Nehemiah Rebuilds the Wall

In Susa, Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, learns that the walls of Jerusalem are in ruins and its gates burned with fire. He weeps, fasts, and prays for several days, confessing the sins of his people. When the king notices his sadness, Nehemiah prays to the God of heaven, then asks to go and rebuild the city. The king agrees and gives him letters, “for the good hand of my God was upon me.” In Jerusalem, he inspects the walls by night, then rallies the people: “Let us rise up and build.” Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem mock them, then threaten to attack. Nehemiah prays and organizes the defense: the builders work with one hand and hold a weapon in the other. He also sidesteps the traps set for him: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” The wall is finished in fifty-two days, and the nations recognize the work of God.