Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 132
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IMMERSE
•
CHRONICLES
2:9–3:2
for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for
myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand
of God was on me.
When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates
River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had
sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me. But when Sanbal
lat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival,
they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people
of Israel.
So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later, I slipped out during the night,
taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans
God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us
except the donkey I was riding. After dark I went out through the Valley
Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the
King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble. So, though
it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall
before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.
The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing,
for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone
else in the administration. But now I said to them, “You know very well
what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”
Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me,
and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the
good work.
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan,
they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling
against the king?” they asked.
I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants,
will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic
claim in Jerusalem.”
Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at
the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall
as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower
of Hananel. People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and
beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri.
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