Nehemiah 2 נְחֶמְיָה פרק ב׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Nehemiah 2 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וַיְהִיand it came to passבְּחֹדֶשׁin the month ofנִיסָןNisanשְׁנַתyear ofעֶשְׂרִיםtwentyלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּאof Artaxerxesהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingיַיִןwineלְפָנָיוbefore himוָאֶשָּׂאand I took upאֶת־הַיַּיִןthe wineוָאֶתְּנָהand I have givenלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingוְלֹא־הָיִיתִיand not I wasרַעevilלְפָנָיו׃before him

   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. 2

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלִיto meהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingמַדּוּעַwhyפָּנֶיךָyour faceרָעִיםevilוְאַתָּהand youאֵינְךָyou are notחוֹלֶהsickאֵיןthere is noזֶהthisכִּי־אִםbecause butרֹעַthe wickedness ofלֵבheartוָאִירָאand I fearedהַרְבֵּהmuchמְאֹד׃exceedingly

   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. 3

   וָאֹמַרand I saidלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingלְעוֹלָםforeverיִחְיֶהhe shall liveמַדּוּעַwhyלֹא־יֵרְעוּnot will they be sadפָנַיmy faceאֲשֶׁרwhichהָעִירthe cityבֵּית־קִבְרוֹתthe place of the graves ofאֲבֹתַיmy fathersחֲרֵבָהis desolateוּשְׁעָרֶיהָand its gatesאֻכְּלוּthey have been consumedבָאֵשׁ׃in fire

   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. 4

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלִיto meהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingעַל־מַה־זֶּהabout what thisאַתָּהyouמְבַקֵּשׁdesireוָאֶתְפַּלֵּלand I prayedאֶל־אֱלֹהֵיto God ofהַשָּׁמָיִם׃the heavens

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

5. 5

   וָאֹמַרand I saidלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְif upon the kingטוֹבgoodוְאִם־יִיטַבand if it shall be wellעַבְדְּךָyour servantלְפָנֶיךָbefore youאֲשֶׁרwhichתִּשְׁלָחֵנִיyou will send meאֶל־יְהוּדָהto Judahאֶל־עִירunto the city ofקִבְרוֹתthe graves ofאֲבֹתַיmy fathersוְאֶבְנֶנָּה׃and I will rebuild it

   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. 6

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidלִיto meהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingוְהַשֵּׁגַלand the queen consortיוֹשֶׁבֶתdwellingאֶצְלוֹbeside himעַד־מָתַיuntil whenיִהְיֶהshall beמַהֲלָכְךָyour journeyוּמָתַיand whenתָּשׁוּבreturnוַיִּיטַבand it was goodלִפְנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְbefore the kingוַיִּשְׁלָחֵנִיand has sent meוָאֶתְּנָהand I have givenלוֹto himזְמָן׃a time

   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. 7

   וָאוֹמַרand I saidלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְif upon the kingטוֹבgoodאִגְּרוֹתlettersיִתְּנוּ־לִיthey should impart to meעַל־פַּחֲווֹתupon the governors ofעֵבֶרbeyondהַנָּהָרthe riverאֲשֶׁרwhichיַעֲבִירוּנִיthey will allow to pass through meעַדuntilאֲשֶׁר־אָבוֹאthat I comeאֶל־יְהוּדָה׃to Judah

   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. 8

   וְאִגֶּרֶתand a letterאֶל־אָסָףto Asaphשֹׁמֵרwho keepsהַפַּרְדֵּסthe forestאֲשֶׁרwhichלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲשֶׁרwhichיִתֶּן־לִיhe will give to meעֵצִיםsmall treesלְקָרוֹתto make beams forאֶת־שַׁעֲרֵיthe gates ofהַבִּירָהthe citadelאֲשֶׁר־לַבַּיִתwhich for the houseוּלְחוֹמַתand for the wall ofהָעִירthe cityוְלַבַּיִתand to the houseאֲשֶׁר־אָבוֹאto which I comeאֵלָיוto himוַיִּתֶּן־לִיand gave unto meהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingכְּיַד־אֱלֹהַיaccording to the hand of my Godהַטּוֹבָהthe goodעָלָי׃upon me

   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. 9

   וָאָבוֹאand I went inאֶל־פַּחֲווֹתto the governors ofעֵבֶרbeyondהַנָּהָרthe riverוָאֶתְּנָהand I have givenלָהֶםto themאֵת־אִגְּרוֹתlettersהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingוַיִּשְׁלַחand sentעִמִּיwith meהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingשָׂרֵיcaptains ofחַיִלmightוּפָרָשִׁים׃and horsemen

   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. 10

    וַיִּשְׁמַעand he heardסַנְבַלַּטSanballatהַחֹרֹנִיthe Horoniteוְטוֹבִיָּהand Tobiahהָעֶבֶדthe servantהָעַמֹּנִיthe Ammoniteוַיֵּרַעwere displeased withלָהֶםto themרָעָהevilגְדֹלָהgreatאֲשֶׁר־בָּאwhich cameאָדָםmanלְבַקֵּשׁto seekטוֹבָהgoodלִבְנֵיunto the sons ofיִשְׂרָאֵל׃Israel

    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. 11

    וָאָבוֹאand I went inאֶל־יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִםto Jerusalemוָאֱהִי־שָׁםand I was thereיָמִיםdaysשְׁלֹשָׁה׃three

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

12. 12

    וָאָקוּםand I aroseלַיְלָהnightאֲנִיIוַאֲנָשִׁיםand menמְעַטsomewhatעִמִּיwith meוְלֹא־הִגַּדְתִּיand not have toldלְאָדָםto manמָהwhatאֱלֹהַיmy Godנֹתֵןgivingאֶל־לִבִּיto my heartלַעֲשׂוֹתto doלִירוּשָׁלָ͏ִםto Jerusalemוּבְהֵמָהand of beastsאֵיןthere is noעִמִּיwith meכִּיthatאִם־הַבְּהֵמָהif the livestockאֲשֶׁרwhichאֲנִיIרֹכֵבwas ridingבָּהּ׃in it

    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. 13

    וָאֵצְאָהand I went outבְשַׁעַר־הַגַּיְאin the gate of the valleyלַיְלָהnightוְאֶל־פְּנֵיand face ofעֵיןthe well ofהַתַּנִּיןthe dragonוְאֶל־שַׁעַרand gate ofהָאַשְׁפֹּתthe dungוָאֱהִיand I wasשֹׂבֵרexaminingבְּחוֹמֹתthe walls ofיְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםJerusalemאֲשֶׁר־[הֵםwhich theyפְּרוּצִים]were broken down(המפרוצים)וּשְׁעָרֶיהָand its gatesאֻכְּלוּthey have been consumedבָאֵשׁ׃in fire

    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. 14

    וָאֶעֱבֹרand I passed onאֶל־שַׁעַרto the gate ofהָעַיִןthe springוְאֶל־בְּרֵכַתand the pool ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingוְאֵין־מָקוֹםand there is no a placeלַבְּהֵמָהfor the animalלַעֲבֹרcrossתַּחְתָּי׃in my place

    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. 15

    וָאֱהִיand I wasעֹלֶהgoing upבַנַּחַלin the riverלַיְלָהnightוָאֱהִיand I wasשֹׂבֵרexaminingבַּחוֹמָהthe wallוָאָשׁוּבand returnedוָאָבוֹאand I went inבְּשַׁעַרin the gate ofהַגַּיְאthe valleyוָאָשׁוּב׃and returned

    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. 16

    וְהַסְּגָנִיםand the officialsלֹאnotיָדְעוּthey knewאָנָהwhitherהָלַכְתִּיI wentוּמָהand whatאֲנִיIעֹשֶׂהdoוְלַיְּהוּדִיםand the Jewsוְלַכֹּהֲנִיםand to the priestsוְלַחֹרִיםand to the noblesוְלַסְּגָנִיםand to the officialsוּלְיֶתֶרand to the restעֹשֵׂהthat doesהַמְּלָאכָהthe taskעַד־כֵּןuntil thusלֹאnotהִגַּדְתִּי׃have told

    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. 17

    וָאוֹמַרand I saidאֲלֵהֶםunto themאַתֶּםyou areרֹאִיםseeהָרָעָהthe evilאֲשֶׁרwhichאֲנַחְנוּweבָהּin itאֲשֶׁרwhichיְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםJerusalemחֲרֵבָהis desolateוּשְׁעָרֶיהָand its gatesנִצְּתוּthey have been burnedבָאֵשׁin fireלְכוּgoוְנִבְנֶהso we may rebuildאֶת־חוֹמַתthe walls ofיְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםJerusalemוְלֹא־נִהְיֶהand not let us beעוֹדany moreחֶרְפָּה׃reproach

    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. 18

    וָאַגִּידand I toldלָהֶםto themאֶת־יַדhand ofאֱלֹהַיmy Godאֲשֶׁר־הִיאwhich it isטוֹבָהgoodעָלַיupon meוְאַף־דִּבְרֵיand yet the words ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲשֶׁרwhichאָמַר־לִיsaid to meוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidנָקוּםwe ariseוּבָנִינוּand we will rebuildוַיְחַזְּקוּand they strengthenedיְדֵיהֶםtheir handsלַטּוֹבָה׃for the good

    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. 19

    וַיִּשְׁמַעand he heardסַנְבַלַּטSanballatהַחֹרֹנִיthe Horoniteוְטֹבִיָּהand Tobiahהָעֶבֶדthe servantהָעַמּוֹנִיthe Ammoniteוְגֶשֶׁםand Geshemהָעַרְבִיthe Arabוַיַּלְעִגוּand they mockedלָנוּto usוַיִּבְזוּand they despisedעָלֵינוּover usוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidמָה־הַדָּבָרwhat is the thingהַזֶּהthisאֲשֶׁרwhichאַתֶּםyou areעֹשִׂיםwhich actהַעַלis it againstהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאַתֶּםyou areמֹרְדִים׃rebelling

    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. 20

    וָאָשִׁיבand I brought backאוֹתָםthemדָּבָרa wordוָאוֹמַרand I saidלָהֶםto themאֱלֹהֵיthe God ofהַשָּׁמַיִםthe heavensהוּאheיַצְלִיחַhe shall prosperלָנוּto usוַאֲנַחְנוּand we areעֲבָדָיוhis servantsנָקוּםwe ariseוּבָנִינוּand we will rebuildוְלָכֶםand to youאֵין־חֵלֶקthere is no partוּצְדָקָהand righteousnessוְזִכָּרוֹןand a remembranceבִּירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃in Jerusalem

    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.