12
And I arose in the night, I and somefewmen 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 dragonwell*, and to the dungport, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
16
And the rulersknew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yettold 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'swords 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.