\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Nehemiah}
{\MTB This book contains the account of Nehemiah supervising the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and of teaching the people the laws that God wanted them to obey. We call this book
\par }{\MT Nehemiah

\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Nehemiah’s prayer
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{
I
am}}
Nehemiah,
the
son
of
Hacaliah.
{\ADD{
I
am
writing}}
this
account
{\ADD{
of
what
I
did
when
I
returned
to
Jerusalem.
After
King
Artaxerxes
had
been
ruling
the
Persian
Empire}}
for
almost 20
years,
near
the
end
of
that
year,
I
was
in
Susa,
the
capital
{\ADD{
of
Persia}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{2}My
brother
Hanani
came
to
visit
me.
He
and
some
other
men
had
just
returned
from
Judah.
I queried
them
about
the
Jews
who
were
living
there,
whose
{\ADD{
parents}}
had
been ◄exiled/taken forcefully►
{\ADD{
to
Babylonia
many
years
previously}}.
I
also
asked
them
about
{\ADD{
what
was happening
in}}
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}They
said
to
me, “The
Jews
in
Jerusalem
who
returned
there
from
Babylonia
are
living
in
a
very
difficult
situation.
The
walls
of
the
city
have
been
broken
down,
and
even
the
city
gates
have
been
burned
down.”
\par }{\PP \VS{4}When
I
heard
that,
I
sat
down
and
cried.
For
several
days
I
mourned,
and
I ◄fasted/abstained
from
eating
food►,
and
I
prayed
to
our
God,
{\ADD{
who
is/rules}}
in
heaven.
\VS{5}I
said, “Yahweh,
{\ADD{
you
who
are/rule}}
in
heaven,
you
are
a
wonderful
and
awesome
God.
You
keep
your
promise
to
faithfully
love
those
who
love
you
and
who
obey
your
commands.
\VS{6}Now
please
look
down
and
listen
to
what
I
am
praying.
I
pray
during
the
day
and
at
night
for
your Israeli
people.
I
confess
that
we Israeli
people
have
sinned.
Even
my
family
and
I
have
sinned
against
you.
\VS{7}We
have
acted
very
wickedly.
{\ADD{
Many
years
ago}}
your
servant
Moses
gave
us
your
laws
and
all
the
things
you
commanded
us
to
do [DOU],
but
we
have
not
obeyed/done
them.
\par }{\PP \VS{8}“But
please
remember
what
you
told
your
servant
Moses.
You
said, ‘If
you
sin,
I
will
scatter
you
among
the ◄{\ADD{
heathen
nations/nations
that
do
not
believe
in
me}}►.
\VS{9}But
if
you
return
to
me
and
obey
my
commands,
even
if
you
have
been
exiled
to
very
remote/distant
places
on
the
earth,
I
will
bring
you
back
here
{\ADD{
to
Israel}},
the
land
that
I [MTY]
have
chosen
to
be
honored
in.’
\par }{\PP \VS{10}“We
are
your
servants.
We
are
the
people
whom
you
brought
here
by
your
very
great
power [MTY, DOU]
\VS{11}Yahweh,
please
hear
this
prayer
of
mine,
and
the
prayers
of
all
your
people
who
are
delighted
to
revere
you [MTY].
Today
I
will
go
to
the
king,
to
request
that
he
do
me
a
great
favor.
Please motivate
him
to
act
kindly
toward
me,
in
order
that
I
will
be
successful
{\ADD{
in obtaining
what
I
want}}.”
\par }{\PP At
that
time,
I
was
the
one
whose
work
was
to
taste
all
the
food
and
drink
before
it
was
served
to
the
king,
{\ADD{
to
be
sure
that
no
one
had
put
poison
in
it}}.

\par }\Chap{2}{\SH Artaxerses allowed Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}After
King
Artaxerxes
{\ADD{
had
been
ruling
the
Persian
Empire}}
for
almost 20
years, ◄during
the
spring/before
the
hot
season►
of
that
year,
when
it
was
time
to
serve
wine
to
him
{\ADD{
during
a
feast}},
I
took
the
wine
and
gave
it
to
him.
I
had
never
looked
sad
when
I
was
in
front
of
him
before,
{\ADD{
but
on
that
day
he
saw
that
I
looked
very
sad}}.
\VS{2}So
he
asked
me, “Why
are
you
sad?
{\ADD{
I
know
that}}
you
are
not
sick.
It
must
be
that
you
are
troubled
about
something.”
Then
I
was
very
afraid,
{\ADD{
because
it
was
not
proper
to
be
sad
when
I
came
to
the
king}} (OR,
{\ADD{
because
I
was
worried
what
the
king
would
do
to
me
if
he
refused
to
do
what
I
was
about
to
request
him
to
do}}).
\par }{\PP \VS{3}I
replied, “Your
majesty,
I
hope
you
will
live
a
very
long
time!
But ◄how
can
I
prevent
myself
from
being
sad,
because
the
city
where
my
ancestors
are
buried
{\ADD{
has
been
destroyed}}
and
is
in
ruins?/I
cannot
keep
myself
from
looking
sad,
because
the
city
where
my
ancestors
are
buried
{\ADD{
has
been
destroyed
and}}
is
in
ruins.► [RHQ]
{\ADD{
Even}}
the
city
gates
have
been
completely
burned.”
\par }{\PP \VS{4}The
king
replied, “What
do
you
want
me
to
do
{\ADD{
for
you}}?”
\par }{\PP I
prayed
{\ADD{
silently}}
to
our
God
{\ADD{
who
is/rules}}
in
heaven.
\VS{5}Then
I
replied, “If
you
are
willing
{\ADD{
to
do
it}},
and
if
I
have
pleased
you,
send
me
to
the
city
{\ADD{
of
Jerusalem}}
in
Judah
{\ADD{
province}}
where
my
ancestors
are
buried,
in
order
that
I
may
{\ADD{
help
people
to}}
rebuild
the
city.”
\par }{\PP \VS{6}While
the
queen
was
sitting
beside
the
king,
he
asked,
{\ADD{“If
I
allow
you
to
go,}}
how
long
will
you
be
gone?
When
will
you
return?”
{\ADD{
I
told
the
king
how
long
I
would
be
gone,
and}}
the
king
gave
me
permission
to
go,
and
I
told
him
what
day
{\ADD{
I
wanted
to
leave}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}I
also
said
to
the
king, “If
you
are
willing
to
do
it,
write
letters
for
me
to
take
to
the
governors
of
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River.
Tell
them
to
allow
me
to
travel
safely
{\ADD{
through
their
province}}
until
I
arrive
in
Judah.
\VS{8}Also,
{\ADD{
please
write}}
a
letter
to
Asaph,
the
man
who
takes
care
of
your
forest
{\ADD{
in
that
area}},
telling
him
to
give
me
timber
to
make
the
beams
to
support
the
gates
of
the
fortress
that
is
near
the
temple,
and
timber
for
making
the
walls
of
the
city,
and
for
building
the
house
in
which
I
{\ADD{
will
live}}.”
The
king
did
what
I
requested
him
to
do,
because
my
God
was
graciously/kindly ◄helping/acting
for►
me.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}{\ADD{
After
I
got
ready,
I
left
to
travel
to
Judah}}.
The
king
sent
some
army
officers
and
soldiers
riding
on
horses
to
accompany
me,
{\ADD{
to
protect
me}}.
When
I
came
to
where
the
governors
of
the
provinces
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River
lived,
I
gave
them
the
letters
that
the
king
had
written.
\par }{\PP \VS{10}But
when
{\ADD{
two
government
officials,}}
Sanballat
from
{\ADD{
a
village
near}} Horon
and
Tobiah
from
the
Ammon
{\ADD{people-group}},
heard
that
I
had
arrived,
they
were
very
angry
that
someone
had
come
to
help
the Israeli
people.
\par }{\SH Nehemiah
inspected
the
walls
of
Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VS{11-12}When
I
arrived
in
Jerusalem,
I
did
not
tell
anyone
what
thoughts
God
had
given
to
me
about
what
I
should
do
there.
Three
days
after
I
arrived
in
Jerusalem,
I
went
out
of
the
city
in
the
evening,
taking
a
few
other
men
with
me.
I
was
riding
a
donkey;
we
had
no
other
animals
with
us.
\par }{\PP \VS{13}We
left
the
city,
going
out
through
the
Valley
Gate,
then
past
the
well
called
the Jackal (OR,
Dragon’s)
Well,
and
then
past
the
gate
called
the
Rubbish/Garbage
Gate.
We
inspected
all
the
walls
that
had
been
broken
down
and
all
the
gates
that
had
been
burned
down.
\VS{14}Then
we
went
to
the
Fountain
Gate
and
to
the
pool
called
the
King’s
Pool,
but
my
donkey
could
not
get
through
{\ADD{
the
narrow
opening}} (OR,
{\ADD{
the
rubble}}).
\VS{15}So
we
turned
back
and
went
along
the
{\ADD{
Kidron}}
Valley.
We
inspected
the
wall
there
before
we
turned
back/around
and
entered
the
city
again
at
the
Valley
Gate.
\VS{16}The
{\ADD{
city}}
officials
did
not
know
where
I
had
gone
or
what
I
was
doing,
because
I
had
not
told
anyone
about
what
I
planned
to
do.
I
had
not
said
anything
about
it
to
the
Jewish
leaders
or
the
officials
or
the
priests
or
any
of
the
others
who
would
be
helping
me
in
the
work
{\ADD{
that
I
wanted
to
do}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{17}But
now
I
said
to
them, “You
all
know
very
well
the
terrible
things
{\ADD{
that
have
happened
to}}
our
city.
The
city
is
ruined;
even
the
gates
are
burned
down.
So
we
should
rebuild
the
city
wall.
If
we
do
that,
we
will
no
longer
feel
humiliated/disgraced.”
\VS{18}Then
I
told
them
about
how
God
had
kindly/graciously
helped
me
{\ADD{
when
I
talked
to
the
king}},
and
what
the
king
had
said
to
me.
\par }{\PP They
immediately
replied, “Let’s
start
rebuilding!”
So
they
started
to
do
this
good
work.
\par }{\PP \VS{19}But
when
Sanballat,
Tobiah,
and
Gershom
the
Arab
{\ADD{
king
of
the
Kedar
region}}
heard
about
what
we
planned
to
do,
they
made fun
of
us
and ridiculed
us.
They
said, “What
is
this
work
that
you
are
doing?
Are
you
rebelling
against
the
king
{\ADD{
again}}?” [RHQ]
\par }{\PP \VS{20}But
I
replied, “Our
God
{\ADD{
who
is/rules}}
in
heaven
will
help
our
plans
to
succeed.
But
as
for
you,
you
have
no
right
to
decide
anything
about
this
city,
because
you
have
not participated
in
what
has
happened
in
this
city
in
previous
years.”

\par }\Chap{3}{\SH They rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{◄This
is
a
list/These
are
the
names►
of
the
people
who
helped
to
rebuild
the
wall
around
Jerusalem}}.
Eliashib
the Supreme
Priest
and
the
other
priests
began
to
rebuild
it
at
the
Sheep
Gate.
They
also
put
the
gates
in
their
places.
They
built
the
wall
as
far
as
the
Tower
of 100
Soldiers
and
{\ADD{
further
north}}
to
the
Tower
of
Hananel,
and
they
dedicated
it
to
God.
\VS{2}Next
to
them,
{\ADD{
beyond
the
Tower
of
Hananel,}}
men
from
Jericho
built
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}.
Next
to
them,
Zaccur,
the
son
of
Imri,
built
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}The
sons
of
Hassenaah
built
the
Fish
Gate.
The
put
in
their
places
the
wooden
beams
above
the
gates,
and
also
the
doors,
the
bolts,
and
the
bars
{\ADD{
for locking
the
gate}}.
\VS{4}Next
to
them,
Meremoth,
the
son
of
Uriah
and
grandson
of
Hakkoz,
repaired
{\ADD{
the
next
part
of
the
wall}}.
Next
to
him,
Meshullam,
the
son
of Berekiah
and
grandson
of
Meshezabel,
repaired
{\ADD{
the
next
part
of
the
wall}}.
Next
to
him,
Zadok
the
son
of
Baana
repaired
the
next
part
of
the
wall.
\VS{5}Next
to
him,
the
men
from
Tekoa
{\ADD{
town}}
repaired
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}},
but
the
leaders
of
Tekoa
refused
to
do
the
work
that
their boss/supervisor
assigned
to
them.
\par }{\PP \VS{6}Joiada
the
son
of
Paseah,
and
Meshullam
the
son
of
Besodeiah,
repaired
the
Old
Gate.
They
also
put
in
their
places
the
beams
above
the
gate
and
put
in
the
bolts
and
the
bars
{\ADD{
for locking
the
gate}}.
\VS{7}Next
to
them,
Melatiah
from
Gibeon
{\ADD{
city}},
Jadon
from Meronoth
{\ADD{
town}},
and
other
men
from
Gibeon
and
from
Mizpah
{\ADD{
city}},
which
was
where
the
governor
of
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River
lived,
repaired
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}.
\VS{8}Next
to
them,
Uzziel,
the
son
of
Harhaiah,
and
Hananiah
repaired
the
wall
as
far
as
the
Broad/Wide
Wall.
Harhaiah
made
things
from
gold,
and
Hananiah
made
perfumes.
\VS{9}Next
to
them,
Rephaiah
the
son
of
Hur,
who
ruled
half
of
Jerusalem
District,
repaired
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}.
\VS{10}Next
to
him,
Jedaiah
the
son
of
Harumaph
repaired
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}
near
his
house.
Next
to
him,
Hattush
the
son
of
Hashabneiah
repaired
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}.
\VS{11}Malchijah
the
son
of
Harim,
and
Hashub
the
son
of
Pahath-Moab,
repaired
a
section
{\ADD{
of
the
wall}},
and
also
repaired
the
Tower
of
the
Ovens.
\VS{12}Next
to
them,
Shallum
the
son
of
Hallohesh,
who
ruled
the
other
half
of
Jerusalem
District,
repaired
{\ADD{
part
of
the
wall}}.
His
daughters
{\ADD{
helped
him
with
the
work}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{13}Hanun
and
people
from
Zanoah
{\ADD{
city}}
repaired
the
Valley
Gate.
They
put
the
gates
in
their
places,
and
also
put
in
the
bolts
and
bars
{\ADD{
for locking
the
gate}}.
They
repaired
the
wall
for ◄1,500
feet/500 meters►,
as
far
as
the
Dung
Gate.
\par }{\PP \VS{14}Malchijah
the
son
of
Rechab,
who
ruled
Beth-Haccherem
District,
repaired
the
Dung
Gate.
He
also
put
in
their
places
the
bolts
and
bars
{\ADD{
for locking
the
gate}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{15}Shallum
the
son
of Colhozeh,
who
ruled
Mizpah
District,
repaired
the
Fountain
Gate.
He
put/built
a
roof
over
the
gate,
and
put
in
their
places
the
gates
and
the
bolts
and
the
bars
{\ADD{
for locking
the
gate}}.
Near
the
Pool
of
Shelah
he
built
the
wall
next
to
the
king’s
garden,
as
far
as
the
steps
that
went
down
from
the
City
of
David.
\VS{16}Next
to
him,
Nehemiah
the
son
of
Azbuk,
who
ruled
half
of
the
Beth-Zur
District,
repaired
{\ADD{
the
wall}}
as
far
as
the
tombs
{\ADD{
in
the
City}}
of
David,
to
the
reservoir
that
the
people
had
made
and
the
army barracks.
\par }{\PP \VS{17}Next
to
him,
several
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
helped
the
priests}}
repaired
{\ADD{
parts
of
the
wall}}.
Rehum
the
son
of
Bani
repaired
one
section.
Hashabiah,
who
ruled
half
of
the
Keilah
District,
repaired
the
next
section
on
behalf
of
the
people
of
his
district.
\VS{18}Bavvai
the
son
of
Henadad,
who
ruled
the
other
half
of
the
Keilah
District,
repaired
{\ADD{
the
next
section}}
along
with
other
descendants
of
Levi.
\VS{19}Next
to
him,
Ezer
the
son
of
Jeshua,
who
ruled
Mizpah
{\ADD{
city}},
repaired
another
section
in
front
of
the
{\ADD{
steps
which}}
went
up
to
the ◄armory/building
where
the
weapons
are
kept►,
as
far
as
where
the
wall
turns
{\ADD{
a
bit
to
the
right}}.
\VS{20}Next
to
him,
Baruch
the
son
of
Zabbai
repaired
a
section,
as
far
as
the
door
of
the
house
of
Eliashib
the Supreme
Priest.
\VS{21}Next
to
him,
Meremoth
the
son
of
Uriah
and
grandson
of
Hakkoz,
repaired
a
section
from
the
door
of
Eliashib’s
house
to
the
end
of Eliahib’s
house.
\par }{\PP \VS{22}Next
to
him,
{\ADD{
several
priests
repaired
parts
of
the
wall}}.
Priests
from
the
area
near
Jerusalem
repaired
{\ADD{
one
section}}.
\VS{23}Next
to
them,
Benjamin
and
Hasshub
repaired
{\ADD{
a
section}}
in
front
of
their
house.
Azariah,
the
son
of
Maaseiah
and
grandson
of
Ananiah,
repaired
the
next
{\ADD{
section}}
in
front
of
his
house.
\VS{24}Next
to
him,
Binnui
the
son
of
Henadad
repaired
a
section,
from
Azariah’s
house
to
where
the
wall
turns
a
bit.
\VS{25}{\ADD{
Next
to
him}},
Palal
the
son
of
Uzai
repaired
{\ADD{
a
section}},
from
where
the
wall
turns
and
from
where
the
watchtower
is
taller
than
the
upper
palace,
the
one
where
King
{\ADD{
Solomon}}
had
lived.
The
watchtower
is
near
the
courtyard
where
the
guards
{\ADD{
live}}.
\VS{26}Next
to
him,
Pedaiah
the
son
of
Parosh
repaired
{\ADD{
a
section}}
toward
the
east
to
a
place
near
the
Water
Gate
and
near
the
tall
tower.
That
part
of
the
wall
is
near
Ophel
{\ADD{
Hill}},
where
the
temple
servants
lived.
\VS{27}Next
to
him,
men
from
Tekoa
{\ADD{
town}}
repaired
another
section,
from
near
the
tall
tower
as
far
as
the
wall
near
Ophel
{\ADD{
Hill}}.
{\ADD{
That
was
the
second
section
that
they
repaired}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{28}A
group
of
priests
repaired
{\ADD{
the
wall}}
north
from
the
Horse
Gate.
Each
one
repaired
the
section
near
his
own
house.
\VS{29}Next
to
them,
Zadok
the
son
of
Immer
repaired
{\ADD{
the
section}}
in
front
of
his
house.
Next
to
him,
Shemaiah
the
son
of
Shecaniah,
who ◄was
the
gatekeeper
at/opened
and
closed►
the
East
Gate,
repaired
{\ADD{
the
next
section}}.
\VS{30}Next
to
him,
Hananiah
the
son
of
Shelemiah,
and
Hanun
the
sixth
son
of
Zalaph,
repaired
a
section.
That
was
the
second
{\ADD{
section
that
they
repaired}}.
Next
to
them,
Meshullam
the
son
of Berekiah,
made
repairs
across
from
where
he
lived.
\VS{31}Next
to
them,
Malchijah,
who
also
made
things
from
gold,
repaired
{\ADD{
a
section}}
as
far
as
the
building
used
by
the
temple
servants
and
merchants,
which
was
close
to
the
Inspection
Gate.
This
was
the
gate
into
the
temple
that
was
near
the
room
on
top
of
the northeast
corner
of
the
wall.
\VS{32}Other
men
who
made
things
from
gold,
along
with
merchants,
repaired
{\ADD{
the
last
section
of
the
wall}},
as
far
as
the
Sheep
Gate.

\par }\Chap{4}{\SH Enemies opposed rebuilding the wall
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}When
Sanballat
heard
that
we
were
rebuilding
the
city
wall,
he
was
very
angry.
He
was
enraged/furious.
He
made fun
of
us
Jews.
\VS{2}While
his
colleagues
and
officials
of
the
army
troops
who
had
come
from
Samaria
were
listening,
he
said, “What
do
these
feeble/pathetic
Jews
{\ADD{
think
they}}
are
doing?
Do
they
think
that
if
they
offer
enough/many
sacrifices,
{\ADD{
their
gods
will
hear
them
and
enable}}
them
to
finish
building
the
wall
in
one
day?
The
stones
{\ADD{
that
were
in
the
wall
previously
have
been
weakened
by}}
being
burned
in
a
fire.
Those
stones
that
they
are pulling
out
of
the
rubbish/garbage
heaps—do
they
think
that
they
can
make
them
strong
again?” [RHQ]
\par }{\PP \VS{3}Tobiah
was
{\ADD{
standing}}
beside
Sanballat.
He
said, “That
stone
wall
{\ADD{
that
they
are
building}}
is
very
weak;
so
if
even
a
fox
climbed
up
on
it,
the
wall
would
fall
down!”
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Then
I
prayed.
I
said, “Our
God,
hear
us,
because
they
are ridiculing
us!
Cause
the
words
of
their
insults
to
fall
back
on
them!
Allow
their
enemies
to
come
and
capture
them
and
force
them
to
go
to
a
foreign
land!
\VS{5}They
are
guilty;
they
have
{\ADD{
said
things
that}}
caused
you
to
be
angry
while
the
people
here
who
are
building
the
wall
are
listening;
so
punish
them!”
\par }{\PP \VS{6}But
after
some
time,
we
finished
building
the
wall
around
the
whole
city,
up
to
half
as
high
as
the
first
wall
had
been.
We
were
able
to
do
that
because
we
worked
very
hard.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}But
when
Sanballat,
Tobiah,
the
men
from
Arabia,
the
people
from
the
Ammon
{\ADD{people-group}}
and
from
Ashdod
{\ADD{
city}}
heard
that
the
work
on
the
wall
was
continuing
and
that
we
were
filling
in
the
gaps
in
the
wall,
they
became
very
angry.
\VS{8}They
all
planned
to
come
and
fight
against
the
people
of
Jerusalem [MTY]
and
to
cause
trouble.
\VS{9}But
we
prayed
to
our
God
{\ADD{
to
protect
us}},
and
we
put
men
{\ADD{
around
the
walls}}
to
guard
{\ADD{
the
city}}
day
and
night.
\par }{\PP \VS{10}Then
the
people
of [MTY]
Judah
started
to
say, “The
men
who
are
working
{\ADD{
on
the
wall}}
are
becoming
very
tired.
There
is
a
lot
of
{\ADD{
heavy}}
rubble
that
we
must
remove;
we
ourselves
cannot
finish
the
work.
\par }{\PP \VS{11}“Besides,
our
enemies
are
saying, ‘Before
the
Jews
see
us,
we
will
swoop
down
on
them
and
kill
them
and
stop
their
work
{\ADD{
on
the
wall}}!’ ”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}The
Jews
who
were
living
near
our
enemies
came
and
told
us
many
times, “You
should
leave
the
city
and
go
to
other
places,
in
order
that
your
enemies
will
not
attack
you!”
\par }{\PP \VS{13}So
I
put
guards
at
the
places
where
the
wall
was
not
very
high
yet
and
at
places
where
there
were
gaps
in
the
wall.
I
put
guards
to
protect
each
of
their
family
groups.
I
gave
the
guards daggers,
spears,
and
bows
{\ADD{
and
arrows}}.
\VS{14}Then
after
I
inspected
everything,
I
summoned
the
leaders
and
{\ADD{
other}}
officials
and
{\ADD{
many
of}}
the
other
people,
and
I
said
to
them, “Do
not
be
afraid
of
our
enemies!
Think
about
{\ADD{
what}}
Yahweh,
who
is
great
and
glorious,
{\ADD{
can
do}}!
And
fight
to
protect
your
friends,
your
families,
and
your
homes!”
\par }{\PP \VS{15}Our
enemies
heard
that
we
knew
what
they
were
planning
to
do
and
that
God
had ◄spoiled
their
plans/prevented
them
from
doing
what
they
planned►.
{\ADD{
But
we
were
sure
that
God
would
defend
us,}}
so
we
all
started
to
work
on
the
wall
again.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}But
after
that,
only
half
of
the
men
who
were
working
for
me
worked
on
the
wall.
The
others
stood
there
on
guard,
holding
their
spears,
shields,
bows
{\ADD{
and
arrows}},
and
{\ADD{
wearing
their}}
coats
made
of
metal
plates.
{\ADD{
To
encourage
the
people}}who
were
building
the
wall,
their
leaders
stood
behind
them.
\VS{17}Those
who
carried
{\ADD{
baskets
of
supplies
on
their
heads/shoulders}}
and
those
who
built
the
wall
did
their
work
with
one
hand,
and
held
a
weapon
with
the
other
hand.
\VS{18}All
those
who
were
building
{\ADD{
the
wall}}
had
a
dagger
fastened
to
their
side.
The
man
who
would
blow
the
trumpet
{\ADD{
if
our
enemies
attacked}}
was
standing
at
my
side.
\par }{\PP \VS{19}Then
I
said
to
the
officials,
the
other
important
men,
and
the
other
people, “This
wall
is
very
long,
and
we
are
far
apart
from
each
other
along
the
wall.
\VS{20}If
you
hear
the
man
blowing
the
trumpet,
gather
around
us
at
that
place.
{\ADD{
Remember
that}}
our
God
will
fight
for
us!”
\par }{\PP \VS{21}So
we
continued
to
work.
Half
of
the
men
continued
to
hold
their
spears
all
day,
from
when
the
sun
rose
{\ADD{
in
the
morning}}
until
the
stars
appeared
{\ADD{
at
night}}.
\VS{22}At
that
time,
I
also
said
to
the
people, “Tell
every
worker
and
his
helper
that
they
must
stay
inside
Jerusalem
at
night.
By
doing
that,
they
can
guard
us
at
night,
and
they
can
work
{\ADD{
on
the
wall}}
during
the
daytime.”
\VS{23}During
that
time,
none
of
us
ever
took
off
our
clothes (OR,
we
wore
our
clothes
all
the
time)—I
and
my
relatives
and
my
workers
and
the
guards
who
were
with
me.
And
we
had
our
weapons
with
us,
in
our
hands.

\par }\Chap{5}{\SH Nehemiah helped the oppressed people
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{
Later,}}
many
of
the
men
and
their
wives
protested
loudly
about
what
{\ADD{
some
of}}
the
{\ADD{
other}}
Jews
were
doing.
\VS{2}Some/One
of
them
said, “We
have
many
children.
So
we
need
a
lot
of
grain
to
be
able
to
eat
and
continue
to
live.”
\par }{\PP \VS{3}Others
said, “The
fields
and
vineyards
and
houses
that
we
own,
it
has
been
necessary
for
us
to ◄mortgage
them/promise
to
give
them
to
someone
if
we
do
not
pay
back
to
him
the
money
he
has
loaned
us►
in
order
to
get
money
to
buy
grain,
during
this ◄famine/time
where
there
is
not
much
food►.”
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Others
said, “We
have
{\ADD{
needed
to}}
borrow
money
to
pay
the
taxes
that
the
king
{\ADD{
commanded
us
to
pay}}
on
our
fields
and
our
vineyards.
\VS{5}We
are
Jews
just
like [IDM]
they
are.
Our
children
are ◄{\ADD{
just
as
good
as/equal
with►}}
their
children.
But
we
have
needed
to
sell
some
of
our
children
to
become
slaves
{\ADD{
in
order
to
pay
what
we owe}}.
We
have
already
sold
some
of
our
daughters
to
become
slaves.
Our
fields
and
vineyards
have
been
taken
away
from
us,
so
now
we
do
not
have
{\ADD{
the
money
to
pay
what
we owe,
and
we
are
forced
to
sell
our
children
to
get
money
to
pay
those
debts}}.”
\par }{\PP \VS{6}I
was
very
angry
when
I
heard
these
things
that
they
were
complaining
about.
\VS{7}So
I
thought
about
what
I
could
do
about
it.
I
told
the
leaders
and
officials
{\ADD{
who
were
responsible
for
this
work}}, “You
are
charging
interest
to
your
own
relatives
{\ADD{
when
they
borrow
money
from
you}}!”
Then
I
called
together
a
large
group
of
people,
\VS{8}and
I
said
to
their
{\ADD{
leaders}}, “Some
of
our
Jewish
relatives
have
been
forced
to
sell
themselves
to
become
slaves
of
people
who
have
come
from
other
countries.
As
much
as
we
have
been
able
to,
we
have
been
buying
them
back
{\ADD{
out
of
slavery}}.
But
now
you
are
forcing
your
own
relatives
to
sell
themselves
to
you,
their
fellow
Jews,
as
slaves!”
{\ADD{
When
I
said
that
to
them,}}
they
were
silent.
There
was
nothing
that
they
could
say
{\ADD{
because
they
knew
that
what
I
said
was
true}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}Then
I
said
to
them, “What
you
are
doing
is
terrible [EUP]!
You
certainly
ought
to [RHQ]
obey
God
and
do
what
is
right!
If
you
did
that,
our
enemies
who
do
not
revere
Yahweh
{\ADD{
would
see
that
we
are
doing
what
is
right
and}}
would
not
ridicule
us.
\VS{10}My
fellow
Jews
and
I
and
my
servants
have
lent
money
and
grain
to
people
{\ADD{
without
charging
interest}}.
So
you
all
should
stop
charging
interest
on
these
loans.
\VS{11}Also,
you
must
give
back
to
them
their
fields,
their
vineyards,
their
olive
tree
orchards,
and
their
houses
that
you
have
taken
from
them.
You
must
also
give
back
to
them
the
interest
that
you
charged
them
when
they
borrowed
money,
grain,
wine,
and
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil
from
you,
and
you
must
do
it
today!”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}The
leaders
replied, “We
will
do
what
you
have
said.
We
will
return
to
them
everything
that
we
forced
them
to
give
to
us,
and
we
will
not
require
that
they
give
us
anything
more.”
\par }{\PP Then
I
summoned
the
priests,
and
I
forced
the
leaders
to
vow
in
front
of
them
that
they
would
do
what
they
had
promised
to
do.
\VS{13}I
shook
out
the
folds
of
my
robe
and
said
to
them, “If
you
do
not
do
what
you
have
just
now
promised
to
do,
I
hope/desire
that
God
will
shake
you
like
I
am
shaking
my
robe.
He
will
take
away
your
homes
and
everything
else
that
you
own.”
\par }{\PP They
all
replied, “Amen/May
it
be
so!”
And
they
praised
Yahweh.
Then
they
did
what
they
had
promised
to
do.
\par }{\PP \VS{14}I
was
appointed
to
be
the
governor
of
Judea
in
the
twentieth
year
that
Artaxerxes
was
the
king
{\ADD{
of
Persia}}.
For
the
next
twelve
years,
until
he
had
been
ruling
for
almost 32
years,
neither
I
nor
my
officials
accepted
{\ADD{
the
money
that
we
were
allowed/entitled
to
receive
to
buy}}
food
because
of
my
being
the
governor.
\VS{15}The
men
who
were
governors
before
I
became
the
governor
had
burdened
the
people
by
requiring
them
to
pay
a
lot
of
taxes.
They
had
forced
each
person
to
pay
to
them 40
silver coins
every
day,
in
addition
to
giving
food
and
wine
to
them.
Even
their
servants/officials
oppressed
the
people.
But
I
did
not
do
that,
because
I
revered
God.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}I
also
continued
to
work
on
the
wall,
and
I
did
not
take
land
from
people
{\ADD{
who
were
unable
to
pay
back
the
money
that
they
had
borrowed
from
me}}.
All
those
who
worked
for
me
joined
me
to
work
on
the
wall.
\VS{17}Also,
every
day
I
was
responsible
to
feed 150
Jewish
officials,
and
also
{\ADD{
official}}
visitors
who
came
from
nearby
countries.
\VS{18}Each
day
I
{\ADD{
told
my
servants
to}}
serve
{\ADD{
us
the
meat
from}}
one
ox,
six
very
good
sheep,
and chickens.
And
every
ten
days
I
gave
them
a
large
new
supply
of
wine.
But
I
knew
that
the
people
were
burdened
{\ADD{
by
paying
lots
of
taxes}},
so
I
did
not
accept
{\ADD{
the
money
that
I
was entitled/allowed
to
receive
to
buy
all
this}}
food
because
of
my
being
the
governor.
\par }{\PP \VS{19}My
God,
do
not
forget
me,
and
reward
me
because
of
all
that
I
have
done
for
these
people.

\par }\Chap{6}{\SH Plots against Nehemiah
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}Sanballat,
Tobiah,
Geshem,
and
our
other
enemies
heard
{\ADD{
a
report}}
that
we
had
finished
rebuilding
the
wall,
and
that
now
there
were
no
more ◄gaps/places
where
the
wall
was
not
finished► (although
we
had
not
yet
put
the
doors
in
the
gates).
\VS{2}So
Sanballat
and
Geshem
sent
{\ADD{
a
message}}
to
me,
in
which
they
said “Come
and
talk
with
us
at
a
place
in
Ono
Plain
{\ADD{
north
of
Jerusalem}}.”
But
{\ADD{
I
knew
that}}
really
they
wanted
to
harm
me
{\ADD{
if
I
went
there}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}So
I
sent
messengers
to
them,
to
tell
them, “I
am
doing
an
important
work,
and
I
cannot
go
down
{\ADD{
there}}. ◄Why
should
I
stop
doing
this
work
just
to
go
down
to
{\ADD{
talk
with}}
you?/I
do
not
want
to
stop
doing
this
work
just
to
go
down
to
{\ADD{
talk
with}}
you.►” [RHQ]
\VS{4}They
sent
me
the
same
message
four
times,
and
each
time
when
I
replied
to
them
I
said
the
same
thing.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}Then
Sanballat
sent
one
of
his
servants
to
me,
bringing
a
fifth
message.
This
one
was
written,
but
it
was
not
sealed.
{\ADD{
He
did
that
in
order
that
others
would
read
the
message
that
the
servant
was
carrying}}
in
his
hand.
\VS{6}This
is
what
was
written
in
the
message:
\par }{\PI “Some
people
in
the
nearby
countries
have
heard
a
report
that
you
and
the
other
Jews
are
rebuilding
the
wall
{\ADD{
in
order
to
be
able
to
resist
attacks}},
because
you
are
planning
to
revolt
{\ADD{
against
the
king
of
Babylon}}.
And
the
report
also
says
that
you
are
planning
to
become
the
king
{\ADD{
of
the Israelis}}.
Geshem
says
that
what
they
have
reported
is
true.
\VS{7}{\ADD{
People
are
also
saying
that}}
you
have
appointed
some
prophets
to
proclaim
in
Jerusalem
that
you,
{\ADD{
Nehemiah,}}
are
now
the
king
in
Judea.
King
{\ADD{
Artaxerxes}}
will
certainly
hear
these
reports,
{\ADD{
and
then
you
will
be
in
big
trouble}}.
So
I suggest
that
we
should
meet
together
to
talk
about
this
matter.”
\par }{\PP \VS{8}{\ADD{
When
I
read
that
message,}}
I
sent
{\ADD{
the
messenger}}
back
to
Sanballat
to
say, “None
of
what
you
are
saying
is
true.
You
have ◄made
this
up/concocted
this►
in
your
own
head/mind.”
\VS{9}{\ADD{
I
said
that
because
I
knew
that}}
they
were
trying
to
cause
us
to
be
afraid,
with
the
result
that
we
would
stop
working
{\ADD{
on
the
wall}}.
So
I
actually
became
more
determined (OR,
I
prayed
to
God
to
help
me)
{\ADD{
to
continue
the
work}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{10}{\ADD{
One
day}}
I
went
to
talk
with
Shemaiah,
son
of
Delaiah
and
grandson
of
Mehetabel.
I
went
to
talk
with
him
in
his
house,
because
he
was
not
able (OR,
allowed)
to
leave
his
house.
He
said
to
me, “You
and
I
must
enter
the
very
sacred
place
in
the
temple
and
lock
the
doors,
because
people
are
going
to
come
to
kill
you
at
night.”
\par }{\PP \VS{11}I
replied, “I ◄am
not
that
kind
of
person/do
not
do
things
like
that► [RHQ]!
I
would
not
run
and
hide
in
the
temple
to
save
my
life!
No,
I
will
not
do
that!”
\VS{12}When
I
thought
{\ADD{
about
what
he
had
said}},
I
realized
that
God
had
not
told
Shemaiah
to
say
that
to
me.
I
realized
that
Tobiah
and
Sanballat
had bribed
him
{\ADD{
to
say
that
to
me}}.
\VS{13}They
had bribed
him
to
cause
me
to
be
afraid.
They
wanted
me
to
{\ADD{
disobey
God’s
commands
and}}
sin
{\ADD{
by
hiding
in
the
temple}}.
If
I
did
that,
they
would
be
able
to
ruin
my
reputation [MTY]
and discredit
me.
\par }{\PP \VS{14}{\ADD{
So
I
prayed,}} “My
God,
do
not
forget
what
Tobiah
and
Sanballat
have
done.
Punish
them.
And
do
not
forget
that
the
female
prophet
Noadiah
and
some
of
the
other
prophets
have
also
tried
to
cause
me
to
be
afraid.”
\par }{\SH They
finished
building
the
wall
\par }{\PP \VS{15}On October 2
we
finished
rebuilding
the
wall.
We
did
it
all
in 52
days.
\VS{16}When
our
enemies
in
the
nearby
countries
heard
about
that,
they
realized
that
they
had
been
humiliated,
because
everyone
knew
that
it
was
because
God
helped
us
that
we
had
been
able
to
do
this
work
{\ADD{
and
that
they
had
not
been
able
to
force
us
to
quit}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{17}During
this
time,
the
Jewish
leaders
had
been
sending
many
messages/letters
to
Tobiah,
and
Tobiah
had
been
sending
messages
back
to
them.
\VS{18}Many
people
in
Judea
were
closely
associated
with
Tobiah,
because
he
was
the
son-in-law
of
Shecaniah
the
son
of
Arah.
Furthermore,
Tobiah’s
son
Jehohanan
had
married
the
daughter
of
Meshullam
the
son
of Berekiah.
\VS{19}People
often
talked
in
my
presence
about
all
the
good
things
that
Tobiah
had
done,
and
then
they
would
tell
him
everything
that
I
said.
So
Tobiah
sent
many
letters
to
me
to
try
to
cause
me
to
become
afraid.

\par }\Chap{7}{\PP \VerseOne{1}After
the
wall
had
been
finished
and
we
had
put
the
gates
in
their
places,
we
assigned
to
the
temple
guards
and
to
the
members
of
the
{\ADD{
sacred}}
choir
and
the
other
descendants
of
Levi
the
work
that
they
were
to
do.
\VS{2}I
appointed
two
men
to
{\ADD{
help
me
to}}
govern
Jerusalem,
my
brother
Hanani
and
Hananiah
who
was
the
commander
of
the
fortress
{\ADD{
in
Jerusalem}}.
Hananiah
always
did
his
work reliably,
and
he
revered
God
more
than
most
other
people
do.
\VS{3}I
said
to
them, “Do
not
open
the
gates
of
Jerusalem
until
late
each
morning.
And
close
the
gates
and
put
the
bars
across
the
doors
{\ADD{◄late
in
each
afternoon/before
sunset►}}
while
the
gatekeepers
are
still
guarding
the
gates.”
I
also
told
them
to
appoint
some
people
who
lived
in
Jerusalem
to
be
guards
{\ADD{
on
the
wall}},
and
to
assign
some
of
them
to
be
guards
at
certain
other
places
and
to
assign
others
to
guard
the
area
close
to
their
own
houses.
\par }{\SH A
list
of
those
who
returned
to
Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VS{4}The
city
{\ADD{
of
Jerusalem}}
covered
a
large
area,
but
{\ADD{
at
that
time}}
not
many
people
lived
in
the
city,
and
they
had
not
built
many
new
houses
yet [HYP].
\VS{5}{\ADD{
To
defend
the
city,
we
needed
more
people
there.}}
Then
God
gave
me
the
idea
to
summon
the
leaders
and
officials
and
{\ADD{
other}}
people,
and
to
look
in
the
books
{\ADD{
in
which
were
written
the
names}}
of
all
the
people
and
their
clans.
So
I
found
the
records
of
the
people
who
had
first
returned
from
Babylonia.
This
is
what
I
found
written
in
those
records:
\par }{\PI \VS{6}◄This
is
a
list/Here
are
the
names►
of
the
people
who
returned
to
Jerusalem
and
to
other
places
in
Judea.
They
had
been
living
in
Babylonia
since
King Nebuchadnezzar’s
army
had
captured
their
relatives/ancestors
and
took
them
to
Babylonia.
But
they
had
returned
to
Judea
and
were
living
in
the
towns
{\ADD{
where
their
ancestors
had
lived}}.
\VS{7}Their
leaders
were
Zerubbabel,
Joshua,
Azariah,
Raamiah,
Nahamani,
Mordecai,
Bilshan,
Mispereth,
Bigvai,
Nehum,
Baanah,
and
me.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI This
is
a
list
of
the
number
of
men
in
each
clan
who
returned:
\par }{\LIB \VS{8}2,172
men
from
the
clan
of
Parosh;
\par }{\LIB \VS{9}372
men
from
the
clan
of
Shephatiah;
\par }{\LIB \VS{10}652
men
from
the
clan
of
Arah;
\par }{\LIB \VS{11}2,818
men
from
the
clan
of
Pahath-Moab,
who
are
descendants
of
Jeshua
and
Joab;
\par }{\LIB \VS{12}1,254
men
from
the
clan
of
Elam;
\par }{\LIB \VS{13}845
men
from
the
clan
of
Zattu;
\par }{\LIB \VS{14}760
men
from
the
clan
of
Zaccai;
\par }{\LIB \VS{15}648
men
from
the
clan
of
Bani (OR,
Binnui);
\par }{\LIB \VS{16}628
men
from
the
clan
of
Bebai;
\par }{\LIB \VS{17}2,322
men
from
the
clan
of
Azgad;
\par }{\LIB \VS{18}667
men
from
the
clan
of
Adonikam;
\par }{\LIB \VS{19}2,067
men
from
the
clan
of
Bigvai;
\par }{\LIB \VS{20}655
men
from
the
clan
of
Adin;
\par }{\LIB \VS{21}98
men
from
the
clan
of
Ater,
whose
other
name
is
Hezekiah;
\par }{\LIB \VS{22}328
men
from
the
clan
of
Hashum;
\par }{\LIB \VS{23}324
men
from
the
clan
of
Bezai;
\par }{\LIB \VS{24}112
men
from
the
clan
of
Hariph,
{\ADD{
whose
other
name
is
Jorah}};
\par }{\LIB \VS{25}95
men
from
the
clan
of
Gibeon,
{\ADD{
whose
other
name
is
Gibbar}}.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{26}Men
whose
ancestors
had
lived
in
these
towns
also
returned:
\par }{\LIB 188
men
from
Bethlehem
and
Netophah
\par }{\LIB \VS{27}128
men
from
Anathoth;
\par }{\LIB \VS{28}42
men
from
Beth-Azmaveth
\par }{\LIB \VS{29}743
men
from
Kiriath-Jearim,
Kephirah
and
Beeroth;
\par }{\LIB \VS{30}621
men
from
Ramah
and
Geba;
\par }{\LIB \VS{31}122
men
from
Micmash;
\par }{\LIB \VS{32}123
men
from
Bethel
and
Ai;
\par }{\LIB \VS{33}52
men
from
Nebo;
\par }{\LIB \VS{34}1,254
from
Elam;
\par }{\LIB \VS{35}320
from
Harim;
\par }{\LIB \VS{36}345
from
Jericho;
\par }{\LIB \VS{37}721
from
Lod,
Hadid,
and
Ono;
\par }{\LIB \VS{38}3,930
from
Senaah.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI The
following
priests
also
returned:
\par }{\LIB \VS{39}973
from
the
clan
of
Jedaiah
who
are
descendants
of
Jeshua;
\par }{\LIB \VS{40}1,052
from
the
clan
of
Immer;
\par }{\LIB \VS{41}1,247
from
the
clan
of
Pashhur;
\par }{\LIB \VS{42}1,017
from
the
clan
of
Harim.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{43}{\ADD{
Other}}
descendants
of
Levi
who
returned
were:
\par }{\LIB 74
from
the
clan
of
Jeshua
and
Kadmiel,
who
are
descendants
of
Hodevah
{\ADD{
who
is
also
known
as
Hodaviah}};
\par }{\LIB \VS{44}148
singers
who
are
descendants
of
Asaph.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{45}Also 138
temple
gatekeepers
from
the
clans
of
Shallum,
Ater,
Talmon,
Akkub,
Hatita,
and
Shobai
returned.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{46}Temple
workers
who
returned
were
descendants
of
these
men:
\par }{\LIB Ziha,
Hasupha,
Tabbaoth,
\par }{\LIB \VS{47}Keros,
Sia
{\ADD{
who
is
also
known
as
Siaha}},
Padon,
\par }{\LIB \VS{48}Lebanah,
Hagabah,
Shalmai,
\par }{\LIB \VS{49}Hanan,
Giddel,
Gahar,
\par }{\LIB \VS{50}Reaiah,
Rezin,
Nekoda,
\par }{\LIB \VS{51}Gazzam,
Uzza,
Paseah,
\par }{\LIB \VS{52}Besai,
Meunim, Ephusesim
{\ADD{
who
is
also
called
Nephusim}},
\par }{\LIB \VS{53}Bakbuk,
Hakupha,
Harhur,
\par }{\LIB \VS{54}Bazlith
{\ADD{
who
is
also
called
Bazluth}},
Mehida,
Harsha,
\par }{\LIB \VS{55}Barkos,
Sisera,
Temah,
\par }{\LIB \VS{56}Neziah,
and
Hatipha.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{57}Descendants
of
the
servants
of
King
Solomon
who
returned
were:
\par }{\LIB Sotai,
Sophereth
{\ADD{
who
is
also
called
Hassophereth}},
Perida
{\ADD{
who
is
also
known
as
Peruda}},
\par }{\LIB \VS{58}Jaalah,
Darkon,
Giddel,
\par }{\LIB \VS{59}Shephatiah,
Hattil,
Pokereth-hazzebaim,
and
Amon.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{60}Altogether,
there
were 392
temple
workers
and
descendants
of
Solomon’s
servants
who
returned.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{61-62}Another
group
of 642
people
from
the
clans
of
Delaiah,
Tobiah,
and
Nekoda
also
returned.
They
came
from
the
towns
of
Tel-Melah,
Tel-Harsha,
Kerub,
Addan ({\ADD{
which
is
also
known
as
Addon}}),
and
Immer
{\ADD{
in
Babylonia}}.
But
they
could
not
prove
that
they
were
descendants
of Israelis.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{63}Priests
from
the
clans
of
Hobaiah,
Hakkoz,
and
Barzillai
also
returned.
Barzillai
had
married
a
woman
who
is
a
descendant
of
{\ADD{
a
man
named}}
Barzillai
from
{\ADD{
the}}
Gilead
{\ADD{
region}},
and
he
had
taken
his
wife’s
family
name.
\VS{64}They
searched
in
the
records
that
contained
the
names
of
people’s
ancestors,
but
they
could
not
find
the
names
of
those
clans,
so
they
were
not
allowed
to
have
the
rights
and
duties
that
priests
have
right
away.
\VS{65}The
governor
told
them
that
before
they
could
eat
the
food
offered
as
sacrifices,
a
priest
should
use
the
marked
stones
{\ADD{
to
find
out
what
God
said
about
their
being
priests}}.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{66}Altogether,
there
were 42,360
people
who
returned
to
Judea.
\VS{67}There
were
also 7,337
of
their
servants,
and 245
singers,
which
included
men
and
women.
\VS{68}The Israelis
also
brought
back
{\ADD{
from
Babylonia}} 736
horses, 245
mules,
\VS{69}435
camels,
and 6,720
donkeys.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{70}Some
of
the
leaders
of
the
clans
gave
gifts
for
the
work
{\ADD{
of
rebuilding
the
temple}}.
I,
being
the
governor,
gave ◄17
pounds/8.6 kg.►
of
gold, 50
bowls
{\ADD{
to
be
used
in
the
temple}},
and 530
robes
for
the
priests.
\VS{71}Some
of
the
leaders
of
the
clans
gave
a
total
of ◄337
pounds/153 kg.►
of
gold,
and ◄3,215
pounds/1,460 kg.►
of
silver.
\VS{72}The
rest
of
the
people
gave
a
total
of ◄337
pounds/153 kg.►
of
gold, ◄2,923
pounds/1,330 kg.►
of
silver,
and 67
robes
for
the
priests.
\par }{\PI \VS{73}So
the
priests,
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
helped
the
priests}},
the
temple
guards,
the
musicians,
the
temple
workers,
and
many
ordinary
people,
who
were
all Israelis,
started
to
live
in
the
towns
and
cities
of
Judea
{\ADD{
where
their
ancestors
had
lived}}.

\par }\Chap{8}{\SH Ezra read from the laws of Moses
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1-2}Ezra,
who
taught
people
the
laws
of
Moses,
{\ADD{
had
a
scroll
on
which}}
the
laws
of
Moses
were
written.
Those
were
the
laws
that
Yahweh
had
commanded
the Israeli
people
{\ADD{
to
obey}}.
On October 8
of
that
year,
all
the
people
gathered
together
in
the
plaza/square
that
was
close
to
the
Water
Gate.
Men
and
women
and
{\ADD{
children}}
who
{\ADD{
were
old
enough
to}}
understand
gathered
together.
Someone
told
Ezra
to
bring
out
that
scroll.
\VS{3}So
he
brought
it
out
and
read
it
to
the
people.
He
started
reading
it
early
in
the
morning
and
continued
reading
it
until noontime.
All
the
people
listened
carefully
to
the
laws
that
were
written
on
the
scroll.
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Ezra
stood
on
top
of
a
high
wooden
platform
that
had
been
built
just
for
that
event.
At
his
right
side
stood
Mattithiah,
Shema,
Anaiah,
Uriah,
Hilkiah,
and
Maaseiah.
At
his
left
side
stood
Pedaiah,
Mishael,
Malkijah,
Hashum,
Hashbaddanah,
Zechariah,
and
Meshullam.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}Ezra
stood
on
the
platform
above
the
people,
where
they
could
all
see
him.
He
opened
the
scroll;
and
as
he
did
that,
all
the
people
stood
up,
{\ADD{
and
they
continued
to
stand,
to
show
respect
for
God’s
word}}.
\VS{6}Then
Ezra
praised
Yahweh,
the
great
God,
and
all
the
people
lifted
up
their
hands
and
said, “Amen!
Amen!”
Then
they
all
bowed
down
with
their
foreheads
touching
the
ground,
and
they
worshiped
Yahweh.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}Jeshua,
Bani,
Sherebiah,
Jamin,
Akkub,
Shabbethai,
Hodiah,
Maaseiah,
Kelita,
Azariah,
Jozabad,
Hanan,
and
Pelaiah,
were
all ◄Levites/men
who
worked
in
the
temple►.
They
explained
the
meaning
of
the
laws
of
Moses
to
the
people
who
were
standing
there.
\VS{8}They
also
read
from scrolls
that
contained
the
laws
that
God
{\ADD{
gave
to
Moses}},
and
they
interpreted
{\ADD{
into
the
Aramaic
language}}
what
they
read,
making
the
meaning
clear
so
that
the
people
could
understand
the
meaning.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}Then
I,
Nehemiah
the
governor,
and
Ezra,
and
the
Levites
who
were
interpreting
what
was
being
read
to
the
people,
said
to
them, “Yahweh
your
God
considers
that
this
day
is
very
holy/sacred.
So
do
not
be
sad
or
cry!”
They
said
that
because
all
the
people
were
crying
as
they
were
listening
to
the
laws
of
Moses.
\par }{\PP \VS{10}Then
I
said
to
them, “Now
go
home
and
enjoy
{\ADD{
some}}
good
food
and
drink
{\ADD{
some}}
sweet
wine.
And
send
some
of
it
to
people
who
do
not
have
anything
{\ADD{
to
eat
or
drink}}.
This
is
a
day
that
Yahweh
considers
sacred.
Do
not
be
sad!
Yahweh
will
cause
you
to
be
joyful
and
make
you
strong.”
\par }{\PP \VS{11}The
Levites
also
caused
the
people
to
be
quiet,
saying “Be
quiet
{\ADD{
and
do
not
cry}},
because
this
is
a
sacred
day!
Do
not
be
sad!”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}So
the
people
went
away,
and
they
ate
and
drank,
and
they
sent
portions
of
food
{\ADD{
to
those
who
did
not
have
any}}.
They
celebrated
very
joyfully,
because
they
had
heard
and
understood
what
had
been
read
to
them.
\par }{\PP \VS{13}The
next
day,
the
leaders
of
the
families
and
the
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
met
with
Ezra
to
study
carefully
the
laws
that
Yahweh
had
given
to
Moses.
\VS{14}While
they
were
doing
that,
they
realized
that
Yahweh
had
told
Moses
to
command
the Israeli
people
to
live
in
shelters
during
that
month,
{\ADD{
to
remember
that
their
ancestors
lived
in
shelters
when
they
left
Egypt}}.
\VS{15}They
also
learned
that
they
should
proclaim
in
Jerusalem
and
in
all
the
towns
that
the
people
should
go
to
the
hills
and
cut
branches
from
olive
trees
{\ADD{
that
they
have
planted}}
and
from
wild
olive
trees
and
from
myrtle
trees
and
palm
trees
and
fig
trees.
They
should
make
shelters
from
these
branches,
and
live
in
those
shelters
during
the
festival,
just
as
Moses
wrote
{\ADD{
that
they
should
do}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}So
the
people
went
out
{\ADD{
of
the
city}}
and
cut
branches
and
used
them
to
build
shelters.
They
built
shelters
on
the
{\ADD{
flat}}
roofs
{\ADD{
of
their
houses}},
in
their
courtyards,
in
the
courtyards
of
the
temple,
and
in
the
plazas/squares
close
to
the
Water
Gate
and
the
Ephraim
Gate.
\VS{17}All
of
the Israeli
people
who
had
returned
from
Babylon
built
shelters
and
lived
in
them
{\ADD{
for
one
week}}.
The Israeli
people
had
not
celebrated
that
festival
like
that
since
the
time
that
Joshua
lived.
And
they
were
very
joyful.
\par }{\PP \VS{18}Every
day
during
that
week
Ezra
read
to
the
people
from
the
scroll
that
contained
the
laws
that
God
{\ADD{
gave
Moses}}.
Then
on
the
eighth
day,
just
as
one
of
the
laws
of
God
said
that
they
should
do,
they
gathered
together
to
end
the
celebration.

\par }\Chap{9}{\SH The people confessed their sins
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}On October 31,
the
people
gathered
together
again.
They ◄fasted/abstained
from
eating
food►,
they
wore
clothes
made
from
rough
cloth,
and
they
put
dirt
on
their
heads
{\ADD{
to
show
that
they
were
sorry
for
their
sins}}.
\VS{2}The Israeli
people
separated
themselves
from
all
the
foreigners.
They
stood
there
and
confessed
their
sins
and
the
sins
that
their
ancestors
had
committed.
\VS{3}The
scroll
that
contained
the
laws
of
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
they
{\ADD{
worshiped}},
was
read
to
them
for
three
hours.
Then
for
three
more
hours
they
confessed
their
sins
and
they
worshiped
Yahweh.
\VS{4}{\ADD{
Some
of}}
the
descendants
of
Levi
were
standing
on
the
stairs.
They
were
Jeshua,
Bani,
Kadmiel,
Shebaniah,
Bunni,
Sherebiah,
{\ADD{
another}}
Bani,
and Kenani.
\VS{5}Then
{\ADD{
the
leaders
of}}
the
Levites
called
out
to
the
people.
They
were
Jeshua,
Bani,
Hashabneiah,
Sherebiah,
Hodiah,
Shebaniah,
and
Pethahiah.
They
said, “While
you
are
standing
there,
praise
Yahweh
your
God,
who
has
always
lived
and
will
live
forever!”
\par }{\PP {\ADD{
Then
one
of
them
continued
by
praying
this
to
God}},
\par }{\PI “Yahweh,
we
praise
your
glorious
name!
You
are
much
greater
than
anything
that
we
can
think
about
or
talk
about!
\par }{\PI \VS{6}“You
only
are
God.
You
made
the
sky
and
the
heavens
and
all
the
stars.
You
made
the
earth
and
everything
that
is
on
it,
and
you
made
the
seas/oceans
and
everything
that
is
in
them.
You
are
the
one
who
gives
life
to
everything
and
helps
them
remain
alive.
All
the
angels
who
are
in
heaven
worship
you.
\par }{\PI \VS{7}“Yahweh,
you
are
God.
You
chose
Abram
and
brought
him
out
of
Ur
{\ADD{
city}}
in
Chaldea
{\ADD{
region}}.
You
gave
him
a
new
name,
Abraham.
\VS{8}You
saw
that
he
was
trustworthy.
Then
you
made ◄an
agreement
with/a
promise
to►
him,
saying
that
you
would
give
{\ADD{
to
him
and}}
to
his
descendants
the
land
that
the
descendants
of
Canaan,
Heth, Amor, Periz,
Jebus,
and Girgash
lived
in.
And
you
have
done
what
you
promised,
because
you
always
do
what
is
right.
\par }{\PI \VS{9}“You
saw
what
our
ancestors
were
suffering
in
Egypt.
You
heard
them
cry
to
you
for
help
when
they
were
at
the
Red
Sea.
\VS{10}Because
you
knew
that
the
leaders
of
Egypt
were treating
our
ancestors
very
arrogantly,
you
performed
many
kinds
of
miracles
that
caused
the
king
and
his
officials
and
all
his
people
to
suffer.
As
a
result,
you
became
famous
then,
and
you
are
still
famous!
\VS{11}You
caused
the
Red
Sea
to
divide,
with
the
result
that
your
people
walked
through
it
on
the
ground
without
{\ADD{
getting
their
feet}}
wet.
{\ADD{
After
they
were
all
safely
on
the
other
side,}}
you
{\ADD{
caused
the
water
to
come
back
again}},
and
you
hurled
into
the
deep
water
the
{\ADD{
soldiers
of
the
Egyptian
army}}
that
were
pursuing
our
ancestors.
Their
soldiers
sank
into
the
deep
sea
like
stones!
\VS{12}During
each
day
you
led
our
ancestors
with
a
bright
cloud
that
resembled
a
huge
pillar,
and
each
night
you
led
them
by
a
flaming
cloud
that
gave
them
light
to
show
them
where
to
walk.
\par }{\PI \VS{13}“When
our
ancestors
were
at
Sinai
Mountain,
you
came
down
from
heaven
and
spoke
to
them.
You
gave
them
many
regulations
and
instructions
that
are
just
and
reliable,
and
you
gave
them
commands
and
laws
that
are
good.
\VS{14}You
taught
them
about
your
holy ◄Sabbath/day
of
rest►,
and
you
gave
many
kinds
of
laws
to
your
servant
Moses
for
him
to
tell
to
the
people.
\VS{15}When
they
were
hungry,
you
gave
them
manna
from
the
sky;
and
when
they
were
thirsty,
you
gave
them
water
from
a
rock.
You
commanded
them
to
go
and
take,
from
the
people
who
lived
there,
the
land
which
you
had
promised
to
give
to
them.
\par }{\PI \VS{16}“But
our
ancestors
were
very
proud
and
stubborn [IDM],
and
they
did
not
do
what
you
commanded
them
to
do.
\VS{17}They
refused
to
heed
you,
and
they
forgot
about
all
the
miracles
that
you
had
performed
for
them.
Instead,
they
became
stubborn [IDM],
and
they
appointed
someone
to
lead
them
back
to
Egypt,
where
they
would
be
slaves
again!
But
you
are
a
God
who
forgives
us
and
who
is
kind
and
merciful
{\ADD{
to
us}}.
You
do
not
quickly
become
angry.
You
always
faithfully
love
us.
\VS{18}So,
even
though
their
{\ADD{
leaders}}
made
an
idol
that
resembled
a
calf
and
insulted
you
by
saying
{\ADD{
about
the
idol}}, ‘This
is
our
god,
who
brought
you
up
out
of
Egypt,’
you
did
not
desert
them.
\par }{\PI \VS{19}“Because
you
always
act mercifully,
you
did
not
abandon
them
when
they
were
in
the
desert.
The
bright
cloud
which
was
like
a
huge
pillar
continued
to
lead
them
during
the
daytime,
and
the
fiery
cloud
showed
them
where
to
walk
at
night.
\VS{20}You
sent
your
good
Spirit
to
instruct
them.
You
continued
to
provide
water
when
they
were
thirsty.
\VS{21}For 40
years
you
took
care
of
them
in
the
desert.
During
all
that
time,
they
had
everything
{\ADD{
that
they
needed}}.
Their
clothes
did
not
wear
out,
and
their
feet
did
not
swell
up
{\ADD{
even
though
they
were
continually
walking}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{22}“You
helped
our
ancestors
to
defeat
armies
of
great
kings
who
ruled
many people-groups.
By
doing
that,
you
enabled
our
ancestors
to ◄occupy/live
in►
even
the
most
distant
places
in
this
land.
They
occupied
the
land
over
which
King
Sihon
ruled
from
Heshbon
{\ADD{
city}}
and
the
land
over
which
King
Og
ruled
in
{\ADD{
the}}
Bashan
{\ADD{
area}}.
\VS{23}You
caused
our ancestors’
descendants
to
become
as
numerous
as
the
stars
in
the
sky,
and
you
brought
them
into
this
land,
the
land
that
you
told
their
fathers
to
enter
and
occupy.
\VS{24}Their
sons
went
in
and
took
the
land
{\ADD{
from
the
people
that
lived
there}}.
You
enabled
them
to
defeat
the
descendants
of
Canaan
who
lived
here
in
this
land.
You
enabled
them
to
conquer
the
descendants
of
Canaan
and
their
kings
and
the
people
whom
they
ruled.
You
enabled
our
ancestors
to
do
to
those
people
whatever
they
wanted
to
do.
\VS{25}Our
ancestors
captured
cities
that
had
walls
around
them,
and
they
took
possession
of
fertile
land.
They
took
possession
of
houses
that
were
full
of
good
things,
where
there
were
wells
that
were
already
dug.
They
took
possession
of
many
vineyards
and
groves
of
olive
trees
and
fruit
trees.
They
ate
all
that
they
wanted
to
and
became
fat.
They
were
delighted
in
all
these
good
things
that
you
gave
to
them.
\par }{\PI \VS{26}“But
they
disobeyed
you
and
rebelled
against
you.
They ◄turned
their
backs
on/rejected►
your
laws.
They
killed
the
prophets
who
warned
them
that
they
should
return
to
you.
They
badly
insulted
you.
\VS{27}So
you
allowed
their
enemies
to
defeat
them.
But
when
their
enemies
caused
them
to
suffer,
they
called
out
to
you.
You
heard
them
from
heaven,
and
because
you
are
very
merciful,
you
sent
them
people
to
help
them,
and
those
leaders
rescued
them
from
their
enemies.
\par }{\PI \VS{28}“But
after
there
was
a
time
of
peace
again,
our
ancestors
again
did
things
that
displeased
you.
So
again
you
allowed
their
enemies
to
conquer
them.
But
whenever
they
cried
out
to
you
again
{\ADD{
to
help
them}},
you
heard
them
from
heaven,
and
because
you
act mercifully,
you
rescued
them
many
times.
\par }{\PI \VS{29}“You
warned
them
that
they
should
again
{\ADD{
obey}}
your
laws,
but
they
became
proud
and
stubborn,
and
they
disobeyed
your
commands.
They
sinned
by disobeying
what
you
commanded
them
to
do,
the
things
that
would
enable
them
to
live
a
good
long
life
{\ADD{
if
they
obeyed
them}}.
They
stubbornly
refused [IDM]
to
listen
to
you
and
continued
sinning.
\VS{30}You
were
patient
with
them
for
many
years.
You
warned
them
trough
{\ADD{
the
messages}}
your
Spirit
gave
to
the
prophets.
But
they
did
not ◄heed/pay
attention
to►
those
messages.
So
again
you
allowed
{\ADD{
the
armies
of}}
other
nations
to
defeat
them.
\VS{31}But
because
you
act
very mercifully,
you
did
not
get
rid
of
them
completely
or
abandon
them
{\ADD{
forever}}.
You
are
a
very
gracious/kind
and
merciful
God!
\par }{\PI \VS{32}“Our
God,
you
are
great!
You
are
mighty!
You
are
awesome!
You
faithfully
love
us
as
{\ADD{
you
promised
in}}
your
agreement
with
us
that
you
would
do!
But
now
we
are
experiencing
great difficulties/hardships.
Great
troubles
have
come
to
us,
to
our
kings,
to
our
{\ADD{
other}}
leaders,
to
our
priests,
and
to
our
prophets.
We
have
been
experiencing
these
troubles
since
{\ADD{
the
armies
of}}
the
kings
of
Assyria
{\ADD{
conquered
us}},
and
we
are
still
experiencing
them.
We
ask
that
you
sincerely
think
about [LIT]
all
these
things.
\VS{33}{\ADD{
We
know
that}}
you
acted
justly
each
time
that
you
punished
us.
We
have
sinned
greatly,
but
you
have
treated
us
fairly.
\VS{34}Our
kings
and
other
leaders
and
our
priests
and
our
other
ancestors
did
not
obey
your
laws.
They
did
not
heed
your
commands
or
the
warnings
that
you
gave
to
them.
\VS{35}Even
when
they
had
their
own
kings,
and
they
enjoyed
the
good
things
that
you
did
for
them
in
this
large
and
fertile
land
that
you
gave
to
them,
they
did
not
serve
you.
They
refused
to
quit
doing
what
was
evil.
\par }{\PI \VS{36}“So
now
we
are
{\ADD{
like}}
slaves
here
in
this
land
that
you
gave
to
our
ancestors,
the
land
that
you
gave
to
them
in
order
that
they
could
enjoy
all
the
good
things
that
grow
here.
\VS{37}Because
we
have
sinned,
{\ADD{
we
cannot
eat
the
things
that
grow
here}}.
The
kings
that
now
rule
over
us
are enjoying
the
things
that
grow
here.
They
rule
us
and
{\ADD{
take}}
our
cattle.
We
have
to
serve
them
and
do
the
things
that
please
them.
We
are
experiencing
great
misery/distress.
\par }{\SH The
people’s
agreement
\par }{\PP \VS{38}“However,
we
{\ADD{Israeli}}
people
now
are
making
an
agreement/promise
{\ADD{
to
obey
you}},
and
we
are
writing
this
agreement/promise
{\ADD{
on
a
scroll}}.
We
will
write
on
it
the
names
of
our
leaders
and
the
names
of
the
Levites
and
the
names
of
the
priests,
and
then
we
will
seal
it.”

\par }\Chap{10}{\SH Those who signed the agreement
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}◄This
is
a
list/These
are
the
names►
of
those
who
signed
the
agreement:
\par }{\BB \par }{\LI I,
Nehemiah,
the
governor;
and
also
Zedekiah.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{2}The
priests
who
signed
it
were:
\par }{\LI Seraiah,
Azariah,
Jeremiah,
\par }{\LI \VS{3}Pashhur,
Amariah,
Malkijah,
\par }{\LI \VS{4}Hattush,
Shebaniah,
Malluch,
\par }{\LI \VS{5}Harim,
Meremoth,
Obadiah,
\par }{\LI \VS{6}Daniel,
Ginnethon,
Baruch,
\par }{\LI \VS{7}Meshullam,
Abijah,
Mijamin,
\par }{\LI \VS{8}Maaziah,
Bilgai,
and
Shemaiah.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{9}The
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
who
signed
it
were:
\par }{\LI Jeshua
the
son
of
Azaniah,
Binnui
from
the
clan
of
Henadad,
Kadmiel,
\par }{\LI \VS{10}Shebaniah,
Hodiah,
Kelita,
Pelaiah,
Hanan,
\par }{\LI \VS{11}Mica,
Rehob,
Hashabiah,
\par }{\LI \VS{12}Zaccur,
Sherebiah,
Shebaniah,
\par }{\LI \VS{13}Hodiah,
Bani,
and
Beninu.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{14}The Israeli
leaders
who
signed
it
were:
\par }{\LI Parosh,
Pahath-Moab,
Elam,
Zattu,
Bani,
\par }{\LI \VS{15}Bunni,
Azgad,
Bebai,
\par }{\LI \VS{16}Adonijah,
Bigvai,
Adin,
\par }{\LI \VS{17}Ater,
Hezekiah,
Azzur,
\par }{\LI \VS{18}Hodiah,
Hashum,
Bezai,
\par }{\LI \VS{19}Hariph,
Anathoth,
Nebai,
\par }{\LI \VS{20}Magpiash,
Meshullam,
Hezir,
\par }{\LI \VS{21}Meshezabel,
Zadok,
Jaddua,
\par }{\LI \VS{22}Pelatiah,
Hanan,
Anaiah,
\par }{\LI \VS{23}Hoshea,
Hananiah,
Hasshub,
\par }{\LI \VS{24}Hallohesh,
Pilha,
Shobek,
\par }{\LI \VS{25}Rehum,
Hashabnah,
Maaseiah,
\par }{\LI \VS{26}Ahiah,
Hanan,
Anan,
\par }{\LI \VS{27}Malluch,
Harim,
and
Baanah.
\par }{\SH The
agreement
\par }{\PP \VS{28}Then
the
rest
of
the
people
also
made
a
solemn
agreement.
The
people
who
did
it
included
priests,
temple
gatekeepers,
singers,
and
temple
workers.
They
also
included
all
the
men
from
other
countries
who
had
separated
themselves
from
the
other
foreigners
living
in
Israel.
These
men,
along
with
their
wives,
their
sons
and
daughters
who
were
old
enough
to
understand
{\ADD{
what
they
were
doing,
were
people
who
wanted
to
obey
God’s
laws}}.
\VS{29}They
all
joined
with
their
leaders
in
making
this
solemn
agreement.
They
agreed
to
obey
all
the
laws
that
God
had
given
to
Moses.
They
agreed
to
obey
everything
that
Yahweh
our
God
had
commanded,
and
all
his
regulations
and
instructions.
{\ADD{
And
this
is
what
they
promised
to
do:}}
\par }{\PI \VS{30}“We
will
not
allow
our
daughters
to
marry
people
who
live
in
this
land
{\ADD{
who
do
not
worship
Yahweh}},
and
we
will
not
allow
our
sons
to
marry
them.
\par }{\PI \VS{31}“If
people
from
other
countries
who
live
in
this
land
bring
us
grain
or
other
things
to
sell
to
us
on
Sabbath
days
or
any
other
sacred
day,
we
will
not
buy
anything
from
them.
And
in
every
seventh
year,
we
will
not
plant
any
crops,
and
we
will ◄cancel
all
debts/declare
that
people
will
no
longer
have
to
pay
back
what
they owe
us►.
\par }{\PI \VS{32}“We
also
promise
that
every
year
we
will
pay ◄one-eighth
of
an ounce/4 grams►
of
silver
for
the
work
of
taking
care
of
the
temple.
\VS{33}With
that
money
they
can
buy
these
things:
The
sacred
bread
{\ADD{
that
is
placed
before
God}},
the
grain
that
is
burned
{\ADD{
on
the
altar}}
each
day,
the
lambs
that
were
completely
burned
{\ADD{
on
the
altar}},
the
sacred
offerings
for
the
Sabbath
days
and
for
celebrating
each
new
moon
and
other
festivals
that
God
told
us
to
celebrate,
and
other
offerings
that
are
dedicated
to
God,
the
animals
to
be
sacrificed
to
atone
for
the
sins
of
the Israeli
people,
and
anything
else
that
is
needed
for
the
work
of
taking
care
of
the
temple.
\par }{\PI \VS{34}“Each
year
the
priests,
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
who
help
the
priests,
and
the
rest
of
us
will ◄cast
lots/throw
marked
stones►
to
determine
{\ADD{
for
that
year}}
which
clans
will
provide
wood
to
burn
on
the
altar
the
sacrifices
that
are
offered
to
Yahweh
our
God,
in
order
to
do
what
was
written
in
the
laws
{\ADD{
God
gave
to
Moses}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{35}“We
promise
that
each
year
each
family
will
take
to
the
temple
an
offering
from
the
first
grain
that
we
harvest
and
from
the
first
fruit
that
grows
on
our
trees
{\ADD{
that
year}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{36}“Also,
we
will
take
to
the
priests
at
the
temple
our
firstborn
sons
and
dedicate
them
to
God.
And
we
will
also
bring
firstborn
calves
and
lambs
and
baby
goats
{\ADD{
to
be
offered
as
sacrifices}}.
That
is
what
is
written
in
God’s
laws
{\ADD{
that
we
must
do}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{37}“We
will
also
take
to
the
priests
at
the
temple
the
flour
made
from
the
first
grain
{\ADD{
that
we
harvest
each
year}},
and
our
other
offerings
of
wine,
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil,
and
fruit.
We
will
also
take
to
the
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
help
the
priests}}
the
tithes/10\%
of
{\ADD{
the
crops
that
we
grow
on}}
our
land,
because
they
are
the
ones
who
collect
the
tithes
in
all
the
villages
where
we
work/live.
\VS{38}The
priests
who
are
descendants
of
Aaron
will
be
with
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
and
supervise
them
when
they
collect
the
tithes.
Then
the
descendants
of
Levi
must
take 10\%
of
the
things
that
people
bring
and
put
them
in
the storerooms
in
the
temple.
\VS{39}The
descendants
of
Levi
and
{\ADD{
some
of}}
the
other Israeli
people
must
take 10\%
of
the
offerings
of
grain,
wine,
and
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil
to
the storerooms
where
the
various
utensils
that
are
used
in
the
temple
are
kept.
That
is
the
place
where
the
priests
who
are
serving
at
that
time,
the
temple
guards,
and
those
who
sing
in
the
temple
choir
live.
\par }{\PI {\ADD{
We
promise
that}}
we
will
not
neglect
{\ADD{
taking
care
of
the
temple
of
our
God}}.”

\par }\Chap{11}{\SH The people who settled in Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}The
{\ADD{Israeli}}
leaders
{\ADD{
and
their
families}}
settled
in
the
sacred
city,
Jerusalem.
The
other
people ◄cast
lots/threw
marked
stones►
to
determine
which
family
from
each
ten
families
would
live
in
Jerusalem.
The
other
people
continued
to
live
in
the
other
towns
and
cities
{\ADD{
in
Judea}}.
\VS{2}Those
people
{\ADD{
asked
God
to}}
bless
those
who
volunteered
to
{\ADD{
be
among
the 10\%
who
}}
moved
to
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}{\ADD{
Some
of}}
the
priests,
{\ADD{
some
of}}
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
{\ADD{
some
of}}
the
temple
workers,
and
the
descendants
of
King
Solomon’s
servants,
and
many
of
the
other
people
lived
on
their
own
property
in
the
towns
{\ADD{
where
their
ancestors
had
lived}}.
\VS{4}But
some
people
from
the
tribes
of
Judah
and
Benjamin
{\ADD{
decided
to}}
live
in
Jerusalem.
One
of
them
from
the
tribe
of
Judah
was
Athaiah.
He
was
the
son
of
Uzziah,
who
was
the
son
of
Zechariah,
who
was
the
son
of
Amariah,
who
was
the
son
of
Shephatiah,
who
was
the
son
of
Mahalalel,
who
was
a
descendant
of
{\ADD{
Judah’s
son}}
Perez.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}{\ADD{
Another
one
from
the
tribe
of
Judah
was}}
Maaseiah,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
the
son
of
Baruch,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
the
son
of Colhozeh,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
the
son
of
Hazaiah,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
the
son
of
Adaiah,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
the
son
of
Joiarib,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
the
son
of
Zechariah,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
a
descendant
of
{\ADD{
Judah’s
son}}
Shelah.
\VS{6}There
were 468
men
who
were
descendants
of
Perez
who
were
valiant/courageous
soldiers
who
lived
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{7}{\ADD{
One
of
the
men}}
of
the
tribe
of
Benjamin
who
decided
to
live
in
Jerusalem
was
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.
\VS{8}Two
of Sallu’s
relatives,
Gabbai
and
Sallai,
also
settled
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP Altogether, 928
people
from
the
tribe
of
Benjamin
settled
in
Jerusalem
\VS{9}Their
leader
was
Joel,
son
of
Zichri.
The
official
who
was
second
in
command
in
Jerusalem
was
Hassenuah.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{10}The
priests
{\ADD{
who
settled
in
Jerusalem}}
were
Jedaiah
the
son
of
Joiarib,
Jakin,
\par }{\PP \VS{11}Seraiah,
the
son
of
Hilkiah,
the
son
of
Meshullam,
the
son
of
Zadok,
the
son
of
Meraioth,
the
son
of
Ahitub
{\ADD{
who
had
previously
been
}}
the Supreme
Priest.
\VS{12}Altogether, 822
members
of
that
clan
worked
in
the
temple.
\par }{\PP Another
{\ADD{
priest
who
settled
in
Jerusalem}}
was
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.
\VS{13}Altogether,
there
were 242
members
of
that
clan
who
were
leaders
of
the
clan
{\ADD{
who
settled
in
Jerusalem}}.
\par }{\PP Another
{\ADD{
priest
who
settled
in
Jerusalem}}
was
Amashsai
the
son
of
Azarel,
the
son
of
Ahzai,
the
son
of
Meshillemoth,
the
son
of
Immer.
\VS{14}There
were 128
members
of
that
clan
who
were
valiant
soldiers
{\ADD{
who
settled
in
Jerusalem}}.
Their
leader
was
Zabdiel
the
son
of
Haggedolim.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{15}Another
descendant
of
Levi
who
settled
in
Jerusalem
was
Shemaiah
the
son
of
Hasshub,
the
son
of
Azrikam,
the
son
of
Hashabiah,
the
son
of
Bunni.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}Two
others
were
Shabbethai
and
Jozabad,
who
were
prominent
men
who
supervised
the
work
outside
the
temple.
\VS{17}Another
one
was
Mattaniah,
the
son
of
Mica,
the
son
of
Zabdi,
the
son
of
Asaph.
Mattaniah
directed
the
temple
choir
when
they
sang
the
prayers
to
thank
{\ADD{
God}}.
His
assistant
was
Bakbukiah.
Another
one
was
Abda,
the
son
of
Shammua,
the
son
of
Galal,
the
son
of
Jeduthun.
\VS{18}Altogether,
there
were 284
descendants
of
Levi
who
settled
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\BB \par }{\MM \VS{19}The
men
who
guarded
the
temple
gates
were
Akkub
and
Talmon
and 172
of
their
relatives
who
settled
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{20}The
other Israeli
people
including
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
lived
on
their
own
property
in
other
towns
and
cities
in
Judea.
\par }{\PP \VS{21}But
the
temple
workers
lived
on
Ophel
{\ADD{
Hill
in
Jerusalem}}.
They
were
supervised
by
Ziha
and
Gishpa.
\par }{\PP \VS{22}The
man
who
supervised
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
who
{\ADD{
helped
the
priests
and}}
lived
in
Jerusalem
was
Uzzi,
the
son
of
Bani,
the
son
of
Hashabiah,
the
son
of
Mattaniah,
the
son
of
Mica.
Uzzi
belonged
to
the
clan
of
Asaph,
the
clan
that
was
in
charge
of
the
music
in
the
temple.
\VS{23}The
king
{\ADD{
of
Persia}}
had
commanded
that
the
clans
should
decide
what
each
clan
should
do
to
lead
the
music
in
the
temple
each
day.
\par }{\PP \VS{24}Pethahiah,
the
son
of
Meshezabel,
{\ADD{
who
was}}
from
the
clan
of
Zerah
and
a
descendant
of
Judah,
was
the
ambassador
{\ADD{
of
the Israelis}}
to
the
king
of
Persia.
\par }{\PP \VS{25}Some
of
the
people
{\ADD{
who
did
not
settle
in
Jerusalem}}
lived
in
villages
close
to
their farms.
Some
from
the
tribe
of
Judah
lived
in
villages
near
Kiriath-Arba,
Dibon,
and
Jekabzeel
{\ADD{
cities}}.
\VS{26}Some
lived
in
Jeshua
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Moladah
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Beth-Pelet
{\ADD{
city}},
\VS{27}in
Hazar-Shual
{\ADD{
city}},
and
in
Beersheba
{\ADD{
city}}
and
the
villages
near
it.
\VS{28}Others
lived
in
Ziklag
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Meconah
{\ADD{
city}}
and
the
villages
near
it,
\VS{29}in
En-Rimmon
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Zorah
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Jarmuth
{\ADD{
city}},
\VS{30}in
Zanoah
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Adullam
{\ADD{
city}},
and
in
the
villages
near
those
cities.
Some
lived
in
Lachish
{\ADD{
city}}
and
in
the
nearby
villages,
and
some
lived
in
Azekah
{\ADD{
town}}
and
the
villages
near
it.
All
of
those
people
lived
in
Judea,
in
the
area
between
Beersheba
{\ADD{
in
the
south}}
and
Hinnom
Valley
{\ADD{
in
the
north,
at
the
edge
of
Jerusalem}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{31}The
people
of
the
tribe
of
Benjamin
lived
in
Geba
{\ADD{
city}},
Micmash
{\ADD{
city}},
Aija
{\ADD{
city
which
is
also
known
as
Ai}},
Bethel
{\ADD{
city}}
and
in
nearby
villages,
\VS{32}in
Anathoth
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Nob
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Ananiah
{\ADD{
town}},
\VS{33}in
Hazor
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Ramah
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Gittaim
{\ADD{
city}},
\VS{34}in
Hadid
{\ADD{
city}},
in
Zeboim
{\ADD{
town}},
in
Neballat
{\ADD{
town}},
\VS{35}in
Lod
{\ADD{
town}},
in
Ono
{\ADD{
town}},
and
in Craftsmen’s
Valley.
\par }{\PP \VS{36}Some
of
the
groups
of rhe
descendants
of
Levi
who
had
lived
in
Judea
were
sent
to
live
with
{\ADD{
the
people
of
the
tribe
of}}
Benjamin.

\par }\Chap{12}{\SH A list of the priests and Levites who returned
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{
Many}}
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
returned ◄from
Babylonia/to
Jerusalem►
with
Zerubbabel
and
Jeshua.
They
included
\par }{\LI Seraiah,
Jeremiah,
Ezra,
\par }{\LI \VS{2}Amariah,
Malluch,
Hattush,
\par }{\LI \VS{3}Shecaniah,
Rehum,
Meremoth,
\par }{\LI \VS{4}Iddo,
Ginnethon,
Abijah,
\par }{\LI \VS{5}Mijamin,
Moadiah,
Bilgah,
\par }{\LI \VS{6}Shemaiah,
Joiarib,
Jedaiah,
\par }{\LI \VS{7}Sallu,
Amok,
Hilkiah,
and
Jedaiah.
\par }{\MM All
those
men
were
leaders
of
the
priests
during
the
time
that
Jeshua
{\ADD{
was
the Supreme
Priest}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{8}{\ADD{
Some
of
the
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
who
returned
were
Jeshua,
Binnui,
Kadmiel,
Sherebiah,
Judah,
and
Mattaniah.
They
were
in
charge
of
singing
songs
to
thank
{\ADD{
God}}.
\VS{9}Bakbukiah,
Unni,
and
other
descendants
of
Levi
formed
a
choir
that
stood
opposite
the
other
group
{\ADD{
and
sang
in
reply
to
them}}.
\par }{\SH A
list
of
descendants
of
Jeshua
the Supreme
Priest
\par }{\PP \VS{10}Jeshua
{\ADD{
who
was
the Supreme
Priest}}
was
the
father
of
Joiakim,
who
was
the
father
of
Eliashib,
who
was
the
father
of
Joiada,
\VS{11}who
was
the
father
of
Jonathan,
who
was
the
father
of
Jaddua.
\par }{\SH Leaders
of
the
clans
of
priests
\par }{\PP \VS{12}When
Joiakim
was
the Supreme
Priest,
these
were
the
leaders
of
the
clans
of
priests:
\par }{\LI Meraiah,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Seraiah;
\par }{\LI Hananiah,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Jeremiah;
\par }{\LI \VS{13}Meshullam,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Ezra;
\par }{\LI Jehohanan,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Amariah;
\par }{\LI \VS{14}Jonathan,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Malluch;
\par }{\LI Joseph,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Shecaniah;
\par }{\LI \VS{15}Adna,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Harim;
\par }{\LI Helkai,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Meremoth/Maraioth;
\par }{\LI \VS{16}Zechariah,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Iddo;
\par }{\LI Meshullam,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Ginnethon;
\par }{\LI \VS{17}Zicri,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Abijah.
\par }{\LI There
was
also
a
leader
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Miniamin;
\par }{\LI Piltai,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Moadiah;
\par }{\LI \VS{18}Shammua,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Bilgah;
\par }{\LI Jehonathan,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Shemaiah;
\par }{\LI \VS{19}Mattenai,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Joiarib;
\par }{\LI Uzzi,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Jedaiah;
\par }{\LI \VS{20}Kallai,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Sallu/Sallai;
\par }{\LI Eber,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Amok;
\par }{\LI \VS{21}Hashabiah,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Hilkiah;
\par }{\LI and
Nethanel,
from
{\ADD{
the
clan
of}}
Jedaiah.
\par }{\SH Duties
of
priests
and
Levites
\par }{\PP \VS{22}During
the
years
that
Eliashib,
Joiada,
Johanan,
and
Jaddua
{\ADD{
were Supreme
Priests}},
they ◄wrote/kept
a
list
of►
the
names
of
the
clans
who
were
descendants
of
Levi.
When
Darius
was
the
king
of
Persia,
they
stopped
writing
that
list.
\VS{23}They
wrote
the
names
of
the
leaders
of
the
clans
who
were
descendants
of
Levi
in
the
Book
of
Events
{\ADD{
in
Israel}},
but
they
stopped
writing
those
names
when
Eliashib’s
grandson
Johanan
{\ADD{
was
the Supreme
Priest}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{24}These
are
the
leaders
of
the
clans
{\ADD{
who
are}}
descendants
of
Levi:
Hashabiah,
Sherebiah,
Jeshua,
Binnui,
Kadmiel
and
others
who
were
divided
into
two
groups.
The
two
groups
faced
each
other,
one
group replying
to
the
other,
during
the
time
that
they
praised
and
thanked
God.
They
did
that
just
as
King
David,
the
man
who
served
God
well,
had
instructed.
\VS{25}These
singers
included
Mattaniah,
Bakbukiah,
and
Obadiah.
\par }{\PP The
men
who
guarded
the storerooms
close
to
the
gates
{\ADD{
of
the
temple}}
were
Meshullam,
Talmon,
and
Akkub.
\VS{26}They
did
that
work
during
the
time
that
Joiakim,
who
was
the
son
of
Jeshua
and
the
grandson
of
Jehozadak,
{\ADD{
was
the Supreme
Priest,}}
and
I
was
the
governor,
and
Ezra
was
the
priest
who
knew
the
Jewish
laws
very
well.
\par }{\SH Nehemiah
dedicated
the
wall
\par }{\PP \VS{27}When
we
dedicated
the
wall
around
Jerusalem,
we
summoned
the
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
help
the
priests}}
from
the
nearby
places
where
they
{\ADD{
were
living}}.
We
asked
them
to
{\ADD{
join
with
us
to}}
celebrate
when
we
dedicated
the
wall.
We
wanted
them
to
sing
songs
to
thank
{\ADD{
Yahweh}}
and
make
music
by
playing
cymbals
and
harps
and
other
stringed
instruments.
\VS{28}We
summoned
the
descendants
of
Levi
who habitually
sang
together.
They
came
to
Jerusalem
from
nearby
areas
{\ADD{
where
they
had
settled}},
and
from
places
around
Netophah
{\ADD{
town
southeast
of
Jerusalem}},
\VS{29}and
from
three
places
{\ADD{northeast
of
Jerusalem}}—Beth
Gilgal
{\ADD{
city}}
and
the
areas
around
Geba
and
Azmaveth.
Those
singers
had
built
villages
to
live
in
near
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP \VS{30}{\ADD{
When
they
came
to
Jerusalem}},
the
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
help
the
priests}}
performed rituals
to
cause
themselves
to
be
acceptable
to
God,
and
then
they
performed
similar rituals
to
purify
the
{\ADD{
other}}
people,
the
gates,
and
the
wall.
\VS{31}Then
I
gathered
together
the
leaders
of
Judah
on
top
of
the
wall,
and
I
appointed
them
to
lead
two
large
groups
to
march
around
the
city
{\ADD{
on
top
of
the
wall}},
thanking
God.
{\ADD{
As
they
faced
the
city,}}
one
group
walked
to
the
right
toward
the
Dung
Gate.
\VS{32}Behind
their
leaders
marched
Hoshaiah
and
half
of
the
leaders
of
Judah.
\VS{33-35}Behind
them
marched
a
group
of
priests
who
were
blowing
trumpets.
They
were
Azariah,
Ezra,
Meshullam,
Judah,
Benjamin,
Shemaiah,
and
Jeremiah.
Next
came
Zechariah,
the
son
of
Jonathan,
the
son
of
Shemaiah,
the
son
of
Mattaniah,
the
son
of
Micaiah,
the
son
of
Zaccur,
a
descendant
of
Asaph.
\VS{36}Behind
them
marched
other
members
of Zechariah’s
clan:
Shemaiah,
Azarel,
Milalai,
Gilalai,
Maai,
Nethanel,
Judah,
and
Hanani.
They
all
were
playing
the
same
kinds
of
musical
instruments
that
King
David
had
played
{\ADD{
many
years
previously}}.
Ezra,
the
man
who
knew
the
Jewish
laws
very
well,
marched
in
front
of
this
group.
\VS{37}When
they
reached
the
Fountain
Gate,
they
went
up
the
steps
to
David’s
City,
past
his
palace,
and
then
to
the
wall
at
the
Water
Gate,
on
the
east
side
{\ADD{
of
the
city}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{38}The
other
group
of
those
who
were
thanking
{\ADD{
Yahweh}}
marched
to
the
left
on
top
of
the
wall.
I
followed
them
with
half
of
the
people.
{\ADD{
We
marched}}
past
the
Tower
of
the
Ovens
to
the
Broad
Wall.
\VS{39}{\ADD{
From
there
we
marched}}
past
Ephraim
Gate,
Jeshanah
Gate,
the
Fish
Gate,
the
Tower
of
Hananel,
the
Tower
of
the
Hundred
Soldiers,
to
the
Sheep
Gate.
We
finished
marching
near
the
gate
into
the
temple.
\VS{40}Both
the
groups
reached
the
temple
while
they
were
thanking
God.
They
stood
in
their
places
there.
The
leaders
who
were
with
me
{\ADD{
also
stood
with mme
in
our
places}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{41}My
group
included
these
priests
who
were
{\ADD{
all
blowing}}
trumpets:
Eliakim,
Maaseiah,
Miniamin,
Micaiah,
Elioenai,
Zechariah,
Hananiah,
\VS{42}{\ADD{
another}}
Maaseiah,
Shemaiah,
Eleazar,
Uzzi,
Jehohanan,
Malchijah,
Elam,
and
Ezer.
The
singers,
whose
leader
was
Jezrahiah,
sang
loudly.
\VS{43}{\ADD{
After
we
went
outside
the
temple,}}
we
offered
many
sacrifices.
We
men
all
rejoiced
because
God
had
caused
us
to
be
very
happy.
The
women
and
the
children
also
rejoiced.
People
far
away
could
hear
the
noise
that
we
made
there
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\SH Preparations
for
worship
in
the
temple
\par }{\PP \VS{44}On
that
day,
men
were
appointed $\{$they
appointed
men$\}$
to
be
in
charge
of
the storerooms
where
they
kept
the
money
that
people
contributed
{\ADD{
for
the
temple}}.
They
also
kept
there
{\ADD{
the
other
things
that
the
people
contributed—}}
the
tithes
and
the
first
part
of
the
grain
and
fruit
that
was
harvested
each
year.
Those
men
collected
those
things
from
the
fields/farms
near
the
cities,
and
{\ADD{
took
them
to
Jerusalem
and}}
gave
them
to
the
priests
and
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
as
{\ADD{
Moses
had
said
in
his}}
laws
that
they
should
do.
All
the Israeli
people
were
happy
about
the
work
that
the
priests
and
the
descendants
of
Levi
did,
\VS{45}because
they
performed
the rituals
to
purify
things,
and
the
other rituals
that
God
had
commanded.
The
musicians
in
the
temple
also
did
their
work
as
King
David
and
his
son
Solomon
had
declared
that
they
should
do.
\VS{46}Ever
since
the
time
that
David
had
been
the
king
and
Asaph
had
been
his
chief
musician,
the
musicians
had
led
the
people
while
they
sang
songs
to
praise
and
thank
God.
\VS{47}During
the
years
that
Zerubbabel
and
I
governed
the Israeli
people,
they
all
contributed
the
food
that
the
singers
and
temple
gatekeepers
needed
each
day.
They
gave ◄a
tithe/10\%►
of
their
crops
to
the
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
helped
the
priests}},
and
those
descendants
of
Levi
gave ◄a
tithe/10\%►
of
that
to
{\ADD{
the
priests,
who
were}}
descendants
of
Aaron
{\ADD{
the
first Supreme
Priest}}.

\par }\Chap{13}{\SH Foreigners were excluded
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}On
that
day,
when
someone
read
to
the
people
parts
of
the
laws
{\ADD{
that
God
gave}}
to
Moses,
they
read
where
it
was
written
that
no
one
from
the
Ammon people-group
or
the
Moab people-group
was
ever
to
be
allowed
to
be
with
God’s
people
while
they
were
gathered
together
{\ADD{
to
worship}}.
\VS{2}The
reason
for
that
was
that
the
people
of
Ammon
and
the
people
of
Moab
did
not
give/sell
any
food
or
water
to
the Israelis
{\ADD{
while
the Israelis
were
going
through
their
areas
after
they
left
Egypt}}.
Instead,
the
people
of
Ammon
and
Moab
paid
money
to
Balaam
in
order
that
he
would
curse
the Israelis.
But
God
commanded
Balaam
to
bless
the
people,
not
to
curse
them.
\VS{3}So
when
the
people
heard
these
laws
{\ADD{
being
read
to
them}},
they
sent
away
all
the
people
whose
ancestors
had
come
from
other
countries.
\par }{\SH Purifying
the storerooms
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Previously,
Eliashib
the
priest
had
been
appointed
to
be
in
charge
of
the storerooms
in
the
temple.
He
was
a
relative
of
{\ADD{
our
enemy}}
Tobiah.
\VS{5}He
allowed
Tobiah
to
use
a
large
room
in
which
they
had
previously
stored
the
grain
offerings
and
the
incense,
the
equipment
that
is
used
in
the
temple,
the
offerings
{\ADD{
that
the
people
had
brought}}
for
the
priests,
and
the
tithes
of
grain
and
wine
and
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil
that
{\ADD{
God}}
had
commanded
the
people
to
bring
to
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
and
to
the
temple
musicians,
and
to
the
temple
guards.
\par }{\PP \VS{6}While
{\ADD{Tobias
was
using
that
room}},
I
was
not
in
Jerusalem,
because
in
the 32nd
year
that
Artaxerxes
was
the
king
of
Babylonia,
I
went
back
there
to
report
to
him.
After
a
while
I
requested
the
king
to
allow
me
to
return
to
Jerusalem,
{\ADD{
and
he
allowed
me
to
go}}.
\VS{7}When
I
arrived
in
Jerusalem,
I
found
out
that
Eliashib
had
done
an
evil
thing
by allowing
Tobiah
to
use
a
room
in
God’s
temple.
\VS{8}I
became
very
angry,
and
I
threw
out
of
that
room
everything
that
belonged
to
Tobiah.
\VS{9}Then
I
commanded
{\ADD{
that
they
perform
a
ritual}}
to
make
the
rooms ◄pure/acceptable
to
God►
again.
And
I
also
ordered
that
all
the
equipment
used
in
the
temple
and
all
the
grain
offerings
and
incense
should
be
put
in
that
room
again.
\par }{\PP \VS{10}I
also
found
out
that
the
temple
musicians
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
had
left
Jerusalem
and
returned
to
their
fields/farms,
because
the Israeli
people
had
not
been
bringing
to
them
the
food
{\ADD{
that
they
needed}}.
\VS{11}So
I
rebuked
the
officials,
saying
to
them, “◄Why
have
you
not
taken
care
of
the
work
in
the
temple?/It
is
disgraceful
that
you
have
not
taken
care
of
the
work
in
the
temple.►” [RHQ]
So
I
brought
the
descendants
of
Levi
and
the
musicians
back
to
the
temple,
and
told
them
to
do
their
work
there
again.
\par }{\PP \VS{12}Then
all
the
people
of
Judah
again
started
to
bring
to
the
temple storerooms
their
tithes
of
grain,
wine,
and
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil.
\VS{13}I
appointed
these
men
to
be
in
charge
of
the storerooms:
Shelemiah,
who
was
a
priest;
Zadok,
who
knew
the
Jewish
laws
very
well;
and
Pedaiah,
a
descendant
of
Levi.
I
appointed
Hanan,
who
is
the
son
of
Zaccur
and
grandson
of
Mattaniah,
to
assist
them.
I
knew
that
I
could
trust
these
men
while
they
distributed
those
offerings
to
their
fellow
workers.
\par }{\PP \VS{14}My
God,
do
not
forget
all
these
good
things
that
I
have
faithfully
done
for
your
temple
and
for
the
work
that
is
done
there!
\par }{\SH Other reforms
instituted
by
Nehemiah
\par }{\PP \VS{15}During
that
time,
I
saw
some
people
in
Judea
{\ADD{
who
were
working
}}
on
the
Sabbath
day.
{\ADD{
Some
were}}
pressing
grapes
{\ADD{
to
make
wine}}.
Others
were
putting
grain,
{\ADD{
bags
of}}
wine,
{\ADD{
baskets
of}}
grapes,
figs,
and
many [HYP]
other
things,
on
their
donkeys
and
taking
them
into
Jerusalem.
I
warned
them
that
they
should
not
sell
things
to
the
people
of
Judea
on
Sabbath
days.
\VS{16}I
also
saw
some
people
from
Tyre
{\ADD{
city}}
who
were
living
there
in
Jerusalem
who
were
bringing
fish
and
other
things
{\ADD{
into
Jerusalem}}
to
sell
to
the
people
of
Judea
on
the
Sabbath
day.
\VS{17}So
I
rebuked
the
Jewish
leaders
and
told
them, “This
is [RHQ]
a
very
evil
thing
that
you
are
doing!
You
are
causing
the
Sabbath
days
to
be
unholy.
\VS{18}Your
ancestors
did [RHQ]
things
like
that,
so
God
punished
them,
and
as
a
result,
this
city
was
destroyed!
And
now
by
causing
the
Sabbath
day
to
be
unholy,
you
are
going
to
cause
God
to
be
angry
with
us Israeli
people
{\ADD{
and
punish
us}}
more!”
\par }{\PP \VS{19}So
I
ordered
that
at ◄the
beginning
of
every
Sabbath
day/every Friday
evening►
they
should
shut
the
gates
of
the
city
before
it
became
dark.
I
also
ordered
that
they
should
not
open
the
gates
until ◄the
Sabbath
day
was
ended
{\ADD{
the
next
day}}/Saturday
evening►.
Then
{\ADD{
each
Sabbath
day}}
I
put
some
of
my
men
at
the
gates,
so
they
would
make
sure
that
nothing
to
sell
was
brought
into
the
city
on
that
day.
\VS{20}One
or
two
times
merchants [DOU]
stayed
outside
of
the
city
on ◄Friday
night/{\ADD{
the
night
before
the
Sabbath
day}}►.
\VS{21}I
warned
them, “It
is
useless [RHQ]
for
you
to
stay
here
outside
the
walls
{\ADD{
on Friday
night}}!
If
you
do
this
again,
I
will
tell
my
men
to arrest
you!”
So
after
that,
they
did
not
come
on
Sabbath
days.
\VS{22}I
also
commanded
the
descendants
of
Levi
to
{\ADD{
perform
the
ritual
to}}
purify
themselves
and
to
guard
the
city
gates,
to
make
sure
that
the
Sabbath
was
kept
holy
{\ADD{
by
not allowing
merchants
to
enter
it
on
Sabbath
days}}.
\par }{\PP My
God,
do
not
forget
this
also
that
I
{\ADD{
have
done
for
you}}!
And
because
of
your
faithfully
loving
me,
allow
me
to
continue
to
live
{\ADD{
many
more
years}}!
\par }{\PP \VS{23}During
that
time,
I
also
found
out
that
many
of
the
Jewish
men
had
married
women
from
Ashdod
{\ADD{
city}},
and
from
{\ADD{
the}}
Ammon
and
Moab
{\ADD{people-groups}}.
\VS{24}The
result
was
that
half
of
their
children
spoke
the
language
that
people
in
Ashdod
speak
or
some
other
language,
and
they
didn’t
know
how
to
speak
our
language.
\VS{25}So
I
rebuked
those
men,
and
I
{\ADD{
asked
God
to}}
curse
them,
and
I
beat
them
and
pulled
out
{\ADD{
some
of}}
their
hair.
Then
I
forced
them
to
solemnly
promise,
knowing
that
God [MTY]
was
{\ADD{
listening}},
that
they
would
never
again
marry
foreigners,
and
never
allow
their
children
to
marry
foreigners.
\VS{26}{\ADD{
I
said
to
them}}, “Solomon,
the
king
of
Israel,
sinned [RHQ]
as
a
result
of
{\ADD{
marrying}}
foreign
women.
He
was
greater
than
any
of
the
kings
of
other
nations.
God
loved
him,
and
caused
him
to
become
the
king
of
all
the Israeli
people,
but
his
foreign
wives
caused
even
him
to
sin.
\VS{27}{\ADD{
Do
you
think
that}}
we
should
do
what
you
have
done,
and
disobey
our
God
by
marrying
foreign
women
{\ADD{
who
worship
idols}}? [RHQ]”
\par }{\PP \VS{28}One
of
the
sons
of
Jehoiada,
the
son
of
Eliashib
the Supreme
Priest,
had
married
the
daughter
of
{\ADD{
our
enemy}}
Sanballat,
from
Beth-Horon
{\ADD{
town}}.
So
I
forced
Jehoiada’s
son
to
leave
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PP \VS{29}My
God,
do
not
forget
that
those
people
{\ADD{
who
have
married
foreign
women}}
have
caused
it
to
be
a
shame/disgrace
to
be
a
priest,
and
have
caused
people
to
despise
the
agreement
that
you
made
with
the
priests
and
with
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
help
the
priests}}►!
\par }{\PP \VS{30}I
did
all
that
to
make
sure
that
there
were
no
more
foreign
people
among
the
{\ADD{Israeli}}
people
{\ADD{
who
would
encourage
them
to
worship
idols}}.
I
also
established
regulations
for
the
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
in
order
that
they
would
know
what
work
they
should
do.
\VS{31}I
also
arranged
for
people
to
bring
the
firewood
{\ADD{
that
was
needed
to
burn
on
the
altar,
as
Moses
had
declared}}
that
we
should
{\ADD{
do}}.
I
also
arranged
for
the
people
to
bring
the
first
part
of
what
they
harvested
{\ADD{
each
year}}.
\par }{\PP My
God,
do
not
forget
{\ADD{
that}}
I
{\ADD{
have
done
all
these
things}},
and
bless
me
{\ADD{
for
doing
them}}!
\par }