16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.o Come, let us rebuild the wallp of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.q” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on mer and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

19 But when Sanballats the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshemt the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.u “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,v but as for you, you have no sharew in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”