# Day 206

# Nehemiah—The City Builder

Nehemiah 1:1–2:9

In the days of Ezra lived a Jewish man named Nehemiah. Nehemiah served wine to the Persian king Artaxerxes. But Nehemiah loved Jerusalem more than the king’s palace. Once, when men came visiting from Judea, he asked, “How is Jerusalem?”

“The people are very poor,” Nehemiah was told. “No one respects them. Jerusalem’s wall is broken down and her gates are burned.”

Later, Nehemiah wrote, “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I said, ‘O great and awesome God, hear my prayer. You promised to gather your children to Jerusalem from under the farthest skies. O God, you bought them with your great power. I will speak to the king about this. Cause him to grant my request.’

“When I served the king his wine, he noticed I was sad. ‘You aren’t sick,’ he said. ‘So why are you sad?’ I breathed a silent prayer.

“ ‘The city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins,’ I answered.

“ ‘What is it you want?’

“ ‘Send me to Judea where my ancestors are buried. Let me rebuild the city.’ The king was happy to send me to Jerusalem.”

Questions: What did Nehemiah hear about Jerusalem? What did Nehemiah want to do?