Bible in 90 Days

The Deeds of Nehemiah

Chapter 1

Nehemiah’s Vocation. ¹ The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah.

In the month of Kislev,^[a] in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, ² Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews—those who had survived the captivity—and about Jerusalem.

³ They replied: “Those who survived the captivity and remained in the province are in dire distress and badly demoralized. The wall of Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” ⁴ Upon hearing this, I sat down and wept,^[b] mourning for several days while fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

⁵ Then I offered this prayer: “O Lord, God of heaven, you are a great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of steadfast love with those who love him and obey his commandments. ⁶ Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to heed the prayer of your servant that I now offer to you day and night in your presence on behalf of your servants, the people of Israel.

“I confess the sins that your servants, the Israelites, have committed against you. I and my family are equally guilty in this regard. ⁷ We have offended you grievously and failed to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the laws you enjoined on your servant Moses.

⁸ “Do not fail to remember the promise you made to your servant Moses when you said: ‘If you are unfaithful, I shall scatter you among the nations. ⁹ However, if you return to me and obey my commandments and fulfill them, then I will gather even those among you who have been scattered to the farthest ends of the world and bring you back to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.’

¹⁰ “These are your servants, your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹ O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the humble prayer of your servants who take delight in revering your name. Grant that your servant will be given success this day and win this man’s compassion”—for at that time I was cupbearer to the king.^[c]

Chapter 2

Appointment by the King. ¹ In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, since the wine was my responsibility, I took the wine and gave it to the king. Inasmuch as I had never before showed any sign of sadness in his presence,^{[d] 2} the king asked me: “Why do you look so depressed? You clearly are not ill. This is the result of your sadness of heart.”

Despite the fact that I was greatly fearful, ³ I said to the king: “May your majesty live forever! How can I possibly fail to be depressed when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” ⁴ The king then said to me: “What do you wish to request of me?”

Having first prayed to the God of heaven,^{[e] 5} I said to the king: “If your majesty approves and your servant has found favor with you, I beg you to send me to Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild it.” ⁶ Then the king—with the queen sitting beside him—said to me: “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” Once I had given the king a specific date that was acceptable to him, he approved my request.

⁷ Then I said to the king: “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of West-of-Euphrates with orders to grant me safe passage until I arrive in Judah. ⁸ I also request that you give me a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing that he give me timber for the gates of the citadel adjoining the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the residence I will occupy.” The king granted what I requested, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.

⁹ When I came to the governors of West-of-Euphrates, I presented the king’s letters to them. The king had also sent an escort of army officers and cavalry to accompany me. ¹⁰ However, when Sanballat^[f] the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.

¹¹ Nehemiah Inspects the Wall.^[g]When I arrived in Jerusalem, I rested there for three days. ¹² Then I set out by night with just a few other men. I revealed to no one what my God had inspired me to do for Jerusalem, and I took no animal with me other than the one I was riding.

¹³ I went forth by night through the Valley Gate toward the Dragon Spring as far as the Dung Gate, and I observed how the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins with its gates destroyed by fire. ¹⁴ I then passed over to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no room there for the animal I was riding to continue.

¹⁵ Therefore, I went up by way of the valley in the dark, examining the wall until I once again reached the Valley Gate and re-entered the city. ¹⁶ The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had been doing. I had not as yet disclosed anything to the Jews, neither to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the magistrates, nor to any of the other persons who were to be involved in the work.^[h]

¹⁷ Rebuilding Jerusalem’s Walls. Then I said to them: “You now can realize the difficulty we face. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Therefore, we must rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be looked upon as a disgrace.” ¹⁸ Then I told them how God had been so extremely gracious to me, and I also revealed the encouragement that the king had given me. They replied: “Let us begin the rebuilding at once,” and they undertook their work vigorously.

¹⁹ However when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite slave, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they ridiculed and mocked us, saying: “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” ²⁰ In turn I gave them this answer: “The God of heaven will grant us success, and we his servants intend to start the rebuilding immediately. But as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right in Jerusalem.”

Chapter 3

List of Builders.^{[i] 1} Eliashib the high priest then set to work with his fellow priests and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They laid its beams and put the doors in place, after which they consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. ² The men of Jericho worked next to Eliashib, and Zaccur, the son of Imri, built next to them.

³ The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. ⁴ Meremoth, the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, carried out the necessary repairs next to them. Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, was next to him, followed by Zadok, son of Baana.

⁵ Next to Zadok the Tekoites carried out the necessary repairs, although their nobles refused to demean themselves by helping their masters. ⁶ Joiada, the son of Paseah, and Meshullam, the son of Besodeiah, repaired the Old Gate, laying its beams and setting up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

⁷ At their side were Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah who did the repairs under the jurisdiction of the governor of West-of-Euphrates. ⁸ Next to them the repair work was carried out by Uzziel, the son of Harhaiah, a member of the goldsmiths’ guild, and at his side was Hananiah, a member of the perfumers’ guild. They renovated the wall of Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall of the public square.

⁹ Next to them the repairs were carried out by Rephaiah, the son of Hur, who was the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ At his side was Jedaiah, the son of Harumaph, who made the repairs opposite his own house. Next to him the repairs were carried out by Hattush, the son of Hashabneiah.

¹¹ Malchijah, the son of Harim, and Hasshub, the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. ¹² Next to them, Shallum, the son of Hallohesh and ruler of the other half of the district of Jerusalem, carried out repairs with the help of his daughters.^[j]

¹³ Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and put its doors, its bolts, and its bars in place, and they also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. ¹⁴ The Dung Gate itself was repaired by Malchijah, the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem; he rebuilt it and put the doors in place with their bolts and bars.

¹⁵ The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallum, the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah; he rebuilt it, placed a roof over it, and put its doors in place with their bolts and their bars. He also built the wall of the Pool of Shelah that adjoined the king’s garden, as far as the steps descending from the City of David. ¹⁶ After him, Nehemiah, the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, made the repairs from a point opposite the tomb of David as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.

¹⁷ After him, repairs were carried out by the Levites under the direction of Rehum, the son of Bani. Next to him, Hashabiah, the leader of half the district of Keilah, carried out the repairs for his own district. ¹⁸ After him, their kinsmen took charge of the repairs, headed by Binnui, the son of Henadad, leader of half the district of Keilah.

¹⁹ Next to him was Ezer, the son of Jeshua, leader of Mizpah, who repaired the adjoining section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle. ²⁰ After him, Baruch, the son of Zabbai, repaired another section from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib.

²¹ After him, Meremoth, the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house. ²² After him, repairs were carried out by the priests who lived in the district.

²³ After them, Benjamin and Hasshub carried out the repairs opposite their house, and after them Azariah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, did the repairs beside his own house. ²⁴ After him, Binnui, the son of Henadad, repaired the adjoining sector from the house of Azariah to the Angle and the Corner.

²⁵ After him, Palal, the son of Uzai, carried out repairs in front of the Angle and the tower projecting from the Upper Palace of the king to the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah, the son of Parosh, carried out the repairs ²⁶ to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. ²⁷ After him the Tekoites repaired the adjoining section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

²⁸ Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each one opposite his own house.^{[k] 29} After them, Zadok, the son of Immer, carried out the repairs opposite his own house, and after him Shemaiah, the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, did the necessary repairs.

³⁰ After him, Hananiah, the son of Shelamiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired a second section. After him, Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, made the necessary repairs opposite his living quarters. ³¹ After him, Malchijah, a goldsmith, made the needed repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants opposite the Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room at the Corner. ³² And between the upper room at the Corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out all the needed repairs.

³³ Opposition from Judah’s Foes. When Sanballat was informed that we were rebuilding the wall, his anger was aroused, and he was greatly enraged. He ridiculed the Jews, ³⁴ and in the presence of his companions and the army of Samaria he said: “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore what has been damaged beyond repair? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they be able to complete their work in a single day? Will they manage to refurbish the stones that have been damaged and reduced to ashes?” ³⁵ And Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside Sanballat, added: “If a fox were to climb on top of the stone wall they are building, it would crumble before them.”

³⁶ Then we prayed: “Listen to us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back upon their own heads. Let them become objects of contempt in a land of captivity. ³⁷ Do not pardon their wickedness or allow their sins to be blotted out from your sight, for they have insulted the builders to their face.”

³⁸ Meanwhile we continued to rebuild the wall, which was soon completed all the way around up to half its height, while the people put their hearts into their work.

Chapter 4

¹ When Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites^[l] heard that the repairs to the walls of Jerusalem were proceeding according to plan and that the gaps were beginning to be closed, they became infuriated. ² As a result, they all plotted together to launch an attack against Jerusalem and throw all of us into panic and confusion. ³ Therefore, we prayed to our God and posted guards against them day and night in an attempt to foil their plans.

⁴ Meanwhile, the Judahites were saying: “The strength of the laborers is beginning to falter, and the rubbish is so extensive that we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” ⁵ However, our enemies, who were adamant in their belief that we would not know or see anything before they came into our midst, prepared to kill us and put a stop to the work.

⁶ When the Jews who lived near them came to us, they warned us ten times over: “Whichever way you turn, they will be prepared to attack us.” ⁷ Therefore, I commanded men to position themselves in the lowest places behind the wall, and near them I stationed the people by families with their swords, spears, and bows.

⁸ After I made a thorough inspection, I addressed the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, saying: “Have no fear of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awe-inspiring, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” ⁹ When our enemies realized that we were forewarned and that God had thwarted their plans, they withdrew, and we all went back to the wall, each one to his particular task.

¹⁰ From that time on, however, half of my men did the construction work, while the other half posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah as they rebuilt the wall. ¹¹ Those who carried the building materials did their work with one hand while holding a spear with the other. ¹² Moreover, every worker involved in the task of building had his sword strapped to his side at all times. In addition, a trumpeter stood beside me.

^13 [m]I then said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “Our work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. ¹⁴ Whenever you hear the sound of a trumpet, come to our side to support us immediately. Our God will fight for us.”

¹⁵ Therefore, we continued to labor at the work, from the break of dawn until the stars came out. ¹⁶ At the same time I also told the people: “Let every man with his servant remain each night in Jerusalem, so that they may spend the night as a guard for us and be at work during the day.” ¹⁷ Therefore, neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor any of the bodyguards who accompanied me ever took off our clothes. In addition, each one kept his spear in his right hand.

Chapter 5

Antisocial Conduct.^{[n] 1} Soon thereafter, there arose a great outcry from the common people and from their wives against their Jewish brothers. ² Some were vehement in their complaints that they were forced to pledge their sons and daughters in order to obtain grain so that they might eat and stay alive. ³ Others asserted that they were forced to mortgage their fields, their vineyards, and their houses in order to survive.

⁴ Furthermore, there were those who said: “We are being forced to borrow money on our fields and vineyards in order to pay the king’s tax. ⁵ And although our flesh is identical to that of our kinsmen and our children are as good as theirs, we will have to subject our sons and daughters into slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, and our fields and our vineyards now belong to others.”

Nehemiah’s Action. ⁶ When I heard these complaints and the cries of the people, I was extremely angry. ⁷ After having considered the various options, I threatened to bring charges against the nobles and the magistrates, accusing them of exacting interest from their own kinsmen.

Then I summoned a great assembly to deal with them, ⁸ and I said to them: “As far as it was humanly possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. However, now you are selling your own brothers and thus forcing us to purchase them back.” They remained silent, for they were unable to come up with a satisfactory reply.

⁹ Therefore, I said: “What you are doing is terribly wrong. Should you not walk in the fear of our God and make clear that you are not at all concerned with the taunts of the nations who are our enemies? ¹⁰ Moreover, I myself, along with my brothers and my servants, have lent the people money and grain without charge. Let us cease the custom of usury. ¹¹ I also ask that you restore to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, together with the interest on the money, the grain, the wine, and the oil that you have lent them.”

¹² They replied: “We will give it all back and demand nothing more from them. We will do just what you ask.” I then summoned the priests and made them swear to do what they had promised. ¹³ I also shook out the folds of my garment and said: “So may God shake out from home and property everyone who fails to adhere to this promise. May every such man be shaken out and emptied.”^[o]

All the assembled people said “Amen” and praised the Lord, and they did as they promised.

¹⁴ Nehemiah’s Lack of Self-Interest. Moreover, from the twentieth year that King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah until the thirty-second year, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor by the king. ¹⁵ On the other hand, the former governors, my predecessors, had laid a heavy burden on the people and exacted from them forty shekels of silver each day for food and wine, while their servants also oppressed the people. However, because I feared God, I did not act in this way.

¹⁶ Indeed, I devoted all my efforts to the work on the wall, and I acquired no land, while all my servants were gathered there for the work. ¹⁷ Moreover, there sat at my table guests who numbered one hundred and fifty people, Jews and officials, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.

¹⁸ Every day one ox, six choice sheep, and some poultry were prepared for me, as well as skins of wine in abundance every ten days. Despite all this, I did not claim the governor’s food allowance because the people had such a heavy burden of labor.

¹⁹ O my God, please remember me favorably for all that I have done for this people.

Chapter 6

Plots against Nehemiah. ¹ When it had been reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and that not a single breach was left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), ² Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come here and confer with us in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” Their intention was clearly to do me harm.

³ Therefore, I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am engaged in a great project, and I cannot come down to you at this particular time. Why should the work come to a grinding halt while I leave it and come down to you?” ⁴ They sent me the same invitation four times, and on each occasion I gave them the same reply.

⁵ Then, for the fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant to me with the same message, but this time in an unsealed letter. ⁶ In it was written: “It has been reported among the nations, and Geshem^[p] confirms it, that you and the Jews are planning a rebellion, that this is the reason you are building the wall, and that you are intending to become their king. ⁷ We have also heard that you have appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim you king. Needless to say, such rumors will be brought to the attention of the king. So come at once and let us discuss this together.”

⁸ I sent the following reply to him: “No such thing that you are suggesting has taken place. It is all in your imagination.” ⁹ They all were trying to frighten us, hoping that we would become lax in our work and the job would not be completed. But instead I became more determined than ever.

¹⁰ One day I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said to me:

¹¹ However, I said: “Should a man like me run away? Or should a man like me go into the temple to save his life?”

¹² Then I realized that God had not sent Shemaiah to say this, but rather that Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³ He had been bribed to intimidate me and make me sin by acting in this way. Then they could ruin my reputation and discredit me.

¹⁴ Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to those things they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets whose purpose was to intimidate me.

¹⁵ Conclusion of the Work. The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul.^[q] It was completed in fifty-two days. ¹⁶ When all our enemies heard about this, and all the surrounding nations were completely aware of what had been happening, they realized that all this work had been completed with the help of God.

¹⁷ At the same time, however, the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and in turn, letters from Tobiah kept coming to them, ¹⁸ for many in Judah were bound to him by oath, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah. ¹⁹ They were always praising Tobiah’s good deeds in my presence, and they reported my words to him. Furthermore, Tobiah also sent letters to me in an attempt at intimidation.

Chapter 7

¹ When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, ² I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, and I appointed Hananiah as the commander of the citadel, for he was a trustworthy man and more God-fearing than most.

³ I said to them: “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot,^[r] and when the sun begins to go down, have the gatekeepers shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their posts and others in front of their own homes.”

Census of the Province. ⁴ Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few inhabitants within it, and the houses had not been rebuilt. ⁵ Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the magistrates, and the common people to be enrolled by families. I also discovered the genealogical record of those who had been the first to come back. This is what I found written in it:

⁶ These are the inhabitants of the province who returned from the captivity of those exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away. Each returned to his own town. ⁷ They were the ones who returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The number of the Israelite people: ⁸ the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; ⁹ the sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; ¹⁰ the sons of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two; ¹¹ the sons of Pahath-moab who were sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen; ¹² the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; ¹³ the sons of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five; ¹⁴ the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; ¹⁵ the sons of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight; ¹⁶ the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight; ¹⁷ the sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two; ¹⁸ the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven; ¹⁹ the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven; ²⁰ the sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five; ²¹ the sons of Ater who were sons of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; ²² the sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight; ²³ the sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four; ²⁴ the sons of Hariph, one hundred and twelve; ²⁵ the sons of Gibeon, ninety-five; ²⁶ the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight; ²⁷ the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; ²⁸ the men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two; ²⁹ the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; ³⁰ the men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; ³¹ the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two; ³² the men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three; ³³ the men of Nebo, fifty-two; ³⁴ the sons of another Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; ³⁵ the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty; ³⁶ the sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; ³⁷ the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one; ³⁸ the sons of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

³⁹ The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; ⁴⁰ the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; ⁴¹ the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; ⁴² the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

⁴³ The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodeviah, seventy-four.

⁴⁴ The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and 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, and the sons of Shobai: one hundred and thirty-eight.

⁴⁶ The temple slaves: 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 the Meunites, the sons of the Nephusites, 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 Temah, ⁵⁶ the sons of Nezaiah, the sons of Hatipha.

⁵⁷ The descendants of the slaves of Solomon: 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-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon. ⁶⁰ The total of the temple slaves and the sons of Solomon’s slaves; three hundred and ninety-two.

⁶¹ The following were those who returned from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families were of Israelite descent:^{[s] 62} the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, numbering six hundred and forty-two. ⁶³ Also, among the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (he had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and adopted that name). ⁶⁴ These men had sought to find their entries among those enrolled in the genealogies, but their names were not able to be found there, and as a result, they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. ⁶⁵ Consequently, His Excellency forbade them to partake of any of the consecrated food until a priest appeared who was able to consult the Urim and the Thummim.

⁶⁶ The entire assembly numbered forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, ⁶⁷ not including their male and female slaves, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven, as well as two hundred and forty-five male and female singers. ⁶⁸ They also had seven hundred and thirty-six horses, two hundred and forty-five mules, ⁶⁹ four hundred and thirty-five camels, and six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys.

⁷⁰ Some of the heads of families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand drachmas of gold, fifty bowls, and five hundred and thirty priestly garments. ⁷¹ And some of the heads of ancestral houses gave to the building fund twenty thousand drachmas of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. ⁷² The contributions of the rest of the people amounted to twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priestly garments.

⁷³ The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, and the temple servants, along with some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, took up residence in their own towns.

Promulgation of the Law

Chapter 8

Ezra Reads the Law.^{[t] 1} Now when the seventh month came, and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled together as a unit in the square in front of the Water Gate. Then they asked Ezra the scribe to bring forth the Book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. ² Accordingly, on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, as well as all those old enough to comprehend what was said.

³ Facing the square in front of the Water Gate, Ezra read from the book of the law from dawn until noon in the presence of the men and women as well as those who could understand what was being said. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. ⁴ Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been constructed for the occasion, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left.

⁵ Then Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people—for he was standing above them. As soon as he opened it, all the people rose to their feet. ⁶ Next he blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands as they answered, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Lord with their face to the ground.

⁷ In addition, the Levites Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah helped the people to understand the law while the people remained in their places. ⁸ Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, making its meaning clear so that the people could understand what was being said.

⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest-scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people: “This day is holy to the Lord, your God. Do not mourn, and do not weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. ¹⁰ Then Nehemiah added: “You now may go. Eat rich food and drink what is sweet. Moreover, send some of these to those for whom nothing has been prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Furthermore, do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹ The Levites, thereupon, calmed all the people, saying: “Be quiet, for this is a sacred day. There is no reason for you to be saddened.” ¹² Then all the people went off to eat and drink, to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great rejoicing, since they had come to comprehend the meaning of what had been proclaimed to them.

¹³ The Feast of Booths. On the second day of the month, the family heads of all the people, together with the priests and the Levites, gathered around the scribe Ezra to study the words of the law. ¹⁴ And written in the law that the Lord had prescribed through Moses, they found that the Israelites were to live in booths^[u] during the feast of the seventh month.

¹⁵ In addition, they were to issue this proclamation and circulate it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go forth into the hills and bring branches of olive and wild olive trees, and of myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as the law prescribes.” ¹⁶ Therefore the people went out and brought back branches to make shelters for themselves, each on his own roof, and in their courtyards and in the precincts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.

¹⁷ Therefore the whole community of those who had returned from their captivity made booths and lived in them, something that the Israelites had not done from the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, until that day, and there was very great rejoicing. ¹⁸ Each day, from the first to the last day, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, as prescribed, they held a solemn assembly.

Chapter 9

Confession of the People. ¹ On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the Israelites, wearing sackcloth and with their heads covered with dust, assembled together for a fast. ² Then those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, after which they stood up and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.^[v]

³ They next stood in their places and read from the book of the law of the Lord, their God, for a fourth part of the day, after which they spent another quarter of the day in confessing their sins and worshiping the Lord, their God. ⁴ Standing on the platform of the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and they cried aloud to the Lord, their God.

⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said:

⁶ Then Ezra said:

Chapter 10

The Agreement of the People. ¹ In view of all this, we intend to make a firm agreement in writing. On the sealed document will appear the signatures of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

² Those whose names were on the sealed document were, first of all, Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah. ³ Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, ⁴ Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, ⁵ Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, ⁶ Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, ⁷ Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, ⁸ Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, ⁹ Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah: these are the priests.

¹⁰ The Levites were Jeshua, son of Azaniah, Binnui, of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, ¹¹ and their kinsmen Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, ¹² Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, ¹³ Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, ¹⁴ Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

¹⁵ The leaders of the people were Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, ¹⁶ Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, ¹⁷ Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, ¹⁸ Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, ¹⁹ Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, ²⁰ Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, ²¹ Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, ²² Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, ²³ Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, ²⁴ Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, ²⁵ Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, ²⁶ Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, ²⁷ Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, ²⁸ Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

²⁹ The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all the others who had separated themselves from the neighboring peoples of the lands to adhere to the law of God—their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who are capable of understanding— ³⁰ have now joined their brothers, the nobles, and with a solemn oath have sworn to follow the law of God which was given through Moses, the servant of God, and to observe and obey all the commandments, the rules, and the statutes of the Lord, our Lord.

³¹ We have agreed that we will not give our daughters in marriage to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.^{[x] 32} Moreover, if the people of the country bring any merchandise or grain to sell on the sabbath day, we will not purchase it from them on the sabbath or on a holy day. Also, we will forego the crops of the seventh year and cancel the debts of every person.

³³ We willingly assume these following obligations for ourselves: we will give one-third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God: ³⁴ for the loaves, for the showbread, for the daily cereal offering, for the daily holocaust, for the sacrifices on Sabbaths, new moons, and festivals, for the holy offerings, for sin offerings to make expiation on behalf of Israel, and for all the duties of the house of our God.

³⁵ We have also cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people for the wood offering, so that it will be brought into the house of our God by each family in turn, at appointed times each year, to be burned on the altar of the Lord, our God, as prescribed in the law. ³⁶ Furthermore, we pledge to bring the firstfruits of our crops and of our fruit trees.

³⁷ Also, as it is prescribed in the law, we will bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our children and of our animals, including the firstborn of our flocks and herds. ³⁸ We will also bring the first batch of our dough and our offerings of the fruit of every tree, the wine, and the oil to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God, as well as the tithes from our soil to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all of our rural farming villages.

³⁹ An Aaronite priest must accompany the Levites when they collect the tithes, and the Levites are to bring one-tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.^{[y] 40} For the Israelites and the Levites must bring the offerings of grain, wine, and oil to the storerooms of the treasury where the vessels of the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers are lodged. Under no circumstances shall we neglect the house of our God.

Chapter 11

Repeopling of Jerusalem.^{[z] 1} The leaders of the people took up residence in Jerusalem. Therefore, the rest of the people cast lots. One man out of ten was to reside in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine were to remain in the surrounding towns. ² The people commended all those who willingly agreed to live in Jerusalem.

The Residents in Jerusalem. ³ These are the leaders of the province who lived in Jerusalem. However, in the towns of Judah all the others lived on their own property: Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants.

⁴ In Jerusalem there dwelt both the sons of Judah and the sons of Benjamin. These were the Judahites: Athaiah, the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mehallalel, of the descendants of Perez; ⁵ Maaseiah, the son of Baruch, son of Colhozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, a descendent of Shelah. ⁶ The total number of the sons of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem was four hundred and sixty-eight valiant warriors.

⁷ These were the Benjaminites: Sallu, the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, ⁸ and his brothers Gabbai and Sallai: nine hundred and twenty-eight in number. ⁹ Joel, the son of Zichri, was their chief, and Judah, the son of Hassenuah, was second in charge of the city.

¹⁰ Among the priests were: Jedaiah, the son of Joiarib, Jachin, ¹¹ Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, supervisor of the house of God, ¹² and their kinsmen who were responsible for the work in the temple: eight hundred and twenty-two; Adaiah, the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, ¹³ and his brethren, heads of families: two hundred and forty-two; Amashai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, ¹⁴ and his brethren, valiant warriors: one hundred and twenty-eight. Their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.

¹⁵ Among the Levites were: Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; ¹⁶ Shabbethai and Jozabad, the Levitical leaders who were responsible for the outside work of the house of God; ¹⁷ Mattaniah, the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, director of the psalms who led the prayer of thanksgiving, and Bakbukiah, who ranked second among his associates; finally, Abda, the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. ¹⁸ The total number of the Levites in the holy city was two hundred and eighty-four.

¹⁹ The gatekeepers were Akkub, Talmon, and their associates, who kept watch at the gates. They numbered one hundred and seventy-two.

²⁰ The rest of the Israelites, including the priests and the Levites, lived in all the other cities of Judah, each man on his inherited property. ²¹ However, the temple slaves lived on Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.

²² The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, the singers appointed to the service of the house of God. ²³ For they were under the king’s orders, and it was obligatory for them to fulfill those orders which regulated their daily activity. ²⁴ Also, Pethahiah, the son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah, the son of Judah, was the king’s chief advisor in all matters that affected the people.

²⁵ The Other Cities. As for the villages with their surrounding fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and Dibon and its villages, and Jekabzeel and its villages, ²⁶ and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-pelet, ²⁷ in Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and its villages, ²⁸ in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, ²⁹ in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, ³⁰ in Zanoah and Adullam and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. Thus they settled from Beer-sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

³¹ Some of the Benjaminites also lived in Geba, Michmash, Aija, Bethel with its villages, ³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵ Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Artisans.

³⁶ Also, some divisions of the Levites in Judah settled in Benjamin.

Chapter 12

Priests and Levites under Zerubbabel. ¹ These are the priests and the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, ² Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, ³ Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, ⁴ Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, ⁵ Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, ⁶ Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, ⁷ Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the priestly heads and their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

⁸ The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brethren was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. ⁹ Bakbukiah and Unno, their colleagues, stood opposite them during the service.

¹⁰ High Priests. Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, ¹¹ Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

¹² Priests and Levites under Joiakim. In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were the heads of families: the family of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; ¹³ of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; ¹⁴ of Malluch, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; ¹⁵ of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, Helkai; ¹⁶ of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; ¹⁷ of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin and, of Moadiah, Piltai; ¹⁸ of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; ¹⁹ of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; ²⁰ of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; ²¹ of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

²² In the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the heads of the families of priests were registered in the Book of Chronicles, up to the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³ The Levites, the heads of the ancestral houses, were registered in the Book of Chronicles,^[aa] up until the time of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.

²⁴ The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, and their associates, while their brothers formed an alternate choir opposite them in fulfillment of the command of David, the man of God. ²⁵ The alternate choir was composed of Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the gatekeepers who guarded the storehouses at the gates. ²⁶ All those mentioned above lived in the time of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, as well as in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest-scribe.

²⁷ Dedication of the City Wall. At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out wherever they had settled and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with joyful hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, lyres, and harps.

²⁸ The levitical singers were also assembled from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, ²⁹ from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves settlements around Jerusalem. ³⁰ When the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

³¹ I then commanded the leaders of Judah to assemble on the top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. The first of these went in procession to the right along the top of the wall, toward the Dung Gate. ³² Bringing up the rear were Hoshaiah and half the leading men of Judah, ³³ along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴ Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, ³⁵ as well as some of the priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph, ³⁶ with his kinsmen Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. The scribe Ezra walked at their head.

³⁷ They walked past the Fountain Gate and went straight up by the steps of the City of David and continued along the top of the wall, above the palace of David, as far as the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸ The second choir made its way to the left. I and half of the leaders of the people followed them along the top of the wall from the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, ³⁹ and past the Ephraim Gate, and over the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred to the Sheep Gate. Finally, they came to a halt at the Prison Gate.

⁴⁰ Then the two choirs took their places in the house of God. However, I had half of the magistrates with me, ⁴¹ as well as the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with the trumpets, ⁴² and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah.

⁴³ There were great sacrifices offered on that day, and the people rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children rejoiced along with them, and the joy of Jerusalem could be heard from a great distance away.

⁴⁴ Offerings for Priests and Levites.^[ab] On that occasion men were appointed to take charge of the chambers that had been set aside for the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, and to collect in them those portions required by the law for the priests and the Levites from the fields belonging to them. For all Judah rejoiced in its officiating priests and Levites, ⁴⁵ since they, along with the singers and gatekeepers, performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as ordained according to the rules laid down by David and his son Solomon.

⁴⁶ For since ancient times, from the days of David and Asaph long ago, there had been leaders for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ Therefore, in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel regularly supplied the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers according to their daily needs. They presented the consecrated contributions to the Levites, and the Levites set apart the dedicated portions to the sons of Aaron.

Chapter 13^[ac]

Separation from Aliens. ¹ On that day they were reading aloud to the people from the Book of Moses, and there it was found written: “No Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed to enter the assembly of God, ² since they had not come to welcome the Israelites with food and water, but they rather hired Balaam to curse them, even though our God turned the curse into a blessing.” ³ When the people heard the law, they excluded from Israel all those of foreign descent.

Reform in the Temple. ⁴ However, before this, the priest Eliashib,^[ad] who had been appointed to be in charge of the chambers of the house of our God and who was a close associate of Tobiah, ⁵ had provided for Tobiah a large room in which previously had been stored the grain offerings, the incense, the temple vessels, the tithes of grain, wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

⁶ All this took place when I was away from Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone to consult the king. Sometime later, however, I asked the king for permission to leave, ⁷ and after I returned to Jerusalem, I learned about the evil thing that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah in providing him with a room in the courts of the house of God.

⁸ I was extremely displeased, and in retaliation I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. ⁹ After that, I gave orders for the room to be purified, and also commanded that the utensils of the house of God be replaced, along with the grain offering and the frankincense.

¹⁰ In addition I discovered that the Levites had not been receiving the portions that had been assigned to them. As a result of this, the Levites and the singers who had been conducting the services had all withdrawn to their farms.^{[ae] 11} Then I remonstrated with the magistrates, demanding: “Why has the house of God been neglected?” After that, I summoned back the Levites and once again stationed them at their posts.

¹² Then all Judah once again brought the tithes of grain, wine, and oil to the storehouses. ¹³ As supervisors of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, and, as their assistant, Hanan, the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, since they were regarded as faithful, and their duty was to make the distributions to their kinsmen.

¹⁴ Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out from your memory the good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and its observances.