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The Holy
Bible
Nehemiah
Chapter 1
1 The words of Nehemiah
the son of Hachaliah. And it came
to pass in the month Chisleu, in
the twentieth year, as I was in
Shushan the palace,
2 That Hanani, one of my
brethren, came, he and certain
men of Judah; and I asked them
concerning the Jews that had
escaped, which were left of the
captivity, and concerning
Jerusalem.
3 And they said unto me,
The remnant that 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 thereof are burned with
fire.
4 And it came to pass,
when I heard these words, that I
sat down and wept, and mourned
certain days, and fasted, and
prayed before the God of
heaven,
5 And said, I beseech
thee, O LORD God of heaven, the
great and terrible God, that
keepeth covenant and mercy for
them that love him and observe
his commandments:
6 Let thine ear now be
attentive, and thine eyes open,
that thou mayest hear the prayer
of thy servant, which I pray
before thee now, day and night,
for the children of Israel thy
servants, and confess the sins of
the children of Israel, which we
have sinned against thee: both I
and my father's house have
sinned.
7 We have dealt very
corruptly against thee, and have
not kept the commandments, nor
the statutes, nor the judgments,
which thou commandedst thy
servant Moses.
8 Remember, I beseech
thee, the word that thou
commandedst thy servant Moses,
saying, If ye transgress, I will
scatter you abroad among the
nations:
9 But if ye turn unto me,
and keep my commandments, and do
them; though there were of you
cast out unto the uttermost part
of the heaven, yet will I gather
them from thence, and will bring
them unto the place that I have
chosen to set my name there.
10 Now these are thy
servants and thy people, whom
thou hast redeemed by thy great
power, and by thy strong
hand.
11 O Lord, I beseech thee,
let now thine ear be attentive to
the prayer of thy servant, and to
the prayer of thy servants, who
desire to fear thy name: and
prosper, I pray thee, thy servant
this day, and grant him mercy in
the sight of this man. For I was
the king's cupbearer.
Chapter 2
1 And it came to pass
in the month Nisan, in the
twentieth year of Artaxerxes the
king, that wine was before him:
and I took up the wine, and gave
it unto the king. Now I had not
been beforetime sad in his
presence.
2 Wherefore the king said
unto me, Why is thy countenance
sad, seeing thou art not sick?
this is nothing else but sorrow
of heart. Then I was very sore
afraid,
3 And said unto the king,
Let the king live for ever: why
should not my countenance be sad,
when the city, the place of my
fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste,
and the gates thereof are
consumed with fire?
4 Then the king said unto
me, For what dost thou make
request? So I prayed to the God
of heaven.
5 And I said unto the
king, If it please the king, and
if thy servant have found favour
in thy sight, that thou wouldest
send me unto Judah, unto the city
of my fathers' sepulchres, that I
may build it.
6 And the king said unto
me, (the queen also sitting by
him,) For how long shall thy
journey be? and when wilt thou
return? So it pleased the king to
send me; and I set him a
time.
7 Moreover I said unto the
king, If it please the king, let
letters be given me to the
governors beyond the river, that
they may convey me over till I
come into Judah;
8 And a letter unto Asaph
the keeper of the king's forest,
that he may give me timber to
make beams for the gates of the
palace which appertained to the
house, and for the wall of the
city, and for the house that I
shall enter into. And the king
granted me, according to the good
hand of my God upon me.
9 Then I came to the
governors beyond the river, and
gave them the king's letters. Now
the king had sent captains of the
army and horsemen with me.
10 When Sanballat the
Horonite, and Tobiah the servant,
the Ammonite, heard of it, it
grieved them exceedingly that
there was come a man to seek the
welfare of the children of
Israel.
11 So I came to Jerusalem,
and was there three days.
12 And I arose in the
night, I and some few men with
me; neither told I any man what
my God had put in my heart to do
at Jerusalem: neither was there
any beast with me, save the beast
that I rode upon.
13 And I went out by night
by the gate of the valley, even
before the dragon well, and to
the dung port, and viewed the
walls of Jerusalem, which were
broken down, and the gates
thereof were consumed with
fire.
14 Then I went on to the
gate of the fountain, and to the
king's pool: but there was no
place for the beast that was
under me to pass.
15 Then went I up in the
night by the brook, and viewed
the wall, and turned back, and
entered by the gate of the
valley, and so returned.
16 And the rulers knew not
whither 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 that did the
work.
17 Then said I unto them,
Ye see the distress that we are
in, how Jerusalem lieth waste,
and the gates thereof are burned
with fire: come, and let us build
up the wall of Jerusalem, that we
be no more a reproach.
18 Then I told them of the
hand of my God which was good
upon me; as also the king's words
that he had spoken unto me. And
they said, Let us rise up and
build. So they strengthened their
hands for this good work.
19 But when Sanballat the
Horonite, and Tobiah the servant,
the Ammonite, and Geshem the
Arabian, heard it, they laughed
us to scorn, and despised us, and
said, What is this thing that ye
do? will ye rebel against the
king?
20 Then answered I them,
and said unto them, The God of
heaven, he will prosper us;
therefore we his servants will
arise and build: but ye have no
portion, nor right, nor memorial,
in Jerusalem.
Chapter 3
1 Then Eliashib the
high priest rose up with his
brethren the priests, and they
builded the sheep gate; they
sanctified it, and set up the
doors of it; even unto the tower
of Meah they sanctified it, unto
the tower of Hananeel.
2 And next unto him
builded the men of Jericho. And
next to them builded Zaccur the
son of Imri.
3 But the fish gate did
the sons of Hassenaah build, who
also laid the beams thereof, and
set up the doors thereof, the
locks thereof, and the bars
thereof.
4 And next unto them
repaired Meremoth the son of
Urijah, the son of Koz. And next
unto them repaired Meshullam the
son of Berechiah, the son of
Meshezabeel. And next unto them
repaired Zadok the son of
Baana.
5 And next unto them the
Tekoites repaired; but their
nobles put not their necks to the
work of their Lord.
6 Moreover the old gate
repaired Jehoiada the son of
Paseah, and Meshullam the son of
Besodeiah; they laid the beams
thereof, and set up the doors
thereof, and the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof.
7 And next unto them
repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite,
and Jadon the Meronothite, the
men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah,
unto the throne of the governor
on this side the river.
8 Next unto him repaired
Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of
the goldsmiths. Next unto him
also repaired Hananiah the son of
one of the apothecaries, and they
fortified Jerusalem unto the
broad wall.
9 And next unto them
repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur,
the ruler of the half part of
Jerusalem.
10 And next unto them
repaired Jedaiah the son of
Harumaph, even over against his
house. And next unto him repaired
Hattush the son of
Hashabniah.
11 Malchijah the son of
Harim, and Hashub the son of
Pahath-moab, repaired the other
piece, and the tower of the
furnaces.
12 And next unto him
repaired Shallum the son of
Halohesh, the ruler of the half
part of Jerusalem, he and his
daughters.
13 The valley gate
repaired Hanun, and the
inhabitants of Zanoah; they built
it, and set up the doors thereof,
the locks thereof, and the bars
thereof, and a thousand cubits on
the wall unto the dung gate.
14 But the dung gate
repaired Malchiah the son of
Rechab, the ruler of part of
Beth-haccerem; he built it, and
set up the doors thereof, the
locks thereof, and the bars
thereof.
15 But the gate of the
fountain repaired Shallun the son
of Col-hozeh, the ruler of part
of Mizpah; he built it, and
covered it, and set up the doors
thereof, the locks thereof, and
the bars thereof, and the wall of
the pool of Siloah by the king's
garden, and unto the stairs that
go down from the city of
David.
16 After him repaired
Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the
ruler of the half part of
Beth-zur, unto the place over
against the sepulchres of David,
and to the pool that was made,
and unto the house of the
mighty.
17 After him repaired the
Levites, Rehum the son of Bani.
Next unto him repaired Hashabiah,
the ruler of the half part of
Keilah, in his part.
18 After him repaired
their brethren, Bavai the son of
Henadad, the ruler of the half
part of Keilah.
19 And next to him
repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua,
the ruler of Mizpah, another
piece over against the going up
to the armoury at the turning of
the wall.
20 After him Baruch the
son of Zabbai earnestly repaired
the other piece, from the turning
of the wall unto the door of the
house of Eliashib the high
priest.
21 After him repaired
Meremoth the son of Urijah the
son of Koz another piece, from
the door of the house of Eliashib
even to the end of the house of
Eliashib.
22 And after him repaired
the priests, the men of the
plain.
23 After him repaired
Benjamin and Hashub over against
their house. After him repaired
Azariah the son of Maaseiah the
son of Ananiah by his house.
24 After him repaired
Binnui the son of Henadad another
piece, from the house of Azariah
unto the turning of the wall,
even unto the corner.
25 Palal the son of Uzai,
over against the turning of the
wall, and the tower which lieth
out from the king's high house,
that was by the court of the
prison. After him Pedaiah the son
of Parosh.
26 Moreover the Nethinims
dwelt in Ophel, unto the place
over against the water gate
toward the east, and the tower
that lieth out.
27 After them the Tekoites
repaired another piece, over
against the great tower that
lieth out, even unto the wall of
Ophel.
28 From above the horse
gate repaired the priests, every
one over against his house.
29 After them repaired
Zadok the son of Immer over
against his house. After him
repaired also Shemaiah the son of
Shechaniah, the keeper of the
east gate.
30 After him repaired
Hananiah the son of Shelemiah,
and Hanun the sixth son of
Zalaph, another piece. After him
repaired Meshullam the son of
Berechiah over against his
chamber.
31 After him repaired
Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto
the place of the Nethinims, and
of the merchants, over against
the gate Miphkad, and to the
going up of the corner.
32 And between the going
up of the corner unto the sheep
gate repaired the goldsmiths and
the merchants.
Chapter 4
1 But it came to pass,
that when Sanballat heard that we
builded the wall, he was wroth,
and took great indignation, and
mocked the Jews.
2 And he spake before his
brethren and the army of Samaria,
and said, What do these feeble
Jews? 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 the rubbish which
are burned?
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite
was by him, and he said, Even
that which they build, if a fox
go up, he shall even break down
their stone wall.
4 Hear, O our God; for we
are despised: and turn their
reproach upon their own head, and
give them for a prey in the land
of captivity:
5 And cover not their
iniquity, and let not their sin
be blotted out from before thee:
for they have provoked thee to
anger before the builders.
6 So built we the wall;
and all the wall was joined
together unto the half thereof:
for the people had a mind to
work.
7 But it came to pass,
that when Sanballat, and Tobiah,
and the Arabians, and the
Ammonites, and the Ashdodites,
heard that the walls of Jerusalem
were made up, and that the
breaches began to be stopped,
then they were very wroth,
8 And conspired all of
them together to come and to
fight against Jerusalem, and to
hinder it.
9 Nevertheless we made our
prayer unto our God, and set a
watch against them day and night,
because of them.
10 And Judah 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.
11 And our adversaries
said, They shall not know,
neither see, till we come in the
midst among them, and slay them,
and cause the work to cease.
12 And it came to pass,
that when the Jews which dwelt by
them came, they said unto us ten
times, From all places whence ye
shall return unto us they will be
upon you.
13 Therefore set I in the
lower places behind the wall, and
on the higher places, I even set
the people after their families
with their swords, their spears,
and their bows.
14 And I looked, and rose
up, and said unto the nobles, and
to the rulers, and to the rest of
the people, Be not ye afraid of
them: remember the Lord, which is
great and terrible, and fight for
your brethren, your sons, and
your daughters, your wives, and
your houses.
15 And it came to pass,
when our enemies heard that it
was known unto us, and God had
brought their counsel to nought,
that we returned all of us to the
wall, every one unto his
work.
16 And it came to pass
from that time forth, that the
half of my servants wrought in
the work, and the other half of
them held both the spears, the
shields, and the bows, and the
habergeons; and the rulers were
behind all the house of
Judah.
17 They which builded on
the wall, and they that bare
burdens, with those that laded,
every one with one of his hands
wrought in the work, and with the
other hand held a weapon.
18 For the builders, every
one had his sword girded by his
side, and so builded. And he that
sounded the trumpet was by
me.
19 And I said unto the
nobles, and to the rulers, and to
the rest of the people, The work
is great and large, and we are
separated upon the wall, one far
from another.
20 In what place therefore
ye hear the sound of the trumpet,
resort ye thither unto us: our
God shall fight for us.
21 So we laboured in the
work: and half of them held the
spears from the rising of the
morning till the stars
appeared.
22 Likewise at the same
time said I unto the people, Let
every one with his servant lodge
within Jerusalem, that in the
night they may be a guard to us,
and labour on the day.
23 So neither I, nor my
brethren, nor my servants, nor
the men of the guard which
followed me, none of us put off
our clothes, saving that every
one put them off for washing.
Chapter 5
1 And there was a great
cry of the people and of their
wives against their brethren the
Jews.
2 For there were that
said, We, our sons, and our
daughters, are many: therefore we
take up corn for them, that we
may eat, and live.
3 Some also there were
that said, We have mortgaged our
lands, vineyards, and houses,
that we might buy corn, because
of the dearth.
4 There were also that
said, We have borrowed money for
the king's tribute, and that upon
our lands and vineyards.
5 Yet now our flesh is as
the flesh of our brethren, our
children as their children: and,
lo, we bring into bondage our
sons and our daughters to be
servants, and some of our
daughters are brought unto
bondage already: neither is it in
our power to redeem them; for
other men have our lands and
vineyards.
6 And I was very angry
when I heard their cry and these
words.
7 Then I consulted with
myself, and I rebuked the nobles,
and the rulers, and said unto
them, Ye exact usury, every one
of his brother. And I set a great
assembly against them.
8 And I said unto them, We
after our ability have redeemed
our brethren the Jews, which were
sold unto the heathen; and will
ye even sell your brethren? or
shall they be sold unto us? Then
held they their peace, and found
nothing to answer.
9 Also I said, It is not
good that ye do: ought ye not to
walk in the fear of our God
because of the reproach of the
heathen our enemies?
10 I likewise, and my
brethren, and my servants, might
exact of them money and corn: I
pray you, let us leave off this
usury.
11 Restore, I pray you, to
them, even this day, their lands,
their vineyards, their
oliveyards, and their houses,
also the the hundredth part of
the money, and of the corn, the
wine, and the oil, that ye exact
of them.
12 Then said they, We will
restore them, and will require
nothing of them; so will we do as
thou sayest. Then I called the
priests, and took an oath of
them, that they should do
according to this promise.
13 Also I shook my lap,
and said, So God shake out every
man from his house, and from his
labour, that performeth not this
promise, even thus be he shaken
out, and emptied. And all the
congregation said, Amen, and
praised the LORD. And the people
did according to this
promise.
14 Moreover from the time
that I was appointed to be their
governor in the land of Judah,
from the twentieth year even unto
the two and thirtieth year of
Artaxerxes the king, that is,
twelve years, I and my brethren
have not eaten the bread of the
governor.
15 But the former
governors that had been before me
were chargeable unto the people,
and had taken of them bread and
wine, beside forty shekels of
silver; yea, even their servants
bare rule over the people: but so
did not I, because of the fear of
God.
16 Yea, also I continued
in the work of this wall, neither
bought we any land: and all my
servants were gathered thither
unto the work.
17 Moreover there were at
my table an hundred and fifty of
the Jews and rulers, beside those
that came unto us from among the
heathen that are about us.
18 Now that which was
prepared for me daily 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 required
not I the bread of the governor,
because the bondage was heavy
upon this people.
19 Think upon me, my God,
for good, according to all that I
have done for this people.
Chapter 6
1 Now it came to pass,
when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and
Geshem the Arabian, and the rest
of our enemies, heard that I had
builded the wall, and that there
was no breach left therein;
(though at that time I had not
set up the doors upon the
gates;)
2 That Sanballat and
Geshem sent unto me, saying,
Come, let us meet together in
some one of the villages in the
plain of Ono. But they thought to
do me mischief.
3 And I sent messengers
unto them, saying, I am doing a
great work, so that I cannot come
down: why should the work cease,
whilst I leave it, and come down
to you?
4 Yet they sent unto me
four times after this sort; and I
answered them after the same
manner.
5 Then sent Sanballat his
servant unto me in like manner
the fifth time with an open
letter in his hand;
6 Wherein was written, It
is reported among the heathen,
and Gashmu saith it, that thou
and the Jews think to rebel: for
which cause thou buildest the
wall, that thou mayest be their
king, according to these
words.
7 And thou hast also
appointed prophets to preach of
thee 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.
8 Then I sent unto him,
saying, There are no such things
done as thou sayest, but thou
feignest them out of thine own
heart.
9 For they all made us
afraid, saying, Their hands shall
be weakened from the work, that
it be not done. Now therefore, O
God, strengthen my hands.
10 Afterward I came unto
the house of Shemaiah the son of
Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel,
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 slay thee;
yea, in the night will they come
to slay thee.
11 And I said, Should such
a man as I flee? and who is
there, that, being as I am, would
go into the temple to save his
life? I will not go in.
12 And, lo, I perceived
that God had not sent him; but
that he pronounced this prophecy
against me: for Tobiah and
Sanballat had hired him.
13 Therefore 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.
14 My God, think thou upon
Tobiah and Sanballat according to
these their works, and on the
prophetess Noadiah, and the rest
of the prophets, that would have
put me in fear.
15 So the wall was
finished in the twenty and fifth
day of the month Elul, in fifty
and two days.
16 And it came to pass,
that when all our enemies heard
thereof, and all the heathen that
were about us saw these things,
they were much cast down in their
own eyes: for they perceived that
this work was wrought of our
God.
17 Moreover in those days
the nobles of Judah sent many
letters unto Tobiah, and the
letters of Tobiah came unto
them.
18 For there were many in
Judah sworn unto him, because he
was the son in law of Shechaniah
the son of Arah; and his son
Johanan had taken the daughter of
Meshullam the son of
Berechiah.
19 Also they reported his
good deeds before me, and uttered
my words to him. And Tobiah sent
letters to put me in fear.
Chapter 7
1 Now it came to pass,
when the wall was built, and I
had set up the doors, and the
porters and the singers and the
Levites were appointed,
2 That I gave my brother
Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of
the palace, charge over
Jerusalem: for he was a faithful
man, and feared God above
many.
3 And I said unto them,
Let not the gates of Jerusalem be
opened until the sun be hot; and
while they stand by, let them
shut the doors, and bar them: and
appoint watches of the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, every
one in his watch, and every one
to be over against his house.
4 Now the city was large
and great: but the people were
few therein, and the houses were
not builded.
5 And my God put into mine
heart to gather together the
nobles, and the rulers, and the
people, that they might be
reckoned by genealogy. And I
found a register of the genealogy
of them which came up at the
first, and found written
therein,
6 These are the children
of the province, that went up out
of the captivity, of those that
had been carried away, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon had carried away, and
came again to Jerusalem and to
Judah, every one unto his
city;
7 Who came with
Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah,
Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth,
Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The
number, I say, of the men of the
people of Israel was this;
8 The children of Parosh,
two thousand an hundred seventy
and two.
9 The children of
Shephatiah, three hundred seventy
and two.
10 The children of Arah,
six hundred fifty and two.
11 The children of
Pahath-moab, of the children of
Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and
eight hundred and eighteen.
12 The children of Elam, a
thousand two hundred fifty and
four.
13 The children of Zattu,
eight hundred forty and five.
14 The children of Zaccai,
seven hundred and threescore.
15 The children of Binnui,
six hundred forty and eight.
16 The children of Bebai,
six hundred twenty and eight.
17 The children of Azgad,
two thousand three hundred twenty
and two.
18 The children of
Adonikam, six hundred threescore
and seven.
19 The children of Bigvai,
two thousand threescore and
seven.
20 The children of Adin,
six hundred fifty and five.
21 The children of Ater of
Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
22 The children of Hashum,
three hundred twenty and
eight.
23 The children of Bezai,
three hundred twenty and
four.
24 The children of Hariph,
an hundred and twelve.
25 The children of Gibeon,
ninety and five.
26 The men of Bethlehem
and Netophah, an hundred
fourscore and eight.
27 The men of Anathoth, an
hundred twenty and eight.
28 The men of
Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.
29 The men of
Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and
Beeroth, seven hundred forty and
three.
30 The men of Ramah and
Geba, six hundred twenty and
one.
31 The men of Michmas, an
hundred and twenty and two.
32 The men of Bethel and
Ai, an hundred twenty and
three.
33 The men of the other
Nebo, fifty and two.
34 The children of the
other Elam, a thousand two
hundred fifty and four.
35 The children of Harim,
three hundred and twenty.
36 The children of
Jericho, three hundred forty and
five.
37 The children of Lod,
Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred
twenty and one.
38 The children of Senaah,
three thousand nine hundred and
thirty.
39 The priests: the
children of Jedaiah, of the house
of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy
and three.
40 The children of Immer,
a thousand fifty and two.
41 The children of Pashur,
a thousand two hundred forty and
seven.
42 The children of Harim,
a thousand and seventeen.
43 The Levites: the
children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel,
and of the children of Hodevah,
seventy and four.
44 The singers: the
children of Asaph, an hundred
forty and eight.
45 The 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, an hundred thirty and
eight.
46 The Nethinims: the
children of Ziha, the children of
Hashupha, the children of
Tabbaoth,
47 The children of Keros,
the children of Sia, the children
of Padon,
48 The children of Lebana,
the children of Hagaba, the
children of Shalmai,
49 The children of Hanan,
the children of Giddel, the
children of Gahar,
50 The children of Reaiah,
the children of Rezin, the
children of Nekoda,
51 The children of Gazzam,
the children of Uzza, the
children of Phaseah,
52 The children of Besai,
the children of Meunim, the
children of Nephishesim,
53 The children of Bakbuk,
the children of Hakupha, the
children of Harhur,
54 The children of
Bazlith, the children of Mehida,
the children of Harsha,
55 The children of Barkos,
the children of Sisera, the
children of Tamah,
56 The children of Neziah,
the children of Hatipha.
57 The children of
Solomon's servants: the children
of Sotai, the children of
Sophereth, the children of
Perida,
58 The children of Jaala,
the children of Darkon, the
children of Giddel,
59 The children of
Shephatiah, the children of
Hattil, the children of Pochereth
of Zebaim, the children of
Amon.
60 All the Nethinims, and
the children of Solomon's
servants, were three hundred
ninety and two.
61 And these were they
which went up also from Telmelah,
Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and
Immer: but they could not shew
their father's house, nor their
seed, whether they were of
Israel.
62 The children of
Delaiah, the children of Tobiah,
the children of Nekoda, six
hundred forty and two.
63 And of the priests: the
children of Habaiah, the children
of Koz, the children of
Barzillai, which took one of the
daughters of Barzillai the
Gileadite to wife, and was called
after their name.
64 These sought their
register among those that were
reckoned by genealogy, but it was
not found: therefore were they,
as polluted, put from the
priesthood.
65 And the Tirshatha said
unto them, that they should not
eat of the most holy things, till
there stood up a priest with Urim
and Thummim.
66 The whole congregation
together was forty and two
thousand three hundred and
threescore,
67 Beside their
manservants and their
maidservants, of whom there were
seven thousand three hundred
thirty and seven: and they had
two hundred forty and five
singing men and singing
women.
68 Their horses, seven
hundred thirty and six: their
mules, two hundred forty and
five:
69 Their camels, four
hundred thirty and five: six
thousand seven hundred and twenty
asses.
70 And some of the chief
of the fathers gave unto the
work. The Tirshatha gave to the
treasure a thousand drams of
gold, fifty basons, five hundred
and thirty priests' garments.
71 And some of the chief
of the fathers gave to the
treasure of the work twenty
thousand drams of gold, and two
thousand and two hundred pound of
silver.
72 And that which the rest
of the people gave was twenty
thousand drams of gold, and two
thousand pound of silver, and
threescore and seven priests'
garments.
73 So the priests, and the
Levites, and the porters, and the
singers, and some of the people,
and the Nethinims, and all
Israel, dwelt in their cities;
and when the seventh month came,
the children of Israel were in
their cities.
Chapter 8
1 And all the people
gathered themselves together as
one man into the street that was
before the water gate; and they
spake unto Ezra the scribe to
bring the book of the law of
Moses, which the LORD had
commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest
brought the law before the
congregation both of men and
women, and all that could hear
with understanding, upon the
first day of the seventh
month.
3 And he read therein
before the street that was before
the water gate from the morning
until midday, before the men and
the women, and those that could
understand; and the ears of all
the people were attentive unto
the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe
stood upon a pulpit of wood,
which they had made for the
purpose; and beside him stood
Mattithiah, and Shema, and
Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah,
and Maaseiah, on his right hand;
and on his left hand, Pedaiah,
and Mishael, and Malchiah, and
Hashum, and Hashbadana,
Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra 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:
6 And Ezra blessed the
LORD, the great God. And all the
people answered, Amen, Amen, with
lifting up their hands: and they
bowed their heads, and worshipped
the LORD with their faces to the
ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani,
and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,
Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah,
Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan,
Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused
the people to understand the law:
and the people stood in their
place.
8 So they read in the book
in the law of God distinctly, and
gave the sense, and caused them
to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is
the Tirshatha, and Ezra the
priest the scribe, and the
Levites that taught the people,
said unto all the people, This
day is holy unto the LORD your
God; mourn not, nor weep. For all
the people wept, when they heard
the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them,
Go your way, eat the fat, and
drink the sweet, and send
portions unto them for whom
nothing is prepared: for this day
is holy unto our Lord: neither be
ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD
is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled
all the people, saying, Hold your
peace, for the day is holy;
neither be ye grieved.
12 And all 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 unto them.
13 And on the second day
were gathered together the chief
of the fathers of all the people,
the priests, and the Levites,
unto Ezra the scribe, even to
understand the words of the
law.
14 And they found written
in the law which the LORD had
commanded by Moses, that the
children of Israel should dwell
in booths in the feast of the
seventh month:
15 And that they should
publish and proclaim in all their
cities, and in Jerusalem, saying,
Go forth unto the mount, and
fetch olive branches, and pine
branches, and myrtle branches,
and palm branches, and branches
of thick trees, to make booths,
as it is written.
16 So the people went
forth, and brought them, and made
themselves booths, every one upon
the roof of his house, and in
their courts, and in the courts
of the house of God, and in the
street of the water gate, and in
the street of the gate of
Ephraim.
17 And all the
congregation of them that were
come again out of the captivity
made booths, and sat under the
booths: for since the days of
Jeshua the son of Nun unto that
day had not the children of
Israel done so. And there was
very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from
the first day unto the last day,
he read in the book of the law of
God. And they kept the feast
seven days; and on the eighth day
was a solemn assembly, according
unto the manner.
Chapter 9
1 Now in the twenty and
fourth day of this month the
children of Israel were assembled
with fasting, and with
sackclothes, and earth upon
them.
2 And the seed of Israel
separated themselves from all
strangers, and stood and
confessed their sins, and the
iniquities of their fathers.
3 And they stood up in
their place, and read in the book
of the law of the LORD their God
one fourth part of the day; and
another fourth part they
confessed, and worshipped the
LORD their God.
4 Then stood up upon the
stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua,
and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah,
Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and
Chenani, and cried with a loud
voice unto the LORD their
God.
5 Then the Levites,
Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani,
Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah,
Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said,
Stand up and bless the LORD your
God for ever and ever: and
blessed be thy glorious name,
which is exalted above all
blessing and praise.
6 Thou, even thou, art
LORD alone; thou hast made
heaven, the heaven of heavens,
with all their host, the earth,
and all things that are therein,
the seas, and all that is
therein, and thou preservest them
all; and the host of heaven
worshippeth thee.
7 Thou art the LORD the
God, who didst choose Abram, and
broughtest him forth out of Ur of
the Chaldees, and gavest him the
name of Abraham;
8 And foundest his heart
faithful before thee, and madest
a covenant with him to give the
land of the Canaanites, the
Hittites, the Amorites, and the
Perizzites, and the Jebusites,
and the Girgashites, to give it,
I say, to his seed, and hast
performed thy words; for thou art
righteous:
9 And didst see the
affliction of our fathers in
Egypt, and heardest their cry by
the Red sea;
10 And shewedst signs and
wonders upon Pharoah, and on all
his servants, and on all the
people of his land: for thou
knewest that they dealt proudly
against them. So didst thou get
thee a name, as it is this
day.
11 And thou didst divide
the sea before them, so that they
went through the midst of the sea
on the dry land; and their
persecutors thou threwest into
the deeps, as a stone into the
mighty waters.
12 Moreover thou leddest
them in the day by a cloudy
pillar; and in the night by a
pillar of fire, to give them
light in the way wherein they
should go.
13 Thou camest down also
upon mount Sinai, and spakest
with them from heaven, and gavest
them right judgments, and true
laws, good statutes and
commandments:
14 And madest known unto
them thy holy sabbath, and
commandedst them precepts,
statutes, and laws, by the hand
of Moses thy servant:
15 And gavest them bread
from heaven for their hunger, and
broughtest forth water for them
out of the rock for their thirst,
and promisedst them that they
should go in to possess the land
which thou hadst sworn to give
them.
16 But they and our
fathers dealt proudly, and
hardened their necks, and
hearkened not to thy
commandments,
17 And refused to obey,
neither were mindful of thy
wonders that thou didst among
them; but hardened their necks,
and in their rebellion appointed
a captain to return to their
bondage: but thou art a God ready
to pardon, gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great
kindness, and forsookest them
not.
18 Yea, when they had made
them a molten calf, and said,
This is thy God that brought thee
up out of Egypt, and had wrought
great provocations;
19 Yet thou in thy
manifold mercies forsookest them
not in the wilderness: the pillar
of the cloud departed not from
them by day, to lead them in the
way; neither the pillar of fire
by night, to shew them light, and
the way wherein they should
go.
20 Thou gavest also thy
good spirit to instruct them, and
withheldest not thy manna from
their mouth, and gavest them
water for their thirst.
21 Yea, forty years didst
thou sustain them in the
wilderness, so that they lacked
nothing; their clothes waxed not
old, and their feet swelled
not.
22 Moreover thou gavest
them kingdoms and nations, and
didst divide them into corners:
so they possessed the land of
Sihon, and the land of the king
of Heshbon, and the land of Og
king of Bashan.
23 Their children also
multipliedst thou as the stars of
heaven, and broughtest them into
the land, concerning which thou
hadst promised to their fathers,
that they should go in to possess
it.
24 So the children went in
and possessed the land, and thou
subduedst before them the
inhabitants of the land, the
Canaanites, and gavest them into
their hands, with their kings,
and the people of the land, that
they might do with them as they
would.
25 And they took strong
cities, and a fat land, and
possessed houses full of all
goods, wells digged, vineyards,
and oliveyards, and fruit trees
in abundance: so they did eat,
and were filled, and became fat,
and delighted themselves in thy
great goodness.
26 Nevertheless they were
disobedient, and rebelled against
thee, and cast thy law behind
their backs, and slew thy
prophets which testified against
them to turn them to thee, and
they wrought great
provocations.
27 Therefore thou
deliveredst them into the hand of
their enemies, who vexed them:
and in the time of their trouble,
when they cried unto thee, thou
heardest them from heaven; and
according to thy manifold mercies
thou gavest them saviours, who
saved them out of the hand of
their enemies.
28 But after they had
rest, they did evil again before
thee: therefore leftest thou them
in the hand of their enemies, so
that they had the dominion over
them: yet when they returned, and
cried unto thee, thou heardest
them from heaven; and many times
didst thou deliver them according
to thy mercies;
29 And testifiedst against
them, that thou mightest bring
them again unto thy law: yet they
dealt proudly, and hearkened not
unto thy commandments, but sinned
against thy judgments, (which if
a man do, he shall live in them;)
and withdrew the shoulder, and
hardened their neck, and would
not hear.
30 Yet many years didst
thou forbear them, and
testifiedst against them by thy
spirit in thy prophets: yet would
they not give ear: therefore
gavest thou them into the hand of
the people of the lands.
31 Nevertheless for thy
great mercies' sake thou didst
not utterly consume them, nor
forsake them; for thou art a
gracious and merciful God.
32 Now therefore, our God,
the great, the mighty, and the
terrible God, who keepest
covenant and mercy, let not all
the trouble seem little before
thee, that hath come upon us, on
our kings, on our princes, and on
our priests, and on our prophets,
and on our fathers, and on all
thy people, since the time of the
kings of Assyria unto this
day.
33 Howbeit thou art just
in all that is brought upon us;
for thou hast done right, but we
have done wickedly:
34 Neither have our kings,
our princes, our priests, nor our
fathers, kept thy law, nor
hearkened unto thy commandments
and thy testimonies, wherewith
thou didst testify against
them.
35 For they have not
served thee in their kingdom, and
in thy great goodness that thou
gavest them, and in the large and
fat land which thou gavest before
them, neither turned they from
their wicked works.
36 Behold, we are servants
this day, and for the land that
thou gavest unto our fathers to
eat the fruit thereof and the
good thereof, behold, we are
servants in it:
37 And it yieldeth much
increase unto the kings whom thou
hast set over us because of our
sins: also they have dominion
over our bodies, and over our
cattle, at their pleasure, and we
are in great distress.
38 And because of all this
we make a sure covenant, and
write it; and our princes,
Levites, and priests, seal unto
it.
Chapter 10
1 Now those that sealed
were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha,
the son of Hachaliah, and
Zidkijah,
2 Seraiah, Azariah,
Jeremiah,
3 Pashur, 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: both
Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui
of the sons of Henadad,
Kadmiel;
10 And their brethren,
Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita,
Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Micha, Rehob,
Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah,
Shebaniah,
13 Hodijah, Bani,
Beninu.
14 The chief of the
people; Parosh, Pahath-moab,
Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad,
Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai,
Adin,
17 Ater, Hizkijah,
Azzur,
18 Hodijah, Hashum,
Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth,
Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam,
Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok,
Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan,
Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah,
Hashub,
24 Hallohesh, Pileha,
Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah,
Maaseiah,
26 And Ahijah, Hanan,
Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim,
Baanah.
28 And the rest of the
people, the priests, the Levites,
the porters, the singers, the
Nethinims, and all they that had
separated themselves from the
people of the lands unto the law
of God, their wives, their sons,
and their daughters, every one
having knowledge, and having
understanding;
29 They clave to their
brethren, 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 judgments and his
statutes;
30 And that we would not
give our daughters unto the
people of the land, nor take
their daughters for our sons:
31 And if the people of
the land bring ware or any
victuals on the sabbath day to
sell, that we would not buy it of
them on the sabbath, or on the
holy day: and that we would leave
the seventh year, and the
exaction of every debt.
32 Also 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;
33 For the shewbread, and
for the continual meat offering,
and for the continual burnt
offering, of the sabbaths, of the
new moons, for the set feasts,
and for the holy things, and for
the sin offerings to make an
atonement for Israel, and for all
the work of the house of our
God.
34 And we cast the lots
among the priests, the Levites,
and the people, for the wood
offering, to bring it into the
house of our God, after the
houses of our fathers, at times
appointed year by year, to burn
upon the altar of the LORD our
God, as it is written in the
law:
35 And to bring the
firstfruits of our ground, and
the firstfruits of all fruit of
all trees, year by year, unto the
house of the LORD:
36 Also the firstborn of
our sons, and of our cattle, as
it is written in the law, and the
firstlings of our herds and of
our flocks, to bring to the house
of our God, unto the priests that
minister in the house of our
God:
37 And that we should
bring the firstfruits of our
dough, and our offerings, and the
fruit of all manner of trees, of
wine and of oil, unto the
priests, to the chambers of the
house of our God; and the tithes
of our ground unto the Levites,
that the same Levites might have
the tithes in all the cities of
our tillage.
38 And the 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
unto the house of our God, to the
chambers, into the treasure
house.
39 For the children of
Israel and the children of Levi
shall bring the offering of the
corn, of the new wine, and the
oil, unto the chambers, where are
the vessels of the sanctuary, and
the priests that minister, and
the porters, and the singers: and
we will not forsake the house of
our God.
Chapter 11
1 And the rulers of the
people dwelt at Jerusalem: the
rest of the people also cast
lots, to bring one of ten to
dwell in Jerusalem the holy city,
and nine parts to dwell in other
cities.
2 And the people blessed
all the men, that willingly
offered themselves to dwell at
Jerusalem.
3 Now these are the chief
of the province that dwelt in
Jerusalem: but in the cities of
Judah dwelt every one in his
possession in their cities, to
wit, Israel, the priests, and the
Levites, and the Nethinims, and
the children of Solomon's
servants.
4 And at Jerusalem dwelt
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
Mahalaleel, of the children 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
Shiloni.
6 All the sons of Perez
that dwelt at Jerusalem were four
hundred threescore and eight
valiant men.
7 And 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
Jesaiah.
8 And after him Gabbai,
Sallai, nine hundred twenty and
eight.
9 And Joel the son of
Zichri was their overseer: and
Judah the son of Senuah was
second over the city.
10 Of 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, was
the ruler of the house of
God.
12 And their brethren that
did the work of the house were
eight hundred twenty and two: and
Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the
son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi,
the son of Zechariah, the son of
Pashur, the son of Malchiah,
13 And his brethren, chief
of the fathers, two hundred forty
and two: and Amashai the son of
Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the
son of Meshillemoth, the son of
Immer,
14 And their brethren,
mighty men of valour, an hundred
twenty and eight: and their
overseer was Zabdiel, the son of
one of the great men.
15 Also of the Levites:
Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the
son of Azrikam, the son of
Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
16 And Shabbethai and
Jozabad, of the chief of the
Levites, had the oversight of the
outward business of the house of
God.
17 And Mattaniah the son
of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the
son of Asaph, was the principal
to begin the thanksgiving in
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 two hundred
fourscore and four.
19 Moreover the porters,
Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren
that kept the gates, were an
hundred seventy and two.
20 And the residue of
Israel, of the priests, and the
Levites, were in all the cities
of Judah, every one in his
inheritance.
21 But the Nethinims dwelt
in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were
over the Nethinims.
22 The overseer also of
the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi
the son of Bani, the son of
Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah,
the son of Micha. Of the sons of
Asaph, the singers were over the
business of the house of God.
23 For it was the king's
commandment concerning them, that
a certain portion should be for
the singers, due for every
day.
24 And Pethahiah the son
of Meshezabeel, of the children
of Zerah the son of Judah, was at
the king's hand in all matters
concerning the people.
25 And for the villages,
with their fields, some of the
children of Judah dwelt at
Kirjath-arba, and in the villages
thereof, and at Dibon, and in the
villages thereof, and at
Jekabzeel, and in the villages
thereof,
26 And at Jeshua, and at
Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
27 And at Hazar-shual, and
at Beer-sheba, and in the
villages thereof,
28 And at Ziklag, and at
Mekonah, and in the villages
thereof,
29 And at En-rimmon, and
at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,
30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in
their villages, at Lachish, and
the fields thereof, at Azekah,
and in the villages thereof. And
they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto
the valley of Hinnom.
31 The children also of
Benjamin from Geba dwelt at
Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel,
and in their villages,
32 And at Anathoth, Nob,
Ananiah,
33 Hazor, Ramah,
Gittaim,
34 Hadid, Zeboim,
Neballat,
35 Lod, and Ono, the
valley of craftsmen.
36 And of the Levites were
divisions in Judah, and in
Benjamin.
Chapter 12
1 Now these are the
priests and the Levites that went
up with Zerubbabel the son of
Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah,
Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch,
Hattush,
3 Shechaniah, Rehum,
Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnetho,
Abijah,
5 Miamin, Maadiah,
Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib,
Jediah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah,
Jedaiah. These were the chief of
the priests and of their brethren
in the days of Jeshua.
8 Moreover the Levites:
Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,
Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah,
which was over the thanksgiving,
he and his brethren.
9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni,
their brethren, were over against
them in the watches.
10 And Jeshua begat
Joiakim, Joiakim also begat
Eliashib, and Eliashib begat
Joiada,
11 And Joiada begat
Jonathan, and Jonathan begat
Jaddua.
12 And in the days of
Joiakim were priests, the chief
of the fathers: of Seraiah,
Meraiah; of Jeremiah,
Hananiah;
13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of
Amariah, Jehohanan;
14 Of Melicu, 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 And of Joiarib,
Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of
Amok, Eber;
21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah;
of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
22 The Levites in the days
of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan,
and Jaddua, were recorded chief
of the fathers: also the priests,
to the reign of Darius the
Persian.
23 The sons of Levi, the
chief of the fathers, were
written in the book of the
chronicles, even until the days
of Johanan the son of
Eliashib.
24 And the chief of the
Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah,
and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel,
with their brethren over against
them, to praise and to give
thanks, according to the
commandment of David the man of
God, ward over against ward.
25 Mattaniah, and
Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam,
Talmon, Akkub, were porters
keeping the ward at the
thresholds of the gates.
26 These 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.
27 And at 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
thanksgivings, and with singing,
with cymbals, psalteries, and
with harps.
28 And the sons of the
singers gathered themselves
together, both out of the plain
country round about Jerusalem,
and from the villages of
Netophathi;
29 Also from the house of
Gilgal, and out of the fields of
Geba and Azmaveth: for the
singers had builded them villages
round about Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and the
Levites purified themselves, and
purified the people, and the
gates, and the wall.
31 Then I brought up the
princes of Judah upon the wall,
and appointed two great companies
of them that gave thanks, whereof
one went on the right hand upon
the wall toward the dung
gate:
32 And after them went
Hoshaiah, and half of the princes
of Judah,
33 And Azariah, Ezra, and
Meshullam,
34 Judah, and Benjamin,
and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35 And certain of the
priests' sons with trumpets;
namely, Zechariah the son of
Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah,
the son of Mattaniah, the son of
Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the
son of Asaph:
36 And his brethren,
Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai,
Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and
Judah, Hanani, with the musical
instruments of David the man of
God, and Ezra the scribe before
them.
37 And at the fountain
gate, which was over against
them, they went up by the stairs
of the city of David, at the
going up of the wall, above the
house of David, even unto the
water gate eastward.
38 And the other company
of them that gave thanks went
over against them, and I after
them, and the half of the people
upon the wall, from beyond the
tower of the furnaces even unto
the broad wall;
39 And from above the gate
of Ephraim, and above the old
gate, and above the fish gate,
and the tower of Hananeel, and
the tower of Meah, even unto the
sheep gate: and they stood still
in the prison gate.
40 So stood the two
companies of them that gave
thanks in the house of God, and
I, and the half of the rulers
with me:
41 And the priests;
Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah,
and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 And Maaseiah, and
Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi,
and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and
Elam, and Ezer. And the singers
sang loud, with Jezrahiah their
overseer.
43 Also that day they
offered great sacrifices, and
rejoiced: for God had made them
rejoice with great joy: the wives
also and the children rejoiced:
so that the joy of Jerusalem was
heard even afar off.
44 And at that time were
some appointed over the chambers
for the treasures, for the
offerings, for the firstfruits,
and for the tithes, to gather
into them out of the fields of
the cities the portions of the
law for the priests and Levites:
for Judah rejoiced for the
priests and for the Levites that
waited.
45 And both the singers
and the porters kept the ward of
their God, and the ward of the
purification, according to the
commandment of David, and of
Solomon his son.
46 For in the days of
David and Asaph of old there were
chief of the singers, and songs
of praise and thanksgiving unto
God.
47 And all Israel in the
days of Zerubbabel, and in the
days of Nehemiah, gave the
portions of the singers and the
porters, every day his portion:
and they sanctified holy things
unto the Levites; and the Levites
sanctified them unto the children
of Aaron.
Chapter 13
1 On that day they read
in the book of Moses in the
audience of the people; and
therein was found written, that
the Ammonite and the Moabite
should not come into the
congregation of God for ever;
2 Because they met not the
children of Israel with bread and
with water, but hired Balaam
against them, that he should
curse them: howbeit our God
turned the curse into a
blessing.
3 Now it came to pass,
when they had heard the law, that
they separated from Israel all
the mixed multitude.
4 And before this,
Eliashib the priest, having the
oversight of the chamber of the
house of our God, was allied unto
Tobiah:
5 And he had prepared for
him a great chamber, where
aforetime they laid the meat
offerings, the frankincense, and
the vessels, and the tithes of
the corn, the new wine, and the
oil, which was commanded to be
given to the Levites, and the
singers, and the porters; and the
offerings of the priests.
6 But in all this time was
not I at Jerusalem: for in the
two and thirtieth year of
Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I
unto the king, and after certain
days obtained I leave of the
king:
7 And I came to Jerusalem,
and understood of the evil that
Eliashib did for Tobiah, in
preparing him a chamber in the
courts of the house of God.
8 And it grieved me sore:
therefore I cast forth all the
household stuff of Tobiah out of
the chamber.
9 Then I commanded, and
they cleansed the chambers: and
thither brought I again the
vessels of the house of God, with
the meat offering and the
frankincense.
10 And I perceived that
the portions of the Levites had
not been given them: for the
Levites and the singers, that did
the work, were fled every one to
his field.
11 Then contended I with
the rulers, and said, Why is the
house of God forsaken? And I
gathered them together, and set
them in their place.
12 Then brought all Judah
the tithe of the corn and the new
wine and the oil unto the
treasuries.
13 And I 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 office was to distribute
unto their brethren.
14 Remember me, O my God,
concerning this, and wipe not out
my good deeds that I have done
for the house of my God, and for
the offices thereof.
15 In those days saw I in
Judah some treading wine presses
on the sabbath, and bringing in
sheaves, and lading asses; 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 wherein
they sold victuals.
16 There dwelt men of Tyre
also therein, which brought fish,
and all manner of ware, and sold
on the sabbath unto the children
of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with
the nobles of Judah, and said
unto them, What evil thing is
this that ye do, and profane the
sabbath day?
18 Did not your fathers
thus, and did not our God bring
all this evil upon us, and upon
this city? yet ye bring more
wrath upon Israel by profaning
the sabbath.
19 And it came to pass,
that when the gates of Jerusalem
began to be dark before the
sabbath, I commanded that the
gates should be shut, and charged
that they should not be opened
till after the sabbath: and some
of my servants set I at the
gates, that there should no
burden be brought in on the
sabbath day.
20 So the merchants and
sellers of all kind of ware
lodged without Jerusalem once or
twice.
21 Then I testified
against them, and said unto them,
Why lodge ye about the wall? if
ye do so again, I will lay hands
on you. From that time forth came
they no more on the sabbath.
22 And I commanded the
Levites that they should cleanse
themselves, and that they should
come and keep the gates, to
sanctify the sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning
this also, and spare me according
to the greatness of thy
mercy.
23 In those days also saw
I Jews that had married wives of
Ashdod, of Ammon, and of
Moab:
24 And their children
spake half in the speech of
Ashdod, and could not speak in
the Jews' language, but according
to the language of each
people.
25 And I contended with
them, and cursed them, and smote
certain of them, and plucked off
their hair, and made them swear
by God, saying, Ye shall not give
your daughters unto their sons,
nor take their daughters unto
your sons, or for yourselves.
26 Did not Solomon king of
Israel sin by these things? yet
among many nations was there no
king like him, who was beloved of
his God, and God made him king
over all Israel: nevertheless
even him did outlandish women
cause to sin.
27 Shall we then hearken
unto you to do all this great
evil, to transgress against our
God in marrying strange
wives?
28 And one 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.
29 Remember them, O my
God, because they have defiled
the priesthood, and the covenant
of the priesthood, and of the
Levites.
30 Thus cleansed I them
from all strangers, and appointed
the wards of the priests and the
Levites, every one in his
business;
31 And for the wood
offering, at times appointed, and
for the firstfruits. Remember me,
O my God, for good.
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