EXODUS 15,1-27

1 ֙‫ירה לַ ֽיהֹוָה‬
ָ ‫ָׁש‬
֤ ִ ‫ א‬        ‫ֵאמ ֹר‬
֑ ‫ָ ֣אז י ִָׁשֽיר־מ ֹׁשֶה֩ ּו ְב ֵ֨ני י ִׂשְ ָראֵ֜ ל אֶת־הַּׁשִ ָ ֤ירה הַּז ֹא ֙ת לַ ֽיה ֹ֔ ָוה וַּי ֹאמ ְ֖רּו ל‬
‫ ֥סּוס וְרֹכ ְ֖בֹו ָרמָ ֥ה ַב ָּי ֽם׃‬        ‫ּכִ ֽי־ג ָ֣א ֹה ּגָאָ֔ ה‬    
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to ‫יהוה‬. They said: I will sing to ‫יהוה‬, for He has
triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

2 ‫ממֶ ֽנְהּו׃‬
ְ ֹ ‫ַואֲר‬ ‫ָאבי‬
֖ ִ ‫ אֱֹלהֵ ֥י‬        ‫ ֶז֤ה אֵ ִל ֙י וְַאנְ ֔ ֵוהּו‬        ‫ֽיׁשּועה‬
ָ֑ ִ‫ִי־ל֖י ל‬
ִ ‫ ׇע ִּז֤י ְוז ִמְ ָר ֙ת ָ֔יּה וַ ֽיְה‬ 
The Lord is my strength and might;
He’s become my deliverance.
This is my God, and I will enshrine Him;
The God of my father’s [house], and I will exalt Him.

4 ‫בי ַם־סּֽוף׃‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ָ ִׁ֖שיו ֻטּבְע֥ ּו‬
ֽ ָ ‫ ּו ִמב ַ ְ֥חר‬  ‫מַ ְרּכ ְ֥ב ֹת ּפ ְַר ֛ע ֹה ְוחֵיל֖ ֹו י ָ ָ֣רה ַב ָּי֑ם‬        
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
He has cast into the sea;
And the pick of his officers
Are drowned in the Sea of Reeds.

5 ‫ּתְ ה ֹ֖מ ֹת י ְ ַכ ְס ֻי֑מּו י ְָר ֥דּו ִב ְמצֹוֹל֖ ת ּכְמֹו־אָ ֽבֶן׃‬

The deeps covered them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.

6 ‫אֹו ֵי ֽב׃‬ ‫ יְמִ ֽינְָך֥ י ְה ָ ֹו֖ה ּתִ ְר ַע֥ץ‬        ‫י ְמִ ֽינְָך֣ י ְה ֹ֔ ָוה נֶאְ ּדָ ִ ֖רי ּב ַּ֑כ ֹ ַח‬       
Your right hand, ‫יהוה‬, glorious in power,
Your right hand, ‫יהוה‬, shatters the foe!

7 ‫ׁשּלַח֙ ח ֲ֣ר ֹנ ְָ֔ך י ֹאכ ְֵל֖מֹו ּכַּקַ ֽׁש׃‬

ַ ְ‫ ּת‬        ‫ּוב ְ֥ר ֹב ּגְאֹונְָך֖ ּתַ ה ֲ֣ר ֹס קָ ֶ ֑מיָך‬
In Your great triumph You break Your opponents;
You send forth Your fury, it consumes them like straw.

8 ‫ ָ ֽקפ ְ֥אּו תְ ה ֹ֖מ ֹת ְּבלֶב־ ָי ֽם׃‬        ‫ְמֹו־נ֖ד נֹז ְִל֑ים‬

ֵ ‫ נִּצְב֥ ּו כ‬        ‫ּוב ְ֤רּו ַח אַ ֶּפ֙י ָ֙ך ֶ ֣נע ְֶרמּו מַ֔ י ִם‬        
At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up,
The floods stood straight like a wall;
The deeps froze in the heart of the sea.

9 ‫יׁשמֹו י ָדִ ֽי׃‬

֖ ֵ ‫ּתֹור‬
ִ ‫ָאריק ח ְַר ִּ֔בי‬
֣ ִ         ‫ׁשָל֑ל ּתִ מְ ל ֵ ָ֣אמֹו נַ ְפ ִׁ֔שי‬
ָ ‫ אֲ ח ֵַּל֣ק‬        ‫אַּׂשיג‬
֖ ִ ‫ָאמַ ֥ר אֹו ֵי ֛ב אֶ ְר ּ֥ד ֹף‬
The foe said,
“I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall have its fill of them.
I will bare my sword—
My hand shall subdue them.”

10 ‫ירים׃‬
ֽ ִ ִ‫ צָ ֽלְל ּ֙ו ּכַ ֽעֹו ֶ֔פ ֶרת ּב ַ ְ֖מי ִם ַאּד‬        ‫נ ַ ָׁ֥שפְּתָ בְרּוחֲָך֖ ּכ ָ ִּ֣סמֹו ָי֑ם‬
You made Your wind blow, the sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the majestic waters.

11 ‫נֹורא תְ הִֹּל֖ ת ֥ע ֹׂשֵה פֶ ֽלֶא׃‬

֥ ָ         ‫ ִמ֥י ּכ ָ֖מ ֹכָה נֶאְ ָ ּ֣דר ּב ַּ֑ק ֹדֶ ׁש‬        ‫מִ ֽי־כ ָ֤מ ֹכָה ּבָ ֽאֵ לִם֙ י ְה ֹ֔ ָוה‬ 
Who is like You, ‫יהוה‬, among the celestials;
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in splendor, working wonders!

12 ‫ית י ִ ְ֣מינ ְָ֔ך ּתִ ְבל ֵ ָ֖עמֹו אָ ֶֽרץ׃‬

ָ֙ ‫נָ ֙ ִט‬
You put out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.

13 ‫ נֵהַ ֥ לְּתָ ב ְׇעּזְָך֖ אֶל־נְוֵ ֥ה ׇקדְ ֶׁשָֽך׃‬         ָ‫נ ִ ָ֥חיתָ ְב ַחסְּדְ ָך֖ עַם־ז֣ ּו ּג ָ ָ֑אלְּת‬
In Your love You lead the people You redeemed;
In Your strength You guide them to Your holy abode

14 ‫ ִ ֣חיל ָא ַ֔חז יֹׁש ֵ ְ֖בי ּפְלָ ֽׁשֶת׃‬  ‫ ָׁשֽמְע֥ ּו ע ִ ַּ֖מים י ְִרּגָז֑ ּון‬   
The peoples hear, they tremble;
Agony grips the dwellers in Philistia

15 ‫ נ ָ֕מ ֹגּו ּ֖כ ֹל יֹׁשְבֵ ֥י כְנָ ֽעַן׃‬ ‫יל֣י מֹואָ֔ ב י ֹֽא ֲח ֵז֖מֹו ָ ֑רעַד‬
ֵ ֵ‫ א‬  ‫אַּלּופ֣י אֱ ֔דֹום‬
ֵ ‫ ָ ֤אז נִ ְבהֲל ּ֙ו‬      
Now are the clans of Edom dismayed;
The tribes of Moab—trembling grips them;
All the dwellers in Canaan are aghast.

16 ‫ עַד־יַע ֲ֤ב ֹר ַע ְּמ ָ֙ך‬        ‫ ִּבג ְ֥ד ֹל ז ְרֹועֲָך֖ י ִּדְ ֣מּו ּכ ָ ָ֑אבֶן‬        ‫ימ֙תָ ה֙ ָו ַ֔פחַד‬
ָ ֵ‫ֵיהם א‬
֤ ֶ ‫ּתִ ּ֨פ ֹל ֲעל‬
‫ ַעֽד־יַע ֲ֖ב ֹר עַם־ז֥ ּו‬        ‫י ְה ֹ֔ ָוה‬
Terror and dread descend upon them;
Through the might of Your arm they are still as stone—
Till Your people cross over, ‫יהוה‬,
Till Your people cross whom You have ransomed.
 17 ‫ מִ ּקְדָ֕ ׁש אֲד ָֹנ֖י ּכֹונְנ֥ ּו‬        ‫מָכֹון לְׁשִ בְּתְ ָך֛ ּפ ַ ָ֖עלְּתָ י ְה ָ ֹו֑ה‬
֧         ‫ּתְ בִאֵ֗ מֹו וְתִ ָּט ֙ ֵעמ ֹ֙ו ּב ַ ְ֣הר נַחֲלָ ֽתְ ָ֔ך‬
‫י ֶָדֽיָך׃‬
You will bring them and plant them in Your own mountain,
The place You made to dwell in, ‫יהוה‬,
The sanctuary, O my lord, which Your hands established.

‫ יִמְֹל֖ ְך לְע ֹלָ ֥ם ו ֶָעֽד׃ י ְה ֹוָ ֥ה‬18‫  ׀‬

The Lord will reign forever and ever!

19 ‫ ּוב ְֵנ֧י‬        ‫ֶת־מי ַה ָּי֑ם‬

֣ ֵ ‫ ַו ָּיׁ֧שֶ ב י ְה ֹוָ ֛ה ֲעל ֶ ֵ֖הם א‬        ‫ִּכ֣י בָא֩ ֨סּוס ּפ ְַר ֜ע ֹה ּב ְִרכְּב֤ ֹו ּו ְבפ ָָרׁשָי ֙ו ַּב ָּ֔ים‬
}‫{פ‬ ‫י ִׂשְ ָראֵ ֛ל ָהלְכ֥ ּו ַבּיַּב ָ ָׁ֖שה ּב ְ֥תֹוְך ַה ָּי ֽם׃‬
For the horses of Pharaoh, with his chariots and riders, went into the sea; and ‫ יהוה‬turned back on
them the waters of the sea; but the Israelites marched on dry ground in the midst of the sea.

20 ‫ׁשים֙ ַאח ֲֶ֔רי ָה ּבְתֻ ִ ּ֖פים‬

ִ ָ‫אֲחֹות ַאה ֲ֛ר ֹן אֶת־ה ַּ֖ת ֹף ְּבי ָ ָ֑דּה וַּתֵ ֶ ֤צאן ָ כׇ ֽל־ ַהּנ‬
֧ ‫וַּתִ ּקַח֩ מִ ְר ָ֨ים ַהּנְבִיאָ֜ ה‬
‫ּובִמְחֹֹלֽת׃‬
Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, picked up a hand-drum, and all the women went out after
her in dance with hand-drums.

21 {‫ו ַ ַּ֥תעַן ל ֶ ָ֖הם מִ ְר ָי֑ם ִ ׁ֤שירּו לַ ֽיהֹוָה֙ ּכִ ֽי־ג ָ֣א ֹה ּגָאָ֔ ה ֥סּוס וְרֹכ ְ֖בֹו ָרמָ ֥ה ַב ָּי ֽם׃ }ס‬ 
And Miriam chanted for them:
Sing to ‫יהוה‬, for He has triumphed gloriously;
Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

22 ‫ַר־ׁשּור ַוּיֵל ְ֧כּו ׁשְ ֹֽלׁשֶת־י ִָמ֛ים ַּבּמִדְ ָ ּ֖בר‬

֑ ‫ַם־סּוף ַוּיֵצ ְ֖אּו אֶל־מִ דְ ּב‬
֔ ‫ַוּי ַ ַּ֨סע מ ֶ ֹׁ֤שה אֶת־י ִׂשְ ָראֵ ל֙ מִ ּי‬
‫וְֹלא־מָ ֥ צְאּו מָ ֽי ִם׃‬
Then Moses caused Israel to set out from the Sea of Reeds. They went on into the wilderness of
Shur; they traveled three days in the wilderness and found no water.

23 ‫ׁש ָ ֖מּה מ ָ ָֽרה׃‬

ְ ‫קָרא־‬
ֽ ָ ‫ִׁשְּת ֹת ַ֙מי ִם֙ מִּמָ ָ֔רה ִּכ֥י מָ ִ ֖רים ֵ ֑הם עַל־ּכֵ ֥ן‬
֥ ‫ַוּי ָ֣ב ֹאּו מָ ָ֔רתָ ה וְֹל֣ א ָיֽכ ְ֗לּו ל‬
They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; that is why
it was named Marah.

24 ‫ִׁשְּתֽה׃‬
ֶ ‫מַה־ּנ‬ ‫ֵאמ ֹר‬
֖ ‫ַוּי ִֹּ֧לנּו ה ָָע֛ם עַל־מ ֶ ֹׁ֥שה ּל‬

And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

25 ‫ְּפט‬
֖ ָ ‫ּו ִמׁש‬ ‫ַּיֹורהּו י ְהֹוָה֙ ֵ֔עץ ַוּי ַׁשְ ֵל ְ֙ך אֶל־הַּמַ֔ י ִם וַ ּֽי ִמְּתְ ֖קּו ה ָ ַּ֑מי ִם ָ ׁ֣שם ָ ׂ֥שם ל֛ ֹו ֥ח ֹק‬
֤ ֵ ‫ַוּיִצ ַ ְ֣עק אֶל־י ְה ֹ֗ ָוה ו‬
‫ו ָ ְׁ֥שם נִּסָ ֽהּו׃‬
So he cried out to ‫יהוה‬, and ‫ יהוה‬showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water and the
water became sweet. There [God] made for them a fixed rule; there they were put to the test.

26 ‫אִם־ׁשָמֹו ַע ּתִ ׁשְמַ֜ ע ל ְ֣קֹול ׀ י ְה ָ ֹו֣ה אֱֹל ֶ֗היָך ְו ַהּי ָ ָׁ֤שר ְּבעֵינָי ֙ו ּתַ עֲׂשֶ֔ ה וְהַ ֽאֲ זַנ ְָּ֙ת‬
֨ ‫וַּיֹ֩אמֶ ֩ר‬
‫ֹלא־אָׂשים ָע ֶ֔ליָך ִּכ֛י ֲא ִנ֥י‬
ִ֣ ֙‫ׁשֶר־ׂשמְּתִ י בְמִ צ ַ ְ֙רי ִם‬
ַ֤ ֲ‫ְׁשָמַר ָ ּ֖ת ׇּכל־ח ָ ֻּ֑קיו ּכׇ ֽל־הַּמַ ֲח ֞ ָלה א‬
ְ ‫ְל ִמ ְצוֺתָ֔ יו ו‬
‫י ְה ָ ֹו֖ה רֹפְאֶ ָֽך׃‬  
 [God] said, “If you will heed your God ‫ יהוה‬diligently, doing what is upright in God’s sight, giving
ear to God’s commandments and keeping all God’s laws, then I will not bring upon you any of the
diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I ‫ יהוה‬am your healer.”

27 ‫ֲנּו־ׁשם‬
֖ ָ ‫מָרים ַוּיַח‬
֑ ִ ְ‫ֵינ ֹת ַ ֖מי ִם וְׁשִ ב ִ ְ֣עים ּת‬
֥ ‫ֶׂשְרה ע‬
֛ ֵ ‫ׁשְּתים ע‬
֥ ֵ ‫ַוּי ָ֣ב ֹאּו אֵ י ִ֔למָ ה ו ְׁ֗שָ ם‬
‫עַל־הַּמָ ֽי ִם׃‬
And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they
encamped there beside the water.

NEHEMIAH 1,1-20

‫ְׁשסְּתְ א ה ֶ ַּ֖מלְֶך ַי֣י ִן ְלפ ָָנ֑יו וָאֶ ָ ּׂ֤שא אֶת־ ַה ּ֙י ַי ִ ֙ן‬
֥ ַ ‫ְַארּתַ ח‬
ְ ‫ֶׂשְרים ל‬
֛ ִ ‫ ַוי ִ ְ֣הי ׀ ּב ְ֣ח ֹדֶ ׁש נִי ָ֗סן ׁשְ נַ ֥ת ע‬1
‫ָואֶּתְ ָנ֣ה לַּמֶ֔ לְֶך וְֹלא־ ָה ִי ֥יתִ י ַ ֖רע ְלפָנָ ֽיו׃‬
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, wine was set before him; I took the
wine and gave it to the king—I had never been out of sorts in his presence.

‫ִירא‬
֖ ָ ‫ִי־אם ֣ר ֹ ַעֽ ֵל֑ב ָוא‬
֖ ִ ‫מַּדּועַ ׀ ּפ ֶָנ֣יָך ָר ִ֗עים וְאַּתָ ה֙ אֵ ֽינְָך֣ חֹו ֶ֔לה ֵ ֣אין ֶ֔זה ּכ‬
֣ ‫וַּיֹ֩אמֶ ֩ר ִ֨לי הַּמֶ֜ לְֶך‬2
‫ה ְַרּבֵ ֥ה מְ אֹֽד׃‬
The king said to me, “How is it that you look bad, though you are not ill? It must be bad thoughts.”
I was very frightened,

‫מַּדּו ַע ֹלא־י ְֵרע֣ ּו ָפ ַ֗ני אֲׁשֶ֨ ר ָה ִ֜עיר ּבֵית־ ִקב ְ֤רֹות אֲב ֹתַ ֙י‬
֜ ‫ְעֹול֣ם י ִ ְח ֶי֑ה‬
ָ ‫וָא ַ ֹ֣מר לַּמֶ֔ לְֶך ה ֶ ַּ֖מלְֶך ל‬3
‫ח ֲֵר ָ֔בה ּוׁשְ ע ֶ ָ֖רי ָה אֻ ּכְל֥ ּו בָאֵ ֽׁש׃‬
but I answered the king, “May the king live forever! How should I not look bad when the city of the
graveyard of my ancestors lies in ruins, and its gates have been consumed by fire?”
 ‫ֹלהי הַּׁשָמָ ֽי ִם׃‬
֖ ֵ ֱ‫אַּתה מְ ב ֵ ַּ֑קׁש וָ ֽאֶתְ ַּפ ֵּ֔לל אֶ ל־א‬
֣ ָ ‫ו ַּ֤י ֹאמֶר ִל ֙י הַּמֶ֔ לְֶך עַל־מַ ה־ ֶּז֖ה‬4
The king said to me, “What is your request?” With a prayer to the God of Heaven,

‫אֲׁשר ּתִ ׁשְ ל ֵ ָ֣חנִי ֶאל־י ְהּודָ֗ ה‬

֧ ֶ ‫ִיטב ַעבְּדְ ָך֖ ְלפ ֶָנ֑יָך‬
֥ ַ ‫וָא ַ ֹ֣מר לַּמֶ֔ לְֶך אִם־עַל־ה ֶ ַּ֣מלְֶך ֔טֹוב וְאִם־י‬5
‫ל־ע֛יר קִ ב ְ֥רֹות אֲ ב ַ ֹ֖תי וְאֶ בְנֶ ּֽנָה׃‬
ִ ֶ‫א‬
I answered the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to
Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, to rebuild it.”

‫ִיטב‬
֤ ַ ‫ּומָתי ּתָ ׁ֑שּוב ַוּי‬
֣ ַ ֖‫ַד־מָתי י ִ ְה ֶי ֥ה מַ ֽ ֲה ָלכְָך‬
ַ֛ ‫יֹוׁשבֶת אֶ צ ְ֗לֹו ע‬
֣ ֶ ‫ַּׁשֵג֣ל ׀‬
ַ ‫וַּיֹ֩אמֶ ֩ר ִ֨לי הַּמֶ֜ לְֶך ְוה‬6
‫ִלפְנֵ ֽי־ה ֶַּ֙מ ֶל ְ֙ך ַוּי ִׁשְ ָל ֵ֔חנִי וָ ֽאֶּתְ נָ ֥ה ל֖ ֹו זְמָ ֽן׃‬
With the consort seated at his side, the king said to me, “How long will you be gone and when will
you return?” So it was agreeable to the king to send me, and I gave him a date.

‫ׁש ֙ר‬
ֶ ‫וָאֹומַ ֮ר לַּמֶ֒ ל ְֶ֒ך אִם־עַל־ה ֶ ַּ֣מלְֶך ֔טֹוב אִ ּגְרֹו ֙ת י ִּתְ נּו־ ִ֔לי ַעֽל־ ַּפחֲו֖ ֹות ֵ ֣עבֶר ַהּנ ָ ָ֑הר ֲא‬7
‫ְהּודֽה׃‬
ָ ‫ׁשֶר־ָאבֹוא אֶ ל־י‬
֖ ֲ‫ִירּונִי ַע֥ד א‬
֔ ‫י ַ ֲעב‬
Then I said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters to the governors of the province of
Beyond the River, directing them to grant me passage until I reach Judah;

‫ׁשע ֲֵ֨רי‬
ַ ‫קָרֹות אֶת־‬
֠ ‫ן־ל֣י ֵע ִ֡צים ֠ ְל‬
ִ ֶ‫וְאִ ֶּ֡ג ֶרת אֶ ל־ָאסָף֩ ׁש ֹמֵ֨ ר ַהּפ ְַרּדֵ֜ ס אֲ ֶ ׁ֣שר לַּמֶ֗ לְֶך אֲ ֶ ׁ֣שר י ִּת‬8
‫ֱֹלהי‬
֖ ַ ‫ן־ל֣י הַּמֶ֔ לְֶך ְּכי ַד־א‬
ִ ֶ‫ְחֹומת ָה ִ֔עיר ְול ַ ַּ֖בי ִת אֲ ׁשֶר־ָאב֣ ֹוא אֵ ָל֑יו ַוּי ִּת‬
֣ ַ ‫ִירה אֲ ׁשֶר־ ַל ַּ֙בי ִ ֙ת ּול‬
֤ ָ ‫ַהּב‬
‫הַּטֹובָ ֥ה עָלָ ֽי׃‬
likewise, a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the King’s Park, directing him to give me timber for
roofing the gatehouses of the temple fortress and the city walls and for the house I shall occupy.”
The king gave me these, thanks to my God’s benevolent care for me.

‫ָֽאבֹוא אֶ ֽל־ּפַ ֽחֲוֹו ֙ת ֵ ֣עבֶר ַהּנָ ָ֔הר וָאֶּתְ ָנ֣ה ָל ֶ֔הם ֵ ֖את אִ ּג ְ֣רֹות ה ֶ ַּ֑מלְֶך ַוּי ִׁשְ ַל֤ח ִע ִּמ ֙י ַה ֶּ֔מלְֶך‬
֗ ָ‫ו‬9
}‫{פ‬ ‫ָ ׂ֥ש ֵרי ַ ֖חי ִל ּופ ָָר ִׁשֽים׃‬
When I came to the governors of the province of Beyond the River I gave them the king’s letters.
The king also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

‫ֶר־ּבא ָאדָ֔ ם‬
֣ ָ ‫ִׁשְמַ ע ַסנְב ַַּל֣ט הַח ֹר ִֹ֗ני ְוטֹֽו ִבּי ָה֙ ה ֶ ָ֣עבֶד הָ ֽעַּמ ִֹ֔ני ַו ֵּי ַ֥רע ל ֶ ָ֖הם ָר ָ ֣עה גְד ָֹל֑ה אֲ ׁש‬
֞ ‫ ַוּי‬10
‫ִׂשְראֵ ֽל׃‬
ָ ‫טֹובה ִלבְנֵ ֥י י‬
֖ ָ ‫ְלבַּקֵ ׁ֥ש‬
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard, it displeased them greatly
that someone had come, intent on improving the condition of the Israelites.
 ‫ׁשְֹלׁשֽה׃‬
ָ ‫ִי־ׁשם י ִָמ֥ים‬
֖ ָ ‫ָָאבֹוא אֶ ל־י ְרּוׁשָ ָ֑͏לִם וָאֱ ה‬
֖ ‫ו‬11
I arrived in Jerusalem. After I was there three days

‫ָָאקּום ׀ ַ֗ליְלָה אֲ נִ ֮י וַאֲ נ ִ ָׁ֣שים ׀ מְ עַט֮ עִּמִ י֒ וְֹלא־ה ִַּג֣דְ ּתִ י לְָאדָ֔ ם מָ֗ ה אֱ ֹל ַה ֙י נ ֵ ֹ֣תן אֶל־ ִל ִּ֔בי‬
֣ ‫ו‬12
‫אֲׁשר אֲ ִנ֖י ר ֹכֵ ֥ב ּבָ ּֽה׃‬
֥ ֶ ‫ַלע ֲׂ֖שֹות לִירּוׁשָ ָ֑͏לִם ּו ְבהֵמָ ה֙ ֵ ֣אין עִּמִ֔ י ֚ ִּכי אִם־ ַה ְּבהֵמָ֔ ה‬
I got up at night, I and a few men with me, and telling no one what my God had put into my mind to
do for Jerusalem, and taking no other beast than the one on which I was riding,

‫ָאַׁשְּפ ֹת וָאֱ ִ֨הי ׂש ֹ ֵ֜בר‬

֑ ‫ְאֶל־ׁשעַר ה‬
ַ֖ ‫ְׁשעַר־ ַה ַּ֜גי ְא ַ֗ליְלָה וְאֶ ל־ ְּפנֵ ֙י ֵ ֣עין הַּתַ ִּ֔נין ו‬
ֽ ַ ‫וָאֵ צְאָ֨ ה ב‬13
‫ׁשֶר־[הם ׀ ּפְרּו ִ֔צים] (המפרוצים) ּוׁשְ ע ֶ ָ֖רי ָה אֻ ּכְל֥ ּו בָאֵ ֽׁש׃‬
ֵ֣ ֲ‫ְחֹומ ֹת י ְרּוׁשָ ַ͏לִ֙ם֙ א‬
֤ ‫ּב‬
I went out by the Valley Gate, at night, toward the Jackals’ Spring and the Dung Gate; and I
surveyed the walls of Jerusalem that were breached, and its gates, consumed by fire.

‫ין־מָקֹום ַל ְּבה ָ ֵ֖מה ַלע ֲ֥ב ֹר ּתַ ח ְָּתֽי׃‬

֥ ֵ‫ל־ׁשעַר ָה ַ֔עי ִן וְאֶ ל־ּב ְֵר ַ ֖כת ה ֶ ַּ֑מלְֶך וְא‬
֣ ַ ֶ‫וָאֶ ֽעֱב ֹ ֙ר א‬14
I proceeded to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, where there was no room for the beast
under me to continue.

‫ְׁשעַר ה ַ ַּ֖גי ְא ָו ָאׁשּֽוב׃‬

֥ ַ ‫ַחֹומה וָאָ ׁ֗שּוב וָָאב֛ ֹוא ּב‬
֑ ָ ‫וָאֱ ִ֨הי ע ֶֹל֤ה ַב ַּ֙נ ַחל֙ ַ֔ליְלָה וָאֱ ִה֥י ׂש ֵ ֹ֖בר ּב‬15
So I went up the wadi by night, surveying the wall, and, entering again by the Valley Gate, I
returned.

‫ּומה אֲ ִנ֣י ע ֶ ֹׂ֑שה ְו ַלּי ְהּודִ֨ ים ְולַּכ ֹ ֲה ִ֜נים ְולַח ִ ֹ֣רים‬

֖ ָ ‫ ְו ַה ְּסגָ ִ֗נים ֹל֤ א י ָדְ ע ּ֙ו ָ ֣אנָה ָה ַ֔לכְּתִ י‬16
‫ַד־ּכן ֹל֥ א הִּגַ ֽדְ ּתִ י׃‬
֖ ֵ ‫ְו ַל ְּסגָ ִ֗נים ּו ְליֶ֙תֶ ֙ר ע ֵ ֹׂ֣שה הַּמְ לָא ָ֔כה ע‬
The prefects knew nothing of where I had gone or what I had done, since I had not yet divulged it to
the Jews—the priests, the nobles, the prefects, or the rest of the officials.

‫ׁשע ֶ ָ֖רי ָה‬

ְ ‫אֲׁשר י ְרּוׁשָ ַ͏לִ֙ם֙ ח ֲֵר ָ֔בה ּו‬
֤ ֶ ‫אַּתם ר ֹאִ ים֙ ה ָָרעָה֙ אֲ ֶ ׁ֣שר אֲ ַ ֣נחְנּו ָ֔בּה‬
֤ ֶ ‫ָאֹומר אֲ ֵל ֶ֗הם‬
֣ ַ ‫ו‬17
‫אֶת־חֹומת י ְרּוׁשָ ַ֔ל͏ִם וְֹלא־נִ ְה ֶי ֥ה ֖עֹוד ח ְֶרּפָ ֽה׃‬
ַ֣ ֙‫נִּצ ְ֣תּו ב ֵ ָ֑אׁש ל ְ֗כּו ְונִ ְבנֶה‬
Then I said to them, “You see the bad state we are in—Jerusalem lying in ruins and its gates
destroyed by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and suffer no more disgrace.”

‫ַר־ל֑י‬
ִ ‫אֲׁשר אָ ֽמ‬
֣ ֶ ‫טֹובה ָע ַ֔לי וְַאף־ּדִ ב ֵ ְ֥רי ה ֶ ַּ֖מלְֶך‬
֣ ָ ֙‫וָאַ ִּ֨גיד ָל ֶ֜הם אֶת־ ַי֣ד אֱ ֹל ַ֗הי אֲ ׁשֶר־הִיא‬18
}‫{פ‬ ‫יהם לַּטֹובָ ֽה׃‬
֖ ֶ ֵ‫וַּי ֹֽאמְר ּ֙ו נ ָ֣קּום ּו ָב ִ֔נינּו ַוי ְ ַחּז ְ֥קּו י ְד‬
I told them of my God’s benevolent care for me, also of the things that the king had said to me, and
they said, “Let us start building!” They were encouraged by [His] benevolence.
 ‫ ַוּי ִׁשְמַ ע֩ ַסנְ ַב ַּ֨לט הַח ֹר ִֹ֜ני וְט ֹ ִב ָּי֣ה ׀ ה ֶ ָ֣עבֶד הָ ֽעַּמֹו ִ֗ני ְו ֶ֙גׁשֶם֙ הָ ֽע ְַר ִ֔בי ַוּיַל ִ ְ֣עגּו ָ֔לנּו ַוּיִבְז֖ ּו‬19
‫אַּתם מ ְֹרדִ ֽים׃‬
֥ ֶ ‫אַּתם ע ֹׂ֔שִ ים ה ַַע֥ל ה ֶ ַּ֖מלְֶך‬
֣ ֶ ‫ֹאמְרּו מָ ֽה־הַּדָ ָ ֤בר ַהּזֶה֙ אֲ ֶ ׁ֣שר‬
֗ ‫ע ֵָל֑ינּו וַּי‬
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard, they
mocked us and held us in contempt and said, “What is this that you are doing? Are you rebelling
against the king?”

‫֣יח ָ֔לנּו וַאֲ נַ ֥חְנּו ֲעב ָ ָ֖דיו נ ָ֣קּום‬

ֽ ַ ‫אֱֹלהי הַּׁשָמַ֔ י ִם ֚הּוא יַצ ְִל‬
ֵ֣ ֙‫ָאֹומר ָלהֶם‬
֤ ַ ‫ָאָׁשִ יב אֹותָ֜ ם ּדָ ָ֗בר ו‬
֨ ‫ו‬20
}‫{פ‬ ‫ֽין־חלֶק ּוצְדָ ָ ֛קה ְוזִּכ ָ֖רֹון ּבִירּוׁשָ לָ͏ ִֽם׃‬
֧ ֵ ‫ּו ָב ִנ֑ינּו ְו ָל ֶ֗כם ֵא‬
I said to them in reply, “The God of Heaven will grant us success, and we, His servants, will start
building. But you have no share or claim or stake in Jerusalem!”