1 Nehemiah gave a drink to King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah looked sad. 2 The king said, “Why are you sad? You are not sick.” Nehemiah felt very afraid. 3 Nehemiah said, “Long live the king! My city is broken. The gates are burned. So I am sad.” ️ 4 The king said, “What do you want?” Nehemiah prayed to God. 5 Nehemiah said, “Please send me to Judah, to my city. I will fix it.” ♂️ 6 The king and the queen said, “How long?” Nehemiah told the time. The king said yes. ✅ 7 Nehemiah said, “Please give me letters for the leaders by the big river, so I can go safe to Judah.” ✉️️ 8 Nehemiah said, “Please write to Asaph, the forest boss. I need wood for gates, the wall, and my house.” The king gave all. God helped Nehemiah. ✨ 9 Nehemiah went to the leaders and gave the letters. The king sent guards and men on horses with him. ✉️️ 10 Sanballat and Tobiah heard. They were mad that someone came to help God’s people. 11 Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and rested for 3 days. ️ 12 At night, Nehemiah went with a few men. He told no one his plan from God. He rode one donkey. 13 At night, Nehemiah went out the valley gate. He looked at the broken wall and the burned gates. 14 He went to the fountain gate and the king’s pool. Rubble blocked his donkey. ️ 15 He went by the stream at night. He looked at the wall. He came back by the valley gate. 16 The city leaders did not know his plan. He had not told the people yet. ️ 17 Nehemiah said, “You see the bad thing. The city is broken and the gates are burned. Come! Let us build the wall. We will not be shamed.” ♂️♀️ 18 Nehemiah said how God helped him and what the king said. The people said, “Yes! We will build!” They got ready. 19 Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem heard. They made fun and said, “Are you against the king?” 20 Nehemiah said, “God will help us win. We are His people. We will build. You have no part here.” ✨♂️