Katolička Biblija
Mosaico decorativo

Nehemiah, 2

1. In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, since I was in charge of the wine, I took the wine and offered it to the king. Now, he had never seen me looking depressed before.

1. And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that] wine [was] before him: and I took up the wine, and gave [it] unto the king. Now I had not been [beforetime] sad in his presence.

2. So the king said to me, 'Why are you looking depressed? You are not sick! This must be a sadness of the heart.' Thoroughly alarmed by this,

2. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why [is] thy countenance sad, seeing thou [art] not sick? this [is] nothing [else] but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

3. I said to the king, 'May the king live for ever! How can I not look depressed when the city where the tombs of my ancestors are lies in ruins and its gates have been burnt down?'

3. And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, [lieth] waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

4. The king then said to me, 'What would you like me to do?' Praying to the God of heaven,

4. Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

5. I said to the king, 'If the king approves and your servant enjoys your favour, send me to Judah, to the city of the tombs of my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it.'

5. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

6. The king -- with the queen sitting beside him-said, 'How long will your journey take, and when will you come back?' Once I had given him a definite time, the king approved my mission.

6. And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

7. I then said to the king, 'If the king approves, may I be given orders for the governors of Transeuphrates to let me pass through on my way to Judah?

7. Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

8. Also an order for Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, to supply me with timber for the beams of the gates of the citadel of the Temple, for the city walls and for the house which I am to occupy?' These the king granted me because the kindly hand of my God was over me.

8. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertained] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

9. When I reached the governors of Transeuphrates, I gave them the king's orders. The king had sent an escort of army officers and cavalry along with me.

9. Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

10. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the official of Ammon heard about this, they were exceedingly displeased that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

10. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

11. And so I reached Jerusalem. After I had been there three days,

11. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

12. I got up during the night with a few other men -- I had not told anyone what my God had inspired me to do for Jerusalem -- taking no animal with me other than my own mount.

12. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I [any] man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither [was there any] beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

13. Under cover of dark I went out through the Valley Gate towards the Dragon's Fountain as far as the Dung Gate, and examined the wall of Jerusalem where it was broken down and its gates burnt out.

13. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

14. I then crossed to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but it was impassable to my mount.

14. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but [there was] no place for the beast [that was] under me to pass.

15. So I went up the Valley in the dark, examining the wall; I then went in again through the Valley Gate, coming back

15. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and [so] returned.

16. without the officials knowing where I had gone or what I had been doing. So far I had said nothing to the Jews: neither to the priests, the nobles, the officials nor any other persons involved in the undertaking.

16. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told [it] to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

17. I then said to them, 'You see what a sorry state we are in: Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates have been burnt down. Come on, we must rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and put an end to our humiliating position!'

17. Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we [are] in, how Jerusalem [lieth] waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

18. And I told them how the kindly hand of my God had been over me, and the words which the king had said to me. At this they said, 'Let us start building at once!' and they set their hands to the good work.

18. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for [this] good [work].

19. When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the official of Ammon, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they laughed at us and jeered. They said, 'What is this you are doing? Are you going to revolt against the king?'

19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard [it], they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What [is] this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

20. But I gave them this answer, 'The God of heaven will grant us success and we, his servants, mean to start building; as for you, you have neither share nor right nor memorial in Jerusalem.'

20. Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.



Pročitajte Bibliju u godinu dana

Pridružite se našoj zajednici i pročitajte cijelu Bibliju u 365 dana. Strukturirani i inspirativni put za produbljivanje vaše vjere i znanja o Svetom pismu.

Pridružite se programu Preuzmite PDF plan

Fusnote:

2:1-3 - Nehemiah expresses his sorrow to King Artaxerxes over the condition of Jerusalem. His sincerity and compassion for the things of God move the king's heart. This is an example of how God can use rulers to accomplish His purposes (see also Proverbs 21:1 and Esther 5:2).

2:4-5 - Nehemiah prays briefly before speaking to the king, demonstrating the importance of depending on God in every situation. His prayer reflects a life dedicated to constant communion with God (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Philippians 4:6).

2:6-8 - The king grants Nehemiah permission and resources to rebuild Jerusalem, evidencing God's hand in the situation. Divine favor is manifested even in the midst of foreign kings (see also Ezra 7:27-28 and Isaiah 45:13).

2:11-16 - Nehemiah secretly inspects Jerusalem's walls before beginning the rebuilding, demonstrating his discernment and wisdom. He takes time to assess the situation before acting (see also Proverbs 24:3-4 and Luke 14:28-30).

2:17-20 - Nehemiah calls the people to rebuild, emphasizing that God's work requires cooperation. He also faces the opposition of Sanballat and Tobiah with faith and determination, trusting in divine protection (see also Ezra 4:1-3 and Ephesians 6:10-11).

Stihovi vezani uz Nehemiah, 2:

Nehemiah chapter 2 marks the beginning of the reconstruction mission. How does God open doors for His servant? This inspiring text recounts Nehemiah's dialogue with King Artaxerxes, his journey to Jerusalem, and his nightly inspection of the walls. The chapter highlights Nehemiah's wisdom in planning and his courage in the face of initial opposition. Nehemiah 2 demonstrates how God uses people in strategic positions to accomplish His purposes. Consider with us five biblical passages that relate to the themes of leadership and vision present in this crucial chapter.

Proverbs 21:1: "The king's heart is like a river controlled by the Lord; he directs it wherever he wants." - This proverb reflects Nehemiah's experience with the king in Nehemiah 2:1-8, where God moves the king's heart to favor Nehemiah.

Ezra 7:27-28: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who put it into the king's heart to honor the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who allowed me to receive such high regard from the king, his counselors and all his powerful officials . As the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, I felt encouraged and gathered some leaders of Israel to come back with me." - Ezra's experience echoes that of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 2:8, recognizing God's hand in royal approval.

Psalms 122:6-7: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May those who love you live in safety! May there be peace within your walls and security in your citadels.'" - This psalm reflects Nehemiah's desire to rebuild and protect Jerusalem, as seen in Nehemiah 2:11-20.

2 Corinthians 5:7: "Because we live by faith, not by what we see." - This verse captures Nehemiah's attitude in Nehemiah 2:12, where he acts out of faith in the vision God gave him.

James 1:5: "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives it to all freely and willingly; and it will be granted to you." - This principle is exemplified in the life of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 2:4-5, where he asks God for wisdom before speaking to the king.

FAQ:

How did Nehemiah get support to rebuild the walls?

Nehemiah, with the support of King Artaxerxes, secured the necessary resources for the rebuilding. He presented his plan to the leaders of Jerusalem, who enthusiastically accepted the mission. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)

What challenges did Nehemiah face when rebuilding the walls?

Nehemiah faced opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah, and other enemies who tried to discredit and sabotage the work. However, Nehemiah remained steadfast in his mission, trusting in God. (Nehemiah 2:19-20)

How did Nehemiah encourage the people to work on rebuilding?

Nehemiah inspired the people by sharing God's vision for Jerusalem and showing that the mission was part of a divine plan. He encouraged them to work together with determination. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)

What does the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem mean for the people of Israel?

The rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls symbolized the restoration of Israel's dignity and security. It was also a sign that God was fulfilling His promise of protection and restoration. (Nehemiah 2:18)

How did Nehemiah deal with enemies during the reconstruction?

Nehemiah remained steadfast in his mission, ignoring the threats of his enemies and focusing on the work. He asked God for protection and strategically organized his workers to ensure safety. (Nehemiah 4:9)


Biblija

Stari zavjet

Novi zavjet

Avaiable on Youtube