Nehemiah 2:1-9 ▼

1 Nowe in the moneth Nisan in the twentieth yere of king Artahshashte, the wine stoode before him, and I tooke vp the wine, and gaue it vnto the King. nowe I was not before time sad in his presence.

2 And the king said vnto me, Why is thy coutenance sad, seeing thou art not sicke? this is nothing, but sorow of heart. Then was I sore afrayd,

3 And I said to the King, God saue the King for euer: why should not my countenance be sad, when the citie & house of the sepulchres of my fathers lieth waste, and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire?

4 And the King said vnto me, For what thing doest thou require? Then I prayed to the God of heauen,

5 And sayde vnto the King, If it please the King, and if thy seruant haue found fauour in thy sight, I desire that thou wouldest send me to Iudah vnto the city of the sepulchres of my fathers, that I may buyld it.

6 And the King sayd vnto me, (the Queene also sitting by him) How long shall thy iourney be? & when wilt thou come againe? So it pleased the King, and he sent me, and I set him a time.

7 After I saide vnto the King, If it please the King, let them giue mee letters to the captaines beyond the Riuer, that they may conuay me ouer, till I come into Iudah,

8 And letters vnto Asaph the keeper of the Kings parke, that hee may giue me timber to buylde the gates of the palace (which apperteined to the house) and for the walles of the citie, and for the house that I shall enter into; the King gaue me according to the good hand of my God vpon me.

9 Then came I to the captaines beyonde the Riuer, and gaue them the Kings letters; the King had sent captaines of the armie and horsemen with me.