Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem
1 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was king, I served him his wine, as I had done before. But this was the first time I had ever looked depressed. 2 So the king said, “Why do you look so sad? You're not sick. Something must be bothering you.”
Even though I was frightened, 3 I answered, “Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! I feel sad because the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and its gates have been burned down.”
4 The king asked, “What do you want me to do?”
I prayed to the God who rules from heaven. 5 Then I told the king, “Sir, if it's all right with you, please send me back to Judah, so that I can rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”
6 The queen was sitting beside the king when he asked me, “How long will it take, and when will you be back?” The king agreed to let me go, and I told him when I would return.
7 Then I asked, “Your Majesty, would you be willing to give me letters to the governors of the provinces west of the Euphrates River, so that I can travel safely to Judah? 8 I will need timber to rebuild the gates of the fortress near the temple and more timber to construct the city wall and to build a place for me to live. And so, I would appreciate a letter to Asaph, who is in charge of the royal forest.” God was good to me, and the king did everything I asked.
9 The king sent some army officers and cavalry troops along with me, and as I traveled through the Western Provinces, I gave the letters to the governors. 10 But when Sanballat from Horon and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about what had happened, they became very angry, because they didn't want anyone to help the people of Israel.
Nehemiah Inspects the Wall of Jerusalem
11 Three days after arriving in Jerusalem, 12 I got up during the night and left my house. I took some men with me, without telling anyone what I thought God wanted me to do for the city. The only animal I took was the donkey I rode on. 13 I went through Valley Gate on the west, then south past Dragon Spring, before coming to Garbage Gate. As I rode along, I took a good look at the crumbled walls of the city and the gates that had been torn down and burned. 14 On the east side of the city, I headed north to Fountain Gate and King's Pool, but then the trail became too narrow for my donkey. 15 So I went down to Kidron Valley and looked at the wall from there. Then before daylight I returned to the city through Valley Gate.
16 None of the city officials knew what I had in mind. And I had not even told any of the Jews—not the priests, the leaders, the officials, or any other Jews who would be helping in the work. 17 But when I got back, I said to them, “Jerusalem is truly in a mess! The gates have been torn down and burned, and everything is in ruins. We must rebuild the city wall so that we can again take pride in our city.”
18 Then I told them how kind God had been and what the king had said.
Immediately, they replied, “Let's start building now!” So they got everything ready.
19 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard about our plans, they started insulting us and saying, “Just look at you! Do you plan to rebuild the walls of the city and rebel against the king?”
20 I answered, “We are servants of the God who rules from heaven, and he will make our work succeed. So we will start rebuilding Jerusalem, but you have no right to any of its property, because you have had no part in its history.”
Nehemija tiek sūtīts uz Jūdu
1 Bija nīsāna mēnesis ķēniņa Artakserksa divdesmitajā valdīšanas gadā. Vīns bija viņa priekšā, es ņēmu vīnu un devu to ķēniņam. Nekad agrāk es nebiju noskumis viņa priekšā. 2 Ķēniņš man vaicāja: “Kāpēc tu esi noskumis? Tu taču neesi slims?! Tātad noskumusi ir tava sirds!” Tad es varen izbijos. 3 Es teicu ķēniņam: “Ķēniņš lai dzīvo mūžīgi! Kā lai neskumstu, ja pilsēta, kurā ir manu tēvu kapi, ir nopostīta un tās vārti sadedzināti ugunī?”
4 Ķēniņš man sacīja: “Ko tad tu gribi?” Tad es pielūdzu debesu Dievu 5 un sacīju ķēniņam: “Ja ķēniņam tīk, ka tavs kalps gūst tavu vēlību, tad sūti mani uz Jūdu, uz pilsētu, kur ir manu tēvu kapi, un es to atjaunošu!” 6 Ķēniņš – viņam blakus sēdēja ķēniņiene – man sacīja: “Cik ilgi tu ceļosi, un kad tu atgriezīsies?” Ķēniņam labpatika mani sūtīt, un es noteicu laiku. 7 Es sacīju ķēniņam: “Ja ķēniņam tīk, lai man dod vēstules Viņpusupes apgabala pārvaldniekiem, ka viņi man ļauj nonākt Jūdā, 8 un vēstuli ķēniņa mežsargam Āsāfam, lai viņš man dod kokus baļķiem – tempļa vārtiem, pilsētas mūrim un namam, kur dzīvot.” Ķēniņš man to iedeva, jo Dieva roka bija ar mani uz labu. 9 Tad es devos pie Viņpusupes apgabala pārvaldniekiem un nodevu tiem ķēniņa vēstules. Ķēniņš man bija sūtījis līdzi karaspēka virsniekus un jātniekus. 10 Kad to uzzināja horonietis Sanballats un kalps Tobīja, amonietis, tie ļoti noskaitās, ka kāds ir nācis gādāt labumu Israēla dēliem.
Nehemija apskata Jeruzālemes mūrus
11 Es iegāju Jeruzālemē un paliku tur trīs dienas. 12 Naktī es cēlos, kopā ar mani bija daži vīri, bet es nevienam neteicu, ko man Dievs sirdī bija licis darīt Jeruzālemei. Man nebija cita lopa kā vien tas, uz kura es jāju. 13 Naktī es izgāju pa Ielejas vārtiem uz Šakāļu avotu un Mēslu vārtiem. Es pārlūkoju sagrautos Jeruzālemes mūrus un ugunī sadedzinātos vārtus. 14 Es pagāju garām Avota vārtiem, pie Ķēniņa baseina, bet tur nebija vietas, kur mans lops tiktu cauri. 15 Tad naktī es kāpu augšā pa ieleju un pārbaudīju mūri. Atpakaļ es nokļuvu pa Ielejas vārtiem, tā es atgriezos. 16 Bet ierēdņi nezināja, kurp es biju gājis un ko darījis. Es vēl to nebiju teicis jūdiem, priesteriem, dižciltīgajiem, ierēdņiem un pārējiem, kas strādā.
Celsimies un celsim
17 Tad es tiem sacīju: “Jūs redzat ļaunumu, kādā esam nonākuši, – Jeruzāleme ir panīkusi un tās vārti ir sadedzināti! Nāciet, atjaunosim Jeruzālemes mūrus, lai neesam par apsmieklu!” 18 Es tiem stāstīju par savu Dievu, ka viņš ir bijis man labvēlīgs, un arī to, ko man bija teicis ķēniņš. Un tie teica: “Sāksim atjaunot!” Un viņu rokas apņēmās darīt labu.
19 Kad to uzzināja horonietis Sanballats, kalps Tobīja, amonietis, un arābs Gešems, tie izsmēja un nicināja mūs, sacīdami: “Ko tad nu jūs taisāties darīt? Dumpoties pret ķēniņu?” 20 Bet es tiem atbildēju: “Debesu Dievs dod mums veiksmi, mēs esam viņa kalpi un sāksim visu atjaunot! Bet jums Jeruzālemē nav nekādas daļas – ne jums ir taisnība, ne jums būs piemiņa!”
