Aramaic Peshitta Bible Repository
Lamsa OT - Nehemiah
"
1 ¶ THE words of Nehemiah the son of Helakiah. And it came to pass in the month of Canun, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanan, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the remnant of the Jews who were left of the captivity and also concerning Jerusalem. 3 And these men whom I asked said to me, The men who had escaped the captivity, behold, they are there in the city, dwelling in misery and reproach; the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire. 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for many days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.""
5 ¶ And I said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the mighty, the great and revered God, who keeps truth and grace for those who love him and keep his commandments; 6 Let thine eyes now be open, and thine ears attentive, to hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and I confess the sins of the children of Israel which they have sinned against thee; moreover, both I and my father’s house have sinned before thee. 7 And we have not kept all the commandments nor the statutes nor the ordinances which thou didst command thy servant Moses. 8 Remember now all the commandments which thou didst command thy servant Moses, saying, If you transgress against me, I will scatter you among the nations; 9 But if you turn to me and keep my laws and do them, then though your scattered ones were in the uttermost part of heaven, vet I will gather you from thence and bring you to the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast saved by thy great power and by thy strong hand. 11 O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of those who are willing to worship thy name; and save thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was cup hearer to the king.""
2:1 ¶ THEN it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artakhshisht the king, I was serving wine before the king; and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad before in his presence. 2 Wherefore the king said to me, Why is your countenance sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of the heart. Then I was exceedingly afraid, 3 And said to the king, Let the king live for ever; why should not my countenance be sad, when the capital city of the kingdom of my fathers is in ruin, and its gates have been burned with fire? 4 Then the king said to me, For what did you make supplications and pray before the God of heaven? 5 And I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of David, to my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may rebuild it. 6 And the king said to me, You are foolish. For how long shall your journey be? And when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and he set me a time. 7 Moreover I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river Euphrates, that they may escort me over till I come to Judah; 8 And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple and for the castle and for the walls of the city and for the house that I shall dwell in it. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.""
9 ¶ Then I came to the governor beyond the River, and I gave him the king’s letter. Now the king had sent a commander of the horsemen with me. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and the men who had come with me; and I told no man what my God had put in my heart to do in Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, except the beast that I rode upon. 13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, toward the dragon fountain and to the dung gate, and I viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire. 14 Then I went on to the gate of the valley and to the king’s pool; but there was no place for the beast that I was riding to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night by the valley and viewed the wall, and turned back and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 16 And the authorities did not know where I had gone or what I was doing: neither had I as yet told it to the Jews nor to the priests nor to the governors nor to the scribes nor to the rest that did the work. 17 Then I said to them, You see the distress that we are in; for, behold, Jerusalem is lying waste and its gates are burned with fire; come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may be no longer a reproach. 18 Then f told them of the hand of my God which was with me for good, and also the king’s words that he had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and mocked us, saying, What is this thing that you do? Perhaps you are rebelling against the king? 20 Then I answered them and said, The God of heaven has delivered us: therefore we are working, standing firm, and building; but you have no right nor memorial nor portion in Jerusalem.""
3:1 ¶ THEN Eliasahab the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they built the sheep gate; they set up its doors and its holy places, as far as the tower of the Hundred; and they sanctified it as far as the tower of Hananael. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zakhur the son of Imri built. 3 But the fish gate did the sons of Senaah build, who also laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Akooz, repaired. Next to him Meshullam the son of Kenana, the son of Meshezakel, repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired; but their chiefs did not burden themselves with the work of their Lord. 6 The second gate Jehoiadah the son of Pezakh, and Meshellam the son of Besoriah repaired; they also laid the beams thereof, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Nadon the Merothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah. They also made a throne for the governor on this side the river Euphrates. 8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Hadaiah, the son of Zeraphiah, repaired. Next to him Hananiah the son of Karahiah repaired, and they left Jerusalem when the wall was well extended. 9 And next to them Jeremiah the son of Hur, the governor of Jerusalem, repaired. 10 And next to them Hediah the son of Hadomphi and the steward of his house repaired. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabaniah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Haram and Hashum the son of Rab-moab repaired the other section and the tower which was left. 12 And next to him repaired Shallum the son of Hattush, the ruler of Jerusalem, he and his sons. 13 The valley gate repaired Hanun and the inhabitants of Ziwah; they built it and set up its doors, its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the dung gate. 14 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of Beth-karmey; he built it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 15 But the gate of the fountain Shallum the son of Colhozah the ruler of Mizpeh repaired; he built it and covered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of Bethzur, repaired, as far as the path which goes to the sepulchre of David and to the pool that was made and to the house of the mighty. 17 After him repaired the Levite, Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him repaired the ruler of Keilah, as far as Hashabiah. 18 After him repaired their brethren, Banwi the son of Nahdar, the governor of Keilah. 19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Joshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another section over against the ascent to the armory at the turning of the wall. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zaccai undertook and earnestly repaired the other section, as far as the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashab the high priest. 21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Akoz, another section from the door of the house of Eliashab even to the end of the house of Elisha. 22 After him repaired the priests, the men of the plain. 23 After them repaired Benjamin and Joshua the steward of his house. After them repaired Azariah the son of Maasiah, the son of Ananiah, back of his house. 24 After him repaired Banwi the son of Nahdar another section, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, as far as the corner. 25 Opposite the corner repaired Palal the son of Azi, to the turning of the wall, as far as the tower of the plain that extends from the king’s upper house and as far as the court of the prison. After him Peraiah the son of Parosh repaired. 26 Moreover the Nethanites who dwelt in Phaal repaired as far as the water gate toward the east and the tower that lies at the end. 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great tower that lies at the end and as far as the great wall. 28 From the entrance of the horse gate repaired the priests, every one opposite his own house. 29 After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer opposite his own house. After him repaired Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, another section. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah opposite his own house. After him repaired Banon the son of Nahdar another section. 31 After him repaired Melachiah the son of Zepaniah as far as the house of Nethanites and of the dealers in herb drugs. 32 Opposite the gate at the extreme end and as far as the ascent of the corner which turns toward the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the dealers in herb drugs.""
4:1 ¶ BUT when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was grieved and very angry, and he mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of the Samaritans, and said, What are these Jews doing? They are boasting; let them sacrifice and eat on the day when they raise up these stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned! 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was standing by him, and he said, No matter how much they build, I know, if a fox climbs it, he shall break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God, for we have become ridiculed; and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of their captivity: 5 And forgive not their offenses, and let not their sins be blotted out from before thee; for they are enraged, and have opposed the building which we are doing. 6 But as for us, we shall continue to build the wall; and the people are building it, and all the wall is completed to the half thereof; for the people have a mind to work.""
7 ¶ But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that a time was set to complete the walls of Jerusalem, and the breaches began to be closed, then they were exceedingly grieved, 8 And they all conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem and to hinder the people from the work. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, that he may set watchmen over us day and night because of them. 10 And the Jews said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is diminishing, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come and attack them and slay them and cause their work to cease. 12 And when the Jews who dwelt with them came, they said to us, Behold, now ten times from all places where they dwell will they come and fight against you. 13 And they have already come and are standing behind the wall to fight against you with their arrows; so I divided the force after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I was afraid, and arose and said to the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them; remember the LORD, who is great and revered, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses. 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that the matter was known to us and that the LORD had brought their counsel to naught, we all returned and went up to the wall, every one to his work.""
16 ¶ And from that day forth, half of my servants and half of the people were engaged in the work, and the other half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the ministers stood behind the Jews and were building the wall. 17 And those who bore burdens with those who were laden, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18 And the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and he stood up and built. And he that sounded the trumpet stood behind him. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, The work is great and extensive, and we are separated upon the wall and at a distance from each other. 20 In what place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet, come to us there; our God shall fight for us. 21 And as for us, let us continue in our work; and half of us let them hold the spears from the rising of the sun till the stars appear. 22 Also at that time I said to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge in the midst of the streets of Jerusalem, and let them guard it in the night and in the day, so that the builders may do the work. 23 So neither I nor my brethren nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off his clothes for many full months, and each one did his duty.""
5:1 ¶ THEN there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 2 For there were those who said, Our sons and our daughters and our brothers are many; therefore let us purchase grain that we may eat and live. 3 There were also those who said, We are going to sell our fields, our houses, and our vineyards that we may purchase grain during the famine, that we may live. 4 There were those who said, Let us borrow money from the king’s tribute, and work our fields and our vineyards, that we may live. 5 And there were also those who said, Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children are as their children; and, 1o, we are compelling our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are already compelled to become maidservants; and yet they do not raise their hands in protest before God; and our fields, our vineyards, and our goods are given for other men.""
6 ¶ And I was exceedingly sorrowful when I heard their cry and these words, and my heart was broken within me, 7 But I was patient, and I consulted with the elders and with the rulers, and said to them, 8 We are redeeming our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the nations, both they and their children, and will you even take a man in pledge for his brother? Therefore I shouted at them, and said to them, Will you also sell your brethren? Then they were silent, and did not answer me. 9 Also I said to them, The thing that you are doing is not good; for now you are not walking in the reverence of our God, because you are behaving like the nations which are round about us. 10 I, likewise, and my sons and my brothers will take money, and will buy grain and will remit the debts of the poor who are among us. 11 Restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses; also pardon the debts of money and of grain, wine, and oil to the rest of the people. 12 Then they said to me, We will do as you say. Then I called the priests, and said to them, This is the right thing to do, and I took an oath of them to do according to this promise. I did this also to the children of the common people. 13 And we said, So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not perform this promise, even thus shall he be shaken out and emptied. And all the people said, Amen. Then all the people rose up and praised the LORD. And all the people did according to this promise.""
14 ¶ Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artakhshisht the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers were leaders over them, but I never took by force even a donkey of one of them nor did I bother any one of them. 15 But the former governors who had been before me had enslaved the people and taken from them wine and bread, besides forty shekels of silver; also their servants bore rule over the people, and they were subject to them and were tormented by them; but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 Also I was greatly occupied with the work of this wall, and I bought no fields; and all the Jewish servants were gathered there, supervising the work. 17 Moreover there were at my table a hundred and fifty nobles and rulers, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were about us. 18 Now the man who prepared food brought to the servants who did the cooking, daily one ox and six fat sheep; also yearling goats were prepared for us, and once in ten days wine in abundance; yet for all this I did not ask for the provisions which were due the governorship, because the work was heavy upon this people. 19 O my God, remember me for good, because of all that I have done for this people.""
6:1 ¶ THEN when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard the news that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time we had not set up the doors upon the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us go together and encamp as a troop in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm. 3 And I sent a messenger to them, saying, I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down, lest the work cease, while I leave it and come down to you. 4 But they sent to me four times in this manner, and I answered them after the same manner. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with a letter in his hand 6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says it, that you and the Jews think to rebel; that is why you are building the wall, that you may be their king, according to these words. 7 And you have also appointed prophets to prophesy concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, Behold, there is a king in Judah; and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together. 8 Then I sent to him, saying, There is no truth in such words as these which you say; you are saying them out of your own heart. 9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work; and they say to us, Do not do the work. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.""
10 ¶ Then I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel who used to hinder me from work; and he said to me, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they are coming to slay you; yea, in the night they are coming to slay you. 11 And I said, Should I flee to men like you? God forbid that I should flee and enter into the temple! 12 And, lo, I perceive that God had not sent him against me; neither has it been said to me by a prophet that he will slay me, for Tobiah and Sanballet and their companions had hired him and sent him to kill me. 13 Therefore he was hired, that I should be afraid and do so and sin, so that I might become to them an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat and their companions according to these their impious works, and also Jodaiah the prophet and the rest of the prophets who tried to frighten me because of them.""
15 ¶ So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 Now when all our enemies heard of it, they were afraid, and all the nations that were round about us trembled exceedingly from our presence; for they perceived that this work was wrought of God. 17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. 18 For there were many in Judah who had sworn to him that they would not harm him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good words before me, and told him anything I said. And Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.""
7:1 ¶ NOW, when the wall was built and the doorposts were set up and the doors were completed and the ministers and the Levites were appointed, 2 I gave orders to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the palace and of Jerusalem, for he was an upright man and feared God and turned away from evil; 3 And I said to them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is high; and while the sun is still shining, let them shut the doors and bar them and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every man in his watch, and every one to be opposite his own house. 4 Now the city was large and wide; but there were few people in it, and their houses were not built.""
5 ¶ And my God put it into my heart, and I gathered together the nobles and the rulers of the people according to their genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found that the names were written therein, 6 These are the people of the province who went up out of the captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one to his city; 7 Those who came up with Zerubbabel: Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamael, Mordecai, Belshan, Mespereth, Bigvai, Nahum, and Baanah. The number of men of the people of Israel was this: 8 The descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. 9 The descendants of Shephatiah, three thousand and seventy-two. 10 The descendants of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. 11 The descendants of Shultan-moab, of the descendants of Joshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 13 The descendants of Zattu, eight hundred and fifty-five. 14 The descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 15 The descendants of Bani, six hundred and forty-eight. 16 The descendants of Bachi, six hundred and twenty-eight. 17 The descendants of Azgar, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. 18 The descendants of Arhikom, six hundred and sixty-seven. 19 The descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. 20 The descendants of Adon, six hundred and fifty-five. 21 The descendants of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22 The descendants of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. 23 The descendants of Bezel, three hundred and twenty-four. 24 The descendants of Horam, one hundred and twelve. 25 The descendants of Gibeon, ninety-five. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight? 27 The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. 28 The men of Beth-ramoth, forty-two. 29 The men of Beth-naarin, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. 30 The men of Geba and Ramtha, seven hundred and twenty-one. 31 The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. 32 The men of Beth-el and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. 33 The men of Nebo, fifty-two. 34 The descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 35 The descendants of Harem, three hundred and twenty. 36 The descendants of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. 37 The descendants of Lod, Hadir, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. 38 The descendants of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. 39 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Joshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 40 The descendants of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. 41 The descendants of Pashur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. 42 The descendants of Hadom, one thousand and seventeen. 43 The Levites: the descendants of Joshua, of Kadmiel, and of the descendants of Hodiah, seventy-four. 44 The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. 45 The porters: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Altman, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight. 46 The Nethanites: the descendants of Azha, the descendants of Hashupha, the descendants of Tabboath. 47 The descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Paron. 48 The descendants of Lebana, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai. 49 The descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Ada, the descendants of Hagar. 50 The descendants of Ana, the descendants of Dizon, the descendants of Deborah. 51 The descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Phaseah. 52 The descendants of Besai, the descendants of Methanim, the descendants of Nephusin. 53 The descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur. 54 The descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehadia, the descendants of Harsha. 55 The descendants of Bezuk, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Tamah. 56 The descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatopha. 57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida. 58 The descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Daron, the descendants of Giddel. 59 The descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Bachrut, the descendants of Zobin, the descendants of Amon. 60 All Nethanites and descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two. 61 These were those who came up from Tel-milkha to Tel-ava and Kerob, and they spoke, but they could not show their father’s genealogy nor their descent, whether they were of Israel. 62 The descendants of Banai, the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the descendants of Zekora, six hundred and forty-two. 63 And of the priests: the descendants of Hananiah, the descendants of Koz, the descendants of Barzillai, who took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife and was called after their name. 64 These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were barred from the priesthood. 65 And the elders of the priests said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there should rise a high priest who would make an inquiry and see about the matter. 66 The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand four hundred and seventy. 67 Besides their menservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-three; and they had two hundred and forty-five attendants, male and female. 68 Their camels were four hundred and thirty-five; 69 Their asses six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 70 And some of the chiefs of the fathers gave to the work of the temple. The elders among the priests gave to the treasury a thousand drams of gold, fifty bowls, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments. 71 And some of the chiefs of the fathers gave to the treasury for the work twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand and two hundred pounds of silver. 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pounds of silver and sixty-seven priests’ garments. 73 So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the attendants and some of the people and the Nethanites and all Israel returned to their own cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.""
8:1 ¶ THEN all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street which is before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded concerning Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the book of the law before the congregation, both of men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read the book in the street that was in front of the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women and before those who could hear: and the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform which they had made that he might speak upon it; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Hananiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maasiah on his right hand; and on his left hand stood Periah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashabiah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book of the law in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it all the people stood up; 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands; and they knelt down and worshipped before the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua and his sons and Serebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maasiah, Kelatiah, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Penaiah, and the Levites ministered to the people, explaining the law; and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, so that they understood the reading thereof.""
9 ¶ And Nehemiah the high priest and Ezra the priest the scribe and the Levites who ministered to the people said to all the people, This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, Go your way, eat and drink and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to the LORD; and do not be sad, for this is a day of joy of the LORD, and he will be your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying. Hold your peace, for the day is holy; and do not weep. 12 And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to rejoice because they had understood the words that were declared to them.""
13 ¶ And on the second day were gathered together the chiefs of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe to understand from him the word of the law. 14 And they found it written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the month of Tishrin 15 And that they should hear everything which Moses wrote in the book of the law; and the heralds proclaimed throughout all towns and in Jerusalem, saying, Go up to the mountain and bring olive branches and walnut branches and palm branches and branches of citrons and branches of willow trees, and make booths, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses. 16 So the people went forth and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the court of the house of the LORD and in the street of the water gate and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the people of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was a very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, they read in the book of the law of the LORD. And they celebrated the feast for seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to that which is written.""
9:1 ¶ NOW on the twenty-fourth day of this month, the children of Israel were assembled with fasting and with sackcloth and ashes upon them. 2 And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all the Gentiles, and stood and confessed their sins and the sins of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.""
4 ¶ Then the chiefs over the Levites, Joshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Heshabiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, stood up and prayed with a loud voice before the LORD their God. 5 Then the Levites, Joshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Heshabiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever, and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all creations and praises. 6 Thou alone art the LORD; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the waters and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worships thee. 7 Thou art the LORD, the God who didst choose Abram and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and didst change his name to Abraham; 8 And didst find his heart pure before thee, and didst make a covenant with him to give him the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it to his descendants, and thou hast performed thy words with him, for thou art righteous; 9 And thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and hear their cry by the Red Sea; 10 And didst show signs and wonders upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants and on all the people of his land; for thou knewest that they dealt wrongly with thy people. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. 11 And thou didst open a passage in the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou didst throw into the depths of the sea, as a stone that sinks in the mighty waters. 12 Moreover thou hast led them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go. 13 Thou didst come down also upon mount Sinai and speak with them from heaven, and didst give them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments; 14 And thou didst make known to them thy holy sabbath and commandments and statutes and laws which thou commandedst by the hand of Moses thy servant; 15 And didst give them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promised them that they should go in to possess the land which thy hand hadst sworn to give them. 16 But they and their fathers dealt wickedly and were stubborn and did not give ear to thy commandments, 17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but turned their hearts to their evil works; yet thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and ready to hear petitions, and didst not forsake them. 18 Yea, when they had made for themselves a molten calf, and said, This is your God, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and they wrought great wickedness; 19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies didst not forsake them in the wilderness; the pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, to lead them on their journey; neither the pillar of fire by night, to lighten the way by which they should go. 20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and didst not withhold manna from their mouths, and gavest them water for their thirst. 21 Yea, for forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out, and their shoes had no holes in them. 22 Moreover thou gavest them the kingdoms of the Gentiles, and didst divide to them the land to every man; so they possessed the land of Sihon and the land of the king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 Their children also thou didst multiply as the stars of heaven, and thou didst bring them into the land concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers that they should go in to possess it. 24 So their children went in and possessed the land, and thou didst defeat before them the inhabitants of the land of the Canaanites, and didst deliver them into their hands with their kings and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would. 25 And they captured fortified cities and a fertile land, and possessed houses full of all good things, wells digged, vineyards and olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance; so they did eat and were filled and became rich and delighted themselves in thy great goodness. 26 Nevertheless, they were disobedient and transgressed against thee and cast thy law out of their counsels and slew thy prophets, who warned them to turn to thee, and they committed great wickedness. 27 Therefore thou didst deliver them into the hand of their enemies, who distressed them; and in the time of their distress, when they prayed to thee, thou didst hear them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them a saviour, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. 28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they returned and prayed before thee, thou didst hear them from heaven; and many times didst thou save them according to thy great mercies. 29 And thou didst testify against them, that thou mightest bring them again to thy law; yet they dealt wrongfully and did not obey thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments (which if a man observe them, he shall live in them); and they conspired and became stubborn and would not listen. 30 Yet many years didst thou admonish them, and didst testify against them by thy spirit through thy prophets; yet they would not obey; therefore thou didst deliver them into the hand of the Gentiles. 31 Nevertheless because of thy great mercy thou didst not utterly destroy them nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God. 32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the holy God, who keepest covenant and truth, let there not be hidden from before thee all the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings, upon our princes, upon our priests, and upon our prophets, and upon our fathers, and upon all the people, since the day of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33 Nevertheless thou art righteous in all that has come upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly; 34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor given ear to thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. 35 And they renounced thy kingdom and thy great blessing that thou gavest them and the good and fertile land that thou gavest them; neither did they serve thee nor did they turn away from their wicked works; 36 Therefore we are servants this day; and as for the land that thou gavest to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good things, behold, we are servants In it, 37 And its produce is taken by the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins; also they have dominion over our bodies and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are living in a great distress. 38 And in view of all these things we make a sure covenant and bear witness over the seal, even our elders, Levites, and priests, and all those who have been spared of us.""
10:1 ¶ NOW those who took an oath and sealed it were: Nehemiah, the elder, the son of Hananiah, the high priest, and Zerahiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, Shepatiah, 4 Hattush, Shecaniah, Malluch, 5 Shakum, Azmoth, Ebariah, 6 Daniel, Gebiton, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Benjamin, 8 Maasiah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests. 9 And the Levites: Joshua the son of Azaniah, Bani, Mabnai, Hadar, and Kadmiah; 10 And their brethren: Shecaniah, Urijah, Kelatiah, Pelatiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shecaniah, 13 Hodijah, the son of Bani. 14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Shalit-moab, Elam, the Zetites. 15 The sons of Azgar, the sons of Adonijah, 16 Bigvai and Adon, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Urijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hoziph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Mephgnish, Meshallum, Aziphi, 21 Meshezapael, Zadok, Jehoiadah, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Joshua, 24 Hallosh, Pileha, Shobek, 25 Arhum, Hoshabiah, Maasiah, 26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Haram, Baanah. 28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the people of the lands to return to the law of the LORD, both they and their wives, their sons and their daughters and every one having knowledge and understanding. 29 Strengthened their brethren, their neighbors, taking oaths and making a covenant to walk in the LORD’S law which he gave by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our LORD and his judgments and his statutes; 30 And that we would not give our daughters to the people of the land nor take their daughters for our sons; 31 And if the people of the land should bring wares or provisions on the sabbath day to sell, we would not buy it of them, and whosoever should engage his animal in service on the sabbath day, he would not receive hire, nor should he carry a burden on the sabbath day because it is holy; and in the seventh year we would forego all debts due to us.""
32 ¶ We also confirmed upon ourselves the ordinances, to give the third part of a shekel on the sabbath for the work of the house of our God; 33 For the shewbread and for the continual meal offering and for the continual burnt offering of the sabbaths, the new moons, the feasts, and the holy things, and. for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 And they cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of the LORD our God, as it is written in the book of law; 35 And to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of the trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD; 36 Also the first-born of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the law of the LORD, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37 And to give the first fruits of our dough, our threshing floors, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, to the priests who minister before our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites, that the same Levites might take the tithes from all the country towns. 38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be included with the Levites in the distribution of their tithes; and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the storehouses, into the treasure house. 39 For the children of Israel and the descendants of Levi shall bring the offerings of the grain, of the wine, and the oil to the storehouses where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests, the Levites, the porters, and the guards shall not forsake the house of our God.""
11:1 ¶ LET the elders of the people dwell in Jerusalem; and the rest of the people shall cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city and the remaining nine-tenths to dwell in towns. 2 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem. 3 Now these are the chiefs of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah (they dwelt every one in his own possession in their towns in Israel). along with the priests, the Levites, and some of the people, and also the descendants of Solomon’s servants who dwelt in Jerusalem, 4 And in addition some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin. And of the children of Judah: Nethaniah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalael. Of the descendants of Perez: 5 Maasiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Neriah, the son of Azariah, the son of Jonadab, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shelah. 6 All the descendants of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men. 7 And these are the descendants of Benjamin: Selah the son of Meshullam, the son of Joda, the son of Peraiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maasiah, the son of Athnael, the son of Isaiah. 8 And after him were nine hundred and twenty-eight others. 9 And Joel the son of Zechariah was their overseer; and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. 10 Of the priests: Berachiah the son of Jehoiadah, 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler over the house of the LORD. 12 And his brethren who did the work inside of the house were eight hundred and twenty-two; and Azariah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelahiah, the son of Amzar, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah, 13 And their brethren, chiefs of their fathers, two hundred and forty-two; and Amashai the son of Azarael, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 And their brethren, mighty men of valour, one hundred and twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel the son of one of the great men. 15 Also the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Joshua, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Banni, the son of Shabbethai. 16 And Zozabar was in charge of outside work of the house of the LORD. 17 And of the chiefs of the Levites: Mattaniah, the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the principal among the Jews to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukah the second among his brethren, and Aira the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jethron. 18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four. 19 Moreover the porters, Akkub and Altman, and their brethren who kept the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two.""
20 ¶ And the rest of Israel, of the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. 21 And their servants settled down every one in charge of his work and his plough. 22 The overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Abdai the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph, who ministered over the work of the house of the LORD. 23 For there was a commandment from the king concerning them and a decree concerning the singers daily. 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshumael, of the descendants of Zerah, the son of Judah, was in charge of whatever the king had commanded concerning every man and over the numbering of the people 25 And over their overseers and over their villages and over their fields. Now some of the children of Judah dwelt in Koriath-arba and in its villages, and in Ribon and in its villages, and in Kebazeel and in its villages. 26 And in Hoshah and in Moladah and in Beth-phelet 27 And in Hazar-shua and in Beer-sheba and in the villages thereof 28 And in Zinklag and in Mekiah and in the villages thereof 29 And in En-rimmon and in Zadah and in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, in Lachish and its villages, in Azekah and in its villages. And they dwelt from Beer-sheba as far as the valley of Hinnom. 31 The children of Benjamin also dwelt from Ramtha of Michmash, Ai, Beth-el, and in their villages, 32 And at Anothoth, Aojab, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramtha, Gittaim, 34 Hadar, Zebaon, Neballat, 35 Lod and Ono, Niha and Harsha. 36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin.""
12:1 ¶ NOW these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua: Seraiah, Azma, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Ada, Azti, Abijah, 5 Benjamin, Meadriah, Belagiah, 6 Shemaiah, Nedo, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Joshua. 8 Moreover the Levites: Joshua and his sons, Kadmiah, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who were in charge to begin the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. 9 Also Bakbukah and Unni; their brethren were opposite to them in the watches. 10 And Joshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Jehoiadah, 11 And Jehoiadah begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. 12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chiefs of the fathers; namely, Seraiah, Amariah, Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 Azariah, Meshellum, Amariah, Johanan; 14 Malchiah, Jonathan, Shechaniah, Joseph; 15 Haram, Ariah, Meremoth, Lahmai; 16 Iddo, Zechariah, Gibton, Meshullam; 17 Abijah, Zichri, Benjamin, Moadiah, Polta; 18 Bilgah, Shammua, Shemaiah, Jonathan; 19 Jehoidah, Mathnai, Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 Sallai, Kallai, Amok, Ebid; 21 Hilkiah, Hashabiah, Hodah, Nathanael. 22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Jehoiadah, Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chiefs of the fathers; also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The descendants of Levi, the chiefs of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24 And the chiefs of the Levites were Hashbiel, Sherebiah, Joshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandments of David the prophet of the LORD, watch opposite watch. 25 Mattaniah, Bakai, Obadiah, Shallum, Atlam, and Akkub were porters keeping watch at the gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.""
27 ¶ And when the wall of Jerusalem was finished, they gathered the Levites together in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness and rejoicing, with thanksgiving and with singing, with cymbals and with harps. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together from the plain country round about Jerusalem and from the villages of Netopha; 29 Also from Beth-gilgal and out of the valley of Gibeah and Armoth; for the singers had built for themselves villages round about Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people and the gates and the wall. 31 Then I brought up the chieftains of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies; and they walked upon the wall toward the right of the great gate; 32 And with them went Hoshaiah and the half of the chieftains of Judah 33 And Azrael, Ezra, and Meshullam, 34 Judah and Benjamin and Shemaiah and Jeremiah 35 And certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Malka, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph: 36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, Azrael, Melal, Gelal, Ater, Nathanael, Hanani, and Judah, with the musical instruments of David the prophet and servant of the LORD and Ezra the scribe went before them, above the fountain gate. 37 And opposite them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the great gate eastward. 38 And they gave thanks and went up upon the wall, and I after them, and the half of the people went up upon the wall, and they stood upon the great tower and upon the high wall and upon the broad wall; 39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, as far as the old gate to the fish gate; and from the tower of Hananeel, as far as the great tower, even to the sheep gate; and they stood still in the great gate. 40 Then the two companies that gave thanks entered the house of the LORD, and I and the half of the chieftains who were with me; 41 And the priests: Eliakim, Maasiah, Malhin, Michaiah, Eliho, Ananai, Zechariah, and Hananiah; 42 And those with trumpets: Maasiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Johanan, Malchijah, Elam, Ezer, and Shamua, the singers, and Zerahiah the leader. 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced; for the LORD had made them rejoice with great joy; the wives also and the children rejoiced; so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.""
44 ¶ And on that day certain men were appointed over the chambers of the king’s storehouses to gather into them the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes of the towns, as it is written in the book of the law, for the priests and Levites, since the Jews were rejoicing because the priests and the Levites had stood up keeping watch in the house of their God. 45 And those who had charge of the ceremonial of purification, and the singers and the porters, served according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son. 46 For Asaph was in charge in the day of David, and he stood up at the head of the singers and sang praises and gave thanks before the LORD God. 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave gifts to the singers and to the porters, every day his portion; and they set aside holy things to the Levites; and the Levites set them aside for the descendants of Aaron.""
13:1 ¶ ON that day, when the book of the law of Moses was being read in the audience of the people, therein was found written that the Ammonites and the Moabites should never enter the congregation of the LORD for ever, 2 Because they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Baalam to curse them; but our God turned his curses into blessings. 3 Now when they had heard the words of the law, they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 4 And before this, Eliasbib the priest had come and built there for himself a large court, 5 Where they had formerly put the meal offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels containing the tithes of grain, the wine, and the oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and the singers and the porters, and the offerings for the priests. 6 But while these things took place I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artakhshist king of Babylon, I came to the king, and after certain days, I asked leave of the king; 7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah in preparing for him a chamber in the court of the house of the LORD. 8 And it grieved me exceedingly; so I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out into the street, outside the court. 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the court; and I brought back thither the vessels of the house of the LORD, with the meal offerings and the frankincense.""
10 ¶ And I learned that the portions of the Levites had not been given them and that the Levites and the singers and they that did the work had fled every one to his field. 11 Then I contended with the chiefs, and said to them, Why is the house of the LORD forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place. 12 Then all the Jews brought the tithe of the grain and the wine and the oil to the storehouses. 13 And I appointed in charge of the storehouses, Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe and of the Levites, Peraiah; and with them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and they were chosen by lot to be leaders over their brethren. 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 the rites thereof.""
15 ¶ In those days I saw in Judah highways filled with traffic on the sabbath, and men bringing burdens loaded on asses; and also wine, grapes, figs, and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I testified against them that they might not sell game. 16 And not to bring fish, neither to sell on the sabbath to the children of Judah and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the chiefs of Judah and said to them, Why are you doing this evil thing and profaning the sabbath day? 18 Your fathers did likewise, and God brought all this misfortune upon us and upon this city, yet you bring more wrath and anger upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 Now when the gates of Jerusalem were opened before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath; and I set some of my servants at the gates, that there should be no burden brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and the sellers of all kinds of merchandise lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them and said to them, Why do you not enter by the gate of the wall while the sun is still high? Now if you refuse to obey this command, I will punish you. From that time forth they did not enter on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and that the guards and the porters should come and keep the gates to sanctify the sabbath day. O my God, remember me concerning this also, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy.""
23 ¶ In those days I also saw Jews who had married foreign wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab; 24 And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod and in the other half they could not intelligently speak in the Jewish language, but according to the language of each people. 25 And I contended with them and cursed them and smote some of them and buried them and made the others swear by God, saying, You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters to your sons or for yourselves. 26 Solomon king of Israel sinned by these things. Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin. 27 And this thing was reported to you, and yet you committed this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying foreign wives. 28 And one of the sons of Jehoiadah, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember me, O my God, concerning the rest of the priesthood and concerning the rest of the priests and the Levites; 30 Thus I cleansed them from all the Gentiles and appointed them over their duties, both the priests and the Levites, every one in his work; 31 And for the gift offerings and the holy things in their appointed times, and for their feasts and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good."