OET NEH chapter 2

2 In the spring of the twentieth year of King Artahshashta’s reign, I was serving wine to the king. I’d never looked sad before in his presence, 2 and the king asked me, “Why do you look unhappy? I know that you’re not sick so something must be upsetting you.”

I was very scared 3 and I answered the king, “May the king live forever. I can’t help but look unhappy when the city containing my ancestors’ graves has had its gates burnt down and it’s now abandoned.”[ref] 4 “So what would you like to happen?” the king asked.

Then I prayed to the god of heaven 5 and answered the king, “If I have your favour, and if it seems good to the king, maybe you’d send me to Yehudah—to the city of my ancestors’ graves so I could rebuild it.”

6 Then the king said to me, with the queen sitting beside him, “How long would your journey be? And when would you return?” So I gave him a date and he seemed happy with it, because he released me to go.

7 Then I made another request, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the provinces across the Euphrates river to ask them to help me in my travel towards Yehudah. 8 Also a letter to Asaf, the keeper of the king’s forest, so he’ll give me timber for the beams of the gates of the fortress near the temple, and for the city wall, and for the house that I’ll live in.” Then the king granted those requests, thanks to God’s help on what I was doing.

9 Then I went to the governors of the provinces across the Euphrates, and I gave them the king’s letters. The king had sent army officers and horsemen with me. 10 When Sanvallat the Horonite and the servant Toviyyah the Ammonite heard my plans, they were very angry that someone would come to help the Israelis.

11 So I got to Yerushalem and was there for three days, 12 One night, I got up and took a few men with me, without having told anyone what I felt that my god had been telling me to do for Yerushalem. We only had the one horse that I was riding, 13 and we went out in the dark through the Valley Gate and past the Dragon Well to the Dung Gate. I was carefully inspecting the city walls—noting where they were broken down and which gates had been burnt out. 14 Then I crossed to the Fountain Gate and the Royal Pool, but there was nowhere that we could get my mount through the rubble. 15 So I went up the creek bed in the dark, carefully inspecting the wall, before turning back and returning quietly through the Valley Gate.

16 None of the city officials knew where I’d gone or what I was doing, and up until this point I hadn’t yet told my plans to the Jewish leaders or the priests or nobles or city officials, or hired any workers. 17 So now I told them, “You call all see the desperate situation that we’re in: Yerushalem is in ruins and its gates have been burnt out. So now, let’s rebuild the city wall and then we’ll no longer be mocked by others.” 18 I told them how God had helped me so far and what the king had given me permission to do.

“Well, let’s get started on the rebuilding,” they said, and got ready to work together. 19 But then Sanvallat the Horonite, and the Ammonite servant Toviyyah, and Geshem the Arabian heard, and they mocked and despised us, saying, “What are you guys all up to? Are you all rebelling against the king?”

20 I answered them by explaining, “The God of the heavens will help us to succeed, and we ourselves, his servants, will do the rebuilding work, but you all will have no part in it, and no rights in Yerushalem.”

2:3: 2Ki 25:8-10; 2Ch 36:19; Jer 52:12-14.

2 and_he/it _was in_the _month _of Nisan year _of twenty of_ʼArtaḩshashtāʼ the_king wine was_before _of_him and_I _took DOM the_wine and_I_gave_it to/for_the _king and_not I _had _been sad before_him.
2 And_he/it _said to_me the_king why face _of_is_your sad and_you(ms) not_you are_sick is_not this if/because (if) sadness _of heart and_I _was _afraid greatly very.
3 And_I _said to/for_the _king the_king forever may _he _live why not will _they _be _sad face _of_my that the_city the _house _of the _tombs _of my _ancestors _of_of is_desolate and_its _of_gates they _have _been _consumed by_fire.
4 and_he/it _said to_me the_king on what this are_you requesting and_I _prayed to the _god _of the_heavens.
5 And_I _said to/for_the _king if is_on the_king good and_if he _is _good servant _of_your to_your_face (cmp) you_will _send _me to Yəhūdāh/(Judah) to the _city _of the _tombs _of my _ancestors _of_of and_I_will _rebuild _it.
6 And_he/it _said to_me the_king and_the_queen-consort was_sitting beside_him until when will _it _be journey _of_your and_when will _you _return and_it _was _good to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before the_king and_he_sent _me and_I_gave to_him/it an _appointed _time.
7 And_I _said to/for_the _king if is_on the_king good letters let _people _give to_me to the _governors _of the _other _side _of the_river that they_will _allow _me _to _pass _through until that I _will _come to Yəhūdāh.
8 And_a _letter to ʼĀşāf the _one _who_kept _of the_forest which to/for_the _king that he _will _give to_me wood(s) to_make _beams _for DOM the _gates _of the _citadel which belongs_to_house and_for_the _wall _of the_city and_for_house which I _will _go to_him/it and_he _gave_them to_me the_king according_to _the _hand _of my _god _of_of (the)_good on_me.
9 And_I _went to the _governors _of[fn] of _the _other _side _of the_river and_I_gave to/for_them DOM the _letters _of the_king and_he _had _sent with_me the_king commanders _of the_army and_horsemen.
10 and_ Şanⱱallaţ _he/it _listened the_Horonite and_Ţōⱱiy^yāh the_servant the_ˊAmmōnī and_it _was _displeasing to/for_them displeasure great (cmp) someone he _had _come to_seek good for_the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).
11 And_I _came to Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem) and_I _was there days three.
12 And_I _arose night I and_men a _few with_me and_not I _had _told to/for_ʼĀdām/humankind what god _of_was_my putting into heart _of_my for_doing for_Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem) and_an _animal there_was_not with_me if/because (if) the_cattle/livestock which I was_riding on_it.
13 And_I_went _out by_the _gate _of the _valley night and_near/to the _face _of the _Well _of the and_near/to the _gate _of the _dung and_I _was examining (on)_the_walls _of Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem) which the[fn] and_its _of_gates they _had _been _consumed by_fire.
14 And_I _passed _on to the _gate _of the _spring and_near/to the _pool _of the_king and_there_was_not room for_animal to_pass _through under_me.
15 And_I _was going _up in_wadi night and_I _was examining (on)_wall and_I _turned _back and_I _went in_the _gate _of the _valley and_I _returned.
16 And_the_officials not they _knew where had _I _gone and_what was_I doing and_to_Yəhūdī/(Jews) and_to_priests and_to_nobles and_to_officials and_to_the _rest _of the _doer[s]_of the _work until thus not I _had _told.
17 And_I _said to_them you(pl) are_seeing the_trouble which we are_in_it (cmp) Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem) is_desolate and_its _of_gates they _have _been _burnt with_fire come and_let _us _rebuild DOM the _wall _of Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem) and_not we _will _be again a _reproach.
18 And_I _told to/for_them DOM the _hand _of my _god _of_of (cmp) it had _been_good on_me and_also the _words/messages _of the_king which he _had _spoken to_me and_they _said let _us _arise and_we _will _rebuild and_they _strengthened hands _of_their for_good.
19 and_ Şanⱱallaţ _he/it _listened the_Horonite and_Ţōⱱiy^yāh the_servant the_ˊAmmōnī and_Geshem the_ˊArāⱱī and_they _mocked to/for_us and_they _despised (on)_us and_they _said what is_the_thing the_this which you(pl) are_doing on the_king are_you(pl) rebelling.
20 And_I _brought _back them message and_I _said to/for_them the _god _of the_heavens he he _will _grant _success to/for_us and_we servants _of_his we _will _arise and_we _will _rebuild and_for_you(pl) there_is_not a _share and_a _right and_a _memorial in_Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem).

2:9 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently from BHQ.

2:13 OSHB variant note: ה/מפרוצים: (x-qere) ’הֵ֣ם’: lemma_1992 n_0.0 morph_HPp3mp id_16Nq4 הֵ֣ם׀ ׀’פְּרוּצִ֔ים’: lemma_6555 n_0.1 morph_HVqsmpa id_16rZH פְּרוּצִ֔ים

Open English Translation NEH Chapter 2

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Literal Version

Open English Translation NEH Chapter 2

Readers’ Version

Literal Version Hide marks

Literal Version