1:1The words of Nehemiah the son of
Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as
I was in Shushan the palace, 1:2that Hanani, one of my brothers,
came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the
Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning
Jerusalem. 1:3They said to me, The remnant who
are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction
and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates of
it are burned with fire. 1:4It happened, when I heard these
words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted
and prayed before the God of heaven, 1:5and said, I
beg you, THE LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps
covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his
commandments: 1:6Let your ear now be attentive, and
your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I
pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel
your servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we
have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father's house have sinned: 1:7we have dealt very corruptly
against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the
ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses. 1:8Remember, I
beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you
trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples: 1:9but if you return to me, and keep
my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost
part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring
them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there. 1:10Now these are your servants and
your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your
strong hand. 1:11Lord, I beg you, let now your ear
be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your
servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant
this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cup
bearer to the king.
2:1It happened in the month Nisan, in
the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that
I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been
before sad in his presence. 2:2The king
said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? this is nothing
else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid. 2:3I said to the king, Let the king
live forever: why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of
my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and the gates of it are consumed with fire?
2:4Then the king said to me, For what
do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 2:5I said to the king, If it please
the king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you
would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build
it. 2:6The king said to me (the queen
also sitting by him), For how long shall your journey be? and when will
you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 2:7Moreover I said to the king, If it
please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the
River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah; 2:8and a letter to Asaph the keeper
of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the
gates of the castle which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the
city, and for the house that I shall enter into. The king granted me,
according to the good hand of my God on me. 2:9Then I came
to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now
the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen. 2:10When Sanballat the Horonite, and
Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them
exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of
Israel. 2:11So I came to Jerusalem, and was
there three days. 2:12I arose in the night, I and some
few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to
do for Jerusalem; neither was there any animal with me, except the animal
that I rode on. 2:13I went out by night by the valley
gate, even toward the jackal's well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the
walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates of it were
consumed with fire. 2:14Then I went on to the spring gate
and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the animal that was
under me to pass. 2:15Then went I up in the night by
the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the
valley gate, and so returned. 2:16The rulers didn't know where I
went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the
priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the
work. 2:17Then said I to them, You see the
evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and the gates of it
are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem,
that we be no more a reproach. 2:18I told them of the hand of my God
which was good on me, as also of the king's words that he had spoken to
me. They said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands
for the good work. 2:19But when Sanballat the Horonite,
and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it,
they ridiculed us, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that you
do? will you rebel against the king? 2:20Then
answered I them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us;
therefore we his servants will arise and build: but you have no portion,
nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
3:1Then Eliashib the high priest rose
up with his brothers the priests, and they built the sheep gate; they
sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even to the tower of Hammeah
they sanctified it, to the tower of Hananel. 3:2Next to him
built the men of Jericho. Next to them built Zaccur the son of Imri. 3:3The fish gate did the sons of
Hassenaah build; they laid the beams of it, and set up the doors of it,
the bolts of it, and the bars of it. 3:4Next to them
repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz. Next to them
repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel. Next to
them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. 3:5Next to them
the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles didn't put their necks to the work
of their lord. 3:6The old gate repaired Joiada the
son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams of
it, and set up the doors of it, and the bolts of it, and the bars of it.
3:7Next to them repaired Melatiah the
Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah,
that appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the River. 3:8Next to him repaired Uzziel the
son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths. Next to him repaired Hananiah one of the
perfumers, and they fortified Jerusalem even to the broad wall. 3:9Next to them repaired Rephaiah the
son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. 3:10Next to them repaired Jedaiah the
son of Harumaph, over against his house. Next to him repaired Hattush the
son of Hashabneiah. 3:11Malchijah the son of Harim, and
Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another portion, and the tower of
the furnaces. 3:12Next to him repaired Shallum the
son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his
daughters. 3:13The valley gate repaired Hanun,
and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors of it,
the bolts of it, and the bars of it, and one thousand cubits of the wall
to the dung gate. 3:14The dung gate repaired Malchijah
the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem; he built
it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it. 3:15The spring gate repaired Shallun
the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah; he built it, and
covered it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of
it, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king's garden, even to the
stairs that go down from the city of David. 3:16After him
repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth
Zur, to the place over against the tombs of David, and to the pool that
was made, and to the house of the mighty men. 3:17After him
repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him repaired
Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district. 3:18After him repaired their
brothers, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of
Keilah. 3:19Next to him repaired Ezer the son
of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over against the ascent
to the armory at the turning of the wall. 3:20After him
Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the
turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high
priest. 3:21After him repaired Meremoth the
son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz another portion, from the door of the house
of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. 3:22After him repaired the priests,
the men of the Plain. 3:23After them repaired Benjamin and
Hasshub over against their house. After them repaired Azariah the son of
Maaseiah the son of Ananiah beside his own house. 3:24After him
repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another portion, from the house of
Azariah to the turning of the wall, and to the corner. 3:25Palal the son of Uzai
repaired over against the turning of the wall, and the tower
that stands out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of
the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh repaired. 3:26(Now the Nethinim lived in Ophel,
to the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower
that stands out.) 3:27After him the Tekoites repaired
another portion, over against the great tower that stands out, and to the
wall of Ophel. 3:28Above the horse gate repaired the
priests, everyone over against his own house. 3:29After them
repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his own house. After him
repaired Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 3:30After him repaired Hananiah the
son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another portion.
After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his
chamber. 3:31After him repaired Malchijah one
of the goldsmiths to the house of the Nethinim, and of the merchants, over
against the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the ascent of the corner. 3:32Between the ascent of the corner
and the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
4:1But it happened that when
Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and took
great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 4:2He spoke
before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these
feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will
they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of
rubbish, seeing they are burned? 4:3Now Tobiah
the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building,
if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall. 4:4Hear, our
God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach on their own head,
and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity; 4:5and don't
cover their iniquity, and don't let their sin be blotted out from before
you; for they have provoked you to anger before the builders. 4:6So we built the wall; and all the
wall was joined together to half the height of it: for the people
had a mind to work. 4:7But it happened that when
Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard
that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that
the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry; 4:8and they conspired all of them
together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion
therein. 4:9But we made our prayer to our God,
and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 4:10Judah said, The strength of the
bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are
not able to build the wall. 4:11Our adversaries said, They shall
not know, neither see, until we come into the midst of them, and kill
them, and cause the work to cease. 4:12It happened
that when the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from
all places, You must return to us. 4:13Therefore
set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open
places, I set there the people after their families with their
swords, their spears, and their bows. 4:14I looked,
and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of
the people, Don't be you afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great
and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters,
your wives, and your houses. 4:15It happened, when our enemies
heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to
nothing, that we returned all of us to the wall, everyone to his work. 4:16It happened from that time forth,
that half of my servants worked in the work, and half of them held the
spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers
were behind all the house of Judah. 4:17They all
built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with
one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
4:18and the builders, everyone had
his sword girded by his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was
by me. 4:19I said to the nobles, and to the
rulers and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we
are separated on the wall, one far from another: 4:20in whatever
place you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort you there to us; our God
will fight for us. 4:21So we worked in the work: and
half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the
stars appeared. 4:22Likewise at the same time said I
to the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that
in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day. 4:23So neither I, nor my brothers,
nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put
off our clothes, everyone went with his weapon to the water.
5:1Then there arose a great cry of
the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews. 5:2For there were that said, We, our
sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and
live. 5:3Some also there were that said, We
are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get
grain, because of the dearth. 5:4There were also that said, We have
borrowed money for the king's tribute on our fields and our
vineyards. 5:5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh
of our brothers, our children as their children: and, behold, we bring
into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our
daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our
power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards. 5:6I was very angry when I heard
their cry and these words. 5:7Then I consulted with myself, and
contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, You exact
usury, everyone of his brother. I held a great assembly against them. 5:8I said to them, We after our
ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, that were sold to the
nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to
us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word. 5:9Also I said, The thing that you do
is not good: ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the
reproach of the nations our enemies? 5:10I likewise,
my brothers and my servants, do lend them money and grain. Please let us
leave off this usury. 5:11Please restore to them, even this
day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses,
also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and
the oil, that you exact of them. 5:12Then said
they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we
do, even as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them,
that they would do according to this promise. 5:13Also I
shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and
from his labor, that doesn't perform this promise; even thus be he shaken
out, and emptied. All the assembly said, Amen, and praised THE LORD. The
people did according to this promise. 5:14Moreover
from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of
Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of
Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have
not eaten the bread of the governor. 5:15But the
former governors who were before me were chargeable to the people, and
took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even
their servants bore rule over the people: but I didn't do so, because of
the fear of God. 5:16Yes, also I continued in the work
of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were
gathered there to the work. 5:17Moreover there were at my table,
of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, besides those who came
to us from among the nations that were round about us. 5:18Now that which was prepared for
one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me,
and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I didn't
demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this
people. 5:19Remember to me, my God, for good,
all that I have done for this people.
6:1Now it happened, when it was
reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the
rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no
breach left therein; (though even to that time I had not set up the doors
in the gates;) 6:2that Sanballat and Geshem sent to
me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in
the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 6:3I sent
messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I can't come
down: why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?
6:4They sent to me four times after
this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 6:5Then sent
Sanballat his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open
letter in his hand, 6:6in which was written, It is
reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews
think to rebel; for which cause you are building the wall: and you would
be their king, according to these words. 6:7You have
also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a
king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these
words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. 6:8Then I sent to him, saying, There
are no such things done as you say, but you feign them out of your own
heart. 6:9For they all would have made us
afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it not
be done. But now, God, strengthen you my hands. 6:10I went to the house of Shemaiah
the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let
us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut
the doors of the temple: for they will come to kill you; yes, in the night
will they come to kill you. 6:11I said, Should such a man as I
flee? and who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to
save his life? I will not go in. 6:12I
discerned, and, behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this
prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 6:13For this cause was he hired, that
I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter
for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 6:14Remember,
my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the
prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me
in fear. 6:15So the wall was finished in the
twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 6:16It happened, when all our enemies
heard of it, that all the nations that were about us feared, and
were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work
was worked of our God. 6:17Moreover in those days the nobles
of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah
came to them. 6:18For there were many in Judah
sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah;
and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of
Berechiah as wife. 6:19Also they spoke of his good deeds
before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in
fear.
7:1Now it happened, when the wall was
built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the
Levites were appointed, 7:2that I gave my brother Hanani, and
Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a
faithful man, and feared God above many. 7:3I said to
them, Don't let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and
while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and bar you
them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his
watch, and everyone to be over against his house. 7:4Now the city was wide and large;
but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. 7:5My God put into my heart to gather
together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be
reckoned by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came
up at the first, and I found written therein: 7:6These are
the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those
who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had
carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his
city; 7:7who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua,
Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth,
Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 7:8The children of Parosh, two
thousand one hundred seventy-two. 7:9The children
of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. 7:10The
children of Arah, six hundred fifty-two. 7:11The
children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand
eight hundred and eighteen. 7:12The
children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 7:13The children of Zattu, eight
hundred forty-five. 7:14The children of Zaccai, seven
hundred sixty. 7:15The children of Binnui, six
hundred forty-eight. 7:16The children of Bebai, six
hundred twenty-eight. 7:17The children of Azgad, two
thousand three hundred twenty-two. 7:18The
children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven. 7:19The
children of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven. 7:20The
children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five. 7:21The
children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 7:22The
children of Hashum, three hundred Twenty-eight. 7:23The
children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four. 7:24The
children of Hariph, one hundred twelve. 7:25The
children of Gibeon, ninety-five. 7:26The men of
Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight. 7:27The men of
Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 7:28The men of
Beth Azmaveth, forty-two. 7:29The men of Kiriath Jearim,
Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 7:30The men of
Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 7:31The men of
Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. 7:32The men of
Bethel and Ai, a hundred twenty-three. 7:33The men of
the other Nebo, fifty-two. 7:34The children of the other Elam,
one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 7:35The
children of Harim, three hundred twenty. 7:36The
children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 7:37The
children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one. 7:38The children of Senaah, three
thousand nine hundred thirty. 7:39The priests: The children of
Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. 7:40The children of Immer, one
thousand fifty-two. 7:41The children of Pashhur, one
thousand two hundred forty-seven. 7:42The
children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. 7:43The Levites: the children of
Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy-four. 7:44The singers: the children of
Asaph, one hundred forty-eight. 7:45The
porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of
Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of
Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight. 7:46The
Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of
Tabbaoth, 7:47the children of Keros, the
children of Sia, the children of Padon, 7:48the
children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, 7:49the children of Hanan, the
children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, 7:50the
children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, 7:51the children of Gazzam, the
children of Uzza, the children of Paseah. 7:52The
children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim, 7:53the children of Bakbuk, the
children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 7:54the
children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 7:55the children of Barkos, the
children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 7:56the
children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 7:57The
children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of
Sophereth, the children of Perida, 7:58the
children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 7:59the children of Shephatiah, the
children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of
Amon. 7:60All the Nethinim, and the
children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety-two. 7:61These were those who went up from
Tel-melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show
their fathers' houses, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel: 7:62The children of Delaiah, the
children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two. 7:63Of the priests: the children of
Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a
wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after
their name. 7:64These sought their register
among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found:
therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. 7:65The governor said to them, that
they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a priest
with Urim and Thummim. 7:66The whole assembly together was
forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 7:67besides
their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven
thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and they had two hundred forty-five
singing men and singing women. 7:68Their horses were seven hundred
thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; 7:69their camels, four hundred
thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty. 7:70Some from among the heads of
fathers' houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury
one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty
priests' garments. 7:71Some of the heads of fathers'
houses gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of
gold, and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. 7:72That which
the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two
thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests' garments. 7:73So the priests, and the Levites,
and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the
Nethinim, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month
was come, the children of Israel were in their cities.
8:1All the people gathered themselves
together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate;
and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses,
which THE LORD had commanded to Israel. 8:2Ezra the
priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all
who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
8:3He read therein before the broad
place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in
the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand;
and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the
law. 8:4Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit
of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood
Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah,
on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and
Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
8:5Ezra opened the book in the sight
of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened
it, all the people stood up: 8:6and Ezra blessed THE LORD, the great
God. All the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their
hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped THE LORD with their faces
to the ground. 8:7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,
Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand
the law: and the people stood in their place. 8:8They read in
the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that
they understood the reading. 8:9Nehemiah, who was the governor,
and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people,
said to all the people, This day is holy to THE LORD your God; don't mourn,
nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
8:10Then he said to them, Go your
way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom
nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord: neither be you
grieved; for the joy of THE LORD is your strength. 8:11So the
Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is
holy; neither be you grieved. 8:12All the people went their way to
eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because
they had understood the words that were declared to them. 8:13On the second day were gathered
together the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, the
priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to
the words of the law. 8:14They found written in the law,
how that THE LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should
dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 8:15and that
they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem,
saying, Go forth to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of
wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick
trees, to make booths, as it is written. 8:16So the
people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone
on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the
house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad
place of the gate of Ephraim. 8:17All the assembly of those who
were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths;
for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of
Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 8:18Also day by day, from the first
day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the
feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according
to the ordinance.
9:1Now in the twenty-fourth day of
this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with
sackcloth, and earth on them. 9:2The seed of Israel separated
themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and
the iniquities of their fathers. 9:3They stood
up in their place, and read in the book of the law of THE LORD their God a
fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and
worshiped THE LORD their God. 9:4Then stood up on the stairs of the
Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani,
and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to THE LORD their God. 9:5Then the Levites, Jeshua, and
Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and
Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless THE LORD your God from everlasting to
everlasting; and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all
blessing and praise. 9:6You are THE LORD, even you alone;
you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the
earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them,
and you preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships you. 9:7You are THE LORD the God, who did
choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave
him the name of Abraham, 9:8and found his heart faithful
before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the
Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite,
and the Girgashite, to give it to his seed, and have performed your words;
for you are righteous. 9:9You saw the affliction of our
fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea, 9:10and shown signs and wonders on
Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for
you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and did get you a name, as
it is this day. 9:11You divided the sea before them,
so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their
pursuers you did cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.
9:12Moreover in a pillar of cloud you
led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in
the way in which they should go. 9:13You came
down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them
right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, 9:14and made known to them your holy
Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by
Moses your servant, 9:15and gave them bread from the sky
for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for
their thirst, and commanded those who they should go in to possess the
land which you had sworn to give them. 9:16But they
and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and didn't listen
to your commandments, 9:17and refused to obey, neither were
mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck,
and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But
you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and
abundant in loving kindness, and didn't forsake them. 9:18Yes, when they had made them a
molten calf, and said, This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,
and had committed awful blasphemies; 9:19yet you in
your manifold mercies didn't forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of
cloud didn't depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way;
neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in
which they should go. 9:20You gave also your good Spirit to
instruct them, and didn't withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave
them water for their thirst. 9:21Yes, forty years did you sustain
them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes
didn't grow old, and their feet didn't swell. 9:22Moreover
you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you did allot after their
portions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king
of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. 9:23Their
children also multiplied you as the stars of the sky, and brought them
into the land concerning which you did say to their fathers, that they
should go in to possess it. 9:24So the children went in and
possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the
land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings,
and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
9:25They took fortified cities, and a
fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out,
vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance: so they ate,
and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in your great
goodness. 9:26Nevertheless they were
disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their
back, and killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them
again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies. 9:27Therefore
you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed
them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard
from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors
who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries. 9:28But after
they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore left you them in
the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet
when they returned, and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many
times did you deliver them according to your mercies, 9:29and testified against them, that
you might bring them again to your law. Yet they dealt proudly, and didn't
listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, (which if
a man do, he shall live in them), and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened
their neck, and would not hear. 9:30Yet many
years did you bear with them, and testified against them by your Spirit
through your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gave you
them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 9:31Nevertheless in your manifold
mercies you did not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are
a gracious and merciful God. 9:32Now therefore, our God, the
great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keep covenant and loving
kindness, don't let all the travail seem little before you, that has come
on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our
prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of
the kings of Assyria to this day. 9:33However you
are just in all that is come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have
done wickedly; 9:34neither have our kings, our
princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your
commandments and your testimonies with which you did testify against them.
9:35For they have not served you in
their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the
large and fat land which you gave before them, neither turned they from
their wicked works. 9:36Behold, we are servants this day,
and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat the fruit of it
and the good of it, behold, we are servants in it. 9:37It yields
much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins:
also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their
pleasure, and we are in great distress. 9:38Yet for all
this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites,
and our priests, seal to it.
10:1Now those who sealed were:
Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 10:2Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 10:3Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 10:4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 10:5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 10:6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 10:7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 10:8Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these
were the priests. 10:9The Levites: namely, Jeshua the
son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10:10and their brothers, Shebaniah,
Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 10:11Mica,
Rehob, Hashabiah, 10:12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 10:13Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. 10:14The chiefs of the people:
Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 10:15Bunni,
Azgad, Bebai, 10:16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 10:17Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 10:18Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 10:19Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, 10:20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 10:21Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 10:22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 10:23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 10:24Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 10:25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 10:26and Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 10:27Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 10:28The rest of the people, the
priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinim, and all
those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the
law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had
knowledge, and understanding; 10:29They joined with their brothers,
their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's
law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do
all the commandments of THE LORD our Lord, and his ordinances and his
statutes; 10:30and that we would not give our
daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our
sons; 10:31and if the peoples of the land
bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy
of them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the
seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. 10:32Also we
made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of
a shekel for the service of the house of our God; 10:33for the
show bread, and for the continual meal-offering, and for the continual
burnt-offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts,
and for the holy things, and for the sin-offerings to make atonement for
Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 10:34We cast lots, the priests, the
Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, to bring it into the house
of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by
year, to burn on the altar of THE LORD our God, as it is written in the law;
10:35and to bring the first fruits of
our ground, and the first fruits of all fruit of all manner of trees, year
by year, to the house of THE LORD; 10:36also the
firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and
the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our
God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 10:37and that we should bring the
first fruits of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all
manner of trees, the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers
of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for
they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. 10:38The priest the son of Aaron
shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites
shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the
chambers, into the treasure-house. 10:39For the
children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the heave-offering
of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the chambers, where are
the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests who minister, and the
porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.
11:1The princes of the people lived
in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten
to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other
cities. 11:2The people blessed all the men
who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem. 11:3Now these are the chiefs of the
province who lived in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah lived everyone
in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and
the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants. 11:4In Jerusalem lived certain of the
children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of
Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of
Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of
Perez; 11:5and Maaseiah the son of Baruch,
the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of
Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite. 11:6All the sons of Perez who lived
in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight valiant men. 11:7These are the sons of Benjamin:
Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son
of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.
11:8After him Gabbai, Sallai, nine
hundred twenty-eight. 11:9Joel the son of Zichri was their
overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city. 11:10Of the priests: Jedaiah the son
of Joiarib, Jachin, 11:11Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the
son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of
Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God, 11:12and their
brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty-two; and
Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son
of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, 11:13and his brothers, chiefs of
fathers' houses, two hundred forty-two; and Amashsai the son of
Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14and their brothers, mighty men
of valor, one hundred twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the
son of Haggedolim. 11:15Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son
of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of
the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business
of the house of God; 11:17and Mattaniah the son of Mica,
the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the
thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and
Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 11:18All the Levites in the holy city
were two hundred eighty-four. 11:19Moreover the porters, Akkub,
Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred
seventy-two. 11:20The residue of Israel, of the
priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his
inheritance. 11:21But the Nethinim lived in Ophel:
and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim. 11:22The
overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the
son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of
Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God. 11:23For there was a commandment from
the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as
every day required. 11:24Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel,
of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all
matters concerning the people. 11:25As for the
villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah lived in
Kiriath Arba and the towns of it, and in Dibon and the towns of it, and in
Jekabzeel and the villages of it, 11:26and in
Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth Pelet, 11:27and in
Hazar Shual, and in Beersheba and the towns of it, 11:28and in
Ziklag, and in Meconah and in the towns of it, 11:29and in
En-rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth, 11:30Zanoah,
Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields of it, Azekah and the
towns of it. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom. 11:31The children of Benjamin also
lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Bethel
and the towns of it, 11:32at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 11:33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 11:34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 11:35Lod, and Ono, the valley of
craftsmen. 11:36Of the Levites, certain
divisions in Judah were joined to Benjamin.
12:1Now these are the priests and the
Levites who went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 12:2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 12:5Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 12:6Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah.
12:7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.
These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of
Jeshua. 12:8Moreover the Levites: Jeshua,
Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the
thanksgiving, he and his brothers. 12:9Also
Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were over against them according to
their offices. 12:10Jeshua became the father of
Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became
the father of Joiada, 12:11and Joiada became the father of
Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua. 12:12In the
days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' houses: of Seraiah,
Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13of Ezra,
Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 12:14of
Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 12:15of Harim,
Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 12:16of Iddo, Zechariah; of
Ginnethon, Meshullam; 12:17of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin,
of Moadiah, Piltai; 12:18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah,
Jehonathan; 12:19and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of
Jedaiah, Uzzi; 12:20of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok,
Eber; 12:21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of
Jedaiah, Nethanel. 12:22As for the Levites, in the days
of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the
heads of fathers' houses; also the priests, in the reign of Darius
the Persian. 12:23The sons of Levi, heads of
fathers' houses, were written in the book of the chronicles, even
until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 12:24The chiefs
of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with
their brothers over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to
the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch. 12:25Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah,
Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the watch at the
store-houses of the gates. 12:26These were in the days of
Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah
the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe. 12:27At the
dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all
their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with
gladness, both with giving thanks, and with singing, with cymbals,
psalteries, and with harps. 12:28The sons of the singers gathered
themselves together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from
the villages of the Netophathites; 12:29also from
Beth Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers
had built them villages round about Jerusalem. 12:30The
priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people,
and the gates, and the wall. 12:31Then I brought up the princes of
Judah on the wall, and appointed two great companies who gave thanks and
went in procession. One went on the right hand on the wall toward
the dung gate; 12:32and after them went Hoshaiah,
and half of the princes of Judah, 12:33and
Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 12:34Judah, and Benjamin, and
Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 12:35and certain of the priests' sons
with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son
of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph; 12:36and his brothers, Shemaiah, and
Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the
musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was
before them. 12:37By the spring gate, and straight
before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the
ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water gate
eastward. 12:38The other company of those who
gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the
people, on the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad
wall, 12:39and above the gate of Ephraim,
and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and
the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate: and they stood still in the
gate of the guard. 12:40So stood the two companies of
those who gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the
rulers with me; 12:41and the priests, Eliakim,
Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with
trumpets; 12:42and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and
Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. The
singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. 12:43They
offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them
rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so
that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. 12:44On that
day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the
heave-offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into
them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the
law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and
for the Levites who waited. 12:45They kept the charge of their
God, and the charge of the purification, and so did the singers and
the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his
son. 12:46For in the days of David and
Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and
thanksgiving to God. 12:47All Israel in the days of
Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers
and the porters, as every day required: and they set apart that which
was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was
for the sons of Aaron.
13:1On that day they read in the book
of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written,
that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God
forever, 13:2because they didn't meet the
children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against
them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing. 13:3It came to pass, when they had
heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 13:4Now before this, Eliashib the
priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being
allied to Tobiah, 13:5had prepared for him a great
chamber, where before they laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and
the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which
were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the
porters; and the heave-offerings for the priests. 13:6But in all
this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year
of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king: and after certain days
asked I leave of the king, 13:7and I came to Jerusalem, and
understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a
chamber in the courts of the house of God. 13:8It grieved
me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of
the chamber. 13:9Then I commanded, and they
cleansed the chambers: and there brought I again the vessels of the house
of God, with the meal-offerings and the frankincense. 13:10I perceived that the portions of
the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers,
who did the work, were fled everyone to his field. 13:11Then
contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? I
gathered them together, and set them in their place. 13:12Then brought all Judah the tithe
of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries. 13:13I made treasurers over the
treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the
Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of
Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to
distribute to their brothers. 13:14Remember me, my God, concerning
this, and don't wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of
my God, and for the observances of it. 13:15In those
days saw I in Judah some men treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and
bringing in sheaves, and lading donkeys therewith; as also wine,
grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into
Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the
day in which they sold food. 13:16There lived men of Tyre also
therein, who brought in fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the
Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 13:17Then I
contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is
this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? 13:18Didn't
your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this evil on us, and
on this city? yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.
13:19It came to pass that, when the
gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that
the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened
until after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I over the gates,
that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. 13:20So the merchants and sellers of
all kind of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21Then I testified against them,
and said to them, Why lodge you about the wall? if you do so again, I will
lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.
13:22I commanded the Levites that
they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the
gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and
spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness. 13:23In those days also saw I the
Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 13:24and their children spoke half in
the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but
according to the language of each people. 13:25I
contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and
plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, You
shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for
your sons, or for yourselves. 13:26Did not Solomon king of Israel
sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him,
and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel:
nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin. 13:27Shall we then listen to you to
do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign
women? 13:28One of the sons of Joiada, the
son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite:
therefore I chased him from me. 13:29Remember
them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant
of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 13:30Thus
cleansed I them from all foreigners, and appointed charges for the priests
and for the Levites, everyone in his work; 13:31and for
the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember
me, my God, for good.
