BRAGADAYJAH 1175
Nehemiah Called the people to Build
It is often said that, “discretion is the better part of valour.”
Nehemiah clearly believed this. For although he had letters of authority from
the King, he did not go about his task obtrusively or abrasively, but according
to him, “The rulers knew not whither I went or what I did neither had I as yet
told it to the Jews nor to the priests nor to the nobles, nor to any others.” Hence
he did is exploratory inspection of the ruins quietly in the night. And after
he had, and then and only then, after he
had fully assessed the state of affairs, he said to the people, “Come ye see
the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste and the gates thereof
are burnt with fire; let us build up the walls of Jerusalem that we may be no
more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my god which was good upon me,
as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me.” And they said, “Let us rise
up and build.” So they strengthened their hand for the good work, but when
Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem heard, they laughed them to scorn and despised
them and asked, “What is this thing they do; will they rebel against the king?”
Then Nehemiah answered and said to them “The God of heaven He will prosper us.
Therefore we His servants will arise and build but; you have no portion, nor
right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.
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