In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, Nehemiah took up the wine and gave it to the king. Nehemiah had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?

This is nothing else but sadness of the heart. Then Nehemiah was very afraid. He said to the king, let the king live forever!
Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my father's sepulchers, lies waste and its gates have been destroyed by fire?

The King said to Nehemiah, for what do you make a request?
He prayed to the God of heaven.
And Nehemiah said to the king, it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers, that he may rebuild it.

The King said to Nehemiah, how long will you be gone, and when will you return?
It pleases the king to send me and Nehemiah set him a time.

Nehemiah said to the king, if it pleases the king, let letters be given to me to the governors of the province Beyond the river, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house which I shall occupy.

Thanks for being with us.
May the good lord bless us.