11 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 .
12 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 .
13 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 .
14 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 .
15 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 .
16 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 .
17 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 .
18 Remember I beseech thee the word that thou commandedst thy
servant Moses saying If ye transgress I will scatter you abroad
among the nations .
19 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 .
110 Now these are thy servants and thy people whom thou hast
redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand .
111 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 .
* 21 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 .
22 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 .
23 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 .
24 Then the king said unto me For what dost thou make request
So I prayed to the God of heaven .
25 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 .
26 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 .
27 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 .
28 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 .
29 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 .
210 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 .
211 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days .
212 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 .
213 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 .
214 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 .
215 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 .
216 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 .
217 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 .
218 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 .
219 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 .
220 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
.
* 31 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 .
32 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho And next to
them builded Zaccur the son of Imri .
33 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 .
34 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 .
35 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired but their nobles
put not their necks to the work of their Lord .
36 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 .
37 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 .
38 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 .
39 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur the
ruler of the half part of Jerusalem .
310 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 .
311 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of
Pahathmoab repaired the other piece and the tower of the
furnaces .
312 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh the
ruler of the half part of Jerusalem he and his daughters .
313 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 .
314 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab the
ruler of part of Bethhaccerem he built it and set up the doors
thereof the locks thereof and the bars thereof .
315 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of
Colhozeh 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 .
316 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk the ruler of
the half part of Bethzur unto the place over against the
sepulchres of David and to the pool that was made and unto the
house of the mighty .
317 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 .
318 After him repaired their brethren Bavai the son of Henadad
the ruler of the half part of Keilah .
319 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 .
320 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 .
321 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 .
322 And after him repaired the priests the men of the plain .
323 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 .
324 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 .
325 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 .
326 Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel unto the place over
against the water gate toward the east and the tower that lieth
out .
327 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece over
against the great tower that lieth out even unto the wall of
Ophel .
328 From above the horse gate repaired the priests every one
over against his house .
329 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 .
330 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 .
331 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 .
332 And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate
repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants .
* 41 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 .
42 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 .
43 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 .
44 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 .
45 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 .
46 So built we the wall and all the wall was joined together
unto the half thereof for the people had a mind to work .
47 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 .
48 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight
against Jerusalem and to hinder it .
49 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God and set a
watch against them day and night because of them .
410 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 .
411 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 .
412 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 .
413 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 .
414 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 .
415 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 .
416 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 .
417 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 .
418 For the builders every one had his sword girded by his
side and so builded And he that sounded the trumpet was by me .
419 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 .
420 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet
resort ye thither unto us our God shall fight for us .
421 So we laboured in the work and half of them held the
spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared .
422 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 .
423 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 .
* 51 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives
against their brethren the Jews .
52 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
.
53 Some also there were that said We have mortgaged our lands
vineyards and houses that we might buy corn because of the
dearth .
54 There were also that said We have borrowed money for the
king's tribute and that upon our lands and vineyards .
55 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 .
56 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words
.
57 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 .
58 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 .
59 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 .
510 I likewise and my brethren and my servants might exact of
them money and corn I pray you let us leave off this usury .
511 Restore I pray you to them even this day their lands their
vineyards their oliveyards and their houses also the hundredth
part of the money and of the corn the wine and the oil that ye
exact of them .
512 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 .
513 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 .
514 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
.
515 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 .
516 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 .
517 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 .
518 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 .
519 Think upon me my God for good according to all that I have
done for this people .
* 61 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 .
62 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 .
63 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 .
64 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort and I
answered them after the same manner .
65 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the
fifth time with an open letter in his hand .
66 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 .
67 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 .
68 Then I sent unto him saying There are no such things done
as thou sayest but thou feignest them out of thine own heart .
69 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 .
610 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 .
611 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 .
612 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 .
613 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 .
614 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 .
615 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of
the month Elul in fifty and two days .
616 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 .
617 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many
letters unto Tobiah and the letters of Tobiah came unto them .
618 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 .
619 Also they reported his good deeds before me and uttered my
words to him And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear .
* 71 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 .
72 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 .
73 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 .
74 Now the city was large and great but the people were few
therein and the houses were not builded .
75 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 .
76 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 .
77 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 .
78 The children of Parosh two thousand an hundred seventy and
two .
79 The children of Shephatiah three hundred seventy and two .
710 The children of Arah six hundred fifty and two .
711 The children of Pahathmoab of the children of Jeshua and
Joab two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen .
712 The children of Elam a thousand two hundred fifty and four
.
713 The children of Zattu eight hundred forty and five .
714 The children of Zaccai seven hundred and threescore .
715 The children of Binnui six hundred forty and eight .
716 The children of Bebai six hundred twenty and eight .
717 The children of Azgad two thousand three hundred twenty
and two .
718 The children of Adonikam six hundred threescore and seven .
719 The children of Bigvai two thousand threescore and seven .
720 The children of Adin six hundred fifty and five .
721 The children of Ater of Hezekiah ninety and eight .
722 The children of Hashum three hundred twenty and eight .
723 The children of Bezai three hundred twenty and four .
724 The children of Hariph an hundred and twelve .
725 The children of Gibeon ninety and five .
726 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah an hundred fourscore and
eight .
727 The men of Anathoth an hundred twenty and eight .
728 The men of Bethazmaveth forty and two .
729 The men of Kirjathjearim Chephirah and Beeroth seven
hundred forty and three .
730 The men of Ramah and Gaba six hundred twenty and one .
731 The men of Michmas an hundred and twenty and two .
732 The men of Bethel and Ai an hundred twenty and three .
733 The men of the other Nebo fifty and two .
734 The children of the other Elam a thousand two hundred
fifty and four .
735 The children of Harim three hundred and twenty .
736 The children of Jericho three hundred forty and five .
737 The children of Lod Hadid and Ono seven hundred twenty and
one .
738 The children of Senaah three thousand nine hundred and
thirty .
739 The priests the children of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua
nine hundred seventy and three .
740 The children of Immer a thousand fifty and two .
741 The children of Pashur a thousand two hundred forty and
seven .
742 The children of Harim a thousand and seventeen .
743 The Levites the children of Jeshua of Kadmiel and of the
children of Hodevah seventy and four .
744 The singers the children of Asaph an hundred forty and
eight .
745 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 .
746 The Nethinims the children of Ziha the children of
Hashupha the children of Tabbaoth .
747 The children of Keros the children of Sia the children of
Padon .
748 The children of Lebana the children of Hagaba the children
of Shalmai .
749 The children of Hanan the children of Giddel the children
of Gahar .
750 The children of Reaiah the children of Rezin the children
of Nekoda .
751 The children of Gazzam the children of Uzza the children
of Phaseah .
752 The children of Besai the children of Meunim the children
of Nephishesim .
753 The children of Bakbuk the children of Hakupha the
children of Harhur .
754 The children of Bazlith the children of Mehida the
children of Harsha .
755 The children of Barkos the children of Sisera the children
of Tamah .
756 The children of Neziah the children of Hatipha .
757 The children of Solomon's servants the children of Sotai
the children of Sophereth the children of Perida .
758 The children of Jaala the children of Darkon the children
of Giddel .
759 The children of Shephatiah the children of Hattil the
children of Pochereth of Zebaim the children of Amon .
760 All the Nethinims and the children of Solomon's servants
were three hundred ninety and two .
761 And these were they which went up also from Telmelah
Telharesha Cherub Addon and Immer but they could not show their
father's house nor their seed whether they were of Israel .
762 The children of Delaiah the children of Tobiah the
children of Nekoda six hundred forty and two .
763 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 .
764 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 .
765 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 .
766 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand
three hundred and threescore .
767 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 .
768 Their horses seven hundred thirty and six their mules two
hundred forty and five .
769 Their camels four hundred thirty and five six thousand
seven hundred and twenty asses .
770 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work
The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold
fifty basins five hundred and thirty priests' garments .
771 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 .
772 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 .
773 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 .
* 81 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 .
82 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 .
83 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 .
84 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 .
85 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 .
86 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 .
87 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 .
88 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly and
gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading .
89 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 .
810 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 .
811 So the Levites stilled all the people saying Hold your
peace for the day is holy neither be ye grieved .
812 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 .
813 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 .
814 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 .
815 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 .
816 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 .
817 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 .
818 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 .
* 91 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 .
92 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all
strangers and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities
of their fathers .
93 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 .
94 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 .
95 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 .
96 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 .
97 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 .
98 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 .
99 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and
heardest their cry by the Red sea .
910 And showedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh 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 .
911 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 .
912 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 .
913 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 .
914 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath and
commandedst them precepts statutes and laws by the hand of Moses
thy servant .
915 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 .
916 But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their
necks and hearkened not to thy commandments .
917 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 .
918 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 .
919 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 show them light and the way wherein they should go .
920 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them and
withheldest not thy manna from their mouth and gavest them water
for their thirst .
921 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 .
922 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 .
923 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 .
924 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 .
925 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 .
926 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 .
927 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 .
928 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 .
929 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 .
930 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 .
931 Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not
utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious
and merciful God .
932 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 .
933 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for
thou hast done right but we have done wickedly .
934 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 .
935 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 .
936 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 .
937 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 .
938 And because of all this we make a sure covenant and write
it and our princes Levites and priests seal unto it .
* 101 Now those that sealed were Nehemiah the Tirshatha the son
of Hachaliah and Zidkijah .
102 Seraiah Azariah Jeremiah .
103 Pashur Amariah Malchijah .
104 Hattush Shebaniah Malluch .
105 Harim Meremoth Obadiah .
106 Daniel Ginnethon Baruch .
107 Meshullam Abijah Mijamin .
108 Maaziah Bilgai Shemaiah these were the priests .
109 And the Levites both Jeshua the son of Azaniah Binnui of
the sons of Henadad Kadmiel .
1010 And their brethren Shebaniah Hodijah Kelita Pelaiah Hanan
.
1011 Micha Rehob Hashabiah .
1012 Zaccur Sherebiah Shebaniah .
1013 Hodijah Bani Beninu .
1014 The chief of the people Parosh Pahathmoab Elam Zatthu
Bani .
1015 Bunni Azgad Bebai .
1016 Adonijah Bigvai Adin .
1017 Ater Hizkijah Azzur .
1018 Hodijah Hashum Bezai .
1019 Hariph Anathoth Nebai .
1020 Magpiash Meshullam Hezir .
1021 Meshezabeel Zadok Jaddua .
1022 Pelatiah Hanan Anaiah .
1023 Hoshea Hananiah Hashub .
1024 Hallohesh Pileha Shobek .
1025 Rehum Hashabnah Maaseiah .
1026 And Ahijah Hanan Anan .
1027 Malluch Harim Baanah .
1028 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 .
1029 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 .
1030 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people
of the land nor take their daughters for our sons .
1031 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 .
1032 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 .
1033 For the showbread 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 .
1034 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 .
1035 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 .
1036 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 .
1037 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 .
1038 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 .
1039 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 .
* 111 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 .
112 And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered
themselves to dwell at Jerusalem .
113 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
.
114 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
.
115 And Maaseiah the son of Baruch the son of Colhozeh the son
of Hazaiah the son of Adaiah the son of Joiarib the son of
Zechariah the son of Shiloni .
116 All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four
hundred threescore and eight valiant men .
117 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 .
118 And after him Gabbai Sallai nine hundred twenty and eight .
119 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer and Judah
the son of Senuah was second over the city .
1110 Of the priests Jedaiah the son of Joiarib Jachin .
1111 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 .
1112 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 .
1113 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 .
1114 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 .
1115 Also of the Levites Shemaiah the son of Hashub the son of
Azrikam the son of Hashabiah the son of Bunni .
1116 And Shabbethai and Jozabad of the chief of the Levites
had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God .
1117 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 .
1118 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred
fourscore and four .
1119 Moreover the porters Akkub Talmon and their brethren that
kept the gates were an hundred seventy and two .
1120 And the residue of Israel of the priests and the Levites
were in all the cities of Judah every one in his inheritance .
1121 But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel and Ziha and Gispa were
over the Nethinims .
1122 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 .
1123 For it was the king's commandment concerning them that a
certain portion should be for the singers due for every day .
1124 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 .
1125 And for the villages with their fields some of the
children of Judah dwelt at Kirjatharba and in the villages
thereof and at Dibon and in the villages thereof and at
Jekabzeel and in the villages thereof .
1126 And at Jeshua and at Moladah and at Bethphelet .
1127 And at Hazarshual and at Beersheba and in the villages
thereof .
1128 And at Ziklag and at Mekonah and in the villages thereof .
1129 And at Enrimmon and at Zareah and at Jarmuth .
1130 Zanoah Adullam and in their villages at Lachish and the
fields thereof at Azekah and in the villages thereof And they
dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom .
1131 The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash
and Aija and Bethel and in their villages .
1132 And at Anathoth Nob Ananiah .
1133 Hazor Ramah Gittaim .
1134 Hadid Zeboim Neballat .
1135 Lod and Ono the valley of craftsmen .
1136 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah and in
Benjamin .
* 121 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up
with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua Seraiah Jeremiah
Ezra .
122 Amariah Malluch Hattush .
123 Shechaniah Rehum Meremoth .
124 Iddo Ginnetho Abijah .
125 Miamin Maadiah Bilgah .
126 Shemaiah and Joiarib Jedaiah .
127 Sallu Amok Hilkiah Jedaiah These were the chief of the
priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua .
128 Moreover the Levites Jeshua Binnui Kadmiel Sherebiah Judah
and Mattaniah which was over the thanksgiving he and his
brethren .
129 Also Bakbukiah and Unni their brethren were over against
them in the watches .
1210 And Jeshua begat Joiakim Joiakim also begat Eliashib and
Eliashib begat Joiada .
1211 And Joiada begat Jonathan and Jonathan begat Jaddua .
1212 And in the days of Joiakim were priests the chief of the
fathers of Seraiah Meraiah of Jeremiah Hananiah .
1213 Of Ezra Meshullam of Amariah Jehohanan .
1214 Of Melicu Jonathan of Shebaniah Joseph .
1215 Of Harim Adna of Meraioth Helkai .
1216 Of Iddo Zechariah of Ginnethon Meshullam .
1217 Of Abijah Zichri of Miniamin of Moadiah Piltai .
1218 Of Bilgah Shammua of Shemaiah Jehonathan .
1219 And of Joiarib Mattenai of Jedaiah Uzzi .
1220 Of Sallai Kallai of Amok Eber .
1221 Of Hilkiah Hashabiah of Jedaiah Nethaneel .
1222 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 .
1223 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 .
1224 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 .
1225 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah Obadiah Meshullam Talmon Akkub
were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates .
1226 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 .
1227 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 .
1228 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together
both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem and from the
villages of Netophathi .
1229 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 .
1230 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and
purified the people and the gates and the wall .
1231 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 .
1232 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the princes of
Judah .
1233 And Azariah Ezra and Meshullam .
1234 Judah and Benjamin and Shemaiah and Jeremiah .
1235 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
.
1236 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 .
1237 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 .
1238 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 .
1239 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 .
1240 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 .
1241 And the priests Eliakim Maaseiah Miniamin Michaiah
Elioenai Zechariah and Hananiah with trumpets .
1242 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 .
1243 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 .
1244 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 .
1245 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 .
1246 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were
chief of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto
God .
1247 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 .
* 131 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 .
132 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 .
133 Now it came to pass when they had heard the law that they
separated from Israel all the mixed multitude .
134 And before this Eliashib the priest having the oversight
of the chamber of the house of our God was allied unto Tobiah .
135 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 .
136 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 .
137 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 .
138 And it grieved me sore therefore I cast forth all the
household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber .
139 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 .
1310 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 .
1311 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 .
1312 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new
wine and the oil unto the treasuries .
1313 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 .
1314 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 .
1315 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 .
1316 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 .
1317 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 .
1318 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 .
1319 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 .
1320 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged
without Jerusalem once or twice .
1321 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 .
1322 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 .
1323 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of
Ashdod of Ammon and of Moab .
1324 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 .
1325 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 .
1326 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 .
1327 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil
to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives .
1328 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 .
1329 Remember them O my God because they have defiled the
priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites
.
1330 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers and appointed the
wards of the priests and the Levites every one in his business .
1331 And for the wood offering at times appointed and for the
firstfruits Remember me O my God for good .
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