The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And the King said vnto me, For what thing doest thou require? Then I prayed to the God of heauen,

And sayde vnto the King, If it please the King, and if thy seruant haue found fauour in thy sight, I desire that thou wouldest send me to Iudah vnto the city of the sepulchres of my fathers, that I may buyld it.

And the King sayd vnto me, (the Queene also sitting by him) How long shall thy iourney be? and when wilt thou come againe? So it pleased the King, and he sent me, and I set him a time.

After I saide vnto the King, If it please the King, let them giue mee letters to the captaines beyond the Riuer, that they may conuay me ouer, till I come into Iudah,

And letters vnto Asaph the keeper of the Kings parke, that hee may giue me timber to buylde the gates of the palace (which apperteined to the house) and for the walles of the citie, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the King gaue me according to the good hand of my God vpon me.

Then came I to the captaines beyonde the Riuer, and gaue them the Kings letters. And the King had sent captaines of the armie and horsemen with me.

But Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah a seruant an Ammonite heard it, and it grieued them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.

So I came to Ierusalem, and was there three dayes.

And I rose in the night, I, and a fewe men with me: for I told no man, what God had put in mine heart to do at Ierusalem, and there was not a beast with me, saue the beast whereon I rode.

And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, and came before the dragon well, and to the dung porte, and vewed the walles of Ierusalem, howe they were broken downe, and the portes thereof deuoured with the fire.

Then I went foorth vnto the gate of the fountaine, and to the Kings fishpoole, and there was no rowme for the beast that was vnder me to passe.

Then went I vp in ye night by the brooke, and viewed the wall, and turned backe, and comming backe, I entred by the gate of the valley and returned.

And the rulers knewe not whither I was gone, nor what I did, neither did I as yet tell it vnto the Iewes, nor to the Priestes, nor to the noble men, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that laboured in the worke.

Afterward I said vnto them, Ye see the miserie that we are in, how Ierusalem lyeth waste, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire: come and let vs buylde the wall of Ierusalem, that we be no more a reproche.

Then I tolde them of the hande of my God, (which was good ouer me) and also of the Kings wordes that he had spoken vnto me. And they sayd, Let vs rise, and buyld. So they strengthened their hand to good.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the seruant an Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they mocked vs and despised vs, and said, What a thing is this that ye doe? Will ye rebell against the King?

Then answered I them, and sayd to them, The God of heauen, he will prosper vs, and we his seruants will rise vp and buylde: but as for you, ye haue no portion nor right, nor memoriall in Ierusalem.

Then arose Eliashib the hie Priest with his brethren the Priestes, and they buylt the sheepegate: they repayred it, and set vp the doores thereof: euen vnto the tower of Meah repayred they it, and vnto the tower of Hananeel.

And next vnto him buylded the men of Iericho, and beside him Zaccur the sonne of Imri.

But the fish port did the sonnes of Senaah buylde, which also layde the beames thereof, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof.

And next vnto them fortified Merimoth, the sonne of Vrijah, the sonne of Hakkoz: and next vnto them fortified Meshullam, the sonne of Berechiah, the sonne of Meshezabeel: and next vnto them fortified Zadok, the sonne of Baana:

And next vnto them fortified the Tekoites: but the great men of them put not their neckes to the worke of their lordes.

And the gate of the olde fishpoole fortified Iehoiada the sonne of Paseah, and Meshullam the sonne of Besodaiah: they laid the beames thereof, and set on the doores thereof, and the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof.

Next vnto them also fortified Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Iadon the Meronothite, men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, vnto the throne of the Duke, which was beyond the Riuer.

Next vnto him fortified Vzziel the sonne of Harhohiah of the golde smithes: next vnto him also fortified Hananiah, the sonne of Harakkahim, and they repayred Ierusalem vnto the broad wall.

Also next vnto them fortified Rephaiah, the sonne of Hur, the ruler of the halfe part of Ierusalem.

And next vnto him fortified Iedaiah the sonne of Harumaph, euen ouer against his house: and next vnto him fortified Hattush, the sonne of Hashabniah.

Malchiiah the sonne of Harim, and Hashub the sonne of Pahath Moab fortified the seconde porcion, and the tower of the fornaces.

Next vnto him also fortified Shallum, the sonne of Halloesh, the ruler of the halfe part of Ierusalem, he, and his daughters.

The valley gate fortified Hanum, and the inhabitants of Zanuah: they buylt it, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof, euen a thousand cubites on the wall vnto the dung porte.

But the dung port fortified Malchiah, the sonne of Rechab, the ruler of the fourth part of Beth-haccarem: he built it, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof.

But the gate of the fountaine fortified Shallun, the sonne of Col-hozeh, the ruler of the fourth part of Mizpah: he builded it, and couered it, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof, and the wall vnto the fishpoole of Shelah by the Kings garden, and vnto the steppes that goe downe from the citie of Dauid.

After him fortified Nehemiah the sonne of Azbuk, the ruler of ye halfe part of Beth-zur, vntill the otherside ouer against the sepulchres of Dauid, and to the fishpoole that was repaired, and vnto the house of the mightie.

After him fortified the Leuites, Rehum the sonne of Bani, and next vnto him fortified Hashabiah the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah in his quarter.

After him fortified their brethren: Bauai, the sonne of Henadad the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah:

And next vnto him fortified Ezer, the sonne of Ieshua the ruler of Mizpah, the other portion ouer against the going vp to the corner of the armour.

After him was earnest Baruch the sonne of Zacchai, and fortified another portion from the corner vnto the doore of the house of Eliashib the hie Priest.

After him fortified Merimoth, the sonne of Vriiah, the sonne of Hakkoz, another portion from the doore of the house of Eliashib, euen as long as the house of Eliashib extended.

After him also fortified the Priests, the men of the playne.

After them fortified Beniamin, and Hasshub ouer against their house: after him fortified Azariah, the sonne of Maaseiah, the sonne of Ananiah, by his house.

After him fortified Binnui, the sonne of Henadad another portion, from the house of Azariah vnto the turning and vnto the corner.

Palal, the sonne of Vzai, from ouer against the corner, and the high tower, that lieth out from the Kings house, which is beside the court of the prison. After him, Pedaiah, the sonne of Parosh.

And the Nethinims they dwelt in ye fortresse vnto the place ouer against the water gate, Eastwarde, and to the tower that lyeth out.

After him fortified the Tekoites another portion ouer against the great tower, that lyeth out, euen vnto the wall of the fortresse.

From aboue the horsegate forth fortified the Priests, euery one ouer against his house.

After them fortified Zadok the sonne of Immer ouer against his house: and after him fortified Shemaiah, the sonne of Shechadiah the keeper of the East gate.

After him fortified Hananiah, the sonne of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sonne of Zalaph, the sixt, another portion after him fortified Meshullam, the sonne of Berechiah, ouer against his chamber.

After him fortified Malchiah the goldesmiths sonne, vntil the house of the Nethinims, and of ye marchants ouer against the gate Miphkad, and to the chamber in the corner.

But when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, then was he wroth and sore grieued, and mocked the Iewes,

And sayde before his brethren and the armie of Samaria, thus he sayde, What doe these weake Iewes? wil they fortifie them selues? wil they sacrifice? will they finish it in a day? will they make the stones whole againe out of the heapes of dust, seeing they are burnt?

And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and said, Although they buylde, yet if a foxe goe vp, he shall euen breake downe their stonie wall.

Heare, O our God (for we are despised) and turne their shame vpon their owne head, and giue them vnto a pray in the lande of their captiuitie,

And couer not their iniquitie, neither let their sinne be put out in thy presence: for they haue prouoked vs before the builders.

So we built the wall, and all the wall was ioyned vnto the halfe thereof, and the heart of the people was to worke.

But when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodims heard that the walles of Ierusalem were repayred, (for the breaches began to be stopped) then they were very wroth,

And conspired all together to come and to fight against Ierusalem, and to hinder them.

The we prayed vnto our God, and set watchmen by them, day and night, because of them.

And Iudah said, The strength of the bearers is weakened, and there is much earth, so that we are not able to build the wall.

Also our aduersaries had sayde, They shall not knowe, neither see, till we come into the middes of them and slay them, and cause the worke to cease.

But when the Iewes (which dwelt beside them) came, they told vs ten times, From all places whence ye shall returne, they wil be vpon vs.

Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall vpon the toppes of the stones, and placed the people by their families, with their swordes, their speares and their bowes.

Then I behelde, and rose vp, and said vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afrayde of them: remember the great Lord, and fearefull, and fight for your brethren, your sonnes, and your daughters, your wiues, and your houses.

And when our enemies heard that it was knowen vnto vs, then God brought their counsell to nought, and we turned all againe to the wall, euery one vnto his worke.

And from that day, halfe of the yong men did the labour, and the other halfe part of them helde the speares, and shieldes, and bowes, and habergins: and the rulers stoode behinde all the house of Iudah.

They that buylded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, and they that laded, did the worke with one hand, and with the other helde the sworde.

For euery one of the buylders had his sworde girded on his loynes, and so buylded: and he that blewe the trumpet, was beside me.

Then saide I vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The worke is great and large, and we are separated vpon the wall, one farre from another.

In what place therefore ye heare the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither vnto vs: our God shall fight for vs.

So we laboured in the worke, and halfe of them helde the speares, from the appearing of the morning, till the starres came foorth.

And at the same time said I vnto the people, Let euery one with his seruant lodge within Ierusalem, that they may be a watch for vs in the night, and labour in the day.

So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my seruants, nor the men of the warde, (which followed me) none of vs did put off our clothes, saue euery one put them off for washing.

Nowe there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes.

For there were that said, We, our sonnes and our daughters are many, therefore we take vp corne, that we may eate and liue.

And there were that saide, We must gage our landes, and our vineyardes, and our houses, and take vp corne for the famine.

There were also that said, We haue borowed money for the Kings tribute vpon our landes and our vineyardes.

And nowe our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, and our sonnes as their sonnes: and lo, we bring into subiection our sonnes and our daughters, as seruants, and there be of our daughters nowe in subiection, and there is no power in our handes: for other men haue our landes and our vineyardes.

Then was I very angrie when I heard their crie and these wordes.

And I thought in my minde, and I rebuked the princes, and the rulers, and saide vnto them, You lay burthens euery one vpon his brethren: and I set a great assemblie against them,

And I said vnto them, We (according to our abilitie) haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes, which were solde vnto the heathen: and will you sell your brethren againe, or shall they be solde vnto vs? Then helde they their peace, and could not answere.

I said also, That which ye do, is not good. Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God, for the reproche of the heathen our enemies?

For euen I, my brethren, and my seruants doe lende them money and corne: I pray you, let vs leaue off this burden.

Restore, I pray you, vnto them this day their landes, their vineyardes, their oliues, and their houses, and remit the hundreth part of the siluer and of the corne, of the wine, and of the oyle that ye exact of them.

Then said they, We will restore it, and will not require it of them: we will doe as thou hast said. Then I called the Priestes, and caused them to sweare, that they shoulde doe according to this promise.

So I shooke my lappe, and said, So let God shake out euery man that wil not perfourme this promise from his house, and from his labour: euen thus let him be shaken out, and emptied. And all the Cogregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord: and the people did according to this promise.

And from the time that the King gaue me charge to be gouernour in the lande of Iudah, from the twentieth yeere, euen vnto the two and thirtieth yeere of King Artahshashte, that is, twelue yeere, I, and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour.

For the former gouernours that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides fourtie shekels of siluer: yea, and their seruants bare rule ouer the people: but so did not I, because of the feare of God.

But rather I fortified a portion in the worke of this wall, and we bought no lande, and all my seruants came thither together vnto the worke.

Moreouer there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes, and rulers, which came vnto vs from among the heathen that are about vs.

And there was prepared daily an oxe, and sixe chosen sheepe, and birdes were prepared for me, and within ten dayes wine for all in abundance. Yet for all this I required not the bread of the gouernour: for the bondage was grieuous vnto this people.

Remember me, O my God, in goodnesse, according to all that I haue done for this people.

And when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall, and that there were no more breaches therein, (though at that time I had not set vp the doores vpon the gates)

Then sent Sanballat and Geshem vnto me, saying, Come thou that we may meete together in the villages in the plaine of Ono: and they thought to doe me euill.

Therefore I sent messengers vnto them, saying, I haue a great worke to doe, and I can not come downe: why should the worke cease, whiles I leaue it, and come downe to you?

Yet they sent vnto me foure times after this sort. And I answered them after the same maner.

Then sent Sanballat his seruant after this sorte vnto me the fift time, with an open letter in his hand,

Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu hath sayd it, that thou and the Iewes thinke to rebel, for the which cause thou buildest the wall and thou wilt bee their King according to these wordes.

Thou hast also ordeyned the Prophets to preach of thee at Ierusalem, saying, There is a King in Iudah: and nowe according to these wordes it shall come to the Kings eares: come now therefore, and let vs take counsell together.

Then I sent vnto him, saying, It is not done according to these wordes that thou sayest: for thou feynest them of thine owne heart.

For all they afrayed vs, saying, Their handes shalbe weakened from the worke, and it shall not be done: nowe therefore incourage thou me.