rsv Nehemiah:2:11-20 SEEK
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So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days .
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Then I arose in the night ,
I and a few men with me ;
and I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem .
There was no beast with me but the beast on which I rode .
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I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Jackal '
s Well and to the Dung Gate ,
and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which had been destroyed by fire .
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Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King '
s Pool ;
but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass .
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Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall ;
and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate ,
and so returned .
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And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing ;
and I had not yet told the Jews ,
the priests ,
the nobles ,
the officials ,
and the rest that were to do the work .
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Then I said to them , "
You see the trouble we are in ,
how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned .
Come ,
let us build the wall of Jerusalem ,
that we may no longer suffer disgrace ."
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And I told them of the hand of my God which had been upon me for good ,
and also of the words which the king had spoken to me .
And they said , "
Let us rise up and build ."
So they strengthened their hands for the good work .
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But when Sanbal '
lat the Hor '
onite and Tobi '
ah the servant ,
the Ammonite ,
and Geshem the Arab heard of it ,
they derided us and despised us and said , "
What is this thing that you are doing ?
Are you rebelling against the king ?"
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Then I replied to them , "
The God of heaven will make us prosper ,
and we his servants will arise and build ;
but you have no portion or right or memorial in Jerusalem ."