Bible in 90 Days
1 The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah: In the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in the palace of Shushan,
2 Hanani (one of my brethren) came, he and the men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who remained of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 And they said to me, “The remnant of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. And the wall of Jerusalem is broken down. And its gates are burnt with fire.”
4 And when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for some days. And I fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven,
5 and said, “O LORD God of Heaven, the great and terrible God, Who keeps Covenant and mercy for those who love Him and observe His Commandments,
6 “I pray, let Your Ears be attentive, and Your Eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant which I pray before You daily, day and night, for the children of Israel, Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both I and my father’s House have sinned.
7 “We have grievously sinned against You, and have not kept the Commandments, or the Statutes, or the Judgments, which You commanded Your servant Moses.
8 “I pray, remember the Word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘You will transgress. And I will scatter you among the nations.
9 ‘But if you return to Me, and keep My Commandments, and do them, though your scattering were to the uttermost part of the heaven, I will still gather you from there and will bring you to the place that I have chosen to place My Name.’
10 “Now these are Your servants and Your people whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your mighty Hand.
11 “O LORD, I pray, let Your Ear now listen to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your Name. And I pray, make Your servant prosper this day, and give him favor in the presence of this man. For I was the king’s butler.”
2 Now, in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, the wine stood before him. And I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before.
2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very afraid.
3 And I said to the king, “God save the king forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city and house of the sepulchers of my fathers lies waste; and its gates are devoured with fire?”
4 And the king said to me, “What thing do you request?” Then I prayed to the God of Heaven,
5 and said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I desire that you would send me to Judah, to the city of the sepulchers of my fathers, so that I may build it.”
6 And the king said to me (with the queen sitting by him), “How long shall your journey be? And when will you come back?” So, it pleased the king, and he sent me. And I gave him a time.
7 Afterward, I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let them give me letters to the captains beyond the River, so that they may allow me passage until I come into Judah,
8 and letters to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s park, so that he may give me timber to build the gates of the palace which pertained to the house and for the walls of the city and for the house into which I shall enter.” And the king gave to me according to the good Hand of my God upon me.
9 Then I came to the captains beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. And the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
10 But Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah (an Ammonite servant) heard it. And it sorely grieved them that there had come a man who sought the wealth of the children of Israel.
11 So, I came to Jerusalem, and was there for three days.
12 And I rose in the night, I and a few men with me. For I told no man what God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem. And there was not a beast with me, except the beast upon which I rode.
13 And I went out by night, by the gate of the valley, and came before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, how they were broken down, and their ports devoured with the fire.
14 Then I went forth to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s fish pool. And there was no room for the beast that was under me to pass.
15 Then in the night, I went up by the brook and viewed the wall and turned back. And coming back, I entered by the gate of the valley and returned.
16 And the rulers did not know whether I was gone or what I did. Nor had I told it to the Jews yet, or to the priests, or to the noble men, or to the rulers, or to the rest who labored in the work.
17 Afterward I said to them, “You see the misery that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste and its gates are burnt with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, so that we are no longer a reproach.”
18 Then I told them of the Hand of my God which was good over me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise and build.” So they strengthened their hand to do good.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they mocked us and despised us, and said, “What thing is this that you do? Will you rebel against the king?”
20 Then I answered them, and said to them, “The God of Heaven, He will prosper us. And we, His servants, will rise up and build. But as for you, you have no portion or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
3 Then Eliashib, the High Priest, arose with his brethren, the priests. And they built the Sheep Gate. They repaired it and set up its doors. They repaired it up to the Tower of Meah, and to the Tower of Hananel.
2 And the men of Jericho built next to him. And Zaccur, the son of Imri, was beside him.
3 But the sons of Senaah built the fish port. They also laid its beams and hung its doors, with its locks and its bars.
4 And Meremoth, the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, fortified next to them. And Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel fortified next to them. And Zadok, the son of Baana, fortified next to them.
5 And the Tekoites fortified next to them. But the great men of them did not put their necks to the works of their lords.
6 And Jehoiada, the son of Paseah, and Meshullam, the son of Besodeiah, fortified the gate of the old fish pool. They laid its beams and hung its doors, with its locks and its bars.
7 Next to them, Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, men of Gibeon and Mizpah, also fortified the throne of the duke beyond the River.
8 Next to him, Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths fortified. Next to him, Hananiah the son of Harakkahim also fortified. And they repaired Jerusalem to the broad wall.
9 Also next to them, Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half of Jerusalem, fortified.
10 And next to him, Jedaiah the son of Harumaph fortified in front of his house. And next to him, Hattush the son of Hashabniah fortified.
11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-Moab, fortified the second portion and the tower of the furnaces.
12 Next to him, Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half of Jerusalem also fortified, he and his daughters.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah fortified the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors, with its locks and bars, a thousand cubits on the wall to the dung port.
14 But, Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of one fourth of Beth Haccarem fortified the dung port. He built it and hung its doors, with its locks and bars.
15 But, Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, the ruler of one fourth of Mizpah, fortified the Gate of the Fountain. He built it and covered it and hung its doors, with its locks and bars. And he built the wall to the fish pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, and to the steps that go down from the City of David.
16 After him, Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half of Beth Zur, fortified until the other side, opposite the sepulchers of David, and to the fish pool that was repaired, and to the house of the mighty.
17 After him, the Levites fortified: Rehum, the son of Bani, and next to him was Hashabiah, the ruler of half of Keilah, in his quarter.
18 After him their brethren fortified: Bavai, the son of Henadad, the ruler of half of Keilah,
19 and next to him was Ezer, the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, who fortified the other portion opposite the going up to the corner of the armor.
20 After him was earnest Baruch, the son of Zabbai, who fortified another portion from the corner to the door of the house of Eliashib, the High Priest.
21 After him, Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, fortified another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib, as long as the house of Eliashib extended.
22 After him, the priests (the men of the plain) also fortified.
23 After them, Benjamin and Hasshub fortified in front of their house. After them, Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, fortified by his house.
24 After him, Binnui, the son of Henadad, fortified another portion from the house of Azariah to the turning and to the corner.
25 Palal, the son of Uzai, fortified from opposite the corner, and the high tower that lies out from the king’s house, which is beside the court of the prison. After him, Pedaiah the son of Parosh fortified.
26 And the Nethinim dwelt in the fortress to the place in front of the water gate, eastward, and to the tower that lies out.
27 After him, the Tekoites fortified another portion in front of the great tower that lies out to the wall of the fortress.
28 The priests fortified from beyond the Horse Gate, each one in front of his house.
29 After them, Zadok, the son of Immer, fortified in front of his house. And after him, Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, fortified.
30 After him, Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the son of Zalaph, (the sixth), fortified another portion. After him, Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, fortified in front of his chamber.
31 After him, Malchijah the goldsmith’s son fortified until the house of the Nethinim and of the Merchants, in front of the gate Miphkad, and to the chamber in the corner.
32 And the goldsmiths and the merchants fortified between the chamber of the corner to the Sheep Gate.
4 But when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry and very grieved and mocked the Jews
2 and spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these weak Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of dust, seeing they are burnt?”
3 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and said, “Although they build, even if a fox goes up on it, yet he shall break down their stony wall!”
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised! And turn their shame upon their own heads and give them to a prey in the land of their captivity.
5 And do not cover their iniquity or let their sin be put out in Your presence. For they have provoked us before the builders.
6 So, we built the wall. And the whole wall was joined to its half. And the heart of the people was to work.
7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonite, and the Ashdodims heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been repaired (for the breaches began to be stopped), then they were very angry
8 and conspired together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder them.
9 Then we prayed to our God. And because of them we set watchmen against them, day and night.
10 And Judah said, “The strength of the bearers has weakened. And there is much earth, so that we are not able to build the wall.”
11 Also, our adversaries had said, “They shall neither know nor see until we come into the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”
12 But when the Jews who dwelt beside them came, they told us ten times, “From all places where you shall return, they will be upon us.”
13 Therefore I stationed men in the lower places, behind the wall, upon the tops of the stones, and placed the people by their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 Then I beheld, and rose up, and said to the princes and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them! Remember the great and fearful LORD! And fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses!”
15 And when our enemies heard that it was known to us, then God brought their plans to nothing. And we all turned to the wall again, each one to his work.
16 And from that day, half of the young men did the labor, and the other half of them held the spears, and shields, and bows, and armor. And the rulers stood behind the whole House of Judah,
17 those who built on the wall and those who bore burdens. Those who loaded did the work with one hand and held the sword with the other.
18 For every one of the builders had his sword girded on his loins and built. And he who blew the trumpet was beside me.
19 Then I said to the princes and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and large! And we are separated upon the wall, one far from another!
20 “In whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, return from there to us! Our God shall fight for us!”
21 So we labored in the work. And half of them held the spears, from the appearance of the morning until the stars came forth.
22 And at the same time, I said to the people, “Let everyone lodge with his servant within Jerusalem, so that they may be a watch for us in the night and labor in the day.”
23 So, neither I nor my brethren nor my servants nor the men of the ward who followed me (none of us) took off our clothes, except when everyone took them off for washing.
5 Now there was a great cry from the people, and from their wives, against their brethren the Jews.
2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Therefore, let us get grain, so that we may eat and live.”
3 And there were those who said, “We must gage our lands and our vineyards and our houses, and get grain for the famine.”
4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute on our lands and our vineyards.
5 “And now, our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, and our sons as their sons. And lo, we bring our sons and our daughters into subjection, as servants. And our daughters are now in subjection. And there is no power in our hands. For other men have our lands and our vineyards.”
6 Then I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 And I thought in my mind. And I rebuked the princes and the rulers and said to them, “Each of you lays burdens upon his brethren.” And I set a great assembly against them.
8 And I said to them, “We, according to our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews who were sold to the heathen. And will you sell your brethren back, or shall they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace and could not answer.
9 I also said, “That which you do is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God for the reproach of the heathen, our enemies?
10 “For even I, my brethren, and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!
11 “Please restore to them this day their lands, their vineyards, their olives, and their houses, and one hundredth of the silver and of the grain, of the wine, and of the oil that you exacted from them!”
12 Then they said, “We will restore it and will not require it of them. We will do as you have said.” Then I called the priests and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
13 So I shook my lap, and said, “So let God shake out every man from His House, and from His labor, who will not perform this promise. Thus let him be shaken out and emptied!” And all the Congregation said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
14 And from the time that the king gave me charge to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes (twelve years), I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15 For the former governors who were before me had laid burdens on the people, and had taken bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Yea, and their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
16 But rather, I fortified a portion in the work of this wall. And we bought no land. And all my servants came there together to work.
17 Moreover, there were at my table one hundred fifty of the Jews and rulers who came to us from among the heathen who are around us.
18 And an ox was prepared daily, and six chosen sheep. And birds were prepared for me. And every ten days, there was wine for all in abundance. Yet for all this, I did not require the bread of the governor. For the bondage was grievous to this people.
19 Remember me, O my God, in goodness, according to all that I have done for this people.
6 And when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall, and that there were no more breaches in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates),
2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, so that we may meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” And they thought to do me evil.
3 Therefore, I sent messengers to them, saying, “I have a great work to do, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
4 Still, they sent to me four times in the same way. And I answered them in the same way.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before for the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand,
6 in which was written, “It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu has said so, that you and the Jews plan to rebel, for which reason you built the wall. And you will be their king according to these words.
7 “You have also ordained the Prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah.” And now according to these words, it shall come to the king’s ears. Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together.”
8 Then I sent to him, saying, “Nothing is done according to these words that you speak. For you feign them from your own heart.”
9 For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands shall be weakened from the work, and it shall not be done.” Now, therefore, encourage me.
10 And I came to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. And he was shut up. And he said, “Let us come together into the House of God, in the midst of the Temple, and shut the doors of the Temple. For they will come to kill you. Yea, in the night will they come to kill you.”
11 Then I said, “Should such a man as I flee? Who is he, being as I am, who would go into the Temple to live? I will not go in.”
12 And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me. For Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 Therefore, he was hired so that I might be afraid, and do such, and sin, so that they might have an evil report, so that they might reproach me.
14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and Noadiah the prophetess also, and the rest of the prophets who would have put me in fear.
15 Notwithstanding, the wall was finished in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of Elul.
16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the heathen who were around us, they were afraid. And their courage failed them. For they knew that this work was done by our God.
17 And in these days, there were many of the princes of Judah whose letters went to Tobiah. And those of Tobiah came to them.
18 For there were many in Judah who had sworn allegiance to him. For he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah, the son of Arah. And his son, Jehohanan, had the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.
19 Yea, they spoke his praise before me, and told him my words. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
7 Now after the wall had been built, and I had set up the doors and the gatekeepers and the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,
2 I commanded my brother, Hanani, and Hananiah, the prince of the palace in Jerusalem (for he was doubtless a faithful man and feared God above many).
3 And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the heat of the Sun. And while they stand guard, let them shut the doors and fasten them. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post and each in front of his house.”
4 Now, the city was large and great. But there were few people in it, and the houses were not built.
5 And my God put into my heart to gather the princes and the rulers and the people, to count their genealogies. And I found a book of the genealogy of those who had come up at the beginning. And in it I found:
6 “These are the sons of the province who came up from the captivity that was carried away (whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, had carried away). And they returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city,
7 those who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah. This is the number of the men of the people of Israel.
8 The sons of Parosh were two thousand one hundred seventy-two.
9 The sons of Shephatiah were three hundred seventy-two.
10 The sons of Arah were six hundred fifty-two.
11 The sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, were two thousand eight hundred eighteen.
12 The sons of Elam were one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
13 The sons of Zattu were eight hundred forty-five.
14 The sons of Zaccai were seven hundred sixty.
15 The sons of Binnui were six hundred forty-eight.
16 The sons of Bebai were six hundred twenty-eight.
17 The sons of Azgad were two thousand three hundred twenty-two.
18 The sons of Adonikam were six hundred sixty-seven.
19 The sons of Bigvai were two thousand sixty-seven.
20 The sons of Adin were six hundred fifty-five.
21 The sons of Ater of Hezekiah were ninety-eight.
22 The sons of Hashum were three hundred twenty-eight.
23 The sons of Bezai were three hundred twenty-four.
24 The sons of Hariph were one hundred twelve.
25 The sons of Gibeon were ninety-five.
26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah were one hundred eighty-eight.
27 The men of Anathoth were one hundred twenty-eight.
28 The men of Beth Azmaveth were forty-two.
29 The men of Kirjath Jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth were seven hundred forty-three.
30 The men of Ramah and Geba were six hundred twenty-one.
31 The men of Michmas were one hundred twenty-two.
32 The men of Bethel and Ai were one hundred twenty-three.
33 The men of the other Nebo were fifty-two.
34 The sons of the other Elam were one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
35 The sons of Harim were three hundred twenty.
36 The sons of Jericho were three hundred forty-five.
37 The sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono were seven hundred twenty-one.
38 The sons of Senaah were three thousand nine hundred thirty.
39 The priests — the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua —were nine hundred seventy-three.
40 The sons of Immer were one thousand fifty-two.
41 The sons of Pashur were one thousand two hundred forty-seven.
42 The sons of Harim were one thousand seventeen.
43 The Levites — the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the sons of Hodevah — were seventy-four.
44 The singers (the children of Asaph) were one hundred forty-eight.
45 The gatekeepers — the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai — were one hundred thirty-eight.
46 The Nethinim were the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
47 the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon,
48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai,
49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,
50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda,
51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephishesim,
53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
54 the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah,
56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha,
57 the sons of Solomon’s servants, the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim and the sons of Amon.
60 All the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two.
61 And these came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer. But they could not make known their father’s house, nor their seed, nor if they were of Israel.
62 The sons of Delaiah — the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda — were six hundred forty-two.
63 And of the priests were the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, and the sons of Barzillai, who took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite as a wife and was named after their name.
64 These sought their writing in the genealogies, but it was not found. Therefore they were cast out from the priesthood.
65 And the Tirshatha told them that they should not eat of the Most Holy until a Priest rose up with Urim and Thummim.
66 All the Congregation together was forty-two thousand, three hundred sixty,
67 besides their servants and their maids, who were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven. And they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women.
68 Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six, their mules two hundred forty-five.
69 The camels were four hundred thirty-five, with six thousand seven hundred twenty donkeys.
70 And some of the chief fathers gave to the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure: one thousand drams of gold, fifty basins and five hundred thirty priest’s garments.
71 And some of the chief fathers gave to the treasure of the work: twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand two hundred pieces of silver.
72 And the rest of the people gave twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pieces of silver and sixty-seven priest’s garments.
73 And the priests and the Levites and the gatekeepers and the singers and the rest of the people and the Nethinim and all Israel dwelt in their cities. And when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
8 And all the people assembled themselves together in the street that was before the Water Gate. And they asked Ezra the scribe if he would bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had Commanded, to Israel.
2 And Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the Congregation, men and women and all who could hear and understand it, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read from it, from morning until midday, in the street that was before the Water Gate, before men and women and those who understood it. And the ears of all the people listened to the Book of the Law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood which he had made for the preaching. And beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Urijah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on his right. And on his left was Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbadana, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the Book before all the people. For he was above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 And Ezra praised the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” with lifting up of their hands. And they bowed themselves and worshipped the LORD with their faces toward the ground.
7 Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah and the Levites made the people understand the Law. And the people stood in their place.
8 And they read in the Book of the Law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and made them understand the reading.
9 Then Nehemiah (who is Tirshatha) and Ezra the Priest and scribe and the Levites who instructed the people, said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God! Do not mourn or weep!” For all the people wept when they heard the Words of the Law.
10 He also said to them, “Go! Eat the fat and drink the sweet and send part to those for whom none has been prepared! For this day is holy to our LORD! Therefore, do not be sorry! For the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
11 And the Levites silenced all the people, saying, “Hold your peace! For the day is holy! Therefore, do not be sad!”
12 Then all the people went to eat and drink, and to send away part, and to make great joy, because they had understood the Words that they had taught them.
13 And on the second day, the chief fathers of all the people, the priests and the Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, so that he also might instruct them in the Words of the Law.
14 And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had Commanded Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the Feast of the seventh month,
15 and that they should have it declared and proclaimed in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go forth to the Mount, and bring olive branches and pine branches and branches of myrtle and palm branches and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
16 So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths, each one upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the courts of the House of God and in the street by the Water Gate and in the street of the Gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the Congregation of those who had come back from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths. For since the time of Jeshua, the son of Nun, until this day, had the children of Israel not done so. And there was very great joy.
18 And he read in the Book of the Law of God every day, from the first day to the last day. And they kept the Feast for seven days, and a solemn assembly on the eighth day, according to procedure.
9 On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the children of Israel were assembled, with fasting and with sackcloth and earth upon them.
2 And those who were of the seed of Israel were separated from all the strangers. And they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
3 And they stood up in their place and read in the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one fourth of the day. And they confessed and worshipped the LORD their God four times.
4 Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani stood up upon the stairs of the Levites and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.
5 And the Levites (Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah) said, “Stand up and praise the LORD your God forever and ever! And let them praise Your glorious Name, O God, which excels above all thanksgiving and praise!
6 “You are LORD alone! You have made heaven, and the Heaven of all heavens, with all their host, the Earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that are in them! And You preserve them all! And the host of Heaven worships You!
7 “You are, O LORD, the God Who has chosen Abram, and brought him out of Ur in Chaldeans, and made his name Abraham,
8 “and found his heart faithful before You, and made a Covenant with him, to give to his seed the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites, and have performed Your words because You are just!
9 “You have also considered the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry by the Red Sea,
10 “and showed signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land! For You knew that they dealt proudly against them! Therefore, You made Yourself a Name, as it is this day!
11 “For You broke up the Sea before them; and they went through the midst of the Sea on dry land! And You have cast those who pursued into the bottoms, as a stone in the mighty waters,
12 “and led them in the day with a pillar of a cloud, and in the night with a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way that they went!
13 “You also came down upon Mount Sinai and spoke to them from Heaven, and gave them right Judgments, and true Laws, Ordinances and good Commandments,
14 “and declared to them Your holy Sabbath, and commanded them Precepts and Ordinances and Laws, by the hand of Moses Your servant,
15 “and gave them bread from Heaven for their hunger and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst and promised them that they would go in and take possession of the land which You had lifted up Your Hand to give them!
16 “But they and our fathers behaved proudly and hardened their neck, so that they did not listen to Your Commandments,
17 “but refused to obey and would not remember Your marvelous works that You had done for them, but hardened their necks and had in their heads to return to their bondage by their rebellion! But You, O God of Mercies, gracious and full of compassion, of long-suffering, and of great mercy, still did not forsake them!
18 “Moreover, when they made themselves a molten calf (and said, ‘This is your God Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt’) and committed great blasphemies—
19 “because of Your great mercies—You still did not forsake them in the wilderness! The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day to lead the way, nor did the pillar of fire by night to show them light and the way by which they should go!
20 “You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst!
21 “You also fed them for forty years in the wilderness! They lacked nothing! Their clothes did not grow old, and their feet did not swell!
22 “And You gave them kingdoms and people and scattered them into corners! So, they possessed the land of Sihon and the land of the king of Heshbon and the land of Og, king of Bashan!
23 “And You multiplied their children like the stars of the heaven and brought them into the land of which You had spoken to their fathers, so that they would go and possess it!
24 “So, the children went in and possessed the land! And You subdued the inhabitants of the land before them, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the people of the land, so that they might do with them what they would!
25 “And they took their strong cities and the fat land and possessed houses full of all goods, cisterns dug out, vineyards and olives and trees for food in abundance. And they ate and were filled and became fat and lived in pleasure through Your great goodness!
26 “Yet they were disobedient and rebelled against You and cast Your Law behind their backs and killed Your Prophets who protested among them to turn them to You! And they committed great blasphemies!
27 “Therefore, You delivered them into the hand of their enemies who troubled them! Still, in the time of their affliction, when they cried to You, You heard them from Heaven! And through Your great mercies, You gave them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries!
28 “But when they had rest, they returned to do evil before You! Therefore, You left them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them! Yet, when they returned and cried to You, You heard them from Heaven and delivered them according to Your great mercies, many times,
29 “and testified among them, so that You might bring them back to Your Law! But they behaved proudly and did not listen to Your Commandments, but sinned against Your Judgments (which a man should do and live in them) and pulled away the shoulder and were stiff-necked and would not hear!
30 “Yet, You put up with them for many years, and testified among them by Your Spirit, by the hand of Your Prophets, but they would not hear! Therefore, You gave them into the hand of the people of the lands!
31 “Yet, because of Your great mercies, You have not consumed them or forsaken them! For You are a gracious and merciful God!
32 “Now therefore our God, You, great God, mighty and terrible, Who keeps covenant and mercy, do not let all the affliction that has come to us seem little before You, to our kings, to our princes, to our priests, to our Prophets, to our fathers and to all Your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day!
33 “Surely, You are just in all that has come upon us! For You have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly!
34 “And our kings and our princes, our priests and our fathers, have neither done Your Law nor regarded Your Commandments nor Your Testimonies with which You have testified among them!
35 “And they have not served You in their kingdom, and in Your great goodness that You showed to them, and in the large and fat land which You set before them and have not turned back from their evil works!
36 “Behold, we are servants this day! And the land that You gave to our fathers, to eat its fruit and its goodness, behold, we are servants in it!
37 “And it yields much fruit to the kings whom You have set over us, because of our sins! And they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure! And we are in great affliction!
38 “Now because of all this, we make a sure covenant and write it! And our princes, our Levites and our priests seal it!”
10 Now those who sealed were Nehemiah the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah and Zidkijah,
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. These are the priests.
9 And the Levites were Jeshua, the son of Azaniah, Binnui, of the sons of Henadad and Kadmiel.
10 And their brethren were Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanun,
11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodijah, Bani and Beninu.
14 The chief of the people were Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim and Baanah.
28 And the rest of the people were the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all who were separated from the people of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all who could understand.
29 The chief of them received it for their brethren. And they came to the curse and to the oath, to walk in God’s Law which was given by Moses, the servant of God, to observe and do all the Commandments of the LORD our God, and His Judgments and His Statutes,
30 and that we would neither give our daughters to the people of the land nor take their daughters for our sons,
31 and that if the people of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath, we would not take it from them on the Sabbath or on the holy days, and that we would let the seventh year be free, and the debts of every person.
32 And we made statutes for ourselves, to give one third of a shekel every year for the service of the House of our God,
33 for the Showbread and for the daily Offerings and for the daily Burnt Offerings, the Sabbaths, the new moons, for the solemn Feasts, and for the things that were sanctified, and for the Sin Offerings, to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the House of our God.
34 We also cast lots for the offering of the wood — the priests, the Levites and the people — to bring it into the House of our God, according to the Houses of our fathers, each year at the times appointed, to burn it upon the Altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law,
35 and to bring the firstfruits of our land, and the first of all the fruits of all trees, year by year, into the House of the LORD,
36 and the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our bulls, and of our sheep, to bring it into the House of our God, to the priests who minister in the House of our God.
37 And that we should bring the firstfruit of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of every tree, of wine and of oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the House of our God, and the tithes of our land to the Levites, so that the Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our work.
38 And the Priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites take tithes. And the Levites shall bring up one tenth of the tithes to the House of our God, to the chambers of the treasure house.
39 For the children of Israel, and the children of Levi, shall bring up the offering of the grain, of the wine, and of the oil, to the chambers. And the vessels of the Sanctuary shall be there, and the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers, and the singers. And we will not forsake the House of our God.
11 And the rulers of the people dwelt in Jerusalem. Also, the other people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city. And nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.
2 And the people blessed all the men who were willing to dwell in Jerusalem.
3 These, now, are the chief of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem. But in the cities of Judah, everyone dwelt in his own possession (in their cities of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon’s servants).
4 And some of the children of Judah and of Benjamin dwelt in Jerusalem. Of the sons of Judah were Athaiah the son of Uziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel. Of the sons of Perez were
5 Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.
6 All the sons of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight valiant men.
7 These also are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.
8 And after them were Gabbai and Sallai (nine hundred twenty-eight).
9 And Joel the son of Zichri was governor over them. And Judah, the son of Senuah, was the second over the city.
10 Of the priests were Jedaiah, the son of Joiarib, Jachin,
11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok and the son of Meraioth. The son of Ahitub was chief of the House of God.
12 And their brethren who did the work in the Temple were eight hundred twenty-two. Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah,
13 and his brethren, were chief of the fathers (two hundred forty-two) with Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahazai, the son of Meshilemoth, the son of Immer,
14 and their brethren, valiant men (one hundred twenty-eight). And their overseer was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.
15 And of the Levites were Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni.
16 And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, were over the works of the House of God outside.
17 And Mattaniah, the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph was the chief to begin the thanksgiving and prayer. And Bakbukiah (the second of his brethren) and Abda, the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.
19 And the gatekeepers — Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren who kept the [h]gates — were one hundred twenty-two.
20 And the remnant of Israel, of the priests and of the Levites, dwelt in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.
21 And the Nethinim dwelt in the fortress. And Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinim.
22 And the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, singers were over the work of the House of God.
23 For it was the king’s commandment concerning them that faithful provision should be made for the singers every day.
24 And Pethahiah, the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah, the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.
25 And in the villages in their lands, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kirjath Arba, and in its villages, and in Dibon, and in its villages, and in Jekabzeel, and in its villages,
26 and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth Pelet,
27 and in Hazar Shual, and in Beersheba, and in its villages,
28 and in Ziklag, and in Mekonah, and in its villages,
29 and in En Rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth,
30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, in Lachish, and in its fields, at Azekah, and in its villages. And they dwelt from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 And the sons of Benjamin from Geba were in Michmash and Aija and Bethel and in its villages,
32 and Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35 Lod and Ono and in the Carpenters Valley.
36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin.
12 These also are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren, in the days of Jeshua.
8 And the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah (who was over the thanksgivings, he and his brethren).
9 And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brethren were around them in the watches.
10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim. Joiakim also begat Eliashib. And Eliashib begat Joiada.
11 And Joiada begat Jonathan. And Jonathan begat Jaddua.
12 And in the days of Joiakim, these were the chief fathers of the Priests: Seraiah was under Meraiah, under Jeremiah, Hananiah,
13 under Ezra, Meshullam, under Amariah, Jehohanan,
14 under Melichu, Jonathan, under Shebaniah, Joseph,
15 under Harim, Adna, under Maraioth, Helkai,
16 under Iddo, Zechariah, under Ginnethon, Meshullam,
17 under Abijah, Zichri, under Minjamin, and under Moadiah, Piltai,
18 under Bilgah, Shammua, under Shemaiah, Jehonathan,
19 under Joiarib, Mattenai, under Jedaiah, Uzzi,
20 under Sallai, Kallai, under Amok, Eber,
21 under Hilkiah, Hashabiah, under Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, during the reign of Darius the Persian, the chief fathers of the Levites and the priests were written.
23 The sons of Levi (the chief fathers) were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.
24 And the chief of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, and their brethren around them, to give praise and thanks, according to the ordinances of David the man of God, guard post opposite guard post.
25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were porters, keeping the guard post at the thresholds of the gates.
26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the captain, and of Ezra the Priest and scribe.
27 And in the dedication of the wall at Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to keep the dedication and gladness, both with thanksgivings and with songs, cymbals, viols, and with harps.
28 Then, the singers gathered themselves together, both from the plain country around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathi
29 and from the House of Gilgal and out of the countries of Geba and Azmaveth. For the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and Levites were purified and cleansed, the people and the gates and the wall.
31 And I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall and appointed two great companies to give thanks. And one went on the right side of the wall toward the dung gate.
32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the princes of Judah
33 and Azariah, Ezra and Meshullam,
34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah and Jeremiah.
35 And of the priests’ sons with trumpets were Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur and the son of Asaph.
36 And his brethren were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.
37 And they went up to the gate of the fountain, opposite the stairs of the City of David, at the going up of the wall, beyond the house of David, to the Water Gate, eastward.
38 And the second company of those who gave thanks went on the other side, and I after them. And half of the people were upon the wall, and upon the tower of the furnaces (up to the broad wall),
39 and upon the gate of Ephraim, and upon the Old Gate, and upon the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of Meah, up to the Sheep Gate. And they stood in the gate of the guard post.
40 So stood the two companies (of those who gave thanks) and I and half of the rulers with me, in the House of God,
41 as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah—with trumpets.
42 And Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and the singers sang loud, having Jezrahiah (who was the overseer).
43 And that same day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced; for God had given them great joy, so that both the women and the children were joyful. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard from far away.
44 Also at the same time, men were appointed over the chambers of the store for the offerings, (for the firstfruits and for the tithes) to gather the portions of the Law into them from the fields of the cities, for the priests and the Levites. For Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who served.
45 And both the singers and the Levites kept guard of their God, and guard of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and Solomon his son.
46 For in the days of old, of David and Asaph, were chief singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
47 And in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave portions to the singers and gatekeepers, every day its portion. And they gave the holy things to the Levites. And the Levites gave the holy things to the sons of Aaron.
13 And on that day, they read in the Book of Moses, in the audience of the people. And in it was found written that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not enter into the Congregation of God
2 because they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them, so that he would curse them. And our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 Now, when they had heard the Law, they separated from Israel all those who were mixed.
4 And prior to this, Eliashib the Priest had oversight of the chamber of the House of our God, being a kinsman to Tobiah:
5 And he had made himself a great chamber. And previously they had laid the offerings there: the incense, the vessels, the tithes of corn, of wine, and of oil (appointed for the Levites and the singers and the gatekeepers) and the offerings of the priests.
6 But I was not in Jerusalem during this time. For in the thirty-second year of Artachshashta, king of Babel, I came to the king. And after some days, I asked leave of the king.
7 And when I had come to Jerusalem, I understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in that he had made himself a chamber in the court of the House of God,
8 And it grieved me severely. Therefore, I cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobiah out of the chamber.
9 And I commanded them to cleanse the chambers. And I brought back the vessels of the House of God with the Meat Offering and the incense.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that everyone had fled to his land (the Levites and singers who executed the work).
11 Then I complained to the rulers and said, “Why is the House of God forsaken?” And I assembled them and set them in their place.
12 Then all Judah brought the tithes of grain and of wine and of oil to the treasures.
13 And I made treasurers over the treasures: Shelemiah the Priest and Zadok the scribe and Pedaiah of the Levites. And under their hand was Hanan, the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah. For they were counted faithful. And their duty was to distribute to their brethren.
14 Remember me, O my God, in this. And do not wipe out my kindness that I have shown on the House of my God, and on its duties.
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