The
Word On Leadership: Half Full or Half Empty?
"Godly
Plans Motivating Godly Action"
Nehemiah
2:1-10
NIV
Translation
Nehemiah
2
Artaxerxes
Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
1
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine
was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not
been sad in his presence before;
2
so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are
not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid,
3
but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face
not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and
its gates have been destroyed by fire?"
4
The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of
heaven,
5
and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has
found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my
fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
6
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will
your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to
send me; so I set a time.
7
I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the
governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct
until I arrive in Judah?
8
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will
give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple
and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because
the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.
9
So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's
letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
10
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.
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Nehemiah
2:1-10
New
Living Translation
Nehemiah
2
Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem
1 Early the following
spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’
reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad
in his presence.
2 So the king asked
me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be
deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified,
3 but I replied,
“Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors
are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 The king asked,
“Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven,
5 I replied, “If
it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send
me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”
6 The king, with
the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will
you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed
to my request.
7 I also said to
the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the
governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them
to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah.
8 And please give
me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing
him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the
Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the
king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.
9 When I came to
the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered
the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army
officers and horsemen to protect me.
10 But when Sanballat
the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they
were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel. |
1
Peter 5:7
7Cast all your anxiety on
him because he cares for you |
1
Peter 5:7
7 Give all your worries
and cares to God, for he cares about you. |
Scripture taken from the
HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978,
1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.
Scripture quotations marked
NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996,
2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189.
Scripture quotations are
taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189.
Unless otherwise indicated,
all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale
House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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