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Nehemia 2
BasisBijbel
Nehemia 2
BasisBijbel
Nehemia gaat naar Jeruzalem
2 In de maand Nisan, toen Artasasta 20 jaar koning was, schonk ik zoals gewoonlijk de wijn in voor de koning. Ik gaf hem de beker aan. Nu had de koning mij nog nooit eerder bedroefd gezien. 2 Daarom zei de koning tegen mij: "Wat kijk je somber. Wat is er? Je bent niet ziek, dus ben je zeker bedroefd." 3 Ik schrok erg en zei tegen de koning: "Mijn heer de koning, leef in eeuwigheid! Ik kan niet anders! Want de stad waar mijn voorvaders begraven liggen, ligt in puin en de stadspoorten zijn verbrand!" 4 De koning vroeg: "Kan ik iets voor je doen?" Ik bad tot de God van de hemel en zei toen tegen de koning: 5 "Zou u mij alstublieft naar Juda willen laten gaan, naar de stad waar mijn voorvaders begraven liggen? Ik zou die stad graag willen herbouwen!"
6 De koning zei tegen mij, terwijl zijn vrouw naast hem zat: "Hoelang zal de reis duren? Wanneer denk je terug te komen?" Ik zei hem hoelang ik wilde wegblijven.[a] Toen gaf hij mij toestemming om naar Juda te gaan. 7 En ik vroeg de koning: "Wilt u mij alstublieft brieven meegeven voor de bestuurders van de provincie ten zuiden van de Rivier,[b] dat ze me toestemming geven om door hun gebied te trekken totdat ik in Juda kom. 8 En wilt u mij ook een brief geven voor Asaf, de opzichter van het bos van de koning, dat hij mij hout geeft voor de poortdeuren van de tempel, voor het dak, voor de muur van de stad en voor het huis waar ik zolang zal wonen." En de koning gaf mij deze brieven, omdat mijn God met mij was.
9 Ik kwam bij de bestuurders van het gebied ten zuiden van de Rivier. Ik gaf hun de brieven van de koning. De koning had mij ook soldaten en ruiters meegegeven. 10 Toen Sanballat uit Bet-Horon en zijn Ammonitische ambtenaar Tobia[c] dat hoorden, waren zij er woedend over dat er iemand was gekomen om iets goeds te doen voor de Israëlieten.
Nehemia in Jeruzalem
11 Zo kwam ik in Jeruzalem. Toen ik daar drie dagen was, 12 ging ik 's nachts met een paar mannen op onderzoek uit. Ik had niemand verteld wat God mij op het hart had gelegd om voor Jeruzalem te doen. Ik nam maar één rijdier mee, namelijk de ezel waar ik op reed. 13 Zo vertrok ik 's nachts door de Dalpoort. Ik ging in de richting van de Drakenbron en de Aspoort. Ik onderzocht de muren van Jeruzalem die waren afgebroken en de poortdeuren die waren verbrand. 14 Daarna ging ik verder naar de Bronpoort en de Koningsvijver. Daar kon het dier waar ik op reed niet verder. 15 Daarom klom ik die nacht te voet door de beek naar boven en onderzocht de muur. Daarna ging ik door de Dalpoort terug naar huis.
16 De leiders wisten niet waar ik was geweest of wat ik had gedaan. Want ik had nog tegen niemand van de Judeeërs, de priesters, de leiders en de ambtenaren iets gezegd. 17 Maar toen ik terugkwam, zei ik tegen hen: "Jullie zien hoe slecht onze toestand is. Jeruzalem is verwoest en de poortdeuren zijn verbrand. Ik wil graag met jullie de muren van Jeruzalem weer opbouwen. Dan zullen we niet langer door iedereen uitgelachen worden." 18 Ik vertelde hun wat God voor mij had gedaan en wat de koning tegen mij gezegd had. Toen zeiden ze: "We zullen de muren gaan herbouwen." En ze gingen flink aan het werk.
19 Toen Sanballat, zijn Ammonitische ambtenaar Tobia en de Arabier Gesem dat hoorden, lachten ze ons uit en zeiden: "Wat zijn jullie aan het doen? Zijn jullie soms in opstand gekomen tegen de koning?" 20 Maar ik antwoordde: "De God van de hemel zal ervoor zorgen dat we slagen. Wij zijn Gods dienaren en zullen bouwen. Maar jullie horen hier niet thuis. Jullie hebben helemaal niets in Jeruzalem te zoeken!"
Footnotes
- Nehemia 2:6 Nehemia bleef twaalf jaar weg. Lees Nehemia 5:14.
- Nehemia 2:7 Dat is de rivier de Eufraat.
- Nehemia 2:10 Waarschijnlijk waren Sanballat en Tobia bestuurders in het gebied van Jeruzalem. Misschien waren ze tegen de herbouw van Jeruzalem omdat ze bang waren hun macht te verliezen.
Nehemiah 2
New International Version
Nehemiah 2
New International Version
Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(A) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(B) Why should my face not look sad when the city(C) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(D)”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
6 Then the king(E), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(F) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel(G) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,(H) the king granted my requests.(I) 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry(J) with me.
10 When Sanballat(K) the Horonite and Tobiah(L) the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.(M)
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days(N) 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate(O) toward the Jackal[a] Well and the Dung Gate,(P) examining the walls(Q) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate(R) and the King’s Pool,(S) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.(T) Come, let us rebuild the wall(U) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.(V)” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me(W) and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
19 But when Sanballat(X) the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem(Y) the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.(Z) “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,(AA) but as for you, you have no share(AB) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent or Fig
Nehemiah 2
New King James Version
Nehemiah 2
New King James Version
Nehemiah Sent to Judah
2 And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of (A)King [a]Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that (B)I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before. 2 Therefore the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but (C)sorrow of heart.”
So I became [b]dreadfully afraid, 3 and said to the king, (D)“May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when (E)the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with (F)fire?”
4 Then the king said to me, “What do you request?”
So I (G)prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
6 Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), “How long will your journey be? And when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him (H)a time.
7 Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the (I)governors of the region beyond [c]the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the [d]citadel which pertains (J)to the [e]temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me (K)according to the good hand of my God upon me.
9 Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. 10 When (L)Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite [f]official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.
Nehemiah Views the Wall of Jerusalem
11 So I (M)came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode. 13 And I went out by night (N)through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the [g]Refuse Gate, and [h]viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were (O)broken down and its gates which were burned with fire. 14 Then I went on to the (P)Fountain Gate and to the (Q)King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to pass. 15 So I went up in the night by the (R)valley,[i] and [j]viewed the wall; then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies [k]waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be (S)a reproach.” 18 And I told them of (T)the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.
So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they (U)set[l] their hands to this good work.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? (V)Will you rebel against the king?”
20 So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, (W)but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 2:1 Artaxerxes Longimanus
- Nehemiah 2:2 Lit. very much
- Nehemiah 2:7 The Euphrates
- Nehemiah 2:8 palace
- Nehemiah 2:8 Lit. house
- Nehemiah 2:10 Lit. servant
- Nehemiah 2:13 Dung
- Nehemiah 2:13 examined
- Nehemiah 2:15 torrent valley, wadi
- Nehemiah 2:15 examined
- Nehemiah 2:17 desolate
- Nehemiah 2:18 Lit. strengthened
Nehemiah 2
King James Version
Nehemiah 2
King James Version
2 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 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,
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?
4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
BasisBijbel (BB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.