¹⁶ The local officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done—I informed neither the Judeans, nor the priests, nor the nobles, nor the officials, nor any of the rest who would be doing the work.

¹⁷ Later I told them, “You all are watching the predicament we’re in, how Jerusalem lies desolate, with its gates burned by fire. Let’s rebuild the Jerusalem wall so we’re no longer a disgrace.” ¹⁸ Then I told them how good my God had been to^[a] me, and about what the king had told me.

They replied, “Let’s get out there and build!” So they encouraged themselves to do good.