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Nehemiah’s Heart · The Chosen People

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People.
• 0:03
  Speaker 2: Tell me, Ezra, for you have found favor with me.
• 0:08
  Speaker 2: What is it you desire more than anything else? I
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  Speaker 2: will grant you anything you request.
• 0:16
  Speaker 3: Allow me to return to my people in Jerusalem. I
• 0:19
  Speaker 3: long to worship the Lord there at the rebuilt temple.
• 0:23
  Speaker 3: I also desire to bring the law of our prophet Moses...
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  Speaker 3: I will bring spiritual revival to my people.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: And with that, they fasted and they prayed as they
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: prepared themselves for their long journey to Jerusalem, the land
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  Speaker 1: of promise, the land of their forefathers, the city established
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: by David. And though the city's walls still lay in ruin,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: the hearts of the people had begun to stand tall again.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: Another return, was still to come. Another rebuilding still awaited.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: The Persian palace of Susa stood tall and majestic under
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  Speaker 1: the late afternoon sun, its spires glinting with gold as
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  Speaker 1: the scent of incense lingered in the air. Inside, the
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  Speaker 1: marbled corridors buzzed with quiet elegance. servants moving swiftly, courtiers
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  Speaker 1: laughing softly in huddled corners. But beyond the outer chambers,
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  Speaker 1: deeper within the royal complex, the mood was much heavier.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah paced rhythmically back and forth against the back wall
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  Speaker 1: of his chamber. The thumping of his heart pulsed warmly
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  Speaker 1: in his ears, but it wasn't enough to drown out
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: his anguished thoughts. Anxious nerves clawed at his innermost being
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: as compassion and heartbreak opened up the floodgates to his sobs.
• 2:13
  Speaker 4: What has become of Israel? How long must we endure? Lord,
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  Speaker 4: incline your ear to me.
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  Speaker 5: Please!
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  Speaker 2: Oh, God!
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah clutched at his burning chest with a tight grip
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  Speaker 1: as he pressed his other fist against his wet face.
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  Speaker 1: Images of Jerusalem's fallen wall flashed in his mind. He
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  Speaker 1: fell hard to the floor and felt the cold sting
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: of the stone floor against his cheek. The words of Hanani,
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: one of the men who had come from Judah, still
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  Speaker 1: echoed in his mind.
• 2:56
  Speaker 5: People are in great trouble and disgrace, Nehemiah.
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: The wall of Jerusalem is broken down.
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  Speaker 1: Her gates burned with fire. The words were filled with
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  Speaker 1: sorrow but not surprise. His eyes were barren as he spoke.
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  Speaker 1: This had been life for the returned Israelites for years.
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  Speaker 1: But for Nehemiah, something broke inside him at that moment.
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  Speaker 1: He had served faithfully in the king's court. He had
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  Speaker 1: earned favor and standing with royalty. He had earned respect
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  Speaker 1: and trust from the most powerful. But none of that
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  Speaker 1: mattered now. His people were suffering, and he was far
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  Speaker 1: from them. Day turned to evening, evening to night. Nehemiah
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: neither ate nor drank. He wept, he prayed, and he waited.
• 3:50
  Speaker 5: O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God
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  Speaker 5: who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love
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  Speaker 5: him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive
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  Speaker 5: and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant.
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  Speaker 1: He pressed his forehead against the floor, his breath shallow
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: and reverent. He couldn't comfort Israel in her time of need,
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  Speaker 1: but he knew the one who could.
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  Speaker 5: We have acted corruptly against you. We have not kept
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  Speaker 5: the commandments, the statutes, the rules that you commanded your
• 4:32
  Speaker 5: servant Moses. You said, if we return to you and
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  Speaker 5: kept your commands... Even if we were exiled to the
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  Speaker 5: farthest horizon, you would gather us again and bring us
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  Speaker 5: back to the place you chose as a dwelling for
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  Speaker 5: your name.
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  Speaker 1: His voice cracked.
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  Speaker 5: Oh, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer
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  Speaker 5: of your servant and to the prayer of your servants
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: who delight to fear your name. Give success to your
• 5:06
  Speaker 5: servant today. Grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: The oil lamp behind him hissed as it ran dry,
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: extinguishing the flame. Silence settled around him like a warm cloak.
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: Despite the darkness, a new flame began to ignite. A
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: fire in Nehemiah's chest began to glow with a different
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  Speaker 1: kind of heat.
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  Speaker 2: Resolved.
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  Speaker 1: Passion flooded Nehemiah's heart for his nation. He would not
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  Speaker 1: sit idly by. Not anymore. The following day, the great
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: court of King Artaxerxes bustled with movement. Gold and lapis
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: gems shimmered on every surface, and long silken curtains billowed
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: gently in the breeze. The light of midday spilled out
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: onto the polished statues scattered throughout the great hall. The king,
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: flanked by guards and noblemen, sat on his throne, lifted
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  Speaker 1: above the others. Nehemiah approached the base of the steps
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  Speaker 1: before the king, cup in hand. For decades he had
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  Speaker 1: served as cupbearer, idly listening to conversations others would only
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  Speaker 1: dream of hearing. smiling at the king's company as though
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  Speaker 1: his ears were deaf to their talk. He stepped forward
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  Speaker 1: and offered the goblet. Over the years his face had
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  Speaker 1: been the picture of composure, always pleasant, always respectful. But
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  Speaker 1: today something was different. Nehemiah's eyes remained fastened to the ground,
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  Speaker 1: his creased lips pursed in sorrow. Despite his best efforts
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  Speaker 1: to hide it, The grief etched into his features had
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: not gone unnoticed.
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  Speaker 2: Nehemiah, why does your face look so troubled?
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: Nehemiah froze. Rarely did he expect an acknowledgement in his duties,
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  Speaker 1: least of all from the king.
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  Speaker 2: Surely you are not ill, or I would have heard
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  Speaker 2: of it. There is something... else.
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  Speaker 2: I sense there is a great sadness in your heart.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah's throat dried. He was standing before the most powerful
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  Speaker 1: man in the Empire. While he had always found contentment
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: in his anonymity, it was now apparent that his presence
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  Speaker 1: was more noticed than he realized. He vainly attempted to
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  Speaker 1: capture his emotions and translate them into words. One wrong
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  Speaker 1: answer could mean disgrace, or worse. But the God of
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  Speaker 1: Israel was with him. An unseen presence thrust Nehemiah forward
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  Speaker 1: as he bowed deeply. Truth demanded courage, and now was
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  Speaker 1: the time for truth.
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  Speaker 5: May the king live forever. Why should my face not
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  Speaker 5: be sad when the city of my ancestors lies in
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  Speaker 5: ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?
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  Speaker 1: The court fell silent. The king studied him, then leaned
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  Speaker 1: forward slightly.
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  Speaker 2: Lift your head and meet my gaze.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah looked up hesitantly, but he was not met with
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  Speaker 1: anger or irritation as he thought he would. No, the
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  Speaker 1: eyes of the king were soft, studying his servant. He
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  Speaker 1: spoke calmly.
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  Speaker 2: What is it you would ask of me?
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  Speaker 1: The fear that had gripped Nehemiah's heart began to melt,
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  Speaker 1: his trembling hands easing their grip around the goblet. Nehemiah
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  Speaker 1: took a steady breath, then another. In his heart, he
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: pleaded with God one more time.
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  Speaker 5: If it pleases the king, and if your servant has
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  Speaker 5: found favor in your sight, send me to Judah, to
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  Speaker 5: the city of my ancestors, so that I may rebuild it.
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  Speaker 1: A pause that felt like eternity followed. The king exchanged
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: a glance with the queen beside him.
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: How long will your journey take? And when will you return?
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  Speaker 1: The question sent a jolt through Nehemiah's chest. It wasn't
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: a dismissal. It wasn't a rebuke. It was interest. And
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  Speaker 1: more importantly, permission. Nehemiah responded and to his delight was
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: met with a nod.
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: Nehemiah bowed.
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: In preparation to depart, but was hindered by a thought
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  Speaker 1: he couldn't ignore. Speaking was never his strong suit, but
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: his mind wouldn't let him ignore the thought.
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  Speaker 5: If it pleases the king, might I have one more request?
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  Speaker 1: Artaxerxes raised his eyebrows. He waved an open hand towards
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  Speaker 1: the cupbearer, inviting him to speak further. Nehemiah swallowed as
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  Speaker 1: his eyes darted about the floor.
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  Speaker 5: I ask for letters to the governors beyond the river,
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  Speaker 5: that they may grant me safe passage until I arrive
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  Speaker 5: in Judah. And a letter to Asaph, the keeper of
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  Speaker 5: the king's forest, to give me timber for the gates
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  Speaker 5: of the fortress of the temple. for the city wall,
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  Speaker 5: and for the house I will occupy.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah lifted his eyes slowly to meet the king. The
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  Speaker 1: king nodded with a smile, impressed by the servant's boldness.
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: He respected Nehemiah's devotion to his people.
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  Speaker 2: Let it be done. All that you ask shall be provided.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah lowered his head in awe. Undoubtedly, The gracious hand
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  Speaker 1: of God was upon him. Evening's darkened glow blanketed the
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  Speaker 1: Persian landscape. Nehemiah stood at the edge of the palace gardens,
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  Speaker 1: gazing out across the orange horizon. The torches of Susa
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  Speaker 1: flickered behind him, but his eyes were already looking eastward.
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  Speaker 1: Footsteps approached behind him.
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  Speaker 2: You spoke with the king?
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah nodded, unfazed. His eyes remained on the eastern skies.
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  Speaker 2: I leave for Jerusalem within the week.
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  Speaker 1: Han and I let out a quiet breath of disbelief.
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  Speaker 5: We're really going? After all these years?
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah turned to his brother. His voice was steady, though
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  Speaker 1: the tear gliding down his cheek spoke of the immense
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  Speaker 1: weight of his emotions.
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  Speaker 2: Our people... are in disgrace, Anani.
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  Speaker 5: I can no longer be content with luxury while they suffer.
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  Speaker 2: The walls are broken. The gates are burned. But our
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  Speaker 2: God is faithful.
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  Speaker 1: He looked up at the stars, bright against the night sky.
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  Speaker 5: And I will not stand by while his name is forgotten.
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  Speaker 1: Far beyond the palace walls, in the land of his ancestors,
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  Speaker 1: the city of God awaited. Nehemiah closed his eyes and smiled.
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  Speaker 1: He was going home. Steve Gatina, Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People,
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton,
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc,
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: Andrew Morgan-Smith. written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig.
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: You can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app,
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: a review.