News from Jerusalem
1The words of aNehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the btwentieth year, as I was in cShushan the palace,
2That dHanani, 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.
3And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the eprovince are in great affliction and freproach: gthe wall of Jerusalem also his broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
Nehemiah’s Prayer of Repentance
4And 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,
5And said, I beseech thee, iO LORD God of heaven, the great and jterrible God, kthat keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
6Let thine ear now be attentive, and lthine 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 mconfess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
7nWe have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have onot kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
8Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, pIf ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
9qBut if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; rthough 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.
10sNow these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
11O Lord, I beseech thee, tlet now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who udesire 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 vcupbearer.
Nehemiah’s Sad Countenance
1And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of aArtaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and bI took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
2Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but csorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
3And said unto the king, dLet the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when ethe city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with ffire?
4Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I gprayed to the God of heaven.
Nehemiah’s Request
5And 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.
6And 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 ha time.
7Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the igovernors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
8And 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 jto the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, kaccording to the good hand of my God upon me.
9Then 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.
10When lSanballat 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.
11So I mcame to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
Nehemiah’s Inspection of the Walls
12And 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.
13And I went out by night nby the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were obroken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
14Then I went on to the pgate of the fountain, and to the qking’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
15Then went I up in the night by the rbrook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.
16And 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.
17Then 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 sa reproach.
18Then I told them of tthe 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 ustrengthened their hands for this good work.
19But 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? vwill ye rebel against the king?
20Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: wbut ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
Rebuilding the Walls
1Then aEliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, band they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; ceven unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of dHananeel.
2And next unto him builded ethe men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
3fBut the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and gset up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
4And next unto them repaired hMeremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired iMeshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
5And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to jthe work of their Lord.
6Moreover kthe 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.
7And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the lmen of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the mthrone of the governor on this side the river.
8Next 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 nbroad wall.
9And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.
10And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.
11Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, oand the tower of the furnaces.
12And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
13pThe 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 qthe dung gate.
14But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of rBeth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
15But sthe gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of tSiloah by the uking’s garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.
16After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the vpool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty.
17After 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.
18After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.
19And 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 wturning of the wall.
20After 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.
21After 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.
22And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.
23After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house.
24After him repaired xBinnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah unto ythe turning of the wall, even unto the corner.
25Palal 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 zcourt of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.
26Moreover athe Nethinims dwelt in bOphel, unto the place over against cthe water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.
27After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.
28From above the dhorse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.
29After 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.
30After 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.
31After 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.
32And between the going up of the corner unto the esheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
Opposition to the Wall
1But it came to pass, athat when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2And 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?
3Now bTobiah 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.
4cHear, O our God; for we are despised: and dturn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
5And ecover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
6So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
The Adversaries’ Conspiracy
7But it came to pass, that fwhen Sanballat, and Tobiah, and gthe 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,
8And hconspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
Prayer for God’s Protection
9Nevertheless iwe made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
10And 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.
11And 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.
12And 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.
13Therefore 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.
14And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, jBe not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is kgreat and terrible, and lfight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, mand God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16And 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.
17They 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.
18For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
19And 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.
20In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: nour God shall fight for us.
21So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
22Likewise 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.
23So 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.
Complaints About Usury
1And there was a great acry of the people and of their wives against their bbrethren the Jews.
2For 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.
3Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5Yet now cour flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we dbring 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.
Nehemiah’s Anger
6And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, eYe exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
8And I said unto them, We after our ability have fredeemed 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.
9Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk gin the fear of our God hbecause of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
10I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11Restore, 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.
12Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, iand took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
13Also jI 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. kAnd the people did according to this promise.
Nehemiah’s Generosity
14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year leven unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not meaten the bread of the governor.
15But 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 nso did not I, because of the ofear of God.
16Yea, also I continued in the pwork of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
17Moreover there were qat 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.
18Now that rwhich 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 srequired not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19tThink upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
Trickery of Adversaries
1Now it came to pass, awhen 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; (bthough at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2That Sanballat and Geshem csent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of dOno. But they ethought to do me mischief.
3And 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?
4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Letter from Sanballat
5Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
6Wherein 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, fthat thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
7And 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.
8Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
9For 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.
Shemaiah’s Counsel
10Afterward 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.
11And 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.
12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that ghe pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13Therefore 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.
14hMy God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the iprophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
The Wall Completed in Fifty-Two Days
15So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
16And it came to pass, that jwhen 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 kthey perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
18For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the lson in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of mMeshullam the son of Berechiah.
19Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Rulers Appointed Over Jerusalem
1Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had aset up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
2That I gave my brother bHanani, and Hananiah the ruler cof the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and dfeared God above many.
3And 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.
4Now the city was large and great: but the people were efew therein, and the houses were not builded.
The Census of the Exiles
5And 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,
6fThese 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;
7Who came with gZerubbabel, 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;
8The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
9The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
10The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
11The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
12The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
13The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
14The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
15The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
16The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
18The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.
19The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.
20The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.
21The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
22The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.
23The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
24The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.
25The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.
26The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.
27The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
28The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.
29The men of Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.
30The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
31The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.
32The men of Beth-el and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.
33The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.
34The children of the other hElam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
35The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
36The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
37The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.
38The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
39The priests: the children of iJedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
40The children of jImmer, a thousand fifty and two.
41The children of kPashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
42The children of lHarim, a thousand and seventeen.
43The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
44The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.
45The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.
46The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
47The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
48The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,
49The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
50The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
51The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
52The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,
53The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
54The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
55The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
56The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
57The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
58The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
59The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
60All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
61And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
62The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
63And 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.
64These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
65And 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.
66The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
67Beside 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.
68Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:
69Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.
Gifts Given for the Work
70And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. mThe Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments.
71And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work ntwenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.
72And 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.
73So 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; oand when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Ezra Reads the Book of the Law
1And all athe people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was bbefore the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the cscribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2And Ezra the priest brought dthe law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, eupon the first day of the seventh month.
3And he fread 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.
4And 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.
5And 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 gstood up:
6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people hanswered, Amen, Amen, with ilifting up their hands: and they jbowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Teachers of the Book of the Law
7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, kcaused the people to understand the law: and the people lstood in their place.
8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9mAnd Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, nThis day is holy unto the LORD your God; omourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, pand 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.
11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to qsend portions, and to make great mirth, because they had runderstood the words that were declared unto them.
The Feast of Tabernacles Observed
13And 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.
14And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in sbooths in the feast of the seventh month:
15And tthat they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and uin Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and vfetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the wroof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the xwater gate, yand in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17And 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 zgreat gladness.
18Also aday 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 bseven days; and on the ceighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Praise to God and Confession of Sins
1Now in the twenty and fourth day of athis month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, band earth upon them.
2And cthe seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and dconfessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
3And they stood up in their place, and eread 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.
4Then 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.
5Then 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 fthy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
6gThou, even thou, art LORD alone; hthou hast made heaven, ithe heaven of heavens, with jall their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou kpreservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
7Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose lAbram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of mAbraham;
8And foundest his heart nfaithful before thee, and madest a ocovenant 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 phast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
9qAnd didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and rheardest their cry by the Red sea;
10And sshewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they tdealt proudly against them. So didst thou uget thee a name, as it is this day.
11vAnd 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, was a stone into the mighty waters.
12Moreover thou xleddest 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.
13yThou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them zright judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
14And madest known unto them thy aholy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
15And bgavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and cbroughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should dgo in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
16eBut they and our fathers dealt proudly, and fhardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
17And refused to obey, gneither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed ha captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, igracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
18Yea, jwhen 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;
19Yet thou in thy kmanifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the lpillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
20Thou gavest also thy mgood spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy nmanna from their mouth, and gavest them owater for their thirst.
21Yea, pforty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their qclothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
22Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of rSihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
23sTheir 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.
24So tthe children went in and possessed the land, and uthou 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.
25And they took strong cities, and a vfat land, and possessed whouses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and xbecame fat, and delighted themselves in thy great ygoodness.
26Nevertheless they zwere disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and acast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy bprophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
27cTherefore 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 dheardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies ethou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
28But after they had rest, fthey 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 gmany times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
29And 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, (hwhich if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
30Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst iagainst them by thy spirit jin thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: ktherefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
31Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake lthou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mmighty, 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, nsince the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
33Howbeit othou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but pwe have done wickedly:
34Neither 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.
35For they have qnot 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.
36Behold, rwe 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:
37And sit yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have tdominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
38And because of all this we umake a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, vseal unto it.
Those Who Sealed the Covenant
1Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, athe son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
2bSeraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
9And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
10And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
14The chief of the people; cParosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,
18Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
19Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
24Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
Covenant Conditions
28dAnd the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, eand 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;
29They clave to their brethren, their nobles, fand entered into a curse, and into an oath, gto 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;
30And that we would not give hour daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
31iAnd 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 jseventh year, and the kexaction of every debt.
32Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third lpart of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
33For mthe shewbread, and for the ncontinual 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.
34And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, ofor 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, pas it is written in the law:
35And qto bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
36Also the rfirstborn 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:
37sAnd 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 tthe tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
38And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, uwhen the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes into the house of our God, to vthe chambers, into the treasure house.
39For the children of Israel and the children of Levi wshall 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, xand the singers: and we will not yforsake the house of our God.
Rulers in Jerusalem
1And 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 athe holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
2And the people blessed all the men, that bwillingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
3cNow 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 dthe Nethinims, and the echildren of Solomon’s servants.
Rulers of the Tribe of Judah
4And fat 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 gPerez;
5And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.
6All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men.
Rulers of the Tribe of Benjamin
7And 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.
8And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.
9And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city.
Chief Rulers of the Priests
10hOf the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.
11Seraiah 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.
12And 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,
13And 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,
14And their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.
Chief Rulers of the Levites
15Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
16And iShabbethai and jJozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of kthe outward business of the house of God.
17And 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.
18All the Levites in lthe holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.
19Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.
Cities Outside of Jerusalem
20And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
21mBut the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.
22The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.
23For nit was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
24And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of oZerah the son of Judah, was pat the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.
Dwelling Places of the Tribe of Judah
25And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at qKirjath-arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof,
26And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
27And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-Sheba, and in the villages thereof,
28And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,
29And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,
30Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-Sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.
Dwelling Places of the Tribe of Benjamin
31The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Beth-el, and in their villages,
32And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35Lod, and Ono, rthe valley of craftsmen.
36And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.
Priests Who Returned from Babylon
1Now these are the apriests and the Levites that went up with bZerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: cSeraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4Iddo, Ginnetho, dAbijah,
5Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of eJeshua.
Levites Who Returned from Babylon
8Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, fwhich was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
9Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
10And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,
11And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
12And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the gchief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
16Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
18Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
21Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
22The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were hrecorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
23The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the ichronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
24And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to jpraise and to give thanks, kaccording to the commandment of David the man of God, lward over against ward.
25Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
26These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah mthe governor, and of Ezra the priest, nthe scribe.
The Dedication of the Wall
27And at othe 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, pboth with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
28And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the qvillages of Netophathi;
29Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
30And the priests and the Levites rpurified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
31Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof sone went on the right hand upon the wall ttoward the dung gate:
32And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
33And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35And certain of the priests’ sons uwith 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:
36And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with vthe musical winstruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
37xAnd at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by ythe stairs of the zcity of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto athe water gate eastward.
38bAnd 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 cthe tower of the furnaces even unto dthe broad wall;
39eAnd from above the gate of Ephraim, and above fthe old gate, and above gthe fish gate, hand the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto ithe sheep gate: and they stood still in jthe prison gate.
40So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
41And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
43Also 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 kafar off.
Duties of Temple Servers
44lAnd at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the mtithes, 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.
45And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, naccording to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
46For in the days of David oand Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
47And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, pevery day his portion: qand they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; rand the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.
Separation of People
1On that day athey read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, bthat the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
2Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but chired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: dhowbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, ethat they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Eliashib’s Alliance with Tobiah
4And before this, fEliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto gTobiah:
5And he had prepared for him a great chamber, hwhere aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, iwhich was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
6But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: jfor 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:
Nehemiah Cleanses the Chambers
7And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in kpreparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
9Then I commanded, and they lcleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
The Levites’ Portion Restored
10And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had mnot been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to nhis field.
11Then ocontended I with the rulers, and said, pWhy is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
12qThen brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
13rAnd 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 sfaithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.
14tRemember 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.
Holiness of the Sabbath Day Restored
15In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses uon the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, vwhich they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
16There 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.
17Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
18wDid 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.
19And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem xbegan 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: yand some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
21Then 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.
22And I commanded the Levites that zthey 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.
Foreign Wives Put Away
23In those days also saw I Jews that ahad married wives of bAshdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
24And 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.
25And I ccontended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them dswear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
26eDid not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, fwho was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: gnevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
27Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to htransgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28And one of the sons iof Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to jSanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
29kRemember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and lthe covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
30mThus cleansed I them from all strangers, and nappointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31And for othe wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. pRemember me, O my God, for good.