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Nehemiah Rebuilds the Wall · The Chosen People

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  Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People... And though the city's walls
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  Speaker 1: still lay in ruin, the hearts of the people had
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  Speaker 1: begun to stand tall again. Another return was still to come.
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  Speaker 1: Another rebuilding still awaited. Nehemiah, why does your face look
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  Speaker 1: so troubled?
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  Speaker 2: If it pleases the king, and if your servant has
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  Speaker 2: found favor in your sight... Send me to Judah, to
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  Speaker 2: the city of my ancestors, so that I may rebuild it.
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  Speaker 1: Let it be done. All that you ask shall be provided.
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  Speaker 1: The walls are broken.
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  Speaker 2: The gates are burned.
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  Speaker 1: But our God is faithful. The journey to Jerusalem had
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  Speaker 1: taken many days. Nehemiah rode near the front of the caravan,
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  Speaker 1: a quiet fire burning in his chest. Behind him, mules
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  Speaker 1: and wagons groaned beneath the weight of timber, stones and supplies.
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  Speaker 1: Persian soldiers rode alongside, eyes scanning the terrain, hands always
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  Speaker 1: close to the hilts of their swords. But their presence
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  Speaker 1: was not just for protection. It was a declaration, for
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  Speaker 1: everyone who saw Nehemiah's envoy knew he came with the
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  Speaker 1: authority of King Artaxerxes, and he came not as a refugee,
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  Speaker 1: but as a man of God with a mission to accomplish.
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  Speaker 1: They crested the final ridge just before twilight. Nehemiah pulled
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  Speaker 1: at the bridle in his hands. His eyes widened with
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  Speaker 1: both awe and devastation. Jerusalem, once called the city of
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  Speaker 1: the great king, now lay bare like bones beneath the
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  Speaker 1: evening sky. It looked nothing like the grand city he
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  Speaker 1: had envisioned from the stories of his childhood. What lay
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  Speaker 1: before him was the ghost of a city. Broken walls
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  Speaker 1: sprawled like fallen soldiers. Shattered stones plunged into the ground
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  Speaker 1: like gravestones. Gates, once fierce with iron and cedar, were
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  Speaker 1: nothing more than blackened heaps. The city breathed, yes, but barely.
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  Speaker 1: And as the fading sun kissed the ruins with golden rays,
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah could feel the weight of what lay ahead. But
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  Speaker 1: he didn't speak. Not yet. Not until he saw it all.
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  Speaker 1: That night. The caravan settled outside the city gates. Nehemiah
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  Speaker 1: rustled under his blanket. He quietly sat up and began
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  Speaker 1: to strap his sandals. He tapped the shoulder of the
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  Speaker 1: man next to him. As his companion stirred, Nehemiah pressed
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  Speaker 1: a finger to his lips.
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  Speaker 2: It's time. Wake the others, but ensure no one else hears.
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  Speaker 1: The man rubbed his eyes sleepily before silently readying himself.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah did the same to a few others before slipping
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  Speaker 1: away into the night with the few trusted men. He
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  Speaker 1: said nothing regarding the details of his plans, but the
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  Speaker 1: others showed no signs of contempt for Nehemiah's secrecy. The
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  Speaker 1: moon hung high and full, casting pale light across the valley.
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  Speaker 1: The quiet clop of hooves echoed off shattered stone as
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  Speaker 1: they began their midnight ride. Nehemiah guided his donkey past
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  Speaker 1: the valley gate, weaving through shadows. The others lingered a
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  Speaker 1: few yards behind. Nehemiah quietly took note of everything he saw.
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  Speaker 1: Overhead were charred remains of what had once been mighty beams.
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  Speaker 1: They passed the dragon's spring, its waters muddied and neglected.
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  Speaker 1: All around, traces of life lay hidden beneath the desolation.
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  Speaker 1: They moved toward the dung gate, where piles of rubble
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  Speaker 1: blocked the path. Nehemiah dismounted, his boots crunching against rock
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  Speaker 1: and ash. He stepped over broken bricks. As he walked,
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  Speaker 1: he ran his hand along the soot-covered surface of scorched stone.
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  Speaker 1: With each breath, his nostrils filled with the scent of
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  Speaker 1: stale smoke. Not a word passed between them. Only the wind...
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  Speaker 1: the occasional braying of restless animals, and the soft breathing
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  Speaker 1: of the men who waited in anticipation for Nehemiah to speak. Nonetheless,
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  Speaker 1: they would have to wait. Nehemiah goaded his donkey to
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  Speaker 1: carry on. From the dung gate, they circled to the
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  Speaker 1: fountain gate and the king's pool. The destruction was so
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  Speaker 1: severe that even the animals could not pass. Nehemiah climbed
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  Speaker 1: over the debris alone, The hem of his cloak catching
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  Speaker 1: on jagged edges, he looked up at the sky. You see, Lord.
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  Speaker 1: You see it all.
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  Speaker 2: This city bears your name.
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  Speaker 1: Restore her for your glory. He returned to his men,
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  Speaker 1: eyes sharper now, shoulders squared with conviction. They finished the
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  Speaker 1: circuit along the eastern wall, looping past the sheep gate
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  Speaker 1: and back to the valley gate. By the time the
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  Speaker 1: sun rose, Nehemiah had seen enough. A few days later,
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  Speaker 1: a gathering took place within the city, not for festivals,
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  Speaker 1: feasts or celebrations as the city had hosted for generations before, no.
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  Speaker 1: This was a gathering looking for something far superior. Restoration.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah stood beside a broken wall. The breeze stirred his
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  Speaker 1: cloak as he looked out over farmers, smiths, priests and merchants.
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  Speaker 1: All had come. Their eyes were sunken with fatigue. But
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  Speaker 1: deep in their souls lied a hunger. A hunger for purpose,
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  Speaker 1: for dignity, for hope. elders, leaders, tradesmen and officials lay
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  Speaker 1: aside their differences and leaned in as one to hear
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  Speaker 1: the governor speak. Word of his inspection had spread, and
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  Speaker 1: now the people were waiting. With the help of a
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  Speaker 1: few others, Nehemiah stepped atop a broken section of wall,
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  Speaker 1: which now appeared to be no more than a pile
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  Speaker 1: of rubble. Though his platform spoke of disarray, his voice
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  Speaker 1: was clear and resolute.
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  Speaker 2: You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins,
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  Speaker 2: and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us
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  Speaker 2: rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we may no
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  Speaker 2: longer suffer disgrace.
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  Speaker 1: He looked at their weary faces. Some were skeptical, others unsure,
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  Speaker 1: yet some seemed to stir with cautious hope.
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  Speaker 2: The hand of my God has been upon me. The
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  Speaker 2: king himself has granted me favor. I come with his letters,
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  Speaker 2: with timber from his forests, and with soldiers for our defense.
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  Speaker 2: But this, this will not be done by kings and
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  Speaker 2: edicts alone. It will be done by you.
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  Speaker 1: By us. Side by side. Nehemiah could see lingering hesitancy. But.
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  Speaker 2: It is all for naught if we do not turn
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  Speaker 2: our eyes towards the heavens and center our hearts on
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  Speaker 2: the Lord, for it will be his mighty hand that
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  Speaker 2: lifts his people from the ashes.
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  Speaker 1: His voice was both encouraging and exhortative, a blessing and
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  Speaker 1: a warning. Turn to God, and surely they would find favor,
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  Speaker 1: but forsake him and in return only find more ruin.
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  Speaker 1: A hush fell among the people. Then, slowly, it began.
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  Speaker 1: A murmur, a nod. Hushed whispers began to grow, louder
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  Speaker 1: and louder until a great cheer erupted. Nehemiah scanned the
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  Speaker 1: crowd before turning his eyes upward. His eyes shut as
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  Speaker 1: tears glistened in the sunlight, tears of hope and hurt.
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  Speaker 1: but as the former grew, he knew the latter would
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  Speaker 1: be healed in time. Momentum took hold like wind catching sail.
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  Speaker 1: Within days, the city came alive with a kind of
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  Speaker 1: holy fervor. Men who had once labored in vineyards turned
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  Speaker 1: their strength towards the carving of stones, while others who
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  Speaker 1: had once traded linens in the market now hoisted beams
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  Speaker 1: one upon another. They worked relentlessly, shoulder to shoulder, as
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  Speaker 1: rock cracked and wood splintered haphazardly. In time, they would
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  Speaker 1: refine their temporary crafts. They would sweat, their hands would callous,
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  Speaker 1: and their limbs would grow weary. Their own blood would
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  Speaker 1: seep into the very foundations of Israel's walls. But no
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  Speaker 1: effort was poured out in vain, for God's people were rising.
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  Speaker 1: The work began at the Sheep Gate, Eliashib, the high priest,
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  Speaker 1: rose with his fellow priests and laid the first beams.
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  Speaker 1: Those nearby paused from their work to watch this monumental moment.
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  Speaker 1: The road ahead was daunting, but for now they would
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  Speaker 1: meditate on gratitude for the Lord's mercy. With beams in place,
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  Speaker 1: massive doors were hoisted up as they thundered into place.
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  Speaker 1: The priests consecrated the gate, not just with tools, but
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  Speaker 1: with prayer. Factions formed as men from each tribe and
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  Speaker 1: family began work on a different section of the wall.
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  Speaker 1: Gates would be raised as the means built sections to
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  Speaker 1: join them. The sight spoke of more than the rebuilding
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  Speaker 1: of a wall or the intersection of its gates. It
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  Speaker 1: spoke of the rebuilding of a people and their unification
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  Speaker 1: under the Lord. Timber creaked, dust billowed, and hammers rang
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  Speaker 1: as hearts were filled with gladness, minds renewed with resilience,
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  Speaker 1: and joy radiated throughout Israel. Yet not all found an
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  Speaker 1: alacrity for the great work set before them. Between the
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  Speaker 1: men smearing mortar atop newly placed stones, and those carrying
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  Speaker 1: beams across aching backs, stood a band of nobles from Tekoa.
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  Speaker 1: Amidst the hustle and bustle that surrounded them, they remained unmoved,
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  Speaker 1: arms crossed. Nehemiah's brow dripped into the dust below as
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  Speaker 1: he raised a hammer high above his head. He swung
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  Speaker 1: it down with force as his companion returned with more materials.
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  Speaker 2: Nehemiah, the nobles won't help.
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  Speaker 1: He made no attempt to hide his frustration.
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  Speaker 2: Then let them watch, and let the stones rise without them.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah spoke softly yet resolutely. his eyes steadfast on the
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  Speaker 1: work before him. He wondered if it was his responsibility
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  Speaker 1: to change the nobles' minds, but there was plenty of
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  Speaker 1: work to be done without mediating for those who showed
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  Speaker 1: no concern for God's plan to raise Jerusalem back up.
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  Speaker 1: He shook the thoughts from his mind and pressed on.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah could feel his companion roll his eyes, but ignored it.
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  Speaker 1: Years in the king's court had only strengthened his ability
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  Speaker 1: to move on from uncomfortable situations. Even with obstacles like
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  Speaker 1: obstinate nobles, work carried on by way of faithful hearts
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  Speaker 1: and devoted hands. From the valley gate to the dung gate,
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  Speaker 1: from the fountain gate to the Tower of the Hundred,
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  Speaker 1: Jerusalem echoed with the sound of restoration. Nehemiah moved among them,
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  Speaker 1: not as a governor lording over the workers, but as
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  Speaker 1: one of them. He had promised the work would be
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  Speaker 1: done shoulder to shoulder, and every part of him was
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  Speaker 1: committed to fulfilling his word. He lifted beams, offered water,
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  Speaker 1: and spoke words of encouragement. As he passed through tribes
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  Speaker 1: and tradesmen, he did his best to remember every name.
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  Speaker 1: Morale was a necessity they could spare to overlook.
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  Speaker 2: What you build today will stand long after we are gone.
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  Speaker 2: You are a blessing to our people, Ezra.
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  Speaker 1: The wall grew. Not perfectly, not quickly, but steadily, like
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  Speaker 1: a heartbeat. Beyond the hills, three men watched with narrowing eyes. Sanbalat,
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  Speaker 1: a Horonite, was the first to speak.
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  Speaker 2: What do they think they're doing? Rebuilding this dump into
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  Speaker 2: a fortress? If even a fox leapt on that wall,
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  Speaker 2: it would crumble.
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  Speaker 1: Tobias sneered at Sanballat, but their mockery was tinged with unease.
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  Speaker 1: It's not the wall that concerns me. It's their unity.
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  Speaker 1: Unity makes people dangerous. Gisham's words were nearly inaudible, as
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  Speaker 1: though worried he would speak his worries into existence. These
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  Speaker 1: men couldn't deny that Nehemiah had sparked something tremendous. something
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  Speaker 1: that could not be silenced by ridicule. In her fallen state,
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  Speaker 1: a broken city was remembering how to stand, not by
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  Speaker 1: the power or might of human hands, but through hope
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  Speaker 1: in an everlasting God. Day by day, this hope would
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  Speaker 1: fan the flames of resilience and restoration. From every gate,
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  Speaker 1: every tower, every rising stone, the sound of hammers sang
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  Speaker 1: through the air like a chorus of defiance. Jerusalem was rising.
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  Speaker 1: Steve Gatina, Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger and Ben Gammon are
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  Speaker 1: the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu.
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  Speaker 1: Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz,
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  Speaker 1: Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna
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  Speaker 1: Pilcher and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. written
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  Speaker 1: by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You can
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  Speaker 1: hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on
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