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2:1 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.
2:2 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,
2:3 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?
2:4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request?  So I
 prayed to the God of heaven.
2:5 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.
2:6 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.
2:7 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;
2:8 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.
2:9 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.
2:10 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.
2:11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
2:12 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.
2:13 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.
2:14 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.
2:15 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.
2:16 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.
2:17 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.
2:18 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.
2:19 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?
2:20 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.

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3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and
 they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of
 it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of
 Hananeel.
3:2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho.  And next to them builded
 Zaccur the son of Imri.
3:3 But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the
 beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the
 bars thereof.
3:4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. 
 And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of
 Meshezabeel.  And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
3:5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their
 necks to the work of their Lord.
3:6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam
 the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors
 thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
3:7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the
 Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the throne of the
 governor on this side the river.
3:8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. 
 Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries,
 and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.
3:9 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the
 half part of Jerusalem.
3:10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over
 against his house.  And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of
 Hashabniah.
3:11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab, repaired
 the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.
3:12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of
 the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
3:13 The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they
 built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars
 thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.
3:14 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of
 part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks
 thereof, and the bars thereof.
3:15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the
 ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors
 thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool
 of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the
 city of David.
3:16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half
 part of Bethzur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and
 to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty.
3:17 After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani.  Next unto him
 repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.
3:18 After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler
 of the half part of Keilah.
3:19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah,
 another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of
 the wall.
3:20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece,
 from the turning of the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the
 high priest.
3:21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another
 piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house
 of Eliashib.
3:22 And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.
3:23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house.  After
 him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house.
3:24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the
 house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner.
3:25 Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the
 tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court
 of the prison.  After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.
3:26 Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against
 the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.
3:27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great
 tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.
3:28 From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against
 his house.
3:29 After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. 
 After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the
 east gate.
3:30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth
 son of Zalaph, another piece.  After him repaired Meshullam the son of
 Berechiah over against his chamber.
3:31 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the
 Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the
 going up of the corner.
3:32 And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the
 goldsmiths and the merchants.

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4:1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall,
 he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What
 do these feeble Jews?  will they fortify themselves?  will they sacrifice? 
 will they make an end in a day?  will they revive the stones out of the
 heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
4:3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they
 build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
4:4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised:  and turn their reproach upon
 their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
4:5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from
 before thee:  for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
4:6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half
 thereof:  for the people had a mind to work.
4:7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the
 Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of
 Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then
 they were very wroth,
4:8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against
 Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against
 them day and night, because of them.
4:10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and
 there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
4:11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we
 come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
4:12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they
 said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us
 they will be upon you.
4:13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the
 higher places, I even set the people after their families with their
 swords, their spears, and their bows.
4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers,
 and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them:  remember the
 Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your
 sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
4:15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us,
 and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to
 the wall, every one unto his work.
4:16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my
 servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the
 spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers
 were behind all the house of Judah.
4:17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those
 that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with
 the other hand held a weapon.
4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so
 builded.  And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
4:19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the
 people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall,
 one far from another.
4:20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye
 thither unto us:  our God shall fight for us.
4:21 So we laboured in the work:  and half of them held the spears from the
 rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
4:22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with
 his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard
 to us, and labour on the day.
4:23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the
 guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that
 every one put them off for washing.

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5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their
 brethren the Jews.
5:2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: 
 therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
5:3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands,
 vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
5:4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's
 tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5:5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as
 their children:  and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters
 to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage
 already:  neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men
 have our lands and vineyards.
5:6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
5:7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers,
 and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother.  And I set a
 great assembly against them.
5:8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren
 the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your
 brethren?  or shall they be sold unto us?  Then held they their peace, and
 found nothing to answer.
5:9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do:  ought ye not to walk in the
 fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
5:10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them
 money and corn:  I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
5:11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their
 vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of
 the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
5:12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of
 them; so will we do as thou sayest.  Then I called the priests, and took an
 oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
5:13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his
 house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be
 he shaken out, and emptied.  And all the congregation said, Amen, and
 praised the LORD.  And the people did according to this promise.
5:14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the
 land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year
 of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not
 eaten the bread of the governor.
5:15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto
 the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of
 silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people:  but so did not
 I, because of the fear of God.
5:16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any
 land:  and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
5:17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and
 rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are
 about us.
5:18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six
 choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store
 of all sorts of wine:  yet for all this required not I the bread of the
 governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
5:19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done
 for this people.

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6:1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian,
 and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that
 there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the
 doors upon the gates;)
6:2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet
 together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono.  But they
 thought to do me mischief.
6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so
 that I cannot come down:  why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and
 come down to you?
6:4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them
 after the same manner.
6:5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time
 with an open letter in his hand;
6:6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu
 saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel:  for which cause thou
 buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these
 words.
6:7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem,
 saying, There is a king in Judah:  and now shall it be reported to the
 king according to these words.  Come now therefore, and let us take counsel
 together.
6:8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou
 sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
6:9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from
 the work, that it be not done.  Now therefore, O God, strengthen my
 hands.
6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son
 of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the
 house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: 
 for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay
 thee.
6:11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee?  and who is there, that,
 being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life?  I will not
 go in.
6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced
 this prophecy against me:  for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
6:13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin,
 and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might
 reproach me.
6:14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their
 works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that
 would have put me in fear.
6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month
 Elul, in fifty and two days.
6:16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all
 the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast
 down in their own eyes:  for they perceived that this work was wrought of
 our God.
6:17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto
 Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
6:18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son
 in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the
 daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
6:19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to
 him.  And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

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7:1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the
 doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
7:2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace,
 charge over Jerusalem:  for he was a faithful man, and feared God above
 many.
7:3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the
 sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar
 them:  and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in
 his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
7:4 Now the city was large and great:  but the people were few therein,
 and the houses were not builded.
7:5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the
 rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy.  And I
 found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and
 found written therein,
7:6 These are the children of the province, that went up out of the
 captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the
 king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah,
 every one unto his city;
7:7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani,
 Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.  The number, I say,
 of the men of the people of Israel was this;
7:8 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
7:9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
7:10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
7:11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two
 thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
7:12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
7:13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
7:14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
7:15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
7:16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
7:17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
7:18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.
7:19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.
7:20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.
7:21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
7:22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.
7:23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
7:24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.
7:25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.
7:26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.
7:27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
7:28 The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two.
7:29 The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty
 and three.
7:30 The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
7:31 The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.
7:32 The men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.
7:33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.
7:34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
7:35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
7:36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
7:37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.
7:38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
7:39 The priests:  the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine
 hundred seventy and three.
7:40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
7:41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
7:42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
7:43 The Levites:  the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children
 of Hodevah, seventy and four.
7:44 The singers:  the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.
7:45 The porters:  the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the
 children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the
 children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.
7:46 The Nethinims:  the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the
 children of Tabbaoth,
7:47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
7:48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of
 Shalmai,
7:49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
7:50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
7:51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
7:52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of
 Nephishesim,
7:53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of
 Harhur,
7:54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of
 Harsha,
7:55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
7:56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
7:57 The children of Solomon's servants:  the children of Sotai, the
 children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
7:58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
7:59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of
 Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
7:60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three
 hundred ninety and two.
7:61 And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha,
 Cherub, Addon, and Immer:  but they could not show their father's house,
 nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
7:62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of
 Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
7:63 And of the priests:  the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the
 children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the
 Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.
7:64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by
 genealogy, but it was not found:  therefore were they, as polluted, put
 from the priesthood.
7:65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most
 holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
7:66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three
 hundred and threescore,
7:67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were
 seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven:  and they had two hundred
 forty and five singing men and singing women.
7:68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six:  their mules, two hundred
 forty and five:
7:69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five:  six thousand seven
 hundred and twenty asses.
7:70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work.  The Tirshatha
 gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred
 and thirty priests' garments.
7:71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work
 twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of
 silver.
7:72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand
 drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven
 priests' garments.
7:73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and
 some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their
 cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in
 their cities.