It is me – I stir him up and commission him; ¹  I will make all his ways level. He will rebuild my city; he will send my exiled people home, but not for a price or a bribe,” says the Lord who commands armies.

But our tents have been destroyed. The ropes that held them in place have been ripped apart. ¹  Our children are gone and are not coming back. ²  There is no survivor to put our tents back up, no one left to hang their tent curtains in place.

Then those who are far away ¹  will come and build the temple of the Lord so that you may know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you. This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God.”’”

This is what prompted him to rebel against the king: ¹  Solomon built a terrace and he closed up a gap in the wall of the city of his father David. ² 

With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. ¹  Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs ²  of seed.

He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates, ¹ 

They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair. ¹ 

Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct. ¹ 

Malkijah son of Recab, head of the district of Beth Hakkerem, worked on the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

After him the Levites worked – Rehum son of Bani and ¹  after him Hashabiah, head of half the district of Keilah, for his district.

After him their relatives ¹  worked – Binnui ²  son of Henadad, head of a half-district of Keilah.

So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. ¹  The people were enthusiastic in their work. ² 

For they do not understand the Lord’s actions, or the way he carries out justice. ¹  The Lord ²  will permanently demolish them. ³ 

Prepare to execute ¹  his sons for the sins their ancestors have committed. ²  They must not rise up and take possession of the earth, or fill the surface of the world with cities.” ³ 

Look, I have inscribed your name ¹  on my palms; your walls are constantly before me.

He says, ¹  “Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

“I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one. ¹ 

Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, ¹  before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. ² 

‘Think carefully about the past: ¹  from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, ²  to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, ³  think about it. ⁴ 

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple, ¹  and his hands will complete it.” Then you will know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you.