1
And it came about in the monthNisan, in the twentiethyear of KingArtaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not beensad in his presence.
3
I said to the king, "Let the kingliveforever. Why should my face not be sadwhen the city, the place of my fathers'tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?"
5
I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has foundfavorbefore you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers'tombs, that I may rebuild it."
6
Then the kingsaid to me, the queensittingbeside him, "Howlong* will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definitetime.
7
And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to passthroughuntil* I come to Judah,
8
and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king'sforest, that he may give me timber to makebeams for the gates of the fortresswhich is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go." And the kinggranted them to me because the goodhand of my God was on me.
9
Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king'sletters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
10
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammoniteofficialheard about it, it was very*displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.