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N EH EMIA H 2
10 “The people you rescued by your
great power and strong hand are your
servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer!
Listen to the prayers of those of us who
delight in honoring you. Please grant
me success today by making the king
favorable to me.* Put it into his heart
to be kind to me.”
In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem
Early the following spring, in the month of
Nisan,* during the twentieth year of King
Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his
wine. I had never before appeared sad in his
presence. 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you
looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You
must be deeply troubled.”
2
• Prayer
NE H E MIA H 2 :4
With little time to think, Nehemiah prayed
to God. Eight times in this book we read
that he offered a spontaneous prayer
(2:4; 4:4-5, 9; 5:19; 6:14; 13:14, 22, 29).
Nehemiah prayed at any time, even while
talking with others. He knew that God is
always present, always in charge, always
listening, and always ready to answer.
Nehemiah could confidently pray to
God throughout the day because he had
established an intimate relationship with
him during times of extended prayer (see
1:4-7). If we want to be confident about
our brief prayers, we need to take time to
cultivate a strong relationship with God
through times of in-depth prayer.
• Planning
NE H E MIA H 2 :1 1 -1 7
Nehemiah felt led by God to rebuild the
great walls of Jerusalem. It would have
been a noble and emotional project for
almost any self-respecting Jewish leader.
But Nehemiah demonstrated good leadership by resisting the temptation to charge
right in and start slapping mortar on
stones. First, he made a careful survey of
the city’s walls, noting what the rebuilding
would require. Later, he formulated a
plan and oversaw the work. When God
calls us to a task, he is calling upon the
whole package: our abilities, our intelligent
planning, and our hard work.
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Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long
live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city
where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and
the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”
With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied,
“If it please the king, and if you are pleased with
me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild
the city where my ancestors are buried.”
6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him,
asked, “How long will you be gone? When will
you return?” After I told him how long I would
be gone, the king agreed to my request.
7 I also said to the king, “If it please the king,
let me have letters addressed to the governors
of the province west of the Euphrates River,*
instructing them to let me travel safely through
their territories on my way to Judah. 8 And
please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the
manager of the king’s forest, instructing him
to give me timber. I will need it to make beams
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.
9 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. 10 But when Sanballat 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.
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Wall
11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later,
12 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. 13 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. 14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate
and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t
get through the rubble. 15 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.
16 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. 17 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
1:11 Hebrew today in the sight of this man. 2:1 Hebrew In
the month of Nisan. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar
calendar occurred within the months of April and May 445 b.c.
2:7 Hebrew the province beyond the river; also in 2:9. 2:9 Or
charioteers. 2:13 Or Serpent’s Well. 2:15 Hebrew the valley.