Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Then I said to them, 'You can see the trouble we're in - how Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned down. Come on, let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so we won't be ashamed anymore.'
Nehemiah is rallying the people to rebuild Jerusalem's walls by honestly acknowledging their dire situation and calling them to action so they can restore their dignity.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place around 445 BC when Nehemiah, a Jewish exile serving in the Persian court, returned to Jerusalem after hearing about the city's ruined condition. The walls and gates had been destroyed decades earlier when Babylon conquered Jerusalem, leaving the city defenseless and its people vulnerable to mockery from surrounding nations. Nehemiah had already secretly surveyed the damage at night before making this public appeal.
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