Moving Toward Each Other in the Middle of a Divisive World

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Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight

Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?

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Debt-Breaking Prayers: Your 3-Day Battle Plan for Debt Freedom

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkNEH">
        <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="NEH.2.10+NEH.2.11+NEH.2.12+NEH.2.13+NEH.2.14+NEH.2.15+NEH.2.16+NEH.2.17+NEH.2.18+NEH.2.19+NEH.2.20">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="NEH.2.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem&#8217;s Walls</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="NEH.2.10"></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="NEH.2.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="NEH.2.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="NEH.2.12"></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="NEH.2.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class="body"><span class="fr">2:13 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">Serpent </span><span class="ft">or </span><span class="fqa">Fig</span></span></span><span class="content"> Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="NEH.2.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King&#8217;s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; </span></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="NEH.2.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="NEH.2.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="NEH.2.16"></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="NEH.2.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">Then I said to them, &#8220;You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="NEH.2.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="NEH.2.18"><span class="content">They replied, &#8220;Let us start rebuilding.&#8221; So they began this good work.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="NEH.2.18"></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="NEH.2.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. &#8220;What is this you are doing?&#8221; they asked. &#8220;Are you rebelling against the king?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="NEH.2.19"></span><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="NEH.2.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">I answered them by saying, &#8220;The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.&#8221;</span></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkNEH">
        <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="NEH.4.1+NEH.4.2+NEH.4.3">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="NEH.4.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="NEH.4.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, &#8220;What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble&#8212;burned as they are?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="NEH.4.2"></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="NEH.4.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, &#8220;What they are building&#8212;even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="b"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="NEH.4.3"></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="NEH.4.3"></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkNEH">
        <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="NEH.6.1+NEH.6.2+NEH.6.3+NEH.6.4+NEH.6.5+NEH.6.6+NEH.6.7+NEH.6.8+NEH.6.9+NEH.6.10+NEH.6.11+NEH.6.12+NEH.6.13+NEH.6.14+NEH.6.15+NEH.6.16+NEH.6.17+NEH.6.18+NEH.6.19">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="NEH.6.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it&#8212;though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates&#8212; </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="NEH.6.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: &#8220;Come, let us meet together in one of the villages</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class="body"><span class="fr">6:2 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">in Kephirim</span></span></span><span class="content"> on the plain of Ono.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="NEH.6.2"><span class="content">But they were scheming to harm me; </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="NEH.6.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">so I sent messengers to them with this reply: &#8220;I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="NEH.6.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="NEH.6.4"></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="NEH.6.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="NEH.6.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">in which was written:</span></span></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="NEH.6.6"><span class="content">&#8220;It is reported among the nations&#8212;and Geshem</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class="body"><span class="fr">6:6 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="fqa">Gashmu, </span><span class="ft">a variant of </span><span class="fq">Geshem</span></span></span><span class="content"> says it is true&#8212;that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="NEH.6.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: &#8216;There is a king in Judah!&#8217; Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="NEH.6.7"></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="NEH.6.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">I sent him this reply: &#8220;Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="NEH.6.8"></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="NEH.6.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, &#8220;Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="NEH.6.9"><span class="content">But I prayed, &#8220;Now strengthen my hands.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="NEH.6.9"></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="NEH.6.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, &#8220;Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you&#8212;by night they are coming to kill you.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="NEH.6.10"></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="NEH.6.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">But I said, &#8220;Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="NEH.6.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="NEH.6.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.</span></span></div><div class="b"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="NEH.6.13"></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="NEH.6.13"></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="NEH.6.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. </span></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="NEH.6.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Opposition to the Completed Wall</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="NEH.6.15"></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="NEH.6.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="NEH.6.16"></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="NEH.6.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="NEH.6.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. </span></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="NEH.6.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.</span></span></div>
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