Bible in 90 Days

1 I, Nehemiah, am the son of Hacaliah. These are my words. They tell my story. During the winter month of Chislev in the 20th year of Artaxerxes I’s reign, I was in the fortress of Susa ² when one of my brothers, Hanani, came from Judah along with some other men. I asked them about those Jews who had escaped—who had survived the exile—and about our city, Jerusalem.

⁴ Hearing this, I was overwhelmed with grief and could only sit and weep. For days I mourned this news and sought the audience of the True God of heaven, praying and fasting before Him.

In that day, I was cupbearer to the king.

2 Four months later, in the spring month of Nisan at the start of our New Year, Artaxerxes had been king 20 years. At a feast, wine was brought to him, and when it had passed my examinations, I gave it to him. Now, you must understand that in the presence of the king it is not my custom to openly express emotion, especially sadness.

As I stood there before the king I was very afraid.

All at once, I prayed to the God of heaven ⁵ and made my request to the king.

⁶ With his queen sitting beside him, the king continued to probe.

Then I knew: I had received his blessing. He was sending me. In response to his question, I set a time.

My True God had heard my prayers and rested His hand of favor and love upon me. The king gave me everything I asked for!

⁹ And so I left, journeying to see the governors of the lands beyond the Euphrates River. I gave them the letters the king sent with me. Moreover, I traveled in the company of the king’s army, surrounded by the officers and cavalry. ¹⁰ In fact, when Sanballat (the Horonite who governed Samaria) and Tobiah (the Ammonite official under him there) heard about what was happening, they were unnerved, distressed that someone was seeking the good of the Israelites left in the land.

¹¹ Nevertheless, my journey continued until I reached Jerusalem. After three days in the city, ¹² under the cover of darkness, I was accompanied by a small group of men. The True God had placed a secret plan on my heart, and there I had left it hidden until the time was right. No one knew what it was I imagined for Jerusalem. With my men walking beside me, I mounted and rode around the city. ¹³ At night I went out of Jerusalem through the valley gate, heading toward the dragon well and down to the potsherd gate where the city dumps its trash. As we went, we examined the walls of Jerusalem: they were as bad as we had heard. No stones remained standing, and fire had consumed the gates. ¹⁴ We continued on toward the fountain gate and the pool of the king, but amid the rubble I was unable to continue riding—there was simply no room— ¹⁵ and so I dismounted and followed along the valley, still under the cover of night, examining the wall as I went. Finally I had seen enough and turned back toward the valley gate, reentering the city the way I had left. ¹⁶ Those who were in charge of Jerusalem did not know where I had gone, much less what I was up to. I had said nothing to anyone—even those who would shortly be doing the work of rebuilding. Everyone was in the dark: common Jews, priests, nobles, and leaders alike.

¹⁸ I told them how my True God had used His power to favor me, evidenced by what the king had said to me.

And so they began the good work. ¹⁹ Our adversaries lost no time, either. Joining Samaritan Governor Sanballat (the Horonite) and Official Tobiah (the Ammonite) was an Arab named Geshem. When they heard of our plans, they mocked and ridiculed us.

3 The sheep gate was first. Led by their brother, the high priest Eliashib, the priests began the work of rebuilding. They framed it,^[a] then they set its doors in place. They proceeded to the tower of the hundred, and after dedicating it they made it as far as the tower of Hananel. ² The men of Jericho partnered with Eliashib, as did Zacur (Imri’s son).

³ Hassenaah’s sons rebuilt the fish gate. They framed it, set its doors in place, then secured it with bolts and bars. ⁴ Meremoth (Hakkoz’s grandson and Uriah’s son) partnered with Hassenaah’s sons in repairing the wall, as did Meshullam (Berechiah’s son and Meshezabel’s grandson) and Zadok (Baana’s son). ⁵ Even the men from Tekoa partnered in the repairs; however, Jerusalem’s long-standing noblemen didn’t support the new leadership’s plans.

⁶ Joiada (Paseah’s son) and Meshullam (Besodeiah’s son) rebuilt the old gate. In the same way, they framed it, set its doors in place, and secured it with bolts and bars. ⁷ The men of Gibeon and Mizpah (that’s the Mizpah where the governor of the Persian Empire beyond the Euphrates River had his capital)—Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite—partnered with them. ⁸ Uzziel the goldsmith (Harhaiah’s son) partnered with them in the repairs, as did Hananiah, a perfumer. The wall they built was the broad wall. ⁹ There, a half-district ruler of Jerusalem named Rephaiah (Hur’s son) partnered with them in the repairs. ¹⁰ Jedaiah (Harumaph’s son) partnered with Rephaiah, working directly across from his own house, as did Hattush (Hashabneiah’s son). ¹¹ Malchijah (Harim’s son) and Hasshub (Pahath-moab’s son) repaired another section and the oven tower. ¹² A half-district ruler named Shallum (Hallohesh’s son) and his daughters partnered with Malchijah.

¹³ Working with the residents of Zanoah, Hanun rebuilt the valley gate. In the same way, they framed it, set its doors in place, and secured it with bolts and bars. They were able to build the wall as far as the potsherd gate—a full 500 yards past where they started.

¹⁴ The ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem rebuilt the potsherd gate. In the same way, he framed it, set its doors in place, then secured it with bolts and bars.

¹⁵ Mizpah’s ruler, Shallum (Col-hozeh’s son) repaired the fountain gate, adding a roof while framing it, setting its doors in place, and securing it with bolts and bars. It fell to him to repair the wall of the pool of Shelah—of the king’s garden—to the steps leading down and away from the city of David.

¹⁶ Nehemiah (Azbuk’s son), who was ruler of the half-district of Beth-zur, built until he was directly across from David’s tombs, which is also where the artificial pool is and the house of the heroes.

¹⁷ Down the wall, the Levites worked: Rehum (Bani’s son), then Hashabiah, the half-district ruler of Keilah who worked on behalf of his own people. ¹⁸ Then came their brothers: Bavvai (Henadad’s son), the other half-district ruler of Keilah. ¹⁹ Ezer (Jeshua’s son), who ruled in Mizpah, partnered with Bavvai on the section of the wall that faced the road leading up to the armory—as far as the point where the wall angles away.^{[b] 20} Then came Baruch (Zabbai’s son), who worked fervently on the section between the angle of the wall and the entrance to High Priest Eliashib’s house. ²¹ From that entrance all the way to the end of Eliashib’s house, Meremoth (Uriah’s son and Hakkoz’s grandson) worked, in addition to the work he had completed next to the fish gate. ²² Priests from the surrounding region repaired the next portion of the wall. ²³ Benjamin and Hasshub worked on sections directly in front of their homes, then Azariah (Maaseiah’s son and Ananiah’s grandson) worked on a section beside his home. ²⁴ From Azariah’s home to the angle and the corner, Binnui (Henadad’s son) completed a second section. ²⁵ Palal (Uzai’s son) worked on the wall section at a point across from both the angle and the place where the upper tower comes out of the palace near the guards’ court. Then came Pedaiah (Parosh’s son) ²⁶ and servants from the temple living on the Ophel’s hill making repairs as far as the point directly across from the water gate to the east and the upper palace tower. ²⁷ The men of Tekoa, who worked without the support of their nobles, worked from that same tower as far as Ophel’s wall.

²⁸ Beyond the horse gate, each priest repaired the wall section in front of his own house, ²⁹ as did Zadok (Immer’s son) and the guard of the east gate, Shemaiah (Shecaniah’s son). ³⁰ Then Hananiah (Shelemiah’s son) and Hanun (Zalaph’s sixth-born son) worked on the next section, and Meshullam (Berechiah’s son) worked on the section across from where he lived. ³¹ Malchijah, a goldsmith, then repaired the wall all the way to the place where the temple servants and the merchants live, the place across from the inspection gate just beyond the room above the corner. ³² The goldsmiths and the merchants were the ones responsible for the final area between that room and the sheep gate.

4 When word of our progress in rebuilding the wall reached Sanballat, he became enraged. His anger spilled over into mockery of the Jews, ² and before his companions and the Samaritan army, he unleashed a torrent of ridicule and abuse.

³ Right beside him, Tobiah the Ammonite joined in the scorn.

⁶ We returned to building, focused and determined to work as one people. We stacked rock upon rock until one end of the wall met the other and it grew to half of its original height.

⁷ When the news that the few remaining gaps in the wall were rapidly closing and our city was beginning to heal reached all the lands surrounding Jerusalem, Sanballat, Tobiah, some Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites all became furious. ⁸ In fact, they were so upset they devised a plot to attack Jerusalem and create confusion. ⁹ Our response to this threat was twofold: we prayed to our True God, and we set up a watch—day and night—to look out for them. ¹⁰ Even so, everyone was afraid of another attack.

¹¹ And our enemies spread the word.

¹² Next we were confronted by the Jews who lived near our enemies. Over and over again^[c] they warned us.

¹³ So I strengthened our defenses. I placed men armed with anything they had on hand—the swords, spears, and bows they used to hunt—at the vulnerable low sections along the wall that were exposed. I organized them by families. ¹⁴ I stood up and addressed those gathered: nobles, officials, anyone who was close at hand.

¹⁵ Our enemies had intended to defeat us through surprise, but they learned we were aware of their plan and ready for their attack. The True God had frustrated them, and so we went back to work on the wall at our assigned places. ¹⁶ From that day on, I divided my people into two groups. One group worked on the wall while the other stood guard fully prepared for battle in armor, shields, spears, and bows. Officers were close at hand, posted right behind the Judean builders. ^17-18 The builders did their work—now with swords strapped to their sides. Even common laborers carrying building materials did so while carrying a weapon. I kept the man whose responsibility it was to warn everyone of attack by sounding the trumpet with me at all times. ¹⁹ Once again I addressed the nobles, the officials, and the gathered people.

²¹ From the time the sun broke over the horizon until it set again and stars filled the sky, we kept working—half of them holding spears.

²³ We all slept in our clothes—my kinsmen, my servants, and the guards I commanded. And we never set our weapons down, even when we went to get water.

5 As time went on a different kind of conflict arose—common men and their wives cried out against some of their fellow Jews.

⁶ When I heard this outcry, these charges filled me with anger. ⁷ After reflecting over what to do, I determined to confront those responsible directly: the Jewish nobles and the officials who represented Araxerxes’ interests in Jerusalem.

And a great many people assembled to witness my sentencing of the leaders.

There was nothing they could say; their silence confirmed their guilt.

I called the priests to join us and had these men make oaths before the gathering so that they would be held accountable to do what they promised. ¹³ I shook out my robe.

Everyone who had gathered in our assembly to witness this praised the Eternal and gave their benediction saying, “So may it be.”

All the people did as they promised. ¹⁴ As long as I had been appointed governor in Judah—for the 12 years from the 20th to the 32nd year of King Artaxerxes’ reign over the Persian Empire—no one in my family took a salary from the food tax the empire levied. ¹⁵ Every governor who had come before me had exploited his authority and levied a stiff tax—a pound of silver a day—and taken food and wine to supply his own table, often using unmerciful servants to extract this payment. But my fear of the True God kept me from ever acting in the same way. ¹⁶ (All my attention and resources were devoted to rebuilding the wall. Land acquisition was not the goal of my followers or me.) ¹⁷ I went beyond that, however. I also supplied food for 150 Jews and officials—in addition to diplomats from the surrounding pagan nations. ¹⁸ All were fed at my table at my expense: each day an ox, 6 of my best sheep, and some birds were prepared and served alongside a variety of wines that were resupplied every 10 days. Even with all of this expense and effort, I never demanded the food tax which would have been mine to claim as governor because I could see how hard life was for the people and what these demands would cost them.

6 Once again, we found that our progress had been reported to our enemies. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab (as well as the rest of our adversaries) heard that under my leadership the wall had been rebuilt. Not one gap remained (though the doors still had to be hung on the gates). ² Sanballat and Geshem sent messengers to me.

They were planning to hurt me. ³ So instead of going, I sent messengers back to them.

⁴ This same exchange played out four different times: they asked for a meeting; I refused.

⁵ The fifth time I was approached by a servant of Sanballat. He came with the same message, but this time he also carried an unsealed letter in his hand.

⁸ My message back to him was simple.

⁹ We knew our enemies’ intent was to intimidate us into stopping our work. They reasoned, “These Jews will stop rebuilding out of fear and discouragement. Progress will grind to a halt.” Instead I renewed my dedication, strengthened my hands.

¹⁰ A little later, I went to see Shemaiah (Delaiah’s son and Mehetabel’s grandson) who was shut up inside his house.

^12-13 While I was speaking these words, I realized God had not sent him to me. God would never tell me to break His laws. Shemaiah’s prophecy was “inspired” by the money of Tobiah and Sanballat. After hearing his message, they thought I would be scared and thus vulnerable to sin. They hoped to use such a lapse in behavior to discredit me.

¹⁵ Even with all that interference, the wall was soon finished. It was the 25th day of Elul. The work had been accomplished in 52 days. ¹⁶ When our enemies heard the work was complete and the surrounding nations saw our wall, their confidence crumbled. Only one possible conclusion could be drawn: it was not just our efforts that had done this thing. God had been working alongside us. ¹⁷ These developments caused a flurry of correspondence between the nobles of Judah and Tobiah. ¹⁸ Many of these nobles in Judah were tied to Tobiah by a marriage oath.

He was the son-in-law of Shecaniah (Arah’s son), and his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam (Berechiah’s son). ¹⁹ These men constantly praised Tobiah in my presence, describing his good deeds to me. They also reported to Tobiah what I said. And still he sent me his letters; his attempts to intimidate me were ceaseless.

7 Later, when the wall was completed and the doors had finally been set in their places, the temple gatekeepers were appointed to protect the city, with the help of the singers and the Levites. ² I placed Hanani, my brother, in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, the captain of the fortress. Hanani was honest and faithful, and in the fear of God he surpassed most men. ³ I commissioned these two men.

⁴ While Jerusalem was large and open, its population was still very small. In fact, no homes had yet been rebuilt, and without people it seemed empty.

⁵ It was at that time that God inspired me to gather those people who were in the city. I called the nobles, the officials of the city, and the common folk. I had found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return to Jerusalem; this is what the record showed:

⁶ A list of the Jews exiled under Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, living in the province of Jerusalem who returned from captivity in Babylon. They came back to Jerusalem and other towns around Judah, each returning to his home. ⁷ They were the first to journey back, following the leadership of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The men of the population of Israel, listed by their family of origin— ⁸ Parosh’s descendants: 2,172; ⁹ Shephatiah’s descendants: 372; ¹⁰ Arah’s descendants: 652; ¹¹ Pahath-moab’s descendants (from Jeshua and Joab’s line): 2,818; ¹² Elam’s descendants: 1,254; ¹³ Zattu’s descendants: 845; ¹⁴ Zaccai’s descendants: 760; ¹⁵ Binnui’s descendants: 648; ¹⁶ Bebai’s descendants: 628; ¹⁷ Azgad’s descendants: 2,322; ¹⁸ Adonikam’s descendants: 667; ¹⁹ Bigvai and his descendants: 2,067; ²⁰ Adin’s descendants: 655; ²¹ Ater’s descendants (from Hezekiah’s line): 98; ²² Hashum’s descendants: 328; ²³ Bezai’s descendants: 324; ²⁴ Hariph’s descendants: 112; ²⁵ Gibeon’s descendants: 95.

The men in the population of Israel listed by their place of origin— ²⁶ the people of Bethlehem and Netophah: 188; ²⁷ the people of Anathoth: 128; ²⁸ the people of Beth-azmaveth: 42; ²⁹ the people of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: 743; ³⁰ the people of Ramah and Geba: 621; ³¹ the people of Michmas: 122; ³² the people of Bethel and Ai: 123; ³³ the people of Nebo (the other one): 52; ³⁴ the people of Elam (the other one): 1,254; ³⁵ the people of Harim: 320; ³⁶ the people of Jericho: 345; ³⁷ the people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721; ³⁸ the people of Senaah: 3,930.

The men in the population of Israel listed by their responsibilities— ³⁹ the priestly families—Jedaiah’s descendants (from Jeshua’s line): 973; ⁴⁰ Immer’s descendants: 1,052; ⁴¹ Pashhur’s descendants: 1,247; ⁴² Harim’s descendants: 1,017; ⁴³ the Levitical families—Jeshua’s descendants (from Kadmiel and Hodevah’s line): 74. ⁴⁴ The singers—Asaph’s descendants: 148. ⁴⁵ The gatekeepers—Shallum’s, Ater’s, Talmon’s, Akkub’s, Hatita’s, and Shobai’s descendants: 138. ⁴⁶ The temple servants—Ziha’s, Hasupha’s, Tabbaoth’s, ⁴⁷ Keros’s, Sia’s, Padon’s, ⁴⁸ Lebana’s, Hagaba’s, Shalmai’s, ⁴⁹ Hanan’s, Giddel’s, Gahar’s, ⁵⁰ Reaiah’s, Rezin’s, Nekoda’s, ⁵¹ Gazzam’s, Uzza’s, Paseah’s, ⁵² Besai’s, Meunim’s, Nephushesim’s, ⁵³ Bakbuk’s, Hakupha’s, Harhur’s, ⁵⁴ Bazlith’s, Mehida’s, Harsha’s, ⁵⁵ Barkos’s, Sisera’s, Temah’s, ⁵⁶ Neziah’s, and Hatipha’s descendants. ⁵⁷ The descendants of Solomon’s servants—Sotai’s, Sophereth’s, Perida’s, ⁵⁸ Jaala’s, Darkon’s, Giddel’s, ⁵⁹ Shephatiah’s, Hattil’s, Pochereth-hazzebaim’s, and Amon’s descendants. ⁶⁰ Combined, the temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants added up to 392.

⁶¹ At the time of our reckoning, people from the outlying towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer came into Jerusalem. Their names, however, could not be found in the official record, and they had no records of their own to prove they had descended from the families of Israel. This group included ⁶² the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda and totaled 642 people. ⁶³ Three families claiming to come from priestly families also returned: Hobaiah’s, Hakkoz’s, and Barzillai’s descendants. (Barzillai had married a woman descended from Barzillai of Gilead—he took her name as his own). ⁶⁴ After searching the genealogical records they, too, were unable to find their names, and so they were considered impure and disqualified from serving in the priesthood. ⁶⁵ As the governor appointed by Persia,^[f] I ordered them not to eat any of the sacred food set apart for priests until a priest could be found to consult God on this matter with the sacred stones, Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁶ When our census was complete, we numbered 42,360, ⁶⁷ as well as the 7,337 male and female servants, 245 male and female singers, ⁶⁸ and many animals: 736 horses, 245 mules, ⁶⁹ 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

⁷⁰ Some of the heads of families made contributions so that the work we had begun could continue. As the governor, I contributed 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold bowls, 30 priests’ robes, and 630 pounds of silver.^{[g] 71} Then other family leaders began to give too: 20,000 gold coins and roughly 2,750 pounds of silver. ⁷² Together the rest of the community added 20,000 gold coins, 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 priestly robes. ⁷³ Then the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, many common folk, and the rest of Israel returned to live in their towns. This was finished by the beginning of the seventh month.

8 When everyone had settled, they re-gathered in Jerusalem. Everyone met in the square that is in front of the water gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law, the word the Eternal sent through Moses to Israel. ² Ezra the priest did as they asked, bringing God’s law to Israel. The community included both men and women—anyone who was able to understand was welcomed. This gathering took place on the first day of the seventh month. ³ Facing the people in the square, next to the water gate, he began to read excerpts. The document was massive, and just reading parts took him six or seven hours, from daybreak until noon. Everyone who was there heard him: men, women—anyone with the ability to understand. As he read, they were focused and listened carefully to the book of the law.

⁴ And as he read, Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform made for this very occasion. To his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. ⁵ Standing above the people so they could see and hear him, Ezra opened the book of the law. As he opened the book, everyone stood. ⁶ Then Ezra called out and blessed the Eternal, worshiping God’s greatness. With their hands raised to the heavens, the people called out loudly in response, crying, “Amen! So may it be!” Then they fell to their knees and bowed. With their faces to the ground, they worshiped the Eternal. ^7-8 Ezra read the law, the people listened, and the Levites explained it to them. Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—these are the Levites^[h] who interpreted what Ezra read for the people.

⁹ Now, as God’s law was read, the people began to weep. But Nehemiah (the Persians’ appointed governor),^[i] Ezra the priest and scribe, and all the ministering Levites said to the people,

¹² Then the celebration really began. The people had heard God’s words and understood them. When the people went away to eat and to drink in their homes, no one was left out of the feasting, not even the poor.

¹³ The next day, the heads of every family, along with the priests and the Levites, regathered around Ezra the scribe to further study God’s law. ¹⁴ As they studied the law, they discovered that through Moses, the Eternal had commanded Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Feast of Booths of the seventh month. ¹⁵ So they issued a proclamation, and it went out to everyone in Jerusalem and in every town that people should go into the hills to gather branches from olive trees, wild olive trees, myrtle trees, palm trees—any kind of leafy tree they could find. With these branches they were told to build temporary shelters to house them during the festival, as God’s law declared. ¹⁶ So the people went out and gathered branches. They built temporary shelters anywhere they could—on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the temple courts, in the squares by the water gate and the gate of Ephraim. ¹⁷ Everyone who had returned from exile—all 42,360 people—made the temporary shelters and lived in them. From the time of Joshua (Nun’s son) until that very day, no one in Israel had observed the festival in this way, remembering those from the Egyptian exile too. So they celebrated, and their joy was great. ¹⁸ Throughout everything, Ezra continued to read from the book of God’s law, day by day. The celebration of the feast continued for seven days. On the eighth day, in keeping with the directions given, Israel gathered for a solemn assembly.

9 Later, on the 24th day of that same month, the Israelites came back together. Everyone fasted and wore sackcloth to show their repentance. They covered their heads with dust to show their mourning. ² They also separated themselves from the foreigners who were living among them. Then the Israelites stood up and confessed their sins and the sins of their dead ancestors. ³ For three hours^[j] they stood in their designated places and read from the book of the Eternal’s law. Following that they confessed and worshiped the Eternal One, their True God, for another three hours. ⁴ On the stairs above them stood the Levites: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. With loud cries they called out to the Eternal, their True God.

⁵ The same Levites (Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah) instructed the people.

10 The covenant was signed and sealed with the following names: Nehemiah (the governor and son of Hacaliah), Zedekiah, ² Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, ³ Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, ⁴ Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, ⁵ Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, ⁶ Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, ⁷ Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, ⁸ Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests. ⁹ The Levites listed were Jeshua (Azaniah’s son), Binnui (one of Henadad’s sons), Kadmiel; ¹⁰ also their brothers: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, ¹¹ Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, ¹² Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, ¹³ Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu. ¹⁴ The leaders of the people listed were Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, ¹⁵ Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, ¹⁶ Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, ¹⁷ Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, ¹⁸ Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, ¹⁹ Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, ²⁰ Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, ²¹ Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, ²² Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, ²³ Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, ²⁴ Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, ²⁵ Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, ²⁶ Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, ²⁷ Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

²⁸ Everyone else—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all those who separated themselves from their foreign neighbors in order to obey God’s law, along with all their wives and sons and daughters who are old enough to understand— ²⁹ everyone joins with their leaders and relatives and binds himself with an oath and a curse to carefully observe and obey the way God has placed before us through His servant Moses—with all its commands, rules, and decrees. These are the Eternal Lord’s laws and judgments:

³⁰ Our daughters will not be married to the sons of any of our foreign neighbors. We will not allow our sons to marry their daughters.

³¹ If any of our foreign neighbors come to sell their goods, their grain, or their produce on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them then or on any holy day.

Every seven years, every Jew everywhere will allow the land to rest for one year. We will not work on it; we will not make it work. We will also cancel all outstanding debts, freeing any Israelite who has become enslaved to a creditor.

³² We are committing to tax ourselves as well. Every year each man will pay eight ounces of silver to care for God’s temple. ³³ This tax will pay for bread for the table; for the daily grain and burnt offerings; for offerings made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and all other yearly feasts; it will pay for the holy offerings and for the sin offerings to cover Israel’s sins. We are obligating ourselves to provide for everything that is necessary for the working of the temple of our God.

³⁴ The priests, the Levites, and the people have drawn lots to decide which ancestral family will be responsible for bringing the wood that burns on the Eternal’s altar in God’s temple. Each family will be appointed times of the year, in every year, to fill this need as the law says it should be done.^[k]

³⁵ It is also our responsibility to support the temple workers through our offerings. We will bring to the temple the first part of every crop, grain from the earth and fruit from the tree alike, every year. ³⁶ We will also bring all of our firstborns and give them to the priests working at the temple—our firstborn sons and cattle, our firstborn from our flocks and our herds—as the law of God says.^{[l] 37-38} We will bring to the priests the best of our coarse meal^[m] (which is a sacred contribution), the fruit of our trees, and our new wine and oil—to be placed in the storerooms of our God’s temple instead of used in the sanctuary. One-tenth of our crops will go for the Levites. When the Levites come to our towns to collect our offerings, we will make sure there is also a priest from Aaron’s house with them who will bring the tithes to the house of the Eternal and its storehouse. ³⁹ The Levites and the Israelites must bring the offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms of the temple where the sacred containers are kept, where the working priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers gather.

We all agree—we will not neglect the temple of our God.

11 The leaders of the people lived in the holy city of Jerusalem. The rest of the population drew lots, and one out of every ten of them came to live in Jerusalem also. The other nine-tenths stayed in their towns.

² So when others decided, on their own, to settle in Jerusalem willingly, the people were grateful, blessing and thanking them.

³ These are the leaders of the provinces who came to live in Jerusalem. (Most of the people of Israel—common folk, priests, Levites, servants in the temple, and those who were descendants of Solomon’s servants—continued to live in their own homes in towns around Judah, ⁴ though some of the people from Judah and Benjamin decided to settle in Jerusalem.)

From Judah’s tribe: Athaiah, Uzziah’s son—who is the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel—the family line of Perez; ⁵ Maaseiah, Baruch’s son—who is the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of a Shilonite. ⁶ There were 468 descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem, all of them courageous soldiers.

⁷ From Benjamin’s tribe: Sallu, Meshullam’s son—who is 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 Gabbai and Sallai followed him. There were 928 men from the tribe of Benjamin. ⁹ They were led by Joel, Zichri’s son. Judah, Hassenuah’s son, was second in command over the city.

¹⁰ From the priests: Jedaiah, Joiarib’s son; Jachin; ¹¹ Seraiah, Hilkiah’s son—the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub (who was supervisor of God’s temple). ¹² There were 822 of their relatives who ran the temple. Also Adaiah, Jeroham’s son—the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, ¹³ and his relatives who were also the heads of families. They numbered 242 men. Amashsai, Azarel’s son—the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, ¹⁴ and their relatives. There were 128 courageous warriors, led by Zabdiel, Haggedolim’s son.

¹⁵ From the Levites: Shemaiah, Hasshub’s son—the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; ¹⁶ Shabbethai and Jozabad, the Levite leaders who were responsible for the work being done on the outside of God’s temple; ¹⁷ Mattaniah, Mica’s son—the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph. Mattaniah was the worship leader who would lead us in thanksgiving prayers. His assistant was Bakbukiah; also Abda, Shammua’s son—the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. ¹⁸ There were 284 Levites in the holy city of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ From the gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and the rest of their relatives who watched over the gates were 172 men. ²⁰ All of the rest of the Israelites, priests, and Levites lived on their family’s land in Judah. ²¹ The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were their leaders.

²² The leader of the Levites living in Jerusalem was Uzzi, Bani’s son—the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. Uzzi was a descendant of Asaph, who led the singers in worship in the temple. ²³ The singers answered directly to Judah’s king before the conquest, and he gave them their responsibilities day to day. ²⁴ Now, Pethahaiah, Meshezabel’s son—a descendant of Zerah, Judah’s son—advised the king in Persia about the concerns the people had in Jerusalem.

²⁵ The returning Israelites lived in Jerusalem’s surrounding cities, near their farms. Some of the descendants of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, Dibon and its villages, Jekabzeel and its villages. ²⁶ They also lived in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth-pelet, ²⁷ Hazar-shual, Beersheba and its villages, ²⁸ Ziklag, Meconah and its villages, ²⁹ En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, ³⁰ Zanoah, Adullam and its towns, Lachish and its farms, Azekah and its villages. Their settlement stretched from Beersheba all the way to the valley of Hinnom, covering the area God had given to Judah and his descendants.

³¹ The Benjaminites lived in Geba, Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, ³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵ Lod, Ono, and in the valley of the craftsmen. ³⁶ Some of the Levites from Judah were sent to live in Benjamin’s settlements.

12 These are the priests and the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel (Shealtiel’s son) and Jeshua the high priest. The priests were Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, ² Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, ³ Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, ⁴ Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, ⁵ Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, ⁶ Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, ⁷ Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their relatives during the time of Jeshua. ⁸ In addition the Levites who returned were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, and Judah; Mattaniah and his brothers were in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. ⁹ Their brothers Bakbukiah and Unni stood across from them in worship and led half of the responsive singing. ¹⁰ 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 During the time of Joiakim’s high priesthood, these were the leaders of the priestly families: from Seraiah’s family—Meraiah; from Jeremiah’s family—Hananiah; ¹³ from Ezra’s family—Meshullam; from Amariah’s family—Jehohanan; ¹⁴ from Malluchi’s family—Jonathan; from Shebaniah’s family—Joseph; ¹⁵ from Harim’s family—Adna; from Meraioth’s family—Helkai; ¹⁶ from Iddo’s family—Zechariah; from Ginnethon’s family—Meshullam; ¹⁷ from Abijah’s family—Zichri; from Miniamin and Moadiah’s families—Piltai; ¹⁸ from Bilgah’s family—Shammua; from Shemaiah’s family—Jehonathan; ¹⁹ from Joiarib’s family—Mattenai; from Jedaiah’s family—Uzzi; ²⁰ from Sallai’s family—Kallai; from Amok’s family—Eber; ²¹ from Hilkiah’s family—Hashabiah; from Jedaiah’s family—Nethanel.

²² During the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were listed by the heads of their families when Darius of Persia reigned; the practice was the same for the priests. ^23-24 In the book of the chronicles, the Levites who were listed as the heads of families, until the time of Johanan (Eliashib’s son), were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua (Kadmiel’s son). Their brothers stood across from them in worship and led the other half of the responsive singing following the instructions of David, the man of God. ²⁵ The gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms inside the gate were Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub. ²⁶ These men fulfilled their responsibilities during the time of Joiakim (Jeshua’s son and Jozadak’s grandson), and in the time of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest and scribe.

²⁷ Finally, the time came to dedicate the wall of Jerusalem. Levites were tracked down from all over to perform the dedication ceremonies in Jerusalem. They celebrated joyously and led the people in songs of thanksgiving, worshiping with abandon. They played cymbals and harps and other stringed instruments they could carry. ²⁸ Singers from all around Jerusalem also came—from the villages of the Netophathites, ²⁹ from Beth-gilgal and the farms at Geba and Azmaveth. The singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem where they lived. ³⁰ The priests and the Levites ended the ceremonies by purifying themselves and then the people, the wall, and the gates.

³¹ Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall. I had organized two large choirs to lead us in thanksgiving. One of the choirs walked south along the wall to the right, toward the potsherd gate. ³² Behind that choir marched Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah. ³³ This group included Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴ Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. ^35-36 Some of the young priests played trumpets. Others played the same instruments David, the man of God, played. They came next: Zechariah, Jonathan’s son—the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph—and his brothers Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. This group was led by Ezra the scribe. ³⁷ At the fountain gate, they went up the steps of the city of David, climbing the city wall, passing the house of David on their way to the water gate to the east.^[n]

³⁸ The other choir went to the left. Along with the remaining people up on the wall, I followed them north from the oven tower to the broad wall. ³⁹ We went over the Ephraim gate, the old gate, the fish gate, the tower of Hananel, and all the way to the tower of the hundred. We went through the sheep gate and stopped when we arrived at the guard’s gate. ⁴⁰ As they arrived at the temple of God, both choirs took their places, all the while giving thanks. Those of us leaders in the second group joined them. ⁴¹ We followed the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah played their trumpets ⁴² while Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer sang. The musicians were playing loudly and the singers were singing. Jezrahiah led them, ⁴³ and together the sounds filled the city. Everyone was rejoicing and making sacrifices to God in their great joy—even the women and children got involved. Far outside Jerusalem the noise from our celebration could be heard.

⁴⁴ That same day, we appointed men to be in charge of the storerooms that held everyone’s offerings—all their contributions, best offerings, and monetary tithes. These administrators were in charge of collecting from all of the villages the offerings set aside by the law for the priests and the Levites. Everyone was grateful to the priests and the Levites and were happy to contribute for all that they did. ⁴⁵ Just as David and his son Solomon instructed them to do, they served God and purified the people with the help of the singers and gatekeepers. ⁴⁶ It was during the united monarchy long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, that it became customary to have choir directors lead the singers in songs of worship and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ In these times of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, the people of Israel also contributed a daily supply of food so that the singers and the gatekeepers had enough to eat. They also designated consecrated portions for the Levites’ share, who set aside food for the priests—who are Aaron’s descendants.

13 Later that day, when the book of Moses was being read to the people, we discovered a passage that said no Ammonite or Moabite should be allowed to enter the sacred gatherings of God’s people.^[o]

² This prohibition went back to the time when our ancestors wandered in the desert—when the Ammonites and the Moabites refused to welcome the Israelites with food and drink. In fact, they hired Balaam to curse them. But it didn’t work. God turned the curse into a blessing. ³ As soon as people heard what God’s law said, they excluded anyone with any non-Israelite descent from Israel.

^4-5 Before that happened, the priest named Eliashib took a large storeroom in the temple of God and gave it to Tobiah the Ammonite for his use. Eliashib was in charge of the storerooms, and Tobiah was a relative of his. Before he gave it to Tobiah, it had been used to store many different things for use in the temple: the grain offerings, the incense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers—also the offerings for the priests. ⁶ I was not in Jerusalem when Eliashib did this. It was the 32nd year of the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia,^[p] and I had returned to make a report to him. Later on I asked his permission to return ⁷ to Jerusalem. When I arrived, I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done by giving Tobiah a room in the courts of the temple of the True God, a place he wasn’t even allowed to enter because of his heritage. ⁸ I was livid. In my anger, I threw all of Tobiah’s property out of the room. ⁹ Then I had them purify the rooms and restore what was supposed to be there—the sacred vessels, the grain offerings, and the incense.

¹⁰ I also learned that the portion of the offering that belonged to the Levites had not been given to them. As a result, the Levites and singers who were responsible for leading God’s people in worship returned to work on their farms instead. ¹¹ I went straight to the leaders responsible for this and confronted them, asking, “Why are you neglecting God’s temple?” I reassembled the leaders who had returned home and placed them back at their posts. ¹² This allowed the people of Judah to bring their tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil into the storehouses again. ¹³ I placed trustworthy men in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah. I brought Hanan (Zaccur’s son and Mattaniah’s grandson) on as their assistant. It was their responsibility to make sure the daily rations were distributed to their relatives.