-
Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
-
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
-
Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
-
but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
-
Then the king, 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.
-
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 with me.
-
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.
-
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
-
The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.
-
The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.
-
The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
-
Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates.
-
Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.
-
The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
-
The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
-
Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.
-
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
-
They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.
-
Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
-
Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.
-
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
-
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah
-
who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,
-
and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
-
So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.
