Nehemiah 2:3-5

New International Reader's Version

³ But I said to the king, “May you live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad? The city where my people of long ago are buried has been destroyed. And fire has burned up its gates.”

⁴ The king said to me, “What do you want?”

I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I answered the king, “Are you pleased with me, King Artaxerxes? If it pleases you, send me to Judah. Let me go to the city of Jerusalem. That’s where my people are buried. I want to rebuild it.”