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◄ OEB NEH ►

NEH

1 Now it transpired in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year (of Artaxerxes), as I was in Shushan the royal palace, 2 that Hanani, one of my kinsmen came, together with certain men from Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left from the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, The survivors who are left from the captivity there in the provinces are in great misfortune and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been destroyed by fire.

4 Now when I heard these statements I sat down and wept and mourned certain days; and I fasted and made supplication before the God of heaven, 5 and I said, I beseech thee, O Jehovah, the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, who keepeth the covenant and showeth kindness to them who love and keep his commands; 6 let thine ears now be attentive and thine eyes open, to hear the supplication of thy servant, which I am now making before thee, day and night, for the Israelites thy servants, while I confess the sins of the Israelites, which we have sinned against thee, as I also and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very wickedly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which thou didst command thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word which thou didst command thy servant Moses, saying, "If ye trespass I will scatter you abroad among the peoples; 9 but if ye return to me, and keep my commands and do them, then, though your outcasts were at the ends of the earth, yet will I gather them thence and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, there to cause my name to dwell." 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let thine ear be attentive to the supplication of thy servant, and to the supplications of thy servants, who delight to fear thy name; and give success to thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king. 2 And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when I had charge of the wine, that I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not beforetime been sad. 2 And the king said to me, ’Why is your countenance sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow heart.’ Then I was greatly afraid, 3 and I said to the king, ’Let the king live forever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my father’s sepulchres, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’ 4 And then the king said to me, ’For what do you make a request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, ’If it please the king, and if your servant had found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s sepulchres, that I may rebuild it.’ 6 And the king said to me (and the queen was also sitting by him), ’For how long will you return?’ Then it pleased the king to send me; for I set him a time. 7 Moreover I said to the king, If it please the king, let official letters be given me to the governors of the province beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s park, that he may give me the timber to make beams for the gates of the castle, which belongs to the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter. And the king granted me this, according to the hand of my God which kindly cared for me.

9 Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the River, and gave them the king’s official letters. Now the king had sent with me military officers and horsemen. 10 And when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah, the Ammonite slave, heard of it, it troubled them exceedingly, that one had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites. 11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, together with a few of my followers, and I told no man what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem, neither was there any beast with me, except the beast upon which I rode. 13 And I went out by night through the Valley Gate, toward the Dragon’s Well and to the Dung Gate, and investigated carefully the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and where its gates had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night by the Brook Kidron and investigated carefully the wall, then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the rulers did not know where I went or what I did, neither had I as yet told it to the Jews nor to the priests nor to the rulers nor to the rest who did the work.

17 Then I said to them, ’You see the bad condition in which we are, how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates are destroyed by fire. Come and let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more an object of reproach.’ 18 And I told them of the hand of my God, which had kindly cared for me, as also the king’s words that he had spoken to me. And they said, ’Let us rise and up and build.’ So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat, the Horonite and Tobiah, the Ammonite slave, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they jeered at us and despised us, and said, ’What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?’ 20 Then I answered and said to them, ’The God of heaven, he will give us success, for we his servants will proceed to build; but you shall have no portion nor right nor memorial in Jerusalem.’

3 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his kinsmen the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they laid its beams and set up the doors, even to the Tower of Hundred, and to the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And the next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 And the Fish Gate the sons of Hassenaah built; they laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired (the wall). And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezebel, repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baaba repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles did not bend their necks in the service of their lord.

6 And the Old Gate, Joida the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired; they laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, which belongs to the jurisdiction of the governor of the province beyond the River, repaired. 8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired. And next to hi Hananiah, one of those who prepare sweet ointments, repaired. And they fortified Jerusalem even to the broad wall. 9 And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. 10 And next them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section even to the Tower of the Furnaces. 12 And next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, together with its dependencies, repaired.

13 The Valley Gate, Hanum and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired; they built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and also built a thousand cubits of the wall to the Dung Gate. 14 And the Dung Gate, Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, together with his sons repaired; they built it, and covered it, and set up its doors, and its bolts, and its bars.

15 And the Fountain Gate Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired; and he built it, and covered it, and set up its doors, and its bars, and he also built the wall of the Pool of Siloam by the King’s Garden, even to the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk the ruler of half the district of Bethzur, repaired to the opposite the Sepulchres of David, even to the pool that was made and to the House of the Warriors. 17 After him the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani repaired. Next to him Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18 After him their kinsmen, Bennui the son of Henadad the ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired. 19 And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the bend in the wall. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired from the bend in the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance to the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 And after him the priests, the men of the Plain of the Jordan repaired. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, repaired beside his own house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the bend in the wall and to the corner. 25 After him Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the bend and the upper tower that stands out from the royal palace of the king, which is toward the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh repaired. 26 And the temple servants dwelt in Ophel, to the place opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that stands out. 27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section, opposite the great tower that stands out and to the wall of Ophel.

28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanum the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. 31 After him Malchijah one of the goldsmiths repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Gate of the Watch Tower and to the ascent of the corner. 32 And between the ascent of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

4 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, his anger was aroused and he was very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his kinsmen and the army of Samaria and said, ’What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they leave it to God? Will the sacrifice? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, although they are burned?’ 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was with him, and he said, ’Even that which the are building, if a fox should go up on it, he would break down their stone wall!’ 4 Hear, O our God--for we are despised--and turn back their reproach upon their own head and give them up as an object of spoil in a land of captivity, 5 and cover not their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out from thy sight, for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

6 So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people were eager to work. 7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites, heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem was progressing, so that the breaches began to be stopped, they were very angry. 8 And they all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to produce a panic therein. 9 But we made supplication to our God, and set a watch as a protection against them day and night. 10 Then the Judean community, said, ’The strength of the burden-bearers is broken, for there is much rubbish; so that we shall not be able to rebuild the wall. 11 And our adversaries have said, "They shall neither know nor see, until we come into their midst and slay them and bring the work to a standstill." 12 And it came to pass that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said to us ten times, ’From all the places where they dwell they will come up against us.’ 13 Therefore I stationed in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the protected places, I set there the people by their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And when I saw their fear, I rose up 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 terrible, and fight for your kinsmen, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’

15 And when our enemies heard that their plan was known to us and God had brought it to nought, we all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 16 And from that time on, while half of my servants were engaged in the work, half of them held the lances, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers stood behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built the wall and those who bore burdens were also armed, each with one of his hands engaged in the work, and with the other was ready to grasp his spear; 18 and each of the builders had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he who sounded the trumpet was by me. 19 And I said to the nobles and the rulers and to the rest of the people, ’The work is great and extensive, and we are separated upon the wall far from each other. 20 In whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there to us; our God will fight for us.’ 21 So we were active in the work, while half of them held the lances from the appearance of the gray of morning until the stars came out. 22 Also I said at that time to the people, Let each man with his servant lodge in Jerusalem, that they may be a guard to us by night and may labor by day. 23 So neither I, nor my kinsmen, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who accompanied me, not one of us took off our clothes, each had his spear in his hand.

5 Then ther was a loud complaint from the common people and their wives against their fellow-countrymen the Jews. 2 For there were those who were saying, ’We must give our sons and our daughters in pledge to secure grain that we may eat and live.’ 3 some also there were who were saying, ’We must mortgage our fields and our vineyards and our houses, that we may get grain because of the dearth.’ 4 There were also those who were saying, ’We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children; but now, we must bring our sons and our daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters have already thus been brought into bondage, neither is it in our power to help it, for our fields and our vineyards belong to the nobles.’

6 Then I was very angry when I heard their complaint and these statements. 7 And I took counsel with myself, and contented with the nobles and rulers, and said to them, ’You exact usury each of his brother,’ And I held a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, ’We ourselves have, according to our ability redeemed our fellow-countrymen the Jews, who have been sold to the heathen; and would you yourselves sell your fellow-countrymen, and should they sell themselves to us?’ Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 Therefore I said, ’The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10 For I also, my kinsmen and my servants, lend them money and grain. Let us, therefore, leave off this usury. 11 restore to them this day their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the usury of the money and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you exact from them.’

12 Then they said, ’We will restore them and will demand nothing from them; we will do just as you say.’ Then I called the priests and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook out of the fold of my garment, and said, ’So may God shake out every man from his house and from the fruit of his labor, who does not fulfil this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.’ And all the assembly said, ’So may it be.’ And they praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise.

14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is for tweve years, I and my brethren had not eaten the bread which was due me as governor. 15 But the former governors who were before me were a source of expense to the people, and took of them bread and wine, and also forty shekels of silver each day; and furthermore their servants oppressed the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also devoted myself to this work on the wall, and we did not buy any land; and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Also the Jews and the rulers, a hundred and fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the surrounding nations, were at my table. 18 Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and fowls. These were prepared at my expense, and once in ten days wine in abundance for all the people. Yet with all this I did not demand the bread which was due me as a governor, because the public service rested heavily upon this people. 19 Remember to my credit, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

6 Now when it was reported to Sanballat and to Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was no breach left in it--though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates-- 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, ’Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.’ But they planned to do me injury. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, ’I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, while I leave it and come down to you?’ 4 And they sent to me in this way four times, and I gave them the same answer. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, 6 in which was written, ’It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu confirms it, that you and the Jews plan to rebel, and that this is the reason you are building the wall, and that you would be their king, 7 and that you also have appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, "There is a king in Judah." And now it will be reported to the king to this effect. COme now, therefore, and let us take counsel together.’ 8 Then I sent to him, saying, ’No such things have been done as you say, but you have devised them in your own mind.’ 9 For they all would have made us afraid, thinking, ’Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it may not be done.’ But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.

10 And when I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up at home, 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 are coming to slay you in the night; yes, in the night they are coming to slay you!’ 11 And I said, ’Should such a man as I flee? And how could anyone like me (a layman) enter the chief room of the temple and still live? I will not enter.’ 12 Then I perceived and it was clear that God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me, because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him, 13 that I should be alarmed and act accordingly and sin; and it would have given them occasion for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their acts, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard, all the surrounding nations feared and fell in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been done by our God.

17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and those of Tobiah came to them. 18 For many in Judah had taken oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, as wife. 19 Also they praised his goods deeds before me and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. . . .

7 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I placed my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the castle in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and more God-fearing than many. 3 And I said to them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while watchmen are still on guard, let them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint watches consisting of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch and each opposite his own house.

4 Now the city was wide and large; but there were few people in it, and the households were not large. 5 Therefore my God put it into my mind to gather together the nobles and the rulers and the people.

6 These are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, 7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah.

The Number of Men of the People of Israel

8 The children of Parosha, two thousand a hundred and seventy-two. 9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. 10 The children of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. 11 The children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. 14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 15 The children of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. 16 The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. 17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. 18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. 19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. 20 The children of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. 21 The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. The children of Azzur, four hundred and thirty-two. The children of Hananiah, a hundred and one. 22 The children of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. 23 The children of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. 24 The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve. 33 The children of Nebo, fifty-two. 34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. 38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

25 The men of Gibeon, ninety-five. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, a hundred and eighty-eight. 27 The men of Anathon, a hundred and twenty-eight. 28 The men of Beth-azmaveth. forty-two. 29 The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. The men of Adasa and Modin, four hundred and twenty-two. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. 31 The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty-two. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, a hundred and twenty-three. 36 The men of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. The men of Keilah and Azekah, sixty-seven. 37 The men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one.

39 The priests: The chilren of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 40 The children of Immer, a thousand and fifty-two. 41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred and forty-seven. 42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

43 The Levites: The children of Jershua, namely of Kadmiel, of Benui, of Hodevah, seventy-four. 44 The singers: The children of Asaph, a hundred and forty-eight. 45 The porters: The children of Shallum, the children of After, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred and thirty-eight.

46 The temple servants: The children of Ziha, the children of Hasupa, the children of Tabbaoth, 47 the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, 48 the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Akkub, the children of Salmai, 49 the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, 50 the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, 51 the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, 52 the children of Besai, the children of Asnah, the children of Menunim, the children of Nephsheism. 53 the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 54 the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 55 the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 56 the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

57 The children of Solomon’s servant: The children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, 58 the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children the Giddel, 59 the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hatiil, the children of Pochereth-hazzabaim, the children of Amon. 60 All the temple servants and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

61 And these were they who went up from Tel-melah and Tel-harsha: Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not slow their fathers’ houses not their descent, whether they were of Israel. 62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. 63 And of the priest: 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 by their name. 64 These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore they were excluded from the priesthood, as unclean. 65 And the governor commanded them not to eat of the most holy things, until a priest stood up with the Urim and Thummim.

66 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 67 besides their male and female slaves, of whom there seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And they had two hundred and forty-five singing men and singing women. 68 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five; 69 their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 70 And some from among the heads of fathers’ houses gave the work. The governor gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, five hundred minas of silver and thirty priests’ garments. 71 And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury for the work, twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand, two hundred minas of silver. 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand minas of silver and sixty-seven priests’ garments.

73 So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers and the common people, and the temple servants, and all Israel dwelt in their cities. And when the seventh month drew near, the Israelites were settled in their cities,

8 all the people gathered themselves together as one man to the broad place that was before the Water Gate. And they spoke to Ezra the priest and scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it before the open place that was before the Water Gate from early morning until mid-day, in the presence of the men and women and of those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the priest and scribe stood upon a wooden pulpit, which they made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithaiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maasieah, on his right hand, and on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 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. 6 And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, while they lifted up their hands and bowed their heads and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, instructed the people in the law, and the people remained in their place. 8 And they read in the book of the law of God by sections, and made the sense so clear that they understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, This day is holy to Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep; for all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, Go away, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be troubled, for the joy of Jehovah is your bulwark. 11 So the Levites quited all the people, saying, Be still, for the day is holy, and do not be troubled. 12 And all the people went away to eat and drink and to send portions and to make a great rejoicing, for they had understood the words which had been made known to them.

13 And on the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, in order to gain an insight into the words of the law. 14 And they found written in the law, how Jehovah had commanded by Moses that the Israelites dwell in booths at the feast in the seventh month; 15 and that they should proclaim aloud in all their cities and in Jerusalem: Go forth to the mount and bring olive branches and branches of wild olive and myrtle and palm branches and branches of thick trees to make booths, as it is prescribed. 16 So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves booths, each man upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the open space at the Water Gate and in the open space at the Ephraim Gate. 17 And all the assembly of those who had come back from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the Israelites had not done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 And day by day, from the first to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day, as was the custom, there was a concluding solemn assembly.

9 Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth and earth upon their heads. 2 And the descendants of Israel had separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 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. 4 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, and Chenani stood on the raised pulpit and cried with a loud voice to Jehovah their God. 5 Also the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Jehovah our God from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 And Ezra said, Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven and the heavens of heavens with all their host, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. 7 Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abraham and bring him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and didst give him the name of Abraham, 8 and find his heart faithful before thee and make a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it to his descendants, and hast performed thy words, for thou art righteous.

9 And thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry by the Red Sea, 10 and didst show signs and wonders upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants, and upon all the people of his land; for thou knewest that they acted extravagantly toward them; and didst get thee a name as it is this day. 11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and thou didst cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

12 Moreover by a pillar of cloud thou leddest them by day, and by a pillar of fire by night, to give them light by the way in which they should go. 13 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, 14 and madest known to them thy holy sabbath, and gavest them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses thy servant, 15 and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commandest them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. 16 But they and our father acted arrogantly and hardened their neck and heeded not thy commands. 17 and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders which thou didst among them, but hardened their neck, and set their head to return to their bondage in Egypt. But thou wast a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and didst not forsake them. 18 Yea, when they made for themselves a molten calf and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and acted very blasphemously, 19 yet thou in thy great mercy didst not forsake them in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way in which they should go. 20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. 21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing: their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples, which thou didst allot, so they possessed the land of Sihon king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 Thou didst also make their children as numerous 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. 24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou didst subdue before them the Canaanitish inhabitants of the land, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them what they would. 25 And they took fortified cities and a fertile land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, oliveyards, and fruit-trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled, and became fat and lived luxuriantly in thy great goodness. 26 Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy law behind their back and slew thy prophets, who testified against them to turn them again to thee, and they acted very blasphemously, 27 Therefore thou didst deliver them into the hands of their oppressors, who oppressed them. Then in the time of their trouble, when they cried to thee, thou heardest from heaven, and according to thy great mercy thou didst give them deliverers who saved them out of the power of their adversaries. 28 But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore thou didst leave them in the hands of their enemies, so that they ruled over them; yet when they again cried to thee, thou didst hear from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to they mercy, 29 and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them to thy law. Yet they acted arrogantly and heeded not thy commands, but sinned against thine ordinances--which if a man obey, he shall live--and turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not hear. 30 Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testify against them by thy spirit through thy prophets, yet they would not heed. Therefore thou gavest them into the hands of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless in thy great mercy thou didst not completely destroy nor forsake them, for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and kindness, let not all the affliction seem little before thee, that hath come on us, on our kings, our nobles, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and on all thy people, since the days of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33 However thou art just in all that has come upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly, 34 neither have our kings, our nobles, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law nor heeded thy commands and thy testimonies with which thou didst testify again them. 35 For they have not served thee in the time of their kingly rule, and in spite of thy great goodness that thou gavest them, they have not turned from their wicked deeds. 36 Behold, we this day are slaves, and as for the land that thou gavest to our fathers to eat its fruit and enjoy its good gifts, see we are only slaves in it. 37 And it yieldeth a great income to the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sin; also they have power over our bodies and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

38 Moreover in addition to all this we made a fixed covenant and wrote it out, and our nobles, our Levites, and our priests were enrolled upon the sealed document. 10 And those enrolled upon the sealed documents were Nehemiah, the governor, the son of Hachaliah, and Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests. 9 And the Levites, namely, Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 and their kinsmen, Shekaniah, Hodaviah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah Bani, Beninu. 14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigyai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one who had knowledge and insight, 29 strongly supported their kinsmen, their nobles, and entered into a solemn obligation and took oath to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commands of Jehovah our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes; 30 and that we would neither give our daughters to the people of the land nor take their daughters as wives for our sons; 31 and that, if the peoples of the land should bring wares or any given on the sabbath day to sell, we would not buy of them on the sabbath or on a holy day; and that on the seventh year we would leave the land uncultivated and would refrain from the exaction of any debt.

32 We also imposed upon ourselves the obligation to give yearly the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God, 33 for the bread that was set forth, and for the continual burnt-offering, for the sabbaths, the new moons, the fixed feasts, and the holy things, and for the sin-offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 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 father’s houses, at appointed times year by year, to burn upon the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is prescribed in the law; 35 and to bring the earliest products of our ground, and the first of all fruit or every kind of tree year by year, to the temple of Jehovah; 36 also the first-born of our sons and of our cattle, as is prescribed in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of God to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37 and that we should bring the first bread baked of our dough, our gifts, the fruit of every kind of tree, the new wine and the oil, to the priests, in the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levite; and that they, the Levites, should receive the tithes in all the cities of our agricultural districts. 38 And that the priest the son of Aaron should be with the Levites, when the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers, into the store-house. 39 For the Israelites and the sons of Levi shall bring the gifts of grain, of new wine, and of oil, into the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests who minister and the porters and the singers, and that we would not neglect the house of our God.

11 And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots, to bring one out of every ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the villages. 2 And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem.

3 Now these are the chiefs of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah every man dwelt in his possession in their cities: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and 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 Shephthiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez. 6 All the sons of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men. And of the sons of Zerah: Jeual and their clansmen, six hundred and ninety. 5 And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shelanite.

7 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. 8 And his clansmen were mighty warriors, nine hundred and twenty-eight. 9 And Joel the son of Zichri was appointed over them; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second in charge of the city.

10 Of the priests: Jedaiah, Joiarib, Jachin, 11 and Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God, 12 and their clansmen who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroboam, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, 13 and his clansmen, chiefs of fathers’ houses, two hundred and forty-two; and Amasai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshilemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and his clansmen, mighty warriors, a hundred and twenty-eight; and Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim was appointed over them.

15 And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outside work of the house of God; 17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph, who was the leader of the songs of praise, and Bakbukiah was the second among his clansmen; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four.

19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their kinsmen, who kept watch at the gates, were a hundred and seventy-two. 21 But the temple servants dwelt in Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.

22 The one appointed over 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 work of the house of God. 23 For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as each day required. 24 And Pethliah the son of Meshezebel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, advised the king in all matters concerning the people.

20 And the rest of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each in his inheritance. 25 And as to the estates with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kiriath-arba and its dependent villages, in Dibon and its dependent villages, in Jekabzeel and its estates, 26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth-pelet, 27 in Hazar-shual, and in Beersheba and its dependent villages, 29 in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam and their estates, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its dependent villages. so they had their places of temporary abode from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom. 31 The children of Benjamin also dwelt at Geba, Michamash, Aija, Bethel, and its dependent villages, 32 at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of the craftsmen. 36 And of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah were joined to Benjamin.

12 Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua, Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Harim, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their clansmen in the days of Jeshua.

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, he and his clansmen were in charge of the thanksgiving. 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brethren, stood over against them in performing the duties of their office.

10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, 11 and Jeoiada begat Johanan, and Johanan begat Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah, of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Maadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 Of the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded the heads of the fathers’ houses; also the priests until the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 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. 24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Bennui, and Kadmiel with their clasmen Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the command of David the man of God, one division following another. 25 Meshallam, Talmon, and Akkub, the porters, kept watch over the storerooms at the gates. 26 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. 27 And at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and zithers. 28 And the members of the Levitical guilds, the singers, assembled, both from the Plain of the Jordan and round about Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites 29 and from Beth-gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages round about Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

31 Then I had the rulers of Judah take their position upon the wall, and I appointed two great companies that gave thanks, and the first went to the right hand upon the wall toward the Dung Gate. 32 And behind them went Hoshaiah and half of the nobles of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 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; 36 and his kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe was before them. 37 And by the Foundation Gate, they went straight up the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the Water Gate on the east.

38 And the other company of those who gave thanks went to the left, and I after them, with the half of the nobles of the people, upon the wall, above the Tower of the Furnaces, even to the broad wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim and by the Old Gate and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, even to the Sheep Gate; and they stood in the Gate of the Guard. 40 So the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God took their position, and I, and the half of the rulers with me; 41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah their leader. 43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced; for God had made them exceeding joyful; and the women also and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

44 And in that day men were appointed in charge of the chambers for the storehouse, for the gifts, 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 the Levites; for Judah had joy in the priests and the Levites who attended to the service. 45 And they took charge of the service of their God and of the purification, and so did the singers and the porters, according to the command of David and of Solomon his son. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph were the leaders of the singers appointed, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters, as each required; and they delivered the sacred offerings to the Levites the sons of Aaron.

13 On that day it was read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and it was found written there that an Ammonite and a Moabite should never enter into the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water but hired Balaam against them to curse them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 And when they had heard the law, they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

4 Now before my return from the king, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, 5 had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they had stored the cereal-offerings, the incense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by command to the Levites, the singers, the porters, and the gifts for the priests. 6 But during this time I had not been at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. Then after some time I asked leave of the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the crime that Eliashib had committed for the sake of Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the court of the house of God. 8 And it displeased me greatly; therefore I cast all the household possessions of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave command that they should cleanse the chambers, and I brought there again the vessels of the house of God, with the cereal-offerings and the incense.

10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who performed the service had each fled to his field. 11 Then I contented with the rulers and said, ’Why is the house of God forsaken?’ And I gathered them together and placed them at their posts. 12 And all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil into the store-rooms. 13 And I appointed in charge of the store-rooms: 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 considered faithful, and their business was to distribute to their kinsmen. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this and forget not all my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services.

15 At that time I saw in Judah some men treading wine-presses on the sabbath and bringing in heaps of grain and loading asses, as also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, and that they were bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath; and I warned them when they sold provision. 16 Tyrians also dwelt therein, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the sabbath to the inhabitants of Judah and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contented with the nobles of Judah and said to them, ’What evil thing is this that you are doing, and thereby profaning the sabbbath? 18 Did not your fathers do thus and did not our God bring all this calamity upon them and upon us and upon this city? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.’ 19 According when it began to be dark, the gates of Jerusalem were shut before the sabbath; and I gave command that they should not be opened until after the sabbath. And I placed some of my servants in charge of the gates, and commanded that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares spent the night without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I warned them and said to them. ’Why do you spend the night before the wall? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.’ From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and that they should come and guard the gates, to keep the sabbath holy. Remember, O my God, this also to my credit and show me mercy according to the greatness of thy loving-kindness.

23 At that time also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashod, of Ammon, and of Moab. 24 And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, but none of them could speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. 25 And I contented with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair and made them swear by God, saying, ’You shall not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these acts? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless foreign women led him into sin. 27 Shall it also be reported of you that you do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?’

28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and fixed the duties for the priest and the Levites, each for his appointed task, 31 and bringing of wood for the service at appointed times, and the first-fruits. Remember it, O my God, to my credit.