Jerusalem

On the twelfth day of the first month, we left the Ahava River to go to Yerushalayim. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and surprise attacks along the road.

In time, we arrived at Yerushalayim, where we rested for three days.

For we are slaves. Yet our God has not abandoned us in our slavery, but has caused the kings of Persia to extend grace to us, reviving us, so that we can rebuild the house of our God, repair its ruins, and have a wall of defense in Y'hudah and Yerushalayim.

A proclamation was issued throughout Y'hudah and Yerushalayim that all the exiles were to assemble in Yerushalayim;

All the men of Y'hudah and Binyamin assembled in Yerushalayim within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat in the open place in front of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

that Hanani, one of my kinsmen, came out of Y'hudah with some men; and I asked them about the remnant of Judeans who had escaped the exile, and about Yerushalayim.

They answered me, "The remnant of the exile left there in the province are in great distress and are held in contempt, the wall of Yerushalayim is in ruins, and its gates have been completely burned up."

So I reached Yerushalayim. After I had been there for three days,

I got up during the night, I and a few men with me. I hadn't told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Yerushalayim; and I didn't take any animal with me except the animal on which I was riding.

I went out by night through the Valley Gate, to the Dragon's Well and the Dung Gate, and inspected the places where the walls of Yerushalayim were broken down and where its gates had been burned down.

Afterwards, I said to them, "You see what a sad state we are in, how Yerushalayim lies in ruins, with it gates burned up. Come, let's rebuild the wall of Yerushalayim, so that we won't continue in disgrace."

But I answered them: "The God of heaven will enable us to succeed. Therefore we his servants will set about rebuilding. But you have no share, right or history to commemorate in Yerushalayim."

Next to them 'Uzi'el the son of Harhayah, goldsmiths, made repairs. Next to him Hananyah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs; they renovated Yerushalayim as far as the Broad Wall.

Next to them Refayah the son of Hur, leader of half the district of Yerushalayim, made repairs.

Next to him Shalum the son of HaLochesh, leader of half the district of Yerushalayim, he and his daughters, made repairs.

But when Sanvalat, Toviyah, the Arabs, the 'Amonim and the Ashdodim heard that the repairs on the walls of Yerushalayim were going forward, and the breaks were being filled in, they became very angry.

All of them together plotted to come and fight against Yerushalayim and thus throw us into confusion.

Also at that time I told the people, "Let everyone with a servant stay the night within Yerushalayim, so that at night they can be a guard for us, even as they work during the day."

"moreover, that you have also appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Yerushalayim, 'There is a king in Y'hudah!'A report along these lines is now going to be made to the king. Come now, therefore, and let's discuss this."

I put my kinsman Hanani in charge of Yerushalayim, along with Hananyah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man, and he feared God more than most.

I said to them, "The gates of Yerushalayim are not to be opened until the sun is hot; and while the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors; and you, put up the bars. Appoint watchmen from among those living in Yerushalayim; assign each one his time to guard, and have each one serving near his own house."

"Here is a list of the people of the province who had been exiled, carried off to Bavel by N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel, but who later returned from exile and went up to Yerushalayim and Y'hudah, each to his own city;

and that they were to announce and pass the word in all their cities and in Yerushalayim, "Go out to the mountains, and collect branches of olives, wild olives, myrtles, palms, and other leafy trees to make sukkot, as prescribed."

The leaders of the people took up residence in Yerushalayim; while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one-tenth of them to live in Yerushalayim the holy city, with the other nine-tenths in the other cities.

The people blessed all those who volunteered to live in Yerushalayim.