¹ And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

² Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

³ And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

⁴ Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

⁵ 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.

⁶ And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

⁷ Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

⁸ And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon 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 servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

¹¹ So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

¹² And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

¹³ And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

¹⁴ Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

¹⁵ Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.

¹⁶ And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

²⁰ 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.

---

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 the wine, ^H3196 and gave ^H5414 it unto the king. ^H4428 Now I had not been beforetime sad ^H7451 in his presence. ^H6440

² Wherefore the king ^H4428 said ^H559 unto me, Why is thy countenance ^H6440 sad, ^H7451 seeing thou art not sick? ^H2470 this is nothing else but sorrow ^H7455 of heart. ^H3820 Then I was very ^H3966 sore ^H7235 afraid, ^H3372

³ And said ^H559 unto the king, ^H4428 Let the king ^H4428 live ^H2421 for ever: ^H5769 why should not my countenance ^H6440 be sad, ^H3415 when the city, ^H5892 the place ^H1004 of my fathers' ^H1 sepulchres, ^H6913 lieth waste, ^H2720 and the gates ^H8179 thereof are consumed ^H398 with fire? ^H784

⁴ Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559 unto me, For what dost thou make request? ^H1245 So I prayed ^H6419 to the God ^H430 of heaven. ^H8064

⁵ And I said ^H559 unto the king, ^H4428 If it please ^H2895 the king, ^H4428 and if thy servant ^H5650 have found favour ^H3190 in thy sight, ^H6440 that thou wouldest send ^H7971 me unto Judah, ^H3063 unto the city ^H5892 of my fathers' ^H1 sepulchres, ^H6913 that I may build ^H1129 it.

⁶ And the king ^H4428 said ^H559 unto me, (the queen ^H7694 also sitting ^H3427 by him,) ^H681 For how long shall thy journey ^H4109 be? and when wilt thou return? ^H7725 So it pleased ^{H3190 H6440} the king ^H4428 to send ^H7971 me; and I set ^H5414 him a time. ^H2165

⁷ Moreover I said ^H559 unto the king, ^H4428 If it please ^H2895 the king, ^H4428 let letters ^H107 be given ^H5414 me to the governors ^H6346 beyond ^H5676 the river, ^H5104 that they may convey me over ^H5674 till I come ^H935 into Judah; ^H3063

⁸ And a letter ^H107 unto Asaph ^H623 the keeper ^H8104 of the king's ^H4428 forest, ^H6508 that he may give ^H5414 me timber ^H6086 to make beams ^H7136 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 And the king ^H4428 granted ^H5414 me, according to the good ^H2896 hand ^H3027 of my God ^H430 upon me.

⁹ Then I came ^H935 to the governors ^H6346 beyond ^H5676 the river, ^H5104 and gave ^H5414 them the king's ^H4428 letters. ^H107 Now the king ^H4428 had sent ^H7971 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 of it, it grieved ^H3415 them exceedingly ^{H7451 H1419} that there was come ^H935 a man ^H120 to seek ^H1245 the welfare ^H2896 of the children ^H1121 of Israel. ^H3478

¹¹ So I came ^H935 to Jerusalem, ^H3389 and was there three ^H7969 days. ^H3117

¹² And I arose ^H6965 in the night, ^H3915 I and some ^H4592 few ^H4592 men ^H582 with me; neither told ^H5046 I any man ^H120 what my God ^H430 had put ^H5414 in my heart ^H3820 to do ^H6213 at Jerusalem: ^H3389 neither was there any beast ^H929 with me, save the beast ^H929 that I rode upon. ^H7392

¹³ And I went out ^H3318 by night ^H3915 by the gate ^H8179 of the valley, ^H1516 even before ^H6440 the dragon ^H8577 well, ^{H5869 H5886} and to the dung ^H830 port, ^H8179 and viewed ^{H7663 H7665} the walls ^H2346 of Jerusalem, ^H3389 which were broken down, ^H6555 and the gates ^H8179 thereof were consumed ^H398 with fire. ^H784

¹⁴ Then I went on ^H5674 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

¹⁵ Then went I up ^H5927 in the night ^H3915 by the brook, ^H5158 and viewed ^{H7663 H7665} the wall, ^H2346 and turned back, ^H7725 and entered ^H935 by the gate ^H8179 of the valley, ^H1516 and so returned. ^H7725

¹⁶ And the rulers ^H5461 knew ^H3045 not whither I went, ^H1980 or what I did; ^H6213 neither had I as yet ^H3651 told ^H5046 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 the work. ^H4399

¹⁷ Then said ^H559 I unto them, Ye see ^H7200 the distress ^H7451 that we are in, how Jerusalem ^H3389 lieth waste, ^H2720 and the gates ^H8179 thereof are burned ^H3341 with fire: ^H784 come, ^H3212 and let us build up ^H1129 the wall ^H2346 of Jerusalem, ^H3389 that we be no more a reproach. ^H2781

¹⁸ Then I told ^H5046 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 unto me. And they said, ^H559 Let us rise up ^H6965 and build. ^H1129 So they strengthened ^H2388 their hands ^H3027 for this good ^H2896 work.

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 it, they laughed us to scorn, ^H3932 and despised ^H959 us, and said, ^H559 What is this thing ^H1697 that ye do? ^H6213 will ye rebel ^H4775 against the king? ^H4428

²⁰ Then answered ^{H7725 H1697} I them, and said ^H559 unto them, The God ^H430 of heaven, ^H8064 he will prosper ^H6743 us; therefore we his servants ^H5650 will arise ^H6965 and build: ^H1129 but ye have no portion, ^H2506 nor right, ^H6666 nor memorial, ^H2146 in Jerusalem. ^H3389

---

¹ And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been `beforetime' sad in his presence.

² And the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid.

³ And I said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

⁴ Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

⁵ And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

⁶ And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

⁷ Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through till I come unto Judah;

⁸ and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

⁹ Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.

¹⁰ And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

¹¹ So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

¹² And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

¹³ And I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

¹⁴ Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

¹⁵ Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.

¹⁶ And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

¹⁷ Then said I unto them, Ye see the evil case 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.

¹⁸ And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also of 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 the good `work'.

¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

²⁰ 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.

---

¹ And it cometh to pass, in the month of Nisan, the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, wine `is' before him, and I lift up the wine, and give to the king, and I had not been sad before him;

² and the king saith to me, `Wherefore `is' thy face sad, and thou not sick? this is nothing except sadness of heart;' and I fear very much,

³ and say to the king, `Let the king to the age live! wherefore should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of the graves of my fathers, `is' a waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?'

⁴ And the king saith to me, `For what art thou seeking?' and I pray unto the God of the heavens,

⁵ and say to the king, `If to the king `it be' good, and if thy servant be pleasing before thee, that thou send me unto Judah, unto the city of the graves of my fathers, and I built it.'

⁶ And the king saith to me (and the queen is sitting near him), `How long is thy journey? and when dost thou return?' and it is good before the king, and he sendeth me away, and I set to him a time.

⁷ And I say to the king, `If to the king `it be' good, letters let be given to me for the governors beyond the River, that they let me pass over till that I come in unto Judah:

⁸ and a letter unto Asaph, keeper of the paradise that the king hath, that he give to me trees for beams `for' the gates of the palace that the house hath, and for the wall of the city, and for the house into which I enter;' and the king giveth to me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

⁹ And I come in unto the governors beyond the River, and give to them the letters of the king; and the king sendeth with me heads of a force, and horsemen;

¹⁰ and Sanballat the Horonite heareth, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and it is evil to them -- a great evil -- that a man hath come in to seek good for the sons of Israel.

¹¹ And I come in unto Jerusalem, and I am there three days,

¹² and I rise by night, I and a few men with me, and have not declared to a man what my God is giving unto my heart to do for Jerusalem, and there is no beast with me except the beast on which I am riding.

¹³ And I go out through the gate of the valley by night, and unto the front of the fountain of the dragon, and unto the gate of the dunghill, and I am measuring about the walls of Jerusalem, that are broken down, and its gates consumed with fire.

¹⁴ And I pass over unto the gate of the fountain, and unto the pool of the king, and there is no place for the beast under me to pass over,

¹⁵ and I am going up through the brook by night, and am measuring about the wall, and turn back, and come in through the gate of the valley, and turn back.

¹⁶ And the prefects have not known whither I have gone, and what I am doing; and to the Jews, and to the priests, and to the freemen, and to the prefects, and to the rest of those doing the work, hitherto I have not declared `it';

¹⁷ and I say unto them, `Ye are seeing the evil that we are in, in that Jerusalem `is' waste, and its gates have been burnt with fire; come and we build the wall of Jerusalem, and we are not any more a reproach.'

¹⁸ And I declare to them the hand of my God that is good upon me, and also the words of the king that he said to me, and they say, `Let us rise, and we have built;' and they strengthen their hands for good.

¹⁹ And Sanballat the Horonite heareth, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, and they mock at us, and despise us, and say, `What `is' this thing that ye are doing? against the king are ye rebelling?'

²⁰ And I return them word, and say to them, `The God of the heavens -- He doth give prosperity to us, and we His servants rise and have built; and to you there is no portion, and right, and memorial in Jerusalem.'

---

¹ And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that] wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been sad in his presence.

² And the king said to me, Why is thy face sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sadness of heart. And I was very sore afraid.

³ And I said to the king, Let the king live for ever! Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lies waste, and its gates are consumed with fire?

⁴ And the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of the heavens.

⁵ And I said to the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

⁶ And the king said to me -- the queen also sitting by him, -- For how long shall thy journey be, and when wilt thou return? And it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

⁷ And I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may set me forward till I come into 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 palace which [appertains] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

⁹ And I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of a force and horsemen with me.

¹⁰ And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobijah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there had come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

¹¹ And I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

¹² And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me -- but I told no man what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem -- and there was no beast with me, except the beast that I rode upon.

¹³ And I went out by night by the valley-gate, even toward the jackal-fountain, and to the dung-gate; and I viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were in ruins, and its gates were consumed with fire.

¹⁴ And I went on to the fountain-gate, and to the king's pool; and there was no place for the beast under me to pass.

¹⁵ And I went up in the night through the valley, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the valley-gate and returned.

¹⁶ And the rulers did not know whither I went or what I did, for 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 that did the work.

¹⁷ And I said to them, Ye see the distress that we are in, that Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

¹⁸ And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me; as also of the king's words which he had said unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. And they strengthened their hands for the good [work].

¹⁹ And Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobijah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it; and they mocked us and despised us, and said, What is this thing which ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

²⁰ And I answered them, and said to them, The God of the heavens, he will prosper us, and we his servants will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.

---

¹ It happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been [before] sad in his presence.

² The king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid.

³ I said to the king, Let the king live forever: why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and the gates of it are consumed with fire?

⁴ Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

⁵ I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, 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 also sitting by him), For how long shall your journey be? and when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

⁷ Moreover I said to the king, If it please 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 castle which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. The king granted me, according to 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 with me captains of the army and horsemen.

¹⁰ When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, 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 some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on.

¹³ I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates of it 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 went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed 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; neither had I 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 said I to them, You see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and the gates of it are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

¹⁸ I told them of the hand of my God which was good on me, as also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. They said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good [work].

¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that you do? will you rebel against the king?

²⁰ Then answered I them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

---

¹ And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never before been sad when the king was present.

² And the king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing that you are not ill? this is nothing but sorrow of heart. Then I was full of fear;

³ And said to the king, May the king be living for ever: is it not natural for my face to be sad, when the town, the place where the bodies of my fathers are at rest, has been made waste and its doorways burned with fire?

⁴ Then the king said to me, What is your desire? So I made prayer to the God of heaven.

⁵ And I said to the king, If it is the king's pleasure, and if your servant has your approval, send me to Judah, to the town where the bodies of my fathers are at rest, so that I may take in hand the building of it.

⁶ And the king said to me (the queen being seated by his side), How long will your journey take, and when will you come back? So the king was pleased to send me, and I gave him a fixed time.

⁷ Further, I said to the king, If it is the king's pleasure, let letters be given to me for the rulers across the river, so that they may let me go through till I come to Judah;

⁸ And a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's park, so that he may give me wood to make boards for the doors of the tower of the house, and for the wall of the town, and for the house which is to be mine. And the king gave me this, for the hand of my God was on me.

⁹ Then I came to the rulers of the lands across the river and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.

¹⁰ And Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, hearing of it, were greatly troubled because a man had come to the help of the children of Israel.

¹¹ So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.

¹² And in the night I got up, taking with me a small band of men; I said nothing to any man of what God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem: and I had no beast with me but the one on which I was seated.

¹³ And I went out by night, through the doorway of the valley, and past the dragon's water-spring as far as the place where waste material was put, viewing the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down, and the doorways which had been burned with fire.

¹⁴ Then I went on to the door of the fountain and to the king's pool: but there was no room for my beast to get through.

¹⁵ Then in the night, I went up by the stream, viewing the wall; then turning back, I went in by the door in the valley, and so came back.

¹⁶ And the chiefs had no knowledge of where I had been or what I was doing; and I had not then said anything to the Jews or to the priests or the great ones or the chiefs or the rest of those who were doing the work.

¹⁷ Then I said to them, You see what a bad condition we are in; how Jerusalem is a waste, and its doorways burned with fire: come, let us get to work, building up the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be put to shame.

¹⁸ Then I gave them an account of how the hand of my God was on me, helping me; and of the king's words which he had said to me. And they said, Let us get to work on the building. So they made their hands strong for the good work.

¹⁹ But Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, hearing of it, made sport of us, laughing at us and saying, What are you doing? will you go against the king?

²⁰ Then answering them I said, The God of heaven, he will be our help; so we his servants will go on with our building: but you have no part or right or any name in Jerusalem.