Nehemiah 1
- 1
- The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month
Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol,
- 2
- that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked
them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and
about Jerusalem.
- 3
- They said to me, ""The remnant there in the province who survived the
captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is
broken down and its gates are burned with fire.''
- 4
- When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I
was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
- 5
- I said, ""I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God,
who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep
His commandments,
- 6
- let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of
Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of
the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel
which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.
- 7
- "" We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the
commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your
servant Moses.
- 8
- ""Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, " If
you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;
- 9
- but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those
of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I
will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have
chosen to cause My name to dwell.'
- 10
- "" They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great
power and by Your strong hand.
- 11
- ""O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your
servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and
make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.''
Now I was the cupbearer to the king. 2
Nehemiah 2
- 1
- And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King
Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to
the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
- 2
- So the king said to me, ""Why is your face sad though you are not sick?
This is nothing but sadness of heart.'' Then I was very much afraid.
- 3
- I said to the king, "" Let the king live forever. Why should my face not
be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its
gates have been consumed by fire?''
- 4
- Then the king said to me, ""What would you request?'' So I prayed to the
God of heaven.
- 5
- I said to the king, ""If it please the king, and if your servant has found
favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I
may rebuild it.''
- 6
- Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, ""How long will
your journey be, and when will you return?'' So it pleased the king to send
me, and I gave him a definite time.
- 7
- And I said to the king, ""If it please the king, let letters be given me
for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to
pass through until I come to Judah,
- 8
- and 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 fortress which is by the temple, for
the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.'' And the king
granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.
- 9
- Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave
them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army
and horsemen.
- 10
- When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about
it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare
of the sons of Israel.
- 11
- So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.
- 12
- And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone
what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no
animal with me except the animal on which I was riding.
- 13
- So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon's
Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were
broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire.
- 14
- Then I passed on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was
no place for my mount to pass.
- 15
- So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered
the Valley Gate again and returned.
- 16
- The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I
as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who
did the work.
- 17
- Then I said to them, ""You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem
is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of
Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.''
- 18
- I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about
the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, ""Let us arise and
build.'' So they put their hands to the good work.
- 19
- But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and
Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, ""What is
this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?''
- 20
- So I answered them and said to them, "" The God of heaven will give us
success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no
portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.'' 3
Nehemiah 3
- 1
- Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and
built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated
the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel.
- 2
- Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of
Imri built.
- 3
- Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and
hung its doors with its bolts and bars.
- 4
- Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs. And
next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel made repairs.
And next to him Zadok the son of Baana also made repairs.
- 5
- Moreover, next to him the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not
support the work of their masters.
- 6
- Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the
Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars.
- 7
- Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of
Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs for the official seat of the governor
of the province beyond the River.
- 8
- Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths made repairs. And
next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored
Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
- 9
- Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, the official of half the district of
Jerusalem, made repairs.
- 10
- Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house.
And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs.
- 11
- Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired
another section and the Tower of Furnaces.
- 12
- Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the
district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.
- 13
- Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built
it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of
the wall to the Refuse Gate.
- 14
- Malchijah the son of Rechab, the official of the district of
Beth-haccherem repaired the Refuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with
its bolts and its bars.
- 15
- Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah,
repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with
its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king's
garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David.
- 16
- After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, official of half the district of
Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as
far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men.
- 17
- After him the Levites carried out repairs under Rehum the son of Bani.
Next to him Hashabiah, the official of half the district of Keilah, carried
out repairs for his district.
- 18
- After him their brothers carried out repairs under Bavvai the son of
Henadad, official of the other half of the district of Keilah.
- 19
- Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the official of Mizpah, repaired
another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle.
- 20
- After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section,
from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
- 21
- After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another
section, from the doorway of Eliashib's house even as far as the end of his
house.
- 22
- After him the priests, the men of the valley, carried out repairs.
- 23
- After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their
house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, carried out
repairs beside his house.
- 24
- After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the
house of Azariah as far as the Angle and as far as the corner.
- 25
- Palal the son of Uzai made repairs in front of the Angle and the tower
projecting from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the
guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
- 26
- The temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of
the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower.
- 27
- After them the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great
projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel.
- 28
- Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his
house.
- 29
- After them Zadok the son of Immer carried out repairs in front of his
house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East
Gate, carried out repairs.
- 30
- After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of
Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah
carried out repairs in front of his own quarters.
- 31
- After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as
the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the
Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner.
- 32
- Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and
the merchants carried out repairs. 4
Nehemiah 4
- 1
- Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the
wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.
- 2
- He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria
and said, ""What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for
themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they
revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?''
- 3
- Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, ""Even what they are
building if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!''
- 4
- Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own
heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.
- 5
- Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before
You, for they have demoralized the builders.
- 6
- So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its
height, for the people had a mind to work.
- 7
- Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites
heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches
began to be closed, they were very angry.
- 8
- All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to
cause a disturbance in it.
- 9
- But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against
them day and night.
- 10
- Thus in Judah it was said, ""The strength of the burden bearers is
failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the
wall.''
- 11
- Our enemies said, ""They will not know or see until we come among them,
kill them and put a stop to the work.''
- 12
- When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, "" They will
come up against us from every place where you may turn,''
- 13
- then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the
exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords,
spears and bows.
- 14
- When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and
the rest of the people: "" Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is
great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters,
your wives and your houses.''
- 15
- When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had
frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his
work.
- 16
- From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of
them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the
captains were behind the whole house of Judah.
- 17
- Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took
their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.
- 18
- As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built,
while the trumpeter stood near me.
- 19
- I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ""The work
is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.
- 20
- ""At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there.
Our God will fight for us.''
- 21
- So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until
the stars appeared.
- 22
- At that time I also said to the people, ""Let each man with his servant
spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night
and a laborer by day.''
- 23
- So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who
followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the
water. 5
Nehemiah 5
- 1
- Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against
their Jewish brothers.
- 2
- For there were those who said, ""We, our sons and our daughters are many;
therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.''
- 3
- There were others who said, ""We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards
and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.''
- 4
- Also there were those who said, ""We have borrowed money for the king's
tax on our fields and our vineyards.
- 5
- ""Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their
children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves,
and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless
because our fields and vineyards belong to others.''
- 6
- Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words.
- 7
- I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and
said to them, "" You are exacting usury, each from his brother!'' Therefore, I
held a great assembly against them.
- 8
- I said to them, ""We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish
brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers
that they may be sold to us?'' Then they were silent and could not find a word
to say.
- 9
- Again I said, ""The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not
walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our
enemies?
- 10
- ""And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and
grain. Please, let us leave off this usury.
- 11
- ""Please, give back to them this very 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 are exacting from them.''
- 12
- Then they said, ""We will give it back and will require nothing from them;
we will do exactly as you say.'' So I called the priests and took an oath from
them that they would do according to this promise.
- 13
- I also shook out the front of my garment and said, ""Thus may God shake
out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill
this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.'' And all the
assembly said, ""Amen!'' And they praised the LORD. Then the people did
according to this promise.
- 14
- Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the
land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King
Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the
governor's food allowance.
- 15
- But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and
took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their
servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of
God.
- 16
- I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land,
and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
- 17
- Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials,
besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.
- 18
- Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep,
also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were
furnished in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the governor's food
allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people.
- 19
- Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for
this people. 6
Nehemiah 6
- 1
- Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to
the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach
remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
- 2
- then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, ""Come, let us
meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.'' But they were planning to
harm me.
- 3
- So I sent messengers to them, saying, ""I am doing a great work and I
cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to
you?''
- 4
- They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in
the same way.
- 5
- Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with
an open letter in his hand.
- 6
- In it was written, ""It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says,
that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the
wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.
- 7
- ""You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning
you, "A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according
to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.''
- 8
- Then I sent a message to him saying, ""Such things as you are saying have
not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.''
- 9
- For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "" They will become
discouraged with the work and it will not be done.'' But now, O God,
strengthen my hands.
- 10
- When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel,
who was confined at home, he said, ""Let us meet together in the house of God,
within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are
coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.''
- 11
- But I said, "" Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into
the temple to save his life? I will not go in.''
- 12
- Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his
prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
- 13
- He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act
accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they
could reproach me.
- 14
- Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of
theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were
trying to frighten me.
- 15
- So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in
fifty-two days.
- 16
- When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw
it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been
accomplished with the help of our God.
- 17
- Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah,
and Tobiah's letters came to them.
- 18
- For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law
of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter
of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
- 19
- Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and
reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
7
Nehemiah 7
- 1
- Now when the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the
gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
- 2
- then I put Hanani my brother, and Hananiah the commander of the fortress,
in charge of Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than
many.
- 3
- Then I said to them, ""Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until
the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the
doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his
post, and each in front of his own house.''
- 4
- Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the
houses were not built.
- 5
- Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and
the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the
genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record:
- 6
- These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the
exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who
returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city,
- 7
- who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of men of the
people of Israel:
- 8
- the sons of Parosh, 2,172;
- 9
- the sons of Shephatiah, 372;
- 10
- the sons of Arah, 652;
- 11
- the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818;
- 12
- the sons of Elam, 1,254;
- 13
- the sons of Zattu, 845;
- 14
- the sons of Zaccai, 760;
- 15
- the sons of Binnui, 648;
- 16
- the sons of Bebai, 628;
- 17
- the sons of Azgad, 2,322;
- 18
- the sons of Adonikam, 667;
- 19
- the sons of Bigvai, 2,067;
- 20
- the sons of Adin, 655;
- 21
- the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98;
- 22
- the sons of Hashum, 328;
- 23
- the sons of Bezai, 324;
- 24
- the sons of Hariph, 112;
- 25
- the sons of Gibeon, 95;
- 26
- the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;
- 27
- the men of Anathoth, 128;
- 28
- the men of Beth-azmaveth, 42;
- 29
- the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743;
- 30
- the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
- 31
- the men of Michmas, 122;
- 32
- the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;
- 33
- the men of the other Nebo, 52;
- 34
- the sons of the other Elam, 1,254;
- 35
- the sons of Harim, 320;
- 36
- the men of Jericho, 345;
- 37
- the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721;
- 38
- the sons of Senaah, 3,930.
- 39
- The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973;
- 40
- the sons of Immer, 1,052;
- 41
- the sons of Pashhur, 1,247;
- 42
- the sons of Harim, 1,017.
- 43
- The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodevah, 74.
- 44
- The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148.
- 45
- The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of
Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.
- 46
- The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of
Tabbaoth,
- 47
- the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon,
- 48
- the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai,
- 49
- the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,
- 50
- the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda,
- 51
- the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
- 52
- the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim,
- 53
- the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
- 54
- the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
- 55
- the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,
- 56
- the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
- 57
- The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth,
the sons of Perida,
- 58
- the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
- 59
- the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of
Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon.
- 60
- All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.
- 61
- These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon and
Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses or their descendants,
whether they were of Israel:
- 62
- the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642.
- 63
- Of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of
Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and
was named after them.
- 64
- These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be
located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the
priesthood.
- 65
- The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy
things until a priest arose with Urim and Thummim.
- 66
- The whole assembly together was 42,360,
- 67
- besides their male and their female servants, of whom there were 7,337;
and they had 245 male and female singers.
- 68
- Their horses were 736; their mules, 245;
- 69
- their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
- 70
- Some from among the heads of fathers' households gave to the work. The
governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests'
garments.
- 71
- Some of the heads of fathers' households gave into the treasury of the
work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas.
- 72
- That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000
silver minas and 67 priests' garments.
- 73
- Now the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the
people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities. And when
the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.
8
Nehemiah 8
- 1
- And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of
the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of
Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.
- 2
- Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and
all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh
month.
- 3
- He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate
from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who
could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
- 4
- Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the
purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and
Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum,
Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand.
- 5
- Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing
above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
- 6
- Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, ""
Amen, Amen!'' while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped
the LORD with their faces to the ground.
- 7
- Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah,
Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to
the people while the people remained in their place.
- 8
- They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the
sense so that they understood the reading.
- 9
- Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and
the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "" This day is holy
to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.'' For all the people were weeping
when they heard the words of the law.
- 10
- Then he said to them, ""Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send
portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do
not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.''
- 11
- So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, ""Be still, for the day is
holy; do not be grieved.''
- 12
- All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to
celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been
made known to them.
- 13
- Then on the second day the heads of fathers' households of all the people,
the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might
gain insight into the words of the law.
- 14
- They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses
that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh
month.
- 15
- So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and
in Jerusalem, saying, "" Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and
wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other
leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.''
- 16
- So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves,
each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God,
and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.
- 17
- The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made
booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the
days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing.
- 18
- He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the
last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day
there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.
9
Nehemiah 9
- 1
- Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled
with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.
- 2
- The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and
stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
- 3
- While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the
LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed
and worshiped the LORD their God.
- 4
- Now on the Levites' platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah,
Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the
LORD their God.
- 5
- Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah,
Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, ""Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and
ever! O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and
praise!
- 6
- "" You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of
heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all
that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down
before You.
- 7
- ""You are the LORD God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the
Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham.
- 8
- ""You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To
give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the
Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite To give it to his descendants. And
You have fulfilled Your promise, For You are righteous.
- 9
- "" You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by
the Red Sea.
- 10
- ""Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his
servants and all the people of his land; For You knew that they acted
arrogantly toward them, And made a name for Yourself as it is this day.
- 11
- "" You divided the sea before them, So they passed through the midst of
the sea on dry ground; And their pursuers You hurled into the depths, Like a
stone into raging waters.
- 12
- ""And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of
fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.
- 13
- ""Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You
gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
- 14
- ""So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, And laid down for them
commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses.
- 15
- ""You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You brought
forth water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You told them to enter
in order to possess The land which You swore to give them.
- 16
- ""But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would
not listen to Your commandments.
- 17
- ""They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which
You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader
to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness,
Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And
You did not forsake them.
- 18
- ""Even when they made for themselves A calf of molten metal And said,
"This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt,' And committed great
blasphemies,
- 19
- You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The
pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the
pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.
- 20
- "" You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not
withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst.
- 21
- ""Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they
were not in want; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.
- 22
- ""You also gave them kingdoms and peoples, And allotted them to them as a
boundary. They took possession of the land of Sihon the king of Heshbon And
the land of Og the king of Bashan.
- 23
- ""You made their sons numerous as the stars of heaven, And You brought
them into the land Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess.
- 24
- "" So their sons entered and possessed the land. And You subdued before
them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And You gave them into their
hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, To do with them as they
desired.
- 25
- "" They captured fortified cities and a fertile land. They took possession
of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves,
Fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled and grew fat, And reveled
in Your great goodness.
- 26
- "" But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law
behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that
they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies.
- 27
- ""Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who
oppressed them, But when they cried to You in the time of their distress, You
heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion You gave them
deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.
- 28
- ""But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You; Therefore
You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them.
When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven, And many times You
rescued them according to Your compassion,
- 29
- And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law. Yet they acted
arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your
ordinances, By which if a man observes them he shall live. And they turned a
stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.
- 30
- "" However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your
Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. Therefore You gave
them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
- 31
- ""Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them
or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God.
- 32
- ""Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who
keeps covenant and lovingkindness, Do not let all the hardship seem
insignificant before You, Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our
priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of
the kings of Assyria to this day.
- 33
- ""However, You are just in all that has come upon us; For You have dealt
faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.
- 34
- ""For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept
Your law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with
which You have admonished them.
- 35
- ""But they, in their own kingdom, With Your great goodness which You gave
them, With the broad and rich land which You set before them, Did not serve
You or turn from their evil deeds.
- 36
- ""Behold, we are slaves today, And as to the land which You gave to our
fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty, Behold, we are slaves in it.
- 37
- "" Its abundant produce is for the kings Whom You have set over us because
of our sins; They also rule over our bodies And over our cattle as they
please, So we are in great distress.
- 38
- "" Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on
the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our
priests.'' 10
Nehemiah 10
- 1
- Now on the sealed document were the names of: Nehemiah the governor, the
son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
- 2
- Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
- 3
- Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,
- 4
- Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
- 5
- Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
- 6
- Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
- 7
- Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
- 8
- Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah. These were the priests.
- 9
- And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad,
Kadmiel;
- 10
- also their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
- 11
- Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
- 12
- Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
- 13
- Hodiah, Bani, Beninu.
- 14
- The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
- 15
- Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
- 16
- Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
- 17
- Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
- 18
- Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
- 19
- Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
- 20
- Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
- 21
- Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
- 22
- Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
- 23
- Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
- 24
- Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
- 25
- Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
- 26
- Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
- 27
- Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
- 28
- Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the
singers, the temple servants 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, all those who had knowledge and understanding,
- 29
- are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves
a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given through Moses, God's
servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of GOD our Lord, and
His ordinances and His statutes;
- 30
- and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take
their daughters for our sons.
- 31
- As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath
day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we
will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.
- 32
- We also placed ourselves under obligation to contribute yearly one third
of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
- 33
- for the showbread, for the continual grain offering, for the continual
burnt offering, the sabbaths, the new moon, for the appointed times, for the
holy things and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all
the work of the house of our God.
- 34
- Likewise we cast lots for the supply of wood among the priests, the
Levites and the people so that they might bring it to the house of our God,
according to our fathers' households, at fixed times annually, to burn on the
altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law;
- 35
- and that they might bring the first fruits of our ground and the first
fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the LORD annually,
- 36
- and bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our
cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the
law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God.
- 37
- We will also bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of
every tree, the new wine and the oil to the priests at the chambers of the
house of our God, and the tithe of our ground to the Levites, for the Levites
are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns.
- 38
- The priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites
receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the
house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse.
- 39
- For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution
of the grain, the new wine and the oil to the chambers; there are the utensils
of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers and the
singers. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.
11
Nehemiah 11
- 1
- Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the
people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city,
while nine-tenths remained in the other cities.
- 2
- And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
- 3
- Now these are the heads of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem, but in
the cities of Judah each lived on his own property in their citiesthe
Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants and the descendants
of Solomon's servants.
- 4
- Some of the sons of Judah and some of the sons of Benjamin lived in
Jerusalem. From the sons 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 sons of Perez;
- 5
- and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah,
the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the
Shilonite.
- 6
- All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 able men.
- 7
- Now these 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;
- 8
- and after him Gabbai and Sallai, 928.
- 9
- Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Hassenuah
was second in command of the city.
- 10
- From the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,
- 11
- Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the
son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the leader of the house of God,
- 12
- and their kinsmen who performed the work of the temple, 822; 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,
- 13
- and his kinsmen, heads of fathers' households, 242; and Amashsai the son
of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
- 14
- and their brothers, valiant warriors, 128. And their overseer was Zabdiel,
the son of Haggedolim.
- 15
- Now from the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the
son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
- 16
- and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the Levites, who were in
charge of the outside work of the house of God;
- 17
- and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was
the leader in beginning the thanksgiving at prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second
among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of
Jeduthun.
- 18
- All the Levites in the holy city were 284.
- 19
- Also the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brethren who kept watch at
the gates, were 172.
- 20
- The rest of Israel, of the priests and of the Levites, were in all the
cities of Judah, each on his own inheritance.
- 21
- But the temple servants were living in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in
charge of the temple servants.
- 22
- Now the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the
son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, from the sons of
Asaph, who were the singers for the service of the house of God.
- 23
- For there was a commandment from the king concerning them and a firm
regulation for the song leaders day by day.
- 24
- Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah,
was the king's representative in all matters concerning the people.
- 25
- Now as for the villages with their fields, some of the sons of Judah lived
in Kiriath-arba and its towns, in Dibon and its towns, and in Jekabzeel and
its villages,
- 26
- and in Jeshua, in Moladah and Beth-pelet,
- 27
- and in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba and its towns,
- 28
- and in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns,
- 29
- and in En-rimmon, in Zorah and in Jarmuth,
- 30
- Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and
its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba as far as the valley of Hinnom.
- 31
- The sons of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, at
Bethel and its towns,
- 32
- at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
- 33
- Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
- 34
- Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
- 35
- Lod and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
- 36
- From the Levites, some divisions in Judah belonged to Benjamin.
12
Nehemiah 12
- 1
- Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the
son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
- 2
- Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
- 3
- Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
- 4
- Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
- 5
- Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
- 6
- Shemaiah and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
- 7
- Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and
their kinsmen in the days of Jeshua.
- 8
- The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah
who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his brothers.
- 9
- Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, stood opposite them in their
service divisions.
- 10
- Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of
Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada,
- 11
- and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father
of Jaddua.
- 12
- Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers' households
were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
- 13
- of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
- 14
- of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
- 15
- of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
- 16
- of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
- 17
- of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
- 18
- of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
- 19
- of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
- 20
- of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
- 21
- of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
- 22
- As for the Levites, the heads of fathers' households were registered in
the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua; so were the priests in
the reign of Darius the Persian.
- 23
- The sons of Levi, the heads of fathers' households, were registered in the
Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
- 24
- The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of
Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks, as
prescribed by David the man of God, division corresponding to division.
- 25
- Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were
gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates.
- 26
- These served 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 and scribe.
- 27
- Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites
from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate
the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the
accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.
- 28
- So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around
Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites,
- 29
- from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the
singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.
- 30
- The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the
people, the gates and the wall.
- 31
- Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I
appointed two great choirs, the first proceeding to the right on top of the
wall toward the Refuse Gate.
- 32
- Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them,
- 33
- with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
- 34
- Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,
- 35
- and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and 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,
- 36
- and his kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah
and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the
scribe went before them.
- 37
- At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the city of David
by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to the Water Gate on the
east.
- 38
- The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of
the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall,
- 39
- and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the
Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and
they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.
- 40
- Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and
half of the officials with me;
- 41
- and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah
and Hananiah, with the trumpets;
- 42
- and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and
Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader,
- 43
- and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had
given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of
Jerusalem was heard from afar.
- 44
- On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the
contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the
fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and
Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served.
- 45
- For they performed the worship of their God and the service of
purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with
the command of David and of his son Solomon.
- 46
- For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders
of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God.
- 47
- So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due
the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the
consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated
portion for the sons of Aaron. 13
Nehemiah 13
- 1
- On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the
people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should
ever enter the assembly of God,
- 2
- because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but
hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse
into a blessing.
- 3
- So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.
- 4
- Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the
chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah,
- 5
- had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain
offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and
oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the
contributions for the priests.
- 6
- But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second
year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time,
however, I asked leave from the king,
- 7
- and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done
for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.
- 8
- It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah's household goods
out of the room.
- 9
- Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the
utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.
- 10
- I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given
them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone
away, each to his own field.
- 11
- So I reprimanded the officials and said, "" Why is the house of God
forsaken?'' Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts.
- 12
- All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the
storehouses.
- 13
- In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the
scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son
of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was
their task to distribute to their kinsmen.
- 14
- Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I
have performed for the house of my God and its services.
- 15
- In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the
sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well
as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into
Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food.
- 16
- Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of
merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in
Jerusalem.
- 17
- Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, ""What is this
evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?
- 18
- "" Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on
this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by
profaning the sabbath.''
- 19
- It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before
the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should
not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at
the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day.
- 20
- Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent
the night outside Jerusalem.
- 21
- Then I warned them and said to them, ""Why do you spend the night in front
of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.'' From that
time on they did not come on the sabbath.
- 22
- And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as
gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God,
and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.
- 23
- In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod,
Ammon and Moab.
- 24
- As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of
them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own
people.
- 25
- So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and
pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, ""You shall not give your
daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for
yourselves.
- 26
- "" Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among
the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and
God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even
him to sin.
- 27
- "" Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil
by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?''
- 28
- Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a
son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me.
- 29
- Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the
covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
- 30
- Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the
priests and the Levites, each in his task,
- 31
- and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first
fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.