Nehemiah
King James Version · 13 chapters · 406 verses · Old Testament
Rebuilding the wall in fifty-two days
Nehemiah names himself in the first line. He is cupbearer to the Persian king, hears that Jerusalem's wall is still broken down, and weeps, fasts and prays before he asks for anything. Then he asks, gets timber and safe passage, rides round the ruins by night with a few men, and organises the whole city to build — each family repairing the stretch in front of their own house. Sanballat and Tobiah mock, threaten and try to lure him into a meeting; he answers that he is doing a great work and cannot come down. The wall goes up in fifty-two days.