12
And I arose in the night, I and a fewmen with me. I did not tellanyonewhat my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was noanimal with me except* the animal on which I was riding.
13
So I went out at night by the ValleyGate in the direction of the Dragon'sWell and on to the RefuseGate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalemwhich were brokendown and its gates which were consumed by fire.
16
The officials did not knowwhere I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yettold the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.
17
Then I said to them, "You see the badsituation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gatesburned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalemso that we will nolonger be a reproach."
18
I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king'swordswhich he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work.
19
But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammoniteofficial, and Geshem the Arabheard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, "What is thisthing you are doing? Are you rebellingagainst the king?"
20
So I answered them and said to them, "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you havenoportion, right or memorial in Jerusalem."