ê·ḇer han·nā·hār wā·’et·tə·nāh lā·hem ’êṯ ham·me·leḵ ’ig·gə·rō·wṯ ham·me·leḵ way·yiš·laḥ ḥa·yil śā·rê ū·p̄ā·rā·šîm ‘im·mî — WLC · 9
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But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed… that someone had come to seek the well-being vvv of the Israelites.
𐤎𐤍𐤁𐤋𐤈 𐤄𐤇𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤏𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤏𐤁𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤂𐤃𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤓𐤏 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤁𐤀 𐤋𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋
סַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַחֹרֹנִ֗י וְטֽוֹבִיָּה֙ הָֽעַמֹּנִ֔י הָעֶ֣בֶד וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע גְדֹלָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥רַע לָהֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־ אָדָ֔ם בָּ֥א לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ טוֹבָ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ san·ḇal·laṭ ha·ḥō·rō·nî wə·ṭō·w·ḇî·yāh hā·‘am·mō·nî hā·‘e·ḇeḏ way·yiš·ma‘ ḡə·ḏō·lāh way·yê·ra‘ lā·hem rā·‘āh ’ă·šer- ’ā·ḏām bā lə·ḇaq·qêš ṭō·w·ḇāh liḇ·nê yiś·rā·’êl — WLC · 10
Nehemiah Inspects the Walls
11
After I had arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,
𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤉 𐤔𐤌 𐤔𐤋𐤔𐤄 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌
וָאָב֖וֹא אֶל־ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וָאֱהִי־ שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ יָמִ֥ים wā·’ā·ḇō·w ’el- yə·rū·šā·lim wā·’ĕ·hî- šām šə·lō·šāh yā·mîm — WLC · 11
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I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only… animal… with me was the one on which I was riding
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤈 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤁𐤉 𐤋𐤏𐤔𐤅𐤕 𐤋𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤊𐤁 𐤁𐤄
אֲנִי֮ וָאָק֣וּם׀ לַ֗יְלָה עִמִּי֒ מְעַט֮ וַאֲנָשִׁ֣ים׀ וְלֹא־ הִגַּ֣דְתִּי לְאָדָ֔ם מָ֗ה אֱלֹהַי֙ נֹתֵ֣ן אֶל־ לִבִּ֔י לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֚י אִם־ וּבְהֵמָה֙ אֵ֣ין עִמִּ֔י הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י רֹכֵ֥ב בָּֽהּ׃ ’ă·nî wā·’ā·qūm lay·lāh ‘im·mî mə·‘aṭ wa·’ă·nā·šîm wə·lō- hig·gaḏ·tî lə·’ā·ḏām māh ’ĕ·lō·hay nō·ṯên ’el- lib·bî la·‘ă·śō·wṯ lî·rū·šā·lim kî ’im- ū·ḇə·hê·māh ’ên ‘im·mî hab·bə·hê·māh ’ă·šer ’ă·nî rō·ḵêḇ bāh — WLC · 12
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So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward… the Well of the Serpent… and the Dung… Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire.
𐤅𐤀𐤑𐤀𐤄 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤀 𐤁𐤔𐤏𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤄𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤔𐤐𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤉 𐤔𐤏𐤓 𐤔𐤁𐤓 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤐𐤓𐤅𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤔
וָאֵצְאָ֨ה לַ֗יְלָה הַגַּ֜יא בְשַֽׁעַר־ וְאֶל־ פְּנֵי֙ עֵ֣ין הַתַּנִּ֔ין וְאֶל־ הָאַשְׁפֹּ֑ת וָאֱהִ֨י שַׁ֖עַר שֹׂבֵ֜ר בְּחוֹמֹ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ אֲשֶׁר־ הַמְפֹרוָצִים וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ אֻכְּל֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃ wā·’ê·ṣə·’āh lay·lāh hag·gay ḇə·ša·‘ar- wə·’el- pə·nê ‘ên hat·tan·nîn wə·’el- hā·’aš·pōṯ wā·’ĕ·hî ša·‘ar śō·ḇêr bə·ḥō·w·mōṯ yə·rū·šā·lim ’ă·šer- ham·p̄ō·r·wå̄·ṣīm ū·šə·ʿå̄·rɛ·hå̄ ’uk·kə·lū ḇā·’êš — WLC · 13
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Then I went on to the Fountain… Gate and the King’s Pool, but [there was] no room for the animal under me to get through;
𐤅𐤀𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤔𐤏𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤋𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤏𐤁𐤓
וָאֶֽעֱבֹר֙ אֶל־ הָעַ֔יִן וְאֶל־ שַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ בְּרֵכַ֖ת וְאֵין־ מָק֥וֹם לַבְּהֵמָ֖ה תַּחְתָּֽי׃ לַעֲבֹ֥ר wā·’e·‘ĕ·ḇōr ’el- hā·‘a·yin wə·’el- ša·‘ar ham·me·leḵ bə·rê·ḵaṯ wə·’ên- mā·qō·wm lab·bə·hê·māh taḥ·tāy la·‘ă·ḇōr — WLC · 14
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so I went up the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I headed back and reentered… through the Valley Gate.
𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤇𐤋 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤉 𐤔𐤁𐤓 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤀 𐤁𐤔𐤏𐤓
וָאֱהִ֨י עֹלֶ֤ה בַנַּ֙חַל֙ לַ֔יְלָה וָאֱהִ֥י שֹׂבֵ֖ר בַּחוֹמָ֑ה וָאָשׁ֗וּב וָאָב֛וֹא וָאָשֽׁוּב׃ הַגַּ֖יְא בְּשַׁ֥עַר wā·’ĕ·hî ‘ō·leh ḇan·na·ḥal lay·lāh wā·’ĕ·hî śō·ḇêr ba·ḥō·w·māh wā·’ā·šūḇ wā·’ā·ḇō·w wā·’ā·šūḇ hag·gay bə·ša·‘ar — WLC · 15
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The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet… told the Jews or priests or nobles or officials or any other vvv workers.
𐤅𐤄𐤎𐤂𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤅 𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤃 𐤊𐤍 𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤊𐤄𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤎𐤂𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤄
וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים לֹ֤א יָדְעוּ֙ אָ֣נָה הָלַ֔כְתִּי וּמָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י עֹשֶׂ֑ה לֹ֥א עַד־ כֵּ֖ן הִגַּֽדְתִּי׃ וְלַיְּהוּדִ֨ים וְלַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים וְלַחֹרִ֣ים וְלַסְּגָנִ֗ים וּלְיֶ֙תֶר֙ עֹשֵׂ֣ה הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה wə·has·sə·ḡā·nîm lō yā·ḏə·‘ū ’ā·nāh hā·laḵ·tî ū·māh ’ă·nî ‘ō·śeh lō ‘aḏ- kên hig·gaḏ·tî wə·lay·yə·hū·ḏîm wə·lak·kō·hă·nîm wə·la·ḥō·rîm wə·las·sə·ḡā·nîm ū·lə·ye·ṯer ‘ō·śêh ham·mə·lā·ḵāh — WLC · 16
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Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned down… Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”
𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤕𐤌 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤇𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤍𐤑𐤕𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤔 𐤋𐤊𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤁𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤍𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤇𐤓𐤐𐤄
וָאוֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֤ם רֹאִים֙ הָרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנַ֣חְנוּ בָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ חֲרֵבָ֔ה וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ נִצְּת֣וּ בָאֵ֑שׁ לְכ֗וּ וְנִבְנֶה֙ אֶת־ חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְלֹא־ ע֖וֹד נִהְיֶ֥ה חֶרְפָּֽה׃ wā·’ō·w·mar ’ă·lê·hem ’at·tem rō·’îm hā·rā·‘āh ’ă·šer ’ă·naḥ·nū ḇāh ’ă·šer yə·rū·šā·lim ḥă·rê·ḇāh ū·šə·‘ā·re·hā niṣ·ṣə·ṯū ḇā·’êš lə·ḵū wə·niḇ·neh ’eṯ- ḥō·w·maṯ yə·rū·šā·lim wə·lō- ‘ō·wḏ nih·yeh ḥer·pāh — WLC · 17
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I also told them about… the gracious hand of my God upon me, and… what the king had said to me. “Let us start rebuilding,” they replied, and they set their hands to [this] good [work].
𐤅𐤀𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤉𐤃 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤐 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤉 𐤍𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤇𐤆𐤒𐤅 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤋𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄𐤐
וָאַגִּ֨יד לָהֶ֜ם אֶת־ אֲשֶׁר־ הִיא֙ טוֹבָ֣ה יַ֣ד אֱלֹהַ֗י עָלַ֔י וְאַף־ דִּבְרֵ֥י אֲשֶׁ֣ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אָֽמַר־ לִ֑י נָק֣וּם וּבָנִ֔ינוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ וַיְחַזְּק֥וּ יְדֵיהֶ֖ם לַטּוֹבָֽה׃פ wā·’ag·gîḏ lā·hem ’eṯ- ’ă·šer- hî ṭō·w·ḇāh yaḏ ’ĕ·lō·hay ‘ā·lay wə·’ap̄- diḇ·rê ’ă·šer ham·me·leḵ ’ā·mar- lî nā·qūm ū·ḇā·nî·nū way·yō·mə·rū way·ḥaz·zə·qū yə·ḏê·hem laṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh — WLC · 18
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But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What… is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
𐤎𐤍𐤁𐤋𐤈 𐤄𐤇𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤈𐤁𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤏𐤁𐤃 𐤅𐤂𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤏𐤓𐤁𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤅𐤉𐤋𐤏𐤂𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤆𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 𐤌𐤄 𐤄𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤄𐤆𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤕𐤌 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕𐤌 𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊
סַנְבַלַּ֨ט הַחֹרֹנִ֜י וְטֹבִיָּ֣ה׀ הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֗י הָעֶ֣בֶד וְגֶ֙שֶׁם֙ הָֽעַרְבִ֔י וַיִּשְׁמַע֩ וַיַּלְעִ֣גוּ לָ֔נוּ וַיִּבְז֖וּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ מָֽה־ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים אַתֶּ֥ם מֹרְדִֽים׃ הַעַ֥ל הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ san·ḇal·laṭ ha·ḥō·rō·nî wə·ṭō·ḇî·yāh hā·‘am·mō·w·nî hā·‘e·ḇeḏ wə·ḡe·šem hā·‘ar·ḇî way·yiš·ma‘ way·yal·‘i·ḡū lā·nū way·yiḇ·zū ‘ā·lê·nū way·yō·mə·rū māh- had·dā·ḇār haz·zeh ’ă·šer ’at·tem ‘ō·śîm ’at·tem mō·rə·ḏîm ha·‘al ham·me·leḵ — WLC · 19
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So I answered them and said -, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success We, His servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem.”
𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤁 𐤀𐤅𐤕𐤌 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤑𐤋𐤉𐤇 𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤅 𐤍𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤇𐤋𐤒 𐤅𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤄 𐤅𐤆𐤊𐤓𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌
וָאָשִׁ֨יב אוֹתָ֜ם דָּבָ֗ר וָאוֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ה֚וּא יַצְלִ֣יחַֽ לָ֔נוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ עֲבָדָ֖יו נָק֣וּם וּבָנִ֑ינוּ וְלָכֶ֗ם אֵֽין־ חֵ֧לֶק וּצְדָקָ֛ה וְזִכָּר֖וֹן בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ wā·’ā·šîḇ ’ō·w·ṯām dā·ḇār wā·’ō·w·mar lā·hem ’ĕ·lō·hê haš·šā·ma·yim hū yaṣ·lî·aḥ lā·nū wa·’ă·naḥ·nū ‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw nā·qūm ū·ḇā·nî·nū wə·lā·ḵem ’ên- ḥê·leq ū·ṣə·ḏā·qāh wə·zik·kā·rō·wn bî·rū·šā·lim — WLC · 20