The wicked in hell shall be always dying but never dead. The smoke of the furnace ascends forever and ever. Oh, who can endure thus to be ever upon the rack? The word “ever” breaks the heart.
Thomas Watson

The Book of Nehemiah

The Book of Nehemiah

{1:1} The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it came to passin the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan thepalace, {1:2} that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain menout of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped,that were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. {1:3} Andthey said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there inthe province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall ofJerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned withfire. {1:4} And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I satdown and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed beforethe God of heaven, {1:5} and said, I beseech thee, O Jehovah, the Godof heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant andlovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments: {1:6}Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayesthearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee atthis time, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants whileI confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinnedagainst thee. Yea, I and my father’s house have sinned: {1:7} we havedealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments,nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which thou commandedst thyservant Moses. {1:8} Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thoucommandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trespass, I will scatteryou abroad among the peoples: {1:9} but if ye return unto me, and keepmy commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermostpart of the heavens, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bringthem unto the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwellthere. {1:10} Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hastredeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. {1:11} O Lord, Ibeseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thyservant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who delight to fear thyname; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant himmercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king.

{2:1} And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth yearof Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up thewine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been [beforetime] sad inhis presence. {2:2} And the king said unto me, Why is thy countenancesad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow ofheart. Then I was very sore afraid. {2:3} And I said unto the king, Letthe king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when thecity, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gatesthereof are consumed with fire? {2:4} Then the king said unto me, Forwhat dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. {2:5}And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servanthave found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah,unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it. {2:6} Andthe king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him,) For how longshall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the kingto send me; and I set him a time. {2:7} Moreover I said unto the king,If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyondthe River, that they may let me pass through till I come unto Judah;{2:8} and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that hemay give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle whichappertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for thehouse that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according tothe good hand of my God upon me. {2:9} Then I came to the governorsbeyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king hadsent with me captains of the army and horsemen. {2:10} And whenSanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard ofit, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seekthe welfare of the children of Israel. {2:11} So I came to Jerusalem,and was there three days. {2:12} And I arose in the night, I and somefew men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heartto do for Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, save thebeast that I rode upon. {2:13} And I went out by night by the valleygate, even toward the jackal’s well, and to the dung gate, and viewedthe walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereofwere consumed with fire. {2:14} Then I went on to the fountain gate andto the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was underme to pass. {2:15} Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewedthe wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and soreturned. {2:16} 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 tothe nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.{2:17} Then said I unto them, Ye see the evil case that we are in, howJerusalem 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 areproach. {2:18} And I told them of the hand of my God which was goodupon me, as also of the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. Andthey said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their handsfor the good [work]. {2:19} But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiahthe servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, theylaughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing thatye do? will ye rebel against the king? {2:20} Then answered I them, andsaid unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we hisservants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, normemorial, in Jerusalem.

{3:1} Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren thepriests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and setup the doors of it; even unto the tower of Hammeah they sanctified it,unto the tower of Hananel. {3:2} And next unto him builded the men ofJericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. {3:3} And thefish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build; they laid the beams thereof,and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.{3:4} And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son ofHakkoz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, theson of Meshezabel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.{3:5} And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles putnot their necks to the work of their lord. {3:6} And the old gaterepaired Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah;they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and thebolts thereof, and the bars thereof. {3:7} And next unto them repairedMelatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon,and of Mizpah, [that appertained] to the throne of the governor beyondthe River. {3:8} Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah,goldsmiths. And next unto him repaired Hananiah one of the perfumers,and they fortified Jerusalem even unto the broad wall. {3:9} And nextunto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half thedistrict of Jerusalem. {3:10} And next unto them repaired Jedaiah theson of Harumaph, over against his house. And next unto him repairedHattush the son of Hashabneiah. {3:11} Malchijah the son of Harim, andHasshub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another portion, and the towerof the furnaces. {3:12} And next unto him repaired Shallum the son ofHallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and hisdaughters. {3:13} The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitantsof Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the boltsthereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits of the wall untothe dung gate. {3:14} And the dung gate repaired Malchijah the son ofRechab, the ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem; he built it, andset up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.{3:15} And the fountain gate repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, theruler of the district of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and setup the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and thewall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even unto the stairsthat go down from the city of David. {3:16} After him repaired Nehemiahthe son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, unto theplace over against the sepulchres of David, and unto the pool that wasmade, and unto the house of the mighty men. {3:17} After him repairedthe Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah,the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district. {3:18}After him repaired their brethren, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the rulerof half the district of Keilah. {3:19} And next to him repaired Ezerthe son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over againstthe ascent to the armory at the turning [of the wall]. {3:20} After himBaruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from theturning [of the wall] unto the door of the house of Eliashib the highpriest. {3:21} After him repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah the son ofHakkoz another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib even tothe end of the house of Eliashib. {3:22} And after him repaired thepriests, the men of the Plain. {3:23} After them repaired Benjamin andHasshub over against their house. After them repaired Azariah the sonof Maaseiah the son of Ananiah beside his own house. {3:24} After himrepaired Binnui the son of Henadad another portion, from the house ofAzariah unto the turning [of the wall], and unto the corner. {3:25}Palal the son of Uzai [repaired] over against the turning [of thewall], and the tower that standeth out from the upper house of theking, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son ofParosh [repaired]. {3:26} (Now the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel, unto theplace over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower thatstandeth out.) {3:27} After him the Tekoites repaired another portion,over against the great tower that standeth out, and unto the wall ofOphel. {3:28} Above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one overagainst his own house. {3:29} After them repaired Zadok the son ofImmer over against his own house. And after him repaired Shemaiah theson of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate. {3:30} After himrepaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son ofZalaph, another portion. After him repaired Meshullam the son ofBerechiah over against his chamber. {3:31} After him repaired Malchijahone of the goldsmiths unto the house of the Nethinim, and of themerchants, over against the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the ascent ofthe corner. {3:32} And between the ascent of the corner and the sheepgate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.

{4:1} But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we werebuilding the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mockedthe Jews. {4:2} And he spake before his brethren and the army ofSamaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortifythemselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? willthey revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they areburned? {4:3} Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Eventhat which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down theirstone wall. {4:4} Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn backtheir reproach upon their own head, and give them up for a spoil in aland of captivity; {4:5} and cover not their iniquity, and let nottheir sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked[thee] to anger before the builders. {4:6} So we built the wall; andall the wall was joined together unto half [the height] thereof: forthe people had a mind to work. {4:7} But it came to pass that, whenSanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and theAshdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem wentforward, [and] that the breaches began to be stopped, then they werevery wroth; {4:8} and they conspired all of them together to come andfight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein. {4:9} But wemade our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day andnight, because of them. {4:10} And Judah said, The strength of thebearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that weare not able to build the wall. {4:11} And our adversaries said, Theyshall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, andslay them, and cause the work to cease. {4:12} And it came to passthat, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us tentimes from all places, Ye must return unto us. {4:13} Therefore set Iin the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, Iset [there] the people after their families with their swords, theirspears, and their bows. {4:14} And I looked, and rose up, and said untothe nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not yeafraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fightfor your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and yourhouses. {4:15} And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it wasknown unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that wereturned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. {4:16} And itcame to pass from that time forth, that half of my servants wrought inthe work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows,and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house ofJudah. {4:17} They all builded the wall and they that bare burdensladed themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work,and with the other held his weapon; {4:18} and the builders, every onehad his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that soundedthe trumpet was by me. {4:19} And I said unto the nobles, and to therulers and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, andwe are separated upon the wall, one far from another: {4:20} in whatplace soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither untous; our God will fight for us. {4:21} So we wrought in the work: andhalf of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till thestars appeared. {4:22} Likewise at the same time said I unto thepeople, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that inthe night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day. {4:23}So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of theguard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one [wentwith] his weapon [to] the water.

{5:1} Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wivesagainst their brethren the Jews. {5:2} For there were that said, We,our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eatand live. {5:3} Some also there were that said, We are mortgaging ourfields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get grain, because ofthe dearth. {5:4} There were also that said, We have borrowed money forthe king’s tribute [upon] our fields and our vineyards. {5:5} Yet nowour flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as theirchildren: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters tobe servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage[already]: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men haveour fields and our vineyards. {5:6} And I was very angry when I heardtheir cry and these words. {5:7} Then I consulted with myself, andcontended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exactusury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly againstthem. {5:8} And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemedour brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would yeeven sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then heldthey their peace, and found never a word. {5:9} Also I said, The thingthat ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God,because of the reproach of the nations our enemies? {5:10} And Ilikewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. Ipray you, let us leave off this usury. {5:11} Restore, I pray you, tothem, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards,and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of thegrain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. {5:12} Thensaid they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; sowill we do, even as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took anoath of them, that they would do according to this promise. {5:13} AlsoI shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from hishouse, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise; even thusbe he shaken out, and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen, andpraised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise. {5:14}Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in theland of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtiethyear of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethrenhave not eaten the bread of the governor. {5:15} But the formergovernors that were before me were chargeable unto the people, and tookof them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yea, eventheir servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because ofthe fear of God. {5:16} Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thitherunto the work. {5:17} Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews andthe rulers, a hundred and fifty men, besides those that came unto usfrom among the nations that were round about us. {5:18} Now that whichwas prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowlswere prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine:yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor, because thebondage was heavy upon this people. {5:19} Remember unto me, O my God,for good, all that I have done for this people.

{6:1} Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat andTobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies,that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein;(though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates;){6:2} that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meettogether in [one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thoughtto do me mischief. {6:3} And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I amdoing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the workcease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? {6:4} And they sentunto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the samemanner. {6:5} Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like mannerthe fifth time with an open letter in his hand, {6:6} wherein waswritten, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, thatthou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou art building thewall: and thou wouldest be their king, according to these words. {6:7}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 theking according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us takecounsel together. {6:8} Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no suchthings done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine ownheart. {6:9} For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Theirhands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, [OGod], strengthen thou my hands. {6:10} And I went unto the house ofShemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; andhe 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 slaythee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. {6:11} And I said,Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I,would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. {6:12} AndI discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced thisprophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. {6:13} Forthis cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin,and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they mightreproach me. {6:14} Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat accordingto these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest ofthe prophets, that would have put me in fear. {6:15} So the wall wasfinished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fiftyand two days. {6:16} And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard[thereof], that all the nations that were about us feared, and weremuch cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work waswrought of our God. {6:17} Moreover in those days the nobles of Judahsent many letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came untothem. {6:18} For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because hewas the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohananhad taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah to wife.{6:19} Also they spake of his good deeds before me, and reported mywords to him. [And] Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

{7:1} Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set upthe doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites wereappointed, {7:2} that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah thegovernor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithfulman, and feared God above many. {7:3} And I said unto them, Let not thegates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand[on guard], let them shut the doors, and bar ye them: and appointwatches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, andevery one [to be] over against his house. {7:4} Now the city was wideand large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were notbuilded. {7:5} And my God put into my heart to gather together thenobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned bygenealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of them that came upat the first, and I found written therein: {7:6} These are the childrenof the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that hadbeen carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carriedaway, and that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto hiscity; {7:7} who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah,Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.The number of the men of the people of Israel: {7:8} The children ofParosh, two thousand a hundred and seventy and two. {7:9} The childrenof Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. {7:10} The children ofArah, six hundred fifty and two. {7:11} The children of Pahath-moab, ofthe children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred [and]eighteen. {7:12} The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty andfour. {7:13} The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.{7:14} The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. {7:15} Thechildren of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight. {7:16} The children ofBebai, six hundred twenty and eight. {7:17} The children of Azgad, twothousand three hundred twenty and two. {7:18} The children of Adonikam,six hundred threescore and seven. {7:19} The children of Bigvai, twothousand threescore and seven. {7:20} The children of Adin, six hundredfifty and five. {7:21} The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety andeight. {7:22} The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.{7:23} The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four. {7:24} Thechildren of Hariph, a hundred and twelve. {7:25} The children ofGibeon, ninety and five. {7:26} The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, ahundred fourscore and eight. {7:27} The men of Anathoth, a hundredtwenty and eight. {7:28} The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.{7:29} The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundredforty and three. {7:30} The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twentyand one. {7:31} The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two.{7:32} The men of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three. {7:33}The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two. {7:34} The children of theother Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. {7:35} The childrenof Harim, three hundred and twenty. {7:36} The children of Jericho,three hundred forty and five. {7:37} The children of Lod, Hadid, andOno, seven hundred twenty and one. {7:38} The children of Senaah, threethousand nine hundred and thirty. {7:39} The priests: The children ofJedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. {7:40}The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. {7:41} The children ofPashhur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. {7:42} The children ofHarim, a thousand [and] seventeen. {7:43} The Levites: the children ofJeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.{7:44} The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight.{7:45} The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, thechildren of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, thechildren of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight. {7:46} The Nethinim:the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children ofTabbaoth, {7:47} the children of Keros, the children of Sia, thechildren of Padon, {7:48} the children of Lebana, the children ofHagaba, the children of Salmai, {7:49} the children of Hanan, thechildren of Giddel, the children of Gahar, {7:50} the children ofReaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, {7:51} thechildren of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah.{7:52} The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children ofNephushesim, {7:53} the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha,the children of Harhur, {7:54} the children of Bazlith, the children ofMehida, the children of Harsha, {7:55} the children of Barkos, thechildren of Sisera, the children of Temah, {7:56} the children ofNeziah, the children of Hatipha. {7:57} The children of Solomon’sservants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, thechildren of Perida, {7:58} the children of Jaala, the children ofDarkon, the children of Giddel, {7:59} the children of Shephatiah, thechildren of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the childrenof Amon. {7:60} All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’sservants, were three hundred ninety and two. {7:61} And these were theythat went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; butthey could not show their fathers’ houses, nor their seed, whether theywere of Israel: {7:62} The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah,the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. {7:63} And of thepriests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the childrenof Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai theGileadite, and was called after their name. {7:64} These sought theirregister [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was notfound: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.{7:65} And the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of themost holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.{7:66} The whole assembly together was forty and two thousand threehundred and threescore, {7:67} besides their men-servants and theirmaid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirtyand seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men andsinging women. {7:68} Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six;their mules, two hundred forty and five; {7:69} [their] camels, fourhundred thirty and five; [their] asses, six thousand seven hundred andtwenty. {7:70} And some from among the heads of fathers’ [houses] gaveunto the work. The governor gave to the treasury a thousand darics ofgold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments. {7:71}And some of the heads of fathers’ [houses] gave into the treasury ofthe work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand and twohundred pounds of silver. {7:72} And that which the rest of the peoplegave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand pounds ofsilver, and threescore and seven priests’ garments. {7:73} So thepriests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some ofthe people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities.And when the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were intheir cities.

{8:1} And all the people gathered themselves together as one maninto the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spakeunto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, whichJehovah had commanded to Israel. {8:2} And Ezra the priest brought thelaw before the assembly, both men and women, and all that could hearwith understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. {8:3} Andhe read therein before the broad place that was before the water gatefrom early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and thewomen, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all thepeople were [attentive] unto the book of the law. {8:4} And Ezra thescribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for thepurpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, andUriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his lefthand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, andHashbaddanah, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam. {8:5} And Ezra opened thebook in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;)and when he opened it, all the people stood up: {8:6} and Ezra blessedJehovah, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, withthe lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, andworshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. {8:7} Also Jeshua,and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah,Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused thepeople to understand the law: and the people [stood] in their place.{8:8} And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; andthey gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. {8:9} AndNehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and theLevites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day isholy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the peoplewept, when they heard the words of the law. {8:10} Then he said untothem, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portionsunto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto ourLord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.{8:11} So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace,for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. {8:12} And all the peoplewent their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to makegreat mirth, because they had understood the words that were declaredunto them. {8:13} And on the second day were gathered together theheads of fathers’ [houses] of all the people, the priests, and theLevites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words ofthe law. {8:14} And they found written in the law, how that Jehovah hadcommanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in boothsin the feast of the seventh month; {8:15} and that they should publishand proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forthunto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive,and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, tomake booths, as it is written. {8:16} So the people went forth, andbrought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof ofhis house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God,and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of thegate of Ephraim. {8:17} And all the assembly of them that were comeagain out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; forsince the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not thechildren of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. {8:18}Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in thebook of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on theeighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the ordinance.

{9:1} Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children ofIsrael were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth uponthem. {9:2} And the seed of Israel separated themselves from allforeigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities oftheir fathers. {9:3} And they stood up in their place, and read in thebook of the law of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day; and[another] fourth part they confessed, and worshipped Jehovah their God.{9:4} Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani,Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, [and] Chenani, and criedwith a loud voice unto Jehovah their God. {9:5} Then the Levites,Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah,[and] Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Jehovah your God fromeverlasting to everlasting; and blessed be thy glorious name, which isexalted above all blessing and praise. {9:6} Thou art Jehovah, eventhou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with alltheir host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and allthat is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heavenworshippeth thee. {9:7} Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst chooseAbram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavesthim the name of Abraham, {9:8} and foundest his heart faithful beforethee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite,the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and theGirgashite, to give it unto his seed, and hast performed thy words; forthou art righteous. {9:9} And thou sawest the affliction of our fathersin Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea, {9:10} and showedstsigns and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all thepeople of his land; for thou knewest that they dealt proudly againstthem, and didst get thee a name, as it is this day. {9:11} And thoudidst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midstof the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers thou didst cast into thedepths, as a stone into the mighty waters. {9:12} Moreover in a pillarof cloud thou leddest them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, togive them light in the way wherein they should go. {9:13} Thou camestdown also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, andgavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes andcommandments, {9:14} and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, andcommandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses thyservant, {9:15} and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, andbroughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, andcommandedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thouhadst sworn to give them. {9:16} But they and our fathers dealt proudlyand hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments, {9:17}and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thoudidst among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellionappointed a captain to return to their bondage. But thou art a Godready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant inlovingkindness, and forsookest them not. {9:18} Yea, when they had madethem a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up outof Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; {9:19} yet thou in thymanifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar ofcloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way;neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the waywherein they should go. {9:20} Thou gavest also thy good Spirit toinstruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, andgavest them water for their thirst. {9:21} Yea, forty years didst thousustain them in the wilderness, [and] they lacked nothing; theirclothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. {9:22} Moreover thougavest them kingdoms and peoples, which thou didst allot after theirportions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of theking of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. {9:23} Theirchildren also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtestthem into the land concerning which thou didst say to their fathers,that they should go in to possess it. {9:24} So the children went inand possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitantsof the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, withtheir kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with themas they would. {9:25} And they took fortified cities, and a fat land,and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out,vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit-trees in abundance: so they dideat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thygreat goodness. {9:26} Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelledagainst thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophetsthat testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and theywrought great provocations. {9:27} Therefore thou deliveredst them intothe hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time oftheir trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven;and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours whosaved them out of the hand of their adversaries. {9:28} But after theyhad rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore leftest thou themin the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them:yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven;and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies, {9:29}and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again untothy law. Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thycommandments, but sinned against thine ordinances, (which if a man do,he shall live in them,) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened theirneck, and would not hear. {9:30} Yet many years didst thou bear withthem, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets:yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the handof the peoples of the lands. {9:31} Nevertheless in thy manifoldmercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; forthou art a gracious and merciful God. {9:32} Now therefore, our God,the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant andlovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, thathath 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, sincethe time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. {9:33} Howbeit thou artjust in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but wehave done wickedly; {9:34} neither have our kings, our princes, ourpriests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thycommandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify againstthem. {9:35} For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thygreat goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat landwhich thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wickedworks. {9:36} Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the landthat thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the goodthereof, behold, we are servants in it. {9:37} And it yieldeth muchincrease unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins:also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at theirpleasure, and we are in great distress. {9:38} And yet for all this wemake a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, [and]our priests, seal unto it.

{10:1} Now those that sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son ofHacaliah, and Zedekiah, {10:2} Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, {10:3}Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, {10:4} Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, {10:5}Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, {10:6} Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, {10:7}Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, {10:8} Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; thesewere the priests. {10:9} And the Levites: namely, Jeshua the son ofAzaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; {10:10} and theirbrethren, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, {10:11} Mica,Rehob, Hashabiah, {10:12} Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, {10:13} Hodiah,Bani, Beninu. {10:14} The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab,Elam, Zattu, Bani, {10:15} Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, {10:16} Adonijah,Bigvai, Adin, {10:17} Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, {10:18} Hodiah, Hashum,Bezai, {10:19} Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, {10:20} Magpiash, Meshullam,Hezir, {10:21} Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, {10:22} Pelatiah, Hanan,Anaiah, {10:23} Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, {10:24} Hallohesh, Pilha,Shobek, {10:25} Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, {10:26} and Ahiah, Hanan,Anan, {10:27} Malluch, Harim, Baanah. {10:28} And the rest of thepeople, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, theNethinim, and all they that had separated themselves from the peoplesof the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and theirdaughters, every one that had knowledge, and understanding; {10:29}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 theservant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Jehovahour Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes; {10:30} and that wewould not give our daughters unto the peoples of the land, nor taketheir daughters for our sons; {10:31} and if the peoples of the landbring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, that we would notbuy of them on the sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would foregothe seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. {10:32} Also we madeordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of ashekel for the service of the house of our God; {10:33} for theshowbread, and for the continual meal-offering, and for the continualburnt-offering, for the sabbaths, for the new moons, for the setfeasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin-offerings to makeatonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.{10:34} And we cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, forthe wood-offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according toour fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon thealtar of Jehovah our God, as it is written in the law; {10:35} and tobring the first-fruits of our ground, and the first-fruits of all fruitof all manner of trees, year by year, unto the house of Jehovah;{10:36} also the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it iswritten 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 thehouse of our God; {10:37} and that we should bring the first-fruits ofour dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all manner oftrees, the new wine and the oil, unto the priests, to the chambers ofthe house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites;for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of ourtillage. {10:38} And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with theLevites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring upthe tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers,into the treasure-house. {10:39} For the children of Israel and thechildren of Levi shall bring the heave-offering of the grain, of thenew wine, and of the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels ofthe sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and thesingers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

{11:1} And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem: the rest ofthe people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalemthe holy city, and nine parts in the [other] cities. {11:2} And thepeople blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwellin Jerusalem. {11:3} Now these are the chiefs of the province thatdwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in hispossession in their cities, [to wit], Israel, the priests, and theLevites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants.{11:4} And in Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and ofthe children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son ofUzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son ofShephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez; {11:5} andMaaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah,the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son ofthe Shilonite. {11:6} All the sons of Perez that dwelt in Jerusalemwere four hundred threescore and eight valiant men. {11:7} And theseare 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 ofIthiel, the son of Jeshaiah. {11:8} And after him Gabbai, Sallai, ninehundred twenty and eight. {11:9} And Joel the son of Zichri was theiroverseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.{11:10} Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, {11:11}Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, theson of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God,{11:12} and their brethren that did the work of the house, eighthundred twenty and two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son ofPelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur,the son of Malchijah, {11:13} and his brethren, chiefs of fathers'[houses], two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel,the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, {11:14}and their brethren, mighty men of valor, a hundred twenty and eight;and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim. {11:15} And ofthe Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the sonof Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; {11:16} and Shabbethai and Jozabad, ofthe chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outwardbusiness of the house of God; {11:17} and Mattaniah the son of Mica,the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin thethanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren;and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.{11:18} All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore andfour. {11:19} Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren,that kept watch at the gates, were a hundred seventy and two. {11:20}And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all thecities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. {11:21} But the Nethinimdwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim. {11:22} Theoverseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, theson of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons ofAsaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God. {11:23} Forthere was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settledprovision for the singers, as every day required. {11:24} And Pethahiahthe son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, wasat the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people. {11:25} And asfor the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judahdwelt in Kiriath-arba and the towns thereof, and in Dibon and the townsthereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages thereof, {11:26} and inJeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet, {11:27} and in Hazar-shual, andin Beer-sheba and the towns thereof, {11:28} and in Ziklag, and inMeconah and in the towns thereof, {11:29} and in En-rimmon, and inZorah, and in Jarmuth, {11:30} Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages,Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns thereof. So theyencamped from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom. {11:31} Thechildren of Benjamin also [dwelt] from Geba [onward], at Michmash andAija, and at Beth-el and the towns thereof, {11:32} at Anathoth, Nob,Ananiah, {11:33} Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, {11:34} Hadid, Zeboim,Neballat, {11:35} Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. {11:36} And ofthe Levites, certain courses in Judah [were joined] to Benjamin.

{12:1} Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up withZerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,{12:2} Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, {12:3} Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,{12:4} Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, {12:5} Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, {12:6}Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah. {12:7} Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brethren in the daysof Jeshua. {12:8} Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,Sherebiah, Judah, [and] Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, heand his brethren. {12:9} Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brethren, wereover against them according to their offices. {12:10} And Jeshua begatJoiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, {12:11}and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. {12:12} And inthe days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ [houses]: ofSeraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; {12:13} of Ezra, Meshullam; ofAmariah, Jehohanan; {12:14} of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah,Joseph; {12:15} of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; {12:16} of Iddo,Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; {12:17} of Abijah, Zichri; ofMiniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; {12:18} of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah,Jehonathan; {12:19} and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; {12:20}of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; {12:21} of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; ofJedaiah, Nethanel. {12:22} As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib,Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads offathers’ [houses]; also the priests, in the reign of Darius thePersian. {12:23} The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ [houses], werewritten in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johananthe son of Eliashib. {12:24} And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah,Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren overagainst them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandmentof David the man of God, watch next to watch. {12:25} Mattaniah, andBakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping thewatch at the store-houses of the gates. {12:26} These were in the daysof Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days ofNehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe. {12:27} Andat the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites outof all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedicationwith gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals,psalteries, and with harps. {12:28} And the sons of the singersgathered themselves together, both out of the plain round aboutJerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites; {12:29} alsofrom Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for thesingers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem. {12:30} Andthe priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified thepeople, and the gates, and the wall. {12:31} Then I brought up theprinces of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies thatgave thanks and went in procession; [whereof one went] on the righthand upon the wall toward the dung gate: {12:32} and after them wentHoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, {12:33} and Azariah, Ezra,and Meshullam, {12:34} Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,{12:35} and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah theson of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son ofMicaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph; {12:36} and his brethren,Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah,Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezrathe scribe was before them. {12:37} And by the fountain gate, andstraight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David,at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even unto thewater gate eastward. {12:38} And the other company of them that gavethanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of thepeople, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto thebroad wall, {12:39} and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate,and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower ofHammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate ofthe guard. {12:40} So stood the two companies of them that gave thanksin the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me; {12:41}and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai,Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; {12:42} and Maaseiah, andShemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, andElam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah theiroverseer. {12:43} And they offered great sacrifices that day, andrejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the womenalso and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heardeven afar off. {12:44} And on that day were men appointed over thechambers for the treasures, for the heave-offerings, for thefirst-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to thefields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priestsand Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levitesthat waited. {12:45} And they kept the charge of their God, and thecharge of the purification, and [so did] the singers and the porters,according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. {12:46}For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of thesingers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. {12:47} And allIsrael in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave theportions of the singers and the porters, as every day required: andthey set apart [that which was] for the Levites; and the Levites setapart [that which was] for the sons of Aaron.

{13:1} On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience ofthe people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and aMoabite should not enter into the assembly of God for ever, {13:2}because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water,but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: howbeit our God turnedthe curse into a blessing. {13:3} And it came to pass, when they hadheard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.{13:4} Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over thechambers of the house of our God, being allied unto Tobiah, {13:5} hadprepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid themeal-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes ofthe grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandmentto the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and theheave-offerings for the priests. {13:6} But in all this [time] I wasnot at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes kingof Babylon I went unto the king: and after certain days asked I leaveof the king, {13:7} and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evilthat Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in thecourts of the house of God. {13:8} And it grieved me sore: therefore Icast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. {13:9}Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought Iagain the vessels of the house of God, with the meal-offerings and thefrankincense. {13:10} And I perceived that the portions of the Leviteshad not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that didthe work, were fled every one to his field. {13:11} Then contended Iwith the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And Igathered them together, and set them in their place. {13:12} Thenbrought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oilunto the treasuries. {13:13} 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 ofMattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was todistribute unto their brethren. {13:14} Remember me, O my God,concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done forthe house of my God, and for the observances thereof. {13:15} In thosedays saw I in Judah some men treading wine-presses on the sabbath, andbringing in sheaves, and lading asses [therewith]; as also wine,grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought intoJerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified [against them] in the daywherein they sold victuals. {13:16} There dwelt men of Tyre alsotherein, who brought in fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on thesabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. {13:17} Then Icontended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thingis this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? {13:18} Did not yourfathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and uponthis city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning thesabbath. {13:19} And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalembegan to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors shouldbe shut, and commanded that they should not be opened till after thesabbath: and some of my servants set I over the gates, that thereshould no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. {13:20} So themerchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalemonce or twice. {13:21} Then I testified against them, and said untothem, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay handson you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. {13:22}And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, andthat they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day.Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to thegreatness of thy lovingkindness. {13:23} In those days also saw I theJews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab: {13:24}and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could notspeak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of eachpeople. {13:25} And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smotecertain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear byGod, [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nortake their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. {13:26} Did notSolomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations wasthere no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made himking over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause tosin. {13:27} Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil,to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women? {13:28} And oneof the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, wasson-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.{13:29} Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled thepriesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.{13:30} Thus cleansed I them from all foreigners, and appointed chargesfor the priests and for the Levites, every one in his work; {13:31} andfor the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits.Remember me, O my God, for good.

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