The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it
came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in
Shushan the palace, that Hanani, one of my
brethren, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them
concerning the Jews that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and
concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The
remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great
affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and
the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it
came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and
mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,
and said, I beseech thee, O Jehovah, the God of
heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and
lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments:
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes
open, that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I
pray before thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel
thy servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we
have sinned against thee. Yea, I and my father's house have sinned:
we have dealt very corruptly against thee, and
have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances,
which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou
commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trespass, I will scatter you
abroad among the peoples: but if ye return unto
me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the
uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from thence, and
will bring them unto the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to
dwell there. Now these are thy servants and thy
people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong
hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear
be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy
servants, who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy
servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was
cupbearer to the king.
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the
twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I
took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been
beforetime sad in his presence. And the
king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick?
this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid.
And I said unto the king, Let the king live for
ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my
fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with
fire? Then the king said unto me, For what dost
thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
And I said unto the king, If it please the king,
and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send
me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build
it. And the king said unto me (the queen also
sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou
return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the
king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they
may let me pass through till I come unto Judah;
and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's
forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
castle which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and
for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according
to the good hand of my God upon me. Then I came
to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now
the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the
servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that
there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three
days. And I arose in the night, I and some few
men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do
for Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I
rode upon. And I went out by night by the valley
gate, even toward the jackal's well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the
walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were
consumed with fire. Then I went on to the
fountain gate and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast
that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the
night by the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by
the valley gate, and so returned. And the rulers
knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to
the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to
the rest that did the work. Then said I unto
them, Ye see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and
the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall
of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. And
I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also of the
king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and
build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the
servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us
to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will
ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them,
and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we
his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor
memorial, in Jerusalem.
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his
brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it,
and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Hammeah they sanctified
it, unto the tower of Hananel. And next unto him
builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of
Imri. And the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah
build; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the
bolts thereof, and the bars thereof. And next
unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz. And next
unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel.
And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but
their nobles put not their necks to the work of their lord.
And the old gate repaired Joiada the son of
Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof,
and set up the doors thereof, and the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.
And next unto them repaired Melatiah the
Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah,
that appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the River.
Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of
Harhaiah, goldsmiths. And next unto him repaired Hananiah one of the
perfumers, and they fortified Jerusalem even unto the broad wall.
And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of
Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem.
And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of
Harumaph, over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the
son of Hashabneiah. Malchijah the son of Harim,
and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another portion, and the
tower of the furnaces. And next unto him
repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of
Jerusalem, he and his daughters. The valley gate
repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up
the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand
cubits of the wall unto the dung gate. And the
dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district
of Beth-haccherem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts
thereof, and the bars thereof. And the fountain
gate repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of
Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the
bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by
the king's garden, even unto the stairs that go down from the city of
David. After him repaired Nehemiah the son of
Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, unto the place over
against the sepulchres of David, and unto the pool that was made, and unto
the house of the mighty men. After him repaired
the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the
ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district.
After him repaired their brethren, Bavvai the
son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah.
And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua,
the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over against the ascent to the
armory at the turning of the wall. After
him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the
turning of the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high
priest. After him repaired Meremoth the son of
Uriah the son of Hakkoz another portion, from the door of the house of
Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.
And after him repaired the priests, the men of
the Plain. After them repaired Benjamin and
Hasshub over against their house. After them repaired Azariah the son of
Maaseiah the son of Ananiah beside his own house.
After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad
another portion, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the
wall, and unto the corner. Palal the son of
Uzai repaired over against the turning of the wall, and the
tower that standeth out from the upper house of the king, which is by the
court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh repaired.
(Now the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel, unto the place
over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that standeth
out.) After him the Tekoites repaired another
portion, over against the great tower that standeth out, and unto the wall
of Ophel. Above the horse gate repaired the
priests, every one over against his own house.
After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over
against his own house. And after him repaired Shemaiah the son of
Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate. After
him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of
Zalaph, another portion. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah
over against his chamber. After him repaired
Malchijah one of the goldsmiths unto the house of the Nethinim, and of the
merchants, over against the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the ascent of the
corner. And between the ascent of the corner and
the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard
that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation,
and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his
brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews
doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make
an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish,
seeing they are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite
was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go
up, he shall break down their stone wall. Hear, O
our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own
head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity;
and cover not their iniquity, and let not their
sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked thee to
anger before the builders. So we built the wall;
and all the wall was joined together unto half the height thereof:
for the people had a mind to work. But it came to
pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the
Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of
Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped,
then they were very wroth; and they conspired all
of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause
confusion therein. But we made our prayer unto
our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of
burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to
build the wall. And our adversaries said, They
shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay
them, and cause the work to cease. And it came
to pass that, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten
times from all places, Ye must return unto us.
Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space
behind the wall, in the open places, I set there the people after
their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the
nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid
of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your
brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that
it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we
returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
And it came to pass from that time forth, that
half of my servants wrought in the work, and half of them held the spears,
the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were
behind all the house of Judah. They all builded
the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one
of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
and the builders, every one had his sword girded
by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers
and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are
separated upon the wall, one far from another:
in what place soever ye hear the sound of the
trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God will fight for us.
So we wrought in the work: and half of them held
the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
Likewise at the same time said I unto the
people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the
night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day.
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants,
nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes,
every one went with his weapon to the water.
Then there arose a great cry of the people and of
their wives against their brethren the Jews. For
there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get
grain, that we may eat and live. Some also there
were that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our
houses: let us get grain, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money
for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our
brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage
our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are
brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help
it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and
these words. Then I consulted with myself, and
contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact
usury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.
And I said unto them, We after our ability have
redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would
ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held
they their peace, and found never a word. Also I
said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear
of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do
lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day,
their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also
the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the
oil, that ye exact of them. Then said they, We
will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even
as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that
they would do according to this promise. Also I
shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and
from his labor, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken
out, and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen, and praised Jehovah.
And the people did according to this promise.
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to
be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto
the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve
years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
But the former governors that were before me
were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides
forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the
people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,
neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto
the work. Moreover there were at my table, of
the Jews and the rulers, a hundred and fifty men, besides those that came
unto us from among the nations that were round about us.
Now that which was prepared for one day was one
ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten
days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I demanded not the bread
of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
Remember unto me, O my God, for good, all that I
have done for this people.
Now it came to pass, when it was reported to
Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our
enemies, that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left
therein; (though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the
gates;) that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me,
saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the
plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am
doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease,
whilst I leave it, and come down to you? And they
sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the
same manner. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto
me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
wherein was written, It is reported among the
nations, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for
which cause thou art building the wall: and thou wouldest be their king,
according to these words. And thou hast also
appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, 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.
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such
things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
For they all would have made us afraid, saying,
Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now,
O God, strengthen thou my hands. And I
went unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel,
who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God,
within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will
come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who
is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his
life? I will not go in. And I discerned, and,
lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and
Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this
cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that
they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat
according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the
rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth
day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard
thereof, that all the nations that were about us feared, and were
much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was
wrought of our God. Moreover in those days the
nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of
Tobiah came unto them. For there were many in
Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son
of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son
of Berechiah to wife. Also they spake of his
good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent
letters to put me in fear.
Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and
I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites
were appointed, that I gave my brother Hanani,
and Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was
a faithful man, and feared God above many. And I
said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be
hot; and while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and
bar ye them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every
one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
Now the city was wide and large; but the people
were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
And my God put into my heart to gather together
the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by
genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of them that came up at
the first, and I found written therein: These are
the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those
that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had
carried away, and that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one
unto his city; who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua,
Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth,
Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred
and seventy and two. The children of Shephatiah,
three hundred seventy and two. The children of
Arah, six hundred fifty and two. The children of
Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight
hundred and eighteen. The children of
Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. The
children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and
threescore. The children of Binnui, six hundred
forty and eight. The children of Bebai, six
hundred twenty and eight. The children of Azgad,
two thousand three hundred twenty and two. The
children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.
The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore
and seven. The children of Adin, six hundred
fifty and five. The children of Ater, of
Hezekiah, ninety and eight. The children of
Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight. The
children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve.
The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.
The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, a hundred
fourscore and eight. The men of Anathoth, a
hundred twenty and eight. The men of
Beth-azmaveth, forty and two. The men of
Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.
The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty
and one. The men of Michmas, a hundred and
twenty and two. The men of Beth-el and Ai, a
hundred twenty and three. The men of the other
Nebo, fifty and two. The children of the other
Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. The
children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The
children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven
hundred twenty and one. The children of Senaah,
three thousand nine hundred and thirty. The
priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred
seventy and three. The children of Immer, a
thousand fifty and two. The children of Pashhur,
a thousand two hundred forty and seven. The
children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel,
of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred
forty and eight. The porters: the children of
Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of
Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty
and eight. The Nethinim: the children of Ziha,
the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the
children of Padon, the children of Lebana, the
children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, the
children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin,
the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah.
The children of Besai, the children of Meunim,
the children of Nephushesim, the children of
Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida,
the children of Harsha, the children of Barkos,
the children of Sisera, the children of Temah,
the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
The children of Solomon's servants: the children
of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon,
the children of Giddel, the children of
Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim,
the children of Amon. All the Nethinim, and the
children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
And these were they that went up from Tel-melah,
Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their
fathers' houses, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel:
The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah,
the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
And of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the
children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
These sought their register among those
that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they
deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. And
the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy
things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
The whole assembly together was forty and two
thousand three hundred and threescore, besides
their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven
thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty
and five singing men and singing women. Their
horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty
and five; their camels, four hundred
thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and
twenty. And some from among the heads of
fathers' houses gave unto the work. The governor gave to the
treasury a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty
priests' garments. And some of the heads of
fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand
darics of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pounds of silver.
And that which the rest of the people gave was
twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and
threescore and seven priests' garments. So the
priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of
the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities. And
when the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were in their
cities.
And all the people gathered themselves together
as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they
spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which
Jehovah had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the
priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all
that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh
month. And he read therein before the broad place
that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the
presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and
the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood,
which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and
Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right
hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and
Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the
people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the
people stood up: and Ezra blessed Jehovah, the
great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of
their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their
faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,
Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand
the law: and the people stood in their place.
And they read in the book, in the law of God,
distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the
priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all
the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep.
For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the
fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is
prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for
the joy of Jehovah is your strength. So the
Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is
holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people
went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make
great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto
them. And on the second day were gathered
together the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, the
priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to
the words of the law. And they found written in
the law, how that Jehovah had commanded by Moses, that the children of
Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;
and that they should publish and proclaim in all
their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch
olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm
branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
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 courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of
the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
And all the assembly of them that were come
again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since
the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of
Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
Also day by day, from the first day unto the
last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast
seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto
the ordinance.
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month
the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth,
and earth upon them. And the seed of Israel
separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their
sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. And
they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Jehovah
their God a fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they
confessed, and worshipped Jehovah their God. Then
stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel,
Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a
loud voice unto Jehovah their God. Then the
Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah,
Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Jehovah your God
from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be thy glorious name, which
is exalted above all blessing and praise. Thou
art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of
heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon,
the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the
host of heaven worshippeth thee. Thou art Jehovah
the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the
Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham, and
foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to
give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the
Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it unto his seed,
and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.
And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in
Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea,
and showedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and
on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for thou knewest
that they dealt proudly against them, and didst get thee a name, as it is
this day. And thou didst divide the sea before
them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and
their pursuers thou didst cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty
waters. Moreover in a pillar of cloud thou
leddest them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light
in the way wherein they should go. Thou camest
down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest
them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and
commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses thy
servant, and gavest them bread from heaven for
their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for
their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in to possess the
land which thou hadst sworn to give them. But
they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and hearkened
not to thy commandments, and refused to obey,
neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them, but
hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return
to their bondage. But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and
merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and forsookest
them not. Yea, when they had made them a molten
calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had
wrought great provocations; yet thou in thy
manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of
cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither
the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they
should go. Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to
instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest
them water for their thirst. Yea, forty years
didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing;
their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples,
which thou didst allot after their portions: so they possessed the land of
Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of
Bashan. Their children also multipliedst thou as
the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land concerning which
thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
So the children went in and possessed the land,
and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the
Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the
peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
And they took fortified cities, and a fat land,
and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out,
vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit-trees in abundance: so they did eat,
and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great
goodness. Nevertheless they were disobedient,
and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew
thy prophets that testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and
they wrought great provocations. Therefore thou
deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them:
and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest
from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them
saviours who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.
But after they had rest, they did evil again
before thee; therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so
that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried
unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver
them according to thy mercies, and testifiedst
against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law. Yet they
dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against
thine ordinances, (which if a man do, he shall live in them,) and withdrew
the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and
testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would
they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples
of the lands. Nevertheless in thy manifold
mercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou
art a gracious and merciful God. Now therefore,
our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant
and lovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that
hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and
on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time
of the kings of Assyria unto this day. Howbeit
thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but
we have done wickedly; neither have our kings,
our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened
unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify
against them. For they have not served thee in
their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the
large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from
their wicked works. Behold, we are servants this
day, and as for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the
fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it.
And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings
whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have power over
our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great
distress. And yet for all this we make a sure
covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our
priests, seal unto it.
Now those that sealed were: Nehemiah the
governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,
Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the
priests. And the Levites: namely, Jeshua the son
of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
and their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita,
Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
Hodiah, Bani, Beninu.
The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab,
Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai,
Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
and Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
And the rest of the people, the priests, the
Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinim, and all they that had
separated themselves from the peoples of the lands unto the law of God,
their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one that had
knowledge, and understanding; They clave to
their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into 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 Jehovah our Lord, and his
ordinances and his statutes; and that we would
not give our daughters unto the peoples of the land, nor take their
daughters for our sons; and if the peoples of
the land bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, that we
would not buy of them on the sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would
forego the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
Also we made ordinances for us, to charge
ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the
house of our God; for the showbread, and for
the continual meal-offering, and for the continual burnt-offering, for the
sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things,
and for the sin-offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the
work of the house of our God. And we cast lots,
the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, to bring
it into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times
appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of Jehovah our God, as it
is written in the law; and to bring the
first-fruits of our ground, and the first-fruits of all fruit of all
manner of trees, year by year, unto the house of Jehovah;
also the first-born of our sons, and of our
cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and
of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that
minister in the house of our God; and that we
should bring the first-fruits of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and
the fruit of all manner of trees, the new wine and the oil, unto the
priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our
ground unto the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the
cities of our tillage. And the priest the son
of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the
Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God,
to the chambers, into the treasure-house. For
the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the
heave-offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, unto the
chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that
minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the
house of our God.
And the princes of the people dwelt in
Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to
dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other
cities. And the people blessed all the men that
willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.
Now these are the chiefs of the province that
dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his
possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the
Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants.
And in Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children
of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah:
Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the
son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;
and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of
Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the
son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite. All
the sons of Perez that dwelt in Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and
eight valiant men. And these are the sons of
Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah,
the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of
Jeshaiah. And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine
hundred twenty and eight. And Joel the son of
Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over
the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of
Joiarib, Jachin, Seraiah the son of Hilkiah,
the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of
Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God, and
their brethren that did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty and
two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi,
the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,
and his brethren, chiefs of fathers'
houses, two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel,
the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
and their brethren, mighty men of valor, a
hundred twenty and eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of
Haggedolim. And of the Levites: Shemaiah the
son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of
Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the
chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of
the house of God; and Mattaniah the son of
Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the
thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and
Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
All the Levites in the holy city were two
hundred fourscore and four. Moreover the
porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept watch at the gates,
were a hundred seventy and two. And the residue
of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah,
every one in his inheritance. But the Nethinim
dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim.
The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem
was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the
son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the
house of God. For there was a commandment from
the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as
every day required. And Pethahiah the son of
Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's
hand in all matters concerning the people. And
as for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah
dwelt in Kiriath-arba and the towns thereof, and in Dibon and the towns
thereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages thereof,
and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet,
and in Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and the
towns thereof, and in Ziklag, and in Meconah
and in the towns thereof, and in En-rimmon, and
in Zorah, and in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and
their villages, Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns
thereof. So they encamped from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.
The children of Benjamin also dwelt from
Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Beth-el and the towns
thereof, at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
And of the Levites, certain courses in Judah
were joined to Benjamin.
Now these are the priests and the Levites that
went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah,
Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah.
Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the
chiefs of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,
Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he
and his brethren. Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their
brethren, were over against them according to their offices.
And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat
Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, and Joiada
begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. And
in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' houses: of
Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of
Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; of
Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of
Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; of Iddo,
Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah,
Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; of
Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; and
of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of
Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah,
Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. As for the
Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there
were recorded the heads of fathers' houses; also the priests, in
the reign of Darius the Persian. The sons of
Levi, heads of fathers' houses, were written in the book of the
chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah,
Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against
them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the
man of God, watch next to watch. Mattaniah, and
Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the
watch at the store-houses of the gates. These
were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in
the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe.
And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem
they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to
Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings,
and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
And the sons of the singers gathered themselves
together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from the
villages of the Netophathites; also from
Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers
had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
And the priests and the Levites purified
themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the
wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in
procession; whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward
the dung gate: and after them went Hoshaiah,
and half of the princes of Judah, and Azariah,
Ezra, and Meshullam, Judah, and Benjamin, and
Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, and certain of the
priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of
Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the
son of Asaph; and his brethren, Shemaiah, and
Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the
musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was
before them. And by the fountain gate, and
straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at
the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate
eastward. And the other company of them that
gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the
people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the
broad wall, 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 Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the
gate of the guard. So stood the two companies
of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the
rulers with me; and the priests, Eliakim,
Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with
trumpets; and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and
Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And
the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
And they offered great sacrifices that day, and
rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also
and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even
afar off. And on that day were men appointed
over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave-offerings, for the
first-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the
fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests
and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that
waited. And they kept the charge of their God,
and the charge of the purification, and so did the singers and the
porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
For in the days of David and Asaph of old there
was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and
in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters,
as every day required: and they set apart that which was for the
Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of
Aaron.
On that day they read in the book of Moses in
the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an
Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God for ever,
because they met not the children of Israel with
bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them:
howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
And it came to pass, when they had heard the
law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was
appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied unto
Tobiah, had prepared for him a great chamber,
where aforetime they laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and the
vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which
were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the
porters; and the heave-offerings for the priests.
But in all this time I was not at
Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon
I went unto the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king,
and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil
that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the
courts of the house of God. And it grieved me
sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the
chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the
chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God,
with the meal-offerings and the frankincense.
And I perceived that the portions of the
Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that
did the work, were fled every one to his field.
Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why
is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them
in their place. Then brought all Judah the
tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
And I made treasurers over the treasuries,
Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah:
and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for
they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute unto
their brethren. Remember me, O my God,
concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the
house of my God, and for the observances thereof.
In those days saw I in Judah some men treading
wine-presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses
therewith; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of
burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I
testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who
brought in fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the sabbath unto the
children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I
contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is
this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God
bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath
upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it
came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the
sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that
they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants
set I over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the
sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of
all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
Then I testified against them, and said unto
them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on
you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
And I commanded the Levites that they should
purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to
sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare
me according to the greatness of thy lovingkindness.
In those days also saw I the Jews that had
married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
and their children spake half in the speech of
Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the
language of each people. And I contended with
them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their
hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your
daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for
yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin
by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he
was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel:
nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.
Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this
great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?
And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of
Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite:
therefore I chased him from me. Remember them,
O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of
the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus
cleansed I them from all foreigners, and appointed charges for the priests
and for the Levites, every one in his work; and
for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits.
Remember me, O my God, for good.
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