NEHEMIAH
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TOC
Maps
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of
Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, 2 one of my
brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the
Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3
They replied, "The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in
great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates
have been destroyed by fire." 4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept,
and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, "O
LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast
love with those who love him and keep his commandments; 6 let your ear be
attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray
before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the
sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my
family have sinned. 7 We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the
commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant
Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, 'If you are
unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 but if you return to me and
keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest
skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have
chosen to establish my name.' 10 They are your servants and your people, whom
you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear
be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants
who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant
him mercy in the sight of this man!" At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.
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In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,
when wine was served him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had
never been sad in his presence before. 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your
face sad, since you are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart." Then I
was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why
should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my ancestors' graves,
lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" 4 Then the king said to
me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said to
the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you,
I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' graves, so that I
may rebuild it." 6 The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him),
"How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to
send me, and I set him a date. 7 Then I said to the king, "If it pleases the
king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River,
that they may grant me passage until I arrive in Judah; 8 and a letter to Asaph,
the keeper of the king's forest, directing him to give me timber to make beams
for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city, and for the
house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the
gracious hand of my God was upon me. 9 Then I came to the governors of the
province Beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had
sent officers of the army and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite
and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it displeased them greatly that
someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. 11 So I came to
Jerusalem and was there for three days. 12 Then I got up during the night, I and
a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for
Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the animal I rode. 13 I went out by night
by the Valley Gate past the Dragon's Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I
inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that
had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the
King's Pool; but there was no place for the animal I was riding to continue. 15
So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I turned
back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 The officials did not
know where I had gone or what I was doing; I had not yet told the Jews, the
priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest that were to do the work. 17
Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins
with its gates burned. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we
may no longer suffer disgrace." 18 I told them that the hand of my God had been
gracious upon me, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they
said, "Let us start building!" So they committed themselves to the common good.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem
the Arab heard of it, they mocked and ridiculed us, saying, "What is this that
you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?" 20 Then I replied to them,
"The God of heaven is the one who will give us success, and we his servants are
going to start building; but you have no share or claim or historic right in
Jerusalem."
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Then the high priest Eliashib set to work with his fellow
priests and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set up its doors;
they consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower
of Hananel. 2 And the men of Jericho built next to him. And next to them Zaccur
son of Imri built. 3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its
beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 Next to them Meremoth son
of Uriah son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah son
of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. 5 Next
to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles would not put their
shoulders to the work of their Lord. 6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of
Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its
bolts, and its bars. 7 Next to them repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite
and Jadon the Meronothite--the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah--who were under the
jurisdiction of the governor of the province Beyond the River. 8 Next to them
Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Next to him
Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they restored Jerusalem as far
as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the
district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 Next to them Jedaiah son of Harumaph
made repairs opposite his house; and next to him Hattush son of Hashabneiah made
repairs. 11 Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab repaired
another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Next to him Shallum son of
Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his
daughters. 13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they
rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a
thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. 14 Malchijah son of
Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate; he
rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 15 And Shallum son of
Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he
rebuilt it and covered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he
built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs
that go down from the City of David. 16 After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler
of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired from a point opposite the graves of
David, as far as the artificial pool and the house of the warriors. 17 After him
the Levites made repairs: Rehum son of Bani; next to him Hashabiah, ruler of
half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 After him their
kin made repairs: Binnui, son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah;
19 next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section
opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle. 20 After him Baruch son of
Zabbai repaired another section from the Angle to the door of the house of the
high priest Eliashib. 21 After him Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz repaired
another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house
of Eliashib. 22 After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, made
repairs. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house.
After them Azariah son of Maaseiah son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own
house. 24 After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from the
house of Azariah to the Angle and to the corner. 25 Palal son of Uzai repaired
opposite the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at
the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple
servants living on Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate on
the east and the projecting tower. 27 After him the Tekoites repaired another
section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. 28
Above the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each one opposite his own house.
29 After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his own house. After him
Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 After
him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun sixth son of Zalaph repaired another
section. After him Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his living
quarters. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as
the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate,
and to the upper room of the corner. 32 And between the upper room of the corner
and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.
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Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was
angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. 2 He said in the presence of
his associates and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing?
Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day?
Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish--and burned ones at
that?" 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "That stone wall they
are building--any fox going up on it would break it down!" 4 Hear, O our God,
for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them
over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not
let their sin be blotted out from your sight; for they have hurled insults in
the face of the builders. 6 So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined
together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work. 7 But when
Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard
that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were
beginning to be closed, they were very angry, 8 and all plotted together to come
and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 So we prayed to our
God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. 10 But Judah
said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much
rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall." 11 And our enemies said,
"They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and
stop the work." 12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten
times, "From all the places where they live they will come up against us." 13 So
in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed
the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and
their bows. 14 After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the
nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them.
Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons,
your daughters, your wives, and your homes." 15 When our enemies heard that
their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to
the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on
construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the
leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building
the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored
on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon. 18 And each of the
builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded
the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the
rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread out, and we are
separated far from one another on the wall. 20 Rally to us wherever you hear the
sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us." 21 So we labored at the work,
and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out. 22
I also said to the people at that time, "Let every man and his servant pass the
night inside Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and may
labor by day." 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of
the guard who followed me ever took off our clothes; each kept his weapon in his
right hand.
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Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives
against their Jewish kin. 2 For there were those who said, "With our sons and
our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay
alive." 3 There were also those who said, "We are having to pledge our fields,
our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine." 4 And
there were those who said, "We are having to borrow money on our fields and
vineyards to pay the king's tax. 5 Now our flesh is the same as that of our
kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our
sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished;
we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others." 6 I was
very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After thinking it
over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them,
"You are all taking interest from your own people." And I called a great
assembly to deal with them, 8 and said to them, "As far as we were able, we have
bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you
are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!" They were silent,
and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, "The thing that you are doing is
not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of
the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover I and my brothers and my servants are
lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest. 11 Restore to
them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and
their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been
exacting from them." 12 Then they said, "We will restore everything and demand
nothing more from them. We will do as you say." And I called the priests, and
made them take an oath to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold
of my garment and said, "So may God shake out everyone from house and from
property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and
emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the
people did as they had promised. 14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed
to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the
thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers
ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before
me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took food and wine from them, besides
forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I
did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 Indeed, I devoted myself to the
work on this wall, and acquired no land; and all my servants were gathered there
for the work. 17 Moreover there were at my table one hundred fifty people, Jews
and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Now
that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls
were prepared for me, and every ten days skins of wine in abundance; yet with
all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because of the
heavy burden of labor on the people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that
I have done for this people.
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) Now when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem
the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall and that there
was no gap left in it (though up to that time I had not set up the doors in the
gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet
together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me
harm. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I
cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to
you?" 4 They sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same
manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me
with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, "It is reported among the
nations--and Geshem also says it--that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is
why you are building the wall; and according to this report you wish to become
their king. 7 You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning
you, 'There is a king in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king
according to these words. So come, therefore, and let us confer together." 8
Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done; you are
inventing them out of your own mind" 9 --for they all wanted to frighten us,
thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done." But
now, O God, strengthen my hands. 10 One day when I went into the house of
Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house, he
said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us
close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, tonight
they are coming to kill you." 11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away?
Would a man like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!" 12
Then I perceived and saw that God had not sent him at all, but he had pronounced
the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He was
hired for this purpose, to intimidate me and make me sin by acting in this way,
and so they could give me a bad name, in order to taunt me. 14 Remember Tobiah
and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the
prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. 15
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two
days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were
afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem; for they perceived that this work
had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Moreover in those days the
nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.
18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, 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 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence,
and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
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Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and
the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my
brother Hanani charge over Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the
citadel--for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. 3 And I said
to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot;
while the gatekeepers are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors.
Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch
posts, and others before their own houses." 4 The city was wide and large, but
the people within it were few and no houses had been built. 5 Then my God put it
into my mind to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be
enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who were
the first to come back, and I found the following written in it: 6 These are the
people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried into exile; they returned to
Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua,
Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai,
Nehum, Baanah. The number of the Israelite people: 8 the descendants of Parosh,
two thousand one hundred seventy-two. 9 Of Shephatiah, three hundred
seventy-two. 10 Of Arah, six hundred fifty-two. 11 Of Pahath-moab, namely the
descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen. 12 Of Elam,
one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 13 Of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five. 14
Of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 15 Of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight. 16 Of
Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight. 17 Of Azgad, two thousand three hundred
twenty-two. 18 Of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven. 19 Of Bigvai, two thousand
sixty-seven. 20 Of Adin, six hundred fifty-five. 21 Of Ater, namely of Hezekiah,
ninety-eight. 22 Of Hashum, three hundred twenty-eight. 23 Of Bezai, three
hundred twenty-four. 24 Of Hariph, one hundred twelve. 25 Of Gibeon,
ninety-five. 26 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight.
27 Of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 28 Of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. 29 Of
Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 30 Of Ramah
and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 31 Of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two. 32 Of
Bethel and Ai, one hundred twenty-three. 33 Of the other Nebo, fifty-two. 34 The
descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 35 Of Harim,
three hundred twenty. 36 Of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 37 Of Lod, Hadid,
and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one. 38 Of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred
thirty. 39 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua,
nine hundred seventy-three. 40 Of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 41 Of Pashhur,
one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 42 Of Harim, one thousand seventeen. 43
The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants of
Hodevah, seventy-four. 44 The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred
forty-eight. 45 The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, of Ater, of Talmon,
of Akkub, of Hatita, of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight. 46 The temple
servants: the descendants of Ziha, of Hasupha, of Tabbaoth, 47 of Keros, of Sia,
of Padon, 48 of Lebana, of Hagaba, of Shalmai, 49 of Hanan, of Giddel, of Gahar,
50 of Reaiah, of Rezin, of Nekoda, 51 of Gazzam, of Uzza, of Paseah, 52 of
Besai, of Meunim, of Nephushesim, 53 of Bakbuk, of Hakupha, of Harhur, 54 of
Bazlith, of Mehida, of Harsha, 55 of Barkos, of Sisera, of Temah, 56 of Neziah,
of Hatipha. 57 The descendants of Solomon's servants: of Sotai, of Sophereth, of
Perida, 58 of Jaala, of Darkon, of Giddel, 59 of Shephatiah, of Hattil, of
Pochereth-hazzebaim, of Amon. 60 All the temple servants and the descendants of
Solomon's servants were three hundred ninety-two. 61 The following were those
who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could
not prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they belonged to
Israel: 62 the descendants of Delaiah, of Tobiah, of Nekoda, six hundred
forty-two. 63 Also, of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, of Hakkoz, of
Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and
was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those
enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded
from the priesthood as unclean; 65 the governor told them that they were not to
partake of the most holy food, until a priest with Urim and Thummim should come.
66 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 67
besides their male and female slaves, of whom there were seven thousand three
hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred forty-five singers, male and
female. 68 They had seven hundred thirty-six horses, two hundred forty-five
mules, 69 four hundred thirty-five camels, and six thousand seven hundred twenty
donkeys. 70 Now some of the heads of ancestral houses contributed to the work.
The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and
five hundred thirty priestly robes. 71 And some of the heads of ancestral houses
gave into the building fund twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand two
hundred minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was twenty
thousand darics of gold, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priestly
robes. 73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the
people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. When the
seventh month came--the people of Israel being settled in their towns--
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all the people gathered together into the square before the
Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses,
which the LORD had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the
law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with
understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it
facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the
presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears
of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 The scribe Ezra stood
on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood
Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and
Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on
his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he
was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood
up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered,
"Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped
the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah,
the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained
in their places. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with
interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the
Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the
LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard
the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and
drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is
prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy
of the LORD is your strength." 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying,
"Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." 12 And all the people went
their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing,
because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 13 On the
second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and
the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the
law. 14 And they found it written in the law, which the LORD had commanded by
Moses, that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of
the seventh month, 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their
towns and in Jerusalem as follows, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of
olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is
written." 16 So the people went out and brought them, and made booths for
themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the
courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the
square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned
from the captivity made booths and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua
son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very
great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read
from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival seven days; and on the
eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
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Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel
were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. 2
Then those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and
stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. 3 They
stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God
for a fourth part of the day, and for another fourth they made confession and
worshiped the LORD their God. 4 Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni,
Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out
with a loud voice to the LORD their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel,
Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, "Stand up
and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your
glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." 6 And Ezra said:
"You are the LORD, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with
all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in
them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. 7 You
are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans
and gave him the name Abraham; 8 and you found his heart faithful before you,
and made with him a covenant to give to his descendants the land of the
Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the
Girgashite; and you have fulfilled your promise, for you are righteous. 9 "And
you saw the distress of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red
Sea. 10 You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and
all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted insolently against our
ancestors. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. 11 And you
divided the sea before them, so that they passed through the sea on dry land,
but you threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.
12 Moreover, you led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a
pillar of fire, to give them light on the way in which they should go. 13 You
came down also upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them
right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, 14 and you made
known your holy sabbath to them and gave them commandments and statutes and a
law through your servant Moses. 15 For their hunger you gave them bread from
heaven, and for their thirst you brought water for them out of the rock, and you
told them to go in to possess the land that you swore to give them. 16 "But they
and our ancestors acted presumptuously and stiffened their necks and did not
obey your commandments; 17 they refused to obey, and were not mindful of the
wonders that you performed among them; but they stiffened their necks and
determined to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to
forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,
and you did not forsake them. 18 Even when they had cast an image of a calf for
themselves and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had
committed great blasphemies, 19 you in your great mercies did not forsake them
in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud that led them in the way did not leave
them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night that gave them light on the way by
which they should go. 20 You gave your good spirit to instruct them, and did not
withhold your manna from their mouths, and gave them water for their thirst. 21
Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing;
their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. 22 And you gave
them kingdoms and peoples, and allotted to them every corner, so they took
possession of the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of
Bashan. 23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven, and
brought them into the land that you had told their ancestors to enter and
possess. 24 So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued
before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into
their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as
they pleased. 25 And they captured fortress cities and a rich land, and took
possession of houses filled with all sorts of goods, hewn cisterns, vineyards,
olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance; so they ate, and were filled and
became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness. 26 "Nevertheless
they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their
backs and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back
to you, and they committed great blasphemies. 27 Therefore you gave them into
the hands of their enemies, who made them suffer. Then in the time of their
suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to
your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hands of their
enemies. 28 But after they had rest, they again did evil before you, and you
abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, so that they had dominion over
them; yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many
times you rescued them according to your mercies. 29 And you warned them in
order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not
obey your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, by the observance of
which a person shall live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their
neck and would not obey. 30 Many years you were patient with them, and warned
them by your spirit through your prophets; yet they would not listen. Therefore
you handed them over to the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless, in your great
mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious
and merciful God. 32 "Now therefore, our God--the great and mighty and awesome
God, keeping covenant and steadfast love--do not treat lightly all the hardship
that has come upon us, upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets,
our ancestors, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until
today. 33 You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt
faithfully and we have acted wickedly; 34 our kings, our officials, our priests,
and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the
warnings that you gave them. 35 Even in their own kingdom, and in the great
goodness you bestowed on them, and in the large and rich land that you set
before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their wicked works. 36
Here we are, slaves to this day--slaves in the land that you gave to our
ancestors to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts. 37 Its rich yield goes to the
kings whom you have set over us because of our sins; they have power also over
our bodies and over our livestock at their pleasure, and we are in great
distress." 38 Because of all this we make a firm agreement in writing, and on
that sealed document are inscribed the names of our officials, our Levites, and
our priests.
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Upon the sealed document are the names of Nehemiah the
governor, son of Hacaliah, and 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, Shemaiah; these are the priests. 9 And the Levites: Jeshua son of
Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 and their associates,
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur,
Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The leaders of the people:
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 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the
gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated
themselves from the peoples of the lands to adhere to the law of God, their
wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29
join with their kin, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in
God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do
all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his ordinances and his statutes.
30 We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their
daughters for our sons; 31 and if the peoples of the land bring in merchandise
or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy it from them on the
sabbath or on a holy day; and we will forego the crops of the seventh year and
the exaction of every debt. 32 We also lay on ourselves the obligation to charge
ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
33 for the rows of bread, the regular grain offering, the regular burnt
offering, the sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed festivals, the sacred
donations, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the
work of the house of our God. 34 We have also cast lots among the priests, the
Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of
our God, by ancestral houses, at appointed times, year by year, to burn on the
altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law. 35 We obligate ourselves
to bring the first fruits of our soil and the first fruits of all fruit of every
tree, year by year, to the house of the LORD; 36 also to bring to the house of
our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of
our sons and of our livestock, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings
of our herds and of our flocks; 37 and to bring the first of our dough, and our
contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to
the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes
from our soil, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural
towns. 38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites
when the Levites receive the tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tithe of
the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. 39 For
the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain,
wine, and oil to the storerooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and
where the priests that minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers are. We
will not neglect the house of our God.
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Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem; and the rest
of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city
Jerusalem, while nine-tenths remained in the other towns. 2 And the people
blessed all those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. 3 These are the
leaders of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah all
lived on their property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the
temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants. 4 And in Jerusalem
lived some of the Judahites and of the Benjaminites. Of the Judahites: Athaiah
son of Uzziah son of Zechariah son of Amariah son of Shephatiah son of
Mahalalel, of the descendants of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch son of
Col-hozeh son of Hazaiah son of Adaiah son of Joiarib son of Zechariah son of
the Shilonite. 6 All the descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four
hundred sixty-eight valiant warriors. 7 And these are the Benjaminites: Sallu
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, Sallai: nine hundred
twenty-eight. 9 Joel son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah son of
Hassenuah was second in charge of the city. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah son of
Joiarib, Jachin, 11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah son of Meshullam son of Zadok son of
Meraioth son of Ahitub, officer of the house of God, 12 and their associates who
did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty-two; and Adaiah son of Jeroham
son of Pelaliah son of Amzi son of Zechariah son of Pashhur son of Malchijah, 13
and his associates, heads of ancestral houses, two hundred forty-two; and
Amashsai son of Azarel son of Ahzai son of Meshillemoth son of Immer, 14 and
their associates, valiant warriors, one hundred twenty-eight; their overseer was
Zabdiel son of Haggedolim. 15 And of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub son of
Azrikam son of Hashabiah son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the
leaders of the Levites, who were over the outside work of the house of God; 17
and Mattaniah son of Mica son of Zabdi son of Asaph, who was the leader to begin
the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his associates; and
Abda son of Shammua son of Galal son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy
city were two hundred eighty-four. 19 The gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their
associates, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two. 20 And
the rest of Israel, and of the priests and the Levites, were in all the towns of
Judah, all of them in their inheritance. 21 But the temple servants lived on
Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants. 22 The overseer of the
Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani son of Hashabiah son of Mattaniah son
of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, the singers, in charge of the work of the
house of God. 23 For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a
settled provision for the singers, as was required every day. 24 And Pethahiah
son of Meshezabel, of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was at the king's
hand in all matters concerning the people. 25 And as for the villages, with
their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its
villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, 26
and in Jeshua and in Moladah and Beth-pelet, 27 in Hazar-shual, in Beer-sheba
and its villages, 28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 29 in En-rimmon, in
Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its
fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they camped from Beer-sheba to the
valley of Hinnom. 31 The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at
Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, 32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor,
Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of
artisans. 36 And certain divisions of the Levites in Judah were joined to
Benjamin.
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These are the priests and the Levites who came up with
Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah,
Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5
Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah,
Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and of their associates in the
days of Jeshua. 8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah,
and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of
thanksgiving. 9 And Bakbukiah and Unno their associates stood opposite them in
the service. 10 Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of
Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and
Jonathan the father of Jaddua. 12 In the days of Joiakim the priests, heads of
ancestral houses, were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra,
Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah,
Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of
Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18
of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of
Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of
Jedaiah, Nethanel. 22 As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada,
Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of ancestral houses; also the
priests until the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The Levites, heads of
ancestral houses, were recorded in the Book of the Annals until the days of
Johanan son of Eliashib. 24 And the leaders of the Levites: Hashabiah,
Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their associates over against them,
to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of
God, section opposite to section. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam,
Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the
gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in
the days of the governor Nehemiah and of the priest Ezra, the scribe. 27 Now at
the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their
places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing,
with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 The
companies of the singers gathered together from the circuit around Jerusalem and
from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the
region of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built for themselves villages
around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and
they purified the people and the gates and the wall. 31 Then I brought the
leaders of Judah up onto the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave
thanks and went in procession. One went to the right on the wall to the Dung
Gate; 32 and after them went Hoshaiah and half the officials of Judah, 33 and
Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 and
some of the young priests with trumpets: Zechariah son of Jonathan son of
Shemaiah son of Mattaniah son of Micaiah son of Zaccur son of Asaph; 36 and his
kindred, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani,
with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and the scribe Ezra went
in front of them. 37 At the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went straight
up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the
house of David, to the Water Gate on the east. 38 The other company of those who
gave thanks went to the left, and I followed them with half of the people on the
wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of
Ephraim, and by the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and
the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate
of the Guard. 40 So both companies of those who gave thanks stood in the house
of God, and I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests Eliakim,
Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer.
And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 They offered great
sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy;
the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
44 On that day men were appointed over the chambers for the stores, the
contributions, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the
portions required by the law for the priests and for the Levites from the fields
belonging to the towns; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who
ministered. 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of
purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command
of David and his son Solomon. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph long ago
there was a leader of the singers, and there were songs of praise and
thanksgiving to God. 47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah
all Israel gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers. They set
apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was
for the descendants of Aaron.
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On that day they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of
the people; and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever
enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the Israelites with bread
and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them--yet our God turned the
curse into a blessing. 3 When the people heard the law, they separated from
Israel all those of foreign descent. 4 Now before this, the priest Eliashib, who
was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to
Tobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously put the
grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine,
and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and
gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking
place I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes
of Babylon I went to the king. After some time I asked leave of the king 7 and
returned to Jerusalem. I then discovered the wrong that Eliashib had done on
behalf of Tobiah, preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. 8
And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of
the room. 9 Then I gave orders and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought
back the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the
frankincense. 10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been
given to them; so that the Levites and the singers, who had conducted the
service, had gone back to their fields. 11 So I remonstrated with the officials
and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and
set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain,
wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the
storehouses the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites,
and as their assistant Hanan son of Zaccur son of Mattaniah, for they were
considered faithful; and their duty was to distribute to their associates. 14
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I
have done for the house of my God and for his service. 15 In those days I saw in
Judah people treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in heaps of
grain and loading them on donkeys; and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of
burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I warned them
at that time against selling food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city,
brought in fish and all kinds of merchandise and sold them on the sabbath to the
people of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I remonstrated with the nobles of
Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning
the sabbath day? 18 Did not your ancestors act in this way, and did not our God
bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on
Israel by profaning the sabbath." 19 When it began to be dark at the gates of
Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave
orders that they should not be opened until after the sabbath. And I set some of
my servants over the gates, to prevent any burden from being brought in on the
sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent
the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 But I warned them and said to
them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I
will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 22
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and
guard the gates, to keep the sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O
my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love. 23 In
those days also I saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab; 24
and half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not
speak the language of Judah, but spoke the language of various peoples. 25 And I
contended with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their
hair; and I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, "You shall not
give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for
yourselves. 26 Did not King Solomon of Israel sin on account of such women?
Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his
God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless, foreign women made
even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and
act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?" 28 And one of the
sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, was the son-in-law of
Sanballat the Horonite; I chased him away from me. 29 Remember them, O my God,
because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priests and the
Levites. 30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the
duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the
wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my
God, for good.
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