and Hanani, one of my brethren, came with certain men of Judah, and I asked them how the Jews did that were delivered and escaped from the captivity, and how it went at Jerusalem.
And they said unto me: The remnant of the captivity are there in the land in great misfortune and rebuke. The walls of Jerusalem are broken down, and the gates thereof are brent with fire.
and said: O LORD God of heaven, thou great and terrible God, thou that keepest covenant and mercy for them that love thee and observe thy commandments:
Let thine ears hearken,|mark| and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray now before thee day and night for the children of Israel thy servants, and knowledge the sins of the children of Israel, which we have committed against thee. And I and my father's house have sinned also.
Yet call to remembrance the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, and saidest: If ye transgress, then will I scatter you abroad among the nations.
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments and do them: though ye were cast out unto the uttermost|utmost| part of heaven yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you from thence, even unto the place, that I have chosen for my name to dwell there.
O Lord,|LORDE| let thine ears hearken to|marke| the prayer of thy servant, and the prayer of thy servants, whose desire is to fear thy name, and let thy servant prosper this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's butler.
In the month Nisan in the twentieth year of king Artaxerses, when the wine stood before him, I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king and I was heavy in his presence.
Nevertheless I was sore afraid and said unto the king: God save the king's life forever, should I not look sadly? The city of my fathers' burial lieth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire.
and said unto the king: If it please the king, and if thy servant be favoured in thy sight. I be seek thee send me in to Judah unto the city of my fathers' burial, that I may build it.
And the king said unto me, and so did the queen that sat by him: How long shall thy journey continue, and when wilt thou come again? And it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time,
and said unto the king: if it please the king, let him give me letters to the captains beyond the water, that they may convey me over, till I come into Judah:
And letters unto Asaph the lord of the king's wood, that he may give me wood for beams|balkes| to the gates of the palace, which are hard on the house and hard on the walls of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king gave me according to the good hand of God upon me:
But when Sanabalat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant of the Ammonites heard that, it grieved them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.
I gat me up in the night season, and a few men with me: for I told no man what God had given me in my heart to do at Jerusalem: and there was not one beast with me, save it that I rode upon.
And I rode by night unto the valley port before the Dragon well, and to the Dung port, and considered the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down, and the ports thereof consumed with the fire.
And the rulers knew not whither I went or what I did: for hither to had I not told the Jews and the priests, the councilors{councelers} and the rulers, and the other that laboured in the work.
And I said unto them: Ye see the misery that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and how the gates thereof are brent with fire, come let us build up the walls of Jerusalem, that we be no more a rebuke.
And I told them of the good hand of my God which was upon me: and the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said: then let us get up, and build:|And we builded| and their hands were strengthened to good.
But when Sanabalat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant of the Ammonites, and Gesem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said: what is this that ye do? Will ye fall away again from the king?
Then answered I them, and said: the God of heaven he it is that causeth|shall cause| us to prosper: and we be his servants. Let us get up and build.|for we his servaunts are gotten up, and are building| As for you, ye have no portion, nor right, nor remembrance in Jerusalem.
And Eliasib the high priest gat him up with his brethren the priests, and builded the Sheepgate. They repaired|halowed| it, and set up the doors of it: even unto the tower of Meah repaired|halowed| they it, namely unto the tower of Hananeel.
Next unto him builded Marimoth the son of Uriah the son of Nakoz. Next unto him builded Mosolam the son of Barachiah the son of Mesesabeel. Next unto him builded Zadoc the son of Baana.
Next unto him builded Usiel the son of Harhaiah the goldsmith. Next unto him builded Hananiah the Apotecary's son, and they repaired Jerusalem unto the broad wall.
The valley gate builded Hanun, and the citizens of Zanoah. They builded it, and set on the doors, locks and bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall, unto the Dung port.
But the Dung port builded Melchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the fourth part of the vineyards: he builded it, and set on the doors, locks and bars thereof.
But the Wellgate builded Selum the son of Cholhosah, the ruler of the fourth part of Masphah; He builded it, covered it, and set on the doors, locks, and bars thereof, and the wall unto the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, unto the steps that go down from the city of David.
After him builded Nehemiah the son of Asbok, the ruler of the half quarter of Bethzur, until the other side over against the sepulchers of David, and to the pool Asuia and unto the house of the mighty.
After him builded Baruch the son of Zabai the other piece worshipfully and costly, from the corner unto the door of the house of Eliasib the high priest.
After him builded Marimuth the son of Uriah the son of Hacos the other piece, from the door of the house of Eliasib even as long as the house of Eliasib extended.
After him builded Phalel the son of Usai over against the corner and the high tower, which lieth out over from the king's house, beside the court of the prison. After him Phadaiah the son of Pharos
After him builded Hananiah the son of Selemiah, and Hanun the son of Zalaph the sixth, that other peace. After him builded Mosolam the son of Barachiah over against his chest.
After him builded Melchiah the goldsmith's son, until the house of the Nethinims, and of the merchants over against the councell gate, and to the parlor in the corner
and said before his brethren and the host|mighty men| of Samaria: What do the impotent Jews? shall they be thus suffered? shall they offer? shall they perform it in one day? shall they make the stones whole again that are brought to dust, and brent?
Hear O thou our God, how we are despised, turn their shame upon their own head, that thou mayest give them over into despising in the land of their captivity.
But when Sanabalat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and Ammonites, and Asdodits heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that they had begun to stop{stoppe} up the gaps they were very wroth,
and looked, and gat me up, and said unto the chief men and rulers, and to the other people: Be not ye afraid of them think upon the great Lord|LORDE| which ought to be feared and fight for your brethren, sons, daughters, wives, and houses.
Nevertheless when our enemies heard that we had gotten word of it, God brought their counsel to naught, and we turned all again to the wall, every one unto his labour.
And from that time forth it came to pass, that the half part of the young men did the labour, and the other half part held spears, shields, bows, and breastplates: and the rulers stood behind all the house of Judah,
And I said unto the principal men, and rulers, and to the other people: the work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall one far from another.
And at the same time said I unto the people: every one abide with his servant at Jerusalem, that in the night season we may give attendance to the watch, and to labour on the day time.
Now are our brethrens' bodies as our own bodies and their children as our children: else should we subdue our sons and daughters into bondage, and some of our daughters are subdued already, and no strength is there in our hands, and other men shall have our lands and vineyards.
and I advised so in my mind, that I rebuked the councilors,{councelers} the rulers, and said unto them: Will ye require usury one of another? And I brought a great congregation against them
and said unto them: We (after our ability) have bought our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Heathen. And will ye sell your brethren, whom we have bought unto us? Then held they their peace, and could find nothing to answer.
Therefore this same day see that ye restore them their lands again, their vineyards, oil gardens, and houses, and the hundredth part of the money of the corn, wine, and oil, that ye have won of them.
Then said they: We will restore them again and will require nothing of them and will do as thou hast spoken. And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so.
And I shook my lap, and said: God shake out every man after the same manner from his house and labour, that maintaineth not this word: even thus be he shaken out, and void. And all the congregation said: Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did so.
And from the time forth that it was committed unto me to be a captain in the land of Juda, namely from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of king Arthaxerses (that is twelve years) I and my brethren lived not of such sustenance as was given to a captain:
For the old captains that were before me, had been chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, and forty sicles of silver: yea and their servants had oppressed the people. But so did not I, and that because of the fear of God.
And there was prepared me daily an ox, and six chosen sheep, and birds, and ever once in ten days a great sum of wine. Yet required not I the living of a captain for the bondage was grievous unto the people.
And when Sanabalat, Tobiah, and Gesem the Arabian, and the other of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall, and that there were no more gaps therein (howbeit at the same time had I not hanged the doors upon the gates)
Sanabalat and Gesem sent unto me, saying: come and let us meet together in the villages upon the plain of the city Ono. Nevertheless they thought to do me evil.
Notwithstanding I sent messengers unto them, saying: I have a great business to do, I can not come down. The work should stand still, if I were negligent, and came down to you.
wherein was written: it is told the Heathen, and Gesem hath said it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for the which cause thou buildest the wall, and wilt be their king in these matters,
and hast ordained the Prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, and to say: He is king of Judah. Now shall this come to the king's ears: come now therefore, and let us take our counsel together.
For they were all minded to make us afraid and thought: They shall withdraw their hands from the work, that they shall not labour. Howbeit I strengthen my hand the more.
And I came unto the house of Semaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, and he had shut himself within, and said: let us come together in to the house of God, even unto the midst of the temple, and shut|spar| the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee, yea even in the night will they come to put thee to death.
But I said: should any such man as I flee? Who is that,|Should such a man| being as I am, that will go in to the temple, to save his life? I will not go in.
Therefore took he the money, that through fear I should do so, and sin:|I shoulde be afrayed, and so to do and synne,| that they might have an evil report of me, to blaspheme me.
My God think thou upon Tobiah and Sanabalat according unto these their works, and of the Prophet Noadiah and of the other Prophets, that would have put me in fear.
And when all our enemies heard thereof, all the Heathen that were about us, were afraid and their courage failed them: for they perceived, that this work came of God.
(for there were many in Judah that were sworn unto him: for he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Johanan had the daughter of Mosolam the son of Barachiah
And I commanded my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace at Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God more than did many other,
and I said unto them: let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the son be whote.|whole known| and while they are yet standing in the watch, the doors shall be shut and barred. And there were certain citizens of Jerusalem appointed to be watchmen every one in his watch, and about his house.
And my God gave me in my heart, that I gathered together the principal men and the people to number them. And I found a register of the number of them, which came up afore out of the captivity: and found written therein:
These are the sons of the land that went up from the captivity of the carrying away, (whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had brought|carried| away) and came again to|dwelt at| Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city,
which came|and were come| with Zorobabel, Jesua, Nehemiah, Asariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mardochee, Belsan, Mesparath, Begvai, Nahum, Baanah. This is the number of the men of the people of Israel.
The porters: |were| The children of Selum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akub, the children of Hatita, the children of Sobai, all together an hundredth and eight and thirty.
And these went up also, Thel Melah, Tel Harsa, Cherub, Adon, and Emer: but they could not shew their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
And of the priests |were| the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hacos, the children of Bersilai, which took one of the daughters of Bersilai the Gileadite to wife, and was named after their name.
Beside their servants and maidens, of whom there were seven thousand, three hundredth and seven and thirty. And they had two hundredth and seven and forty singing men and women,
And certain of the ancient fathers gave unto the work. Nathirsatha gave to the treasure a thousand drames,|guldens| fifty basens, five hundredth and thirty priests' garments.
Now when the seventh month drew nye, and the children of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered themselves together as one man upon the street before the Watergate, and said unto Esdras the scribe, that he should fetch the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD commanded to Israel.
And Esdras the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and of all that could understand it, upon the first day of the seventh month.
And read therein in the street that is before the Watergate, from the |light| morning until the noon day before men and women, and such as could understand it: and the ears of all the people were inclined unto the book of the law.
And Esdras the scribe stood upon an high pulpit of wood, which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mathathiah, Sema, Ananiah, Uriah, Helkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand: and on his left hand stood Phadaiah, Misael, Melchiah, Hasum, Hasebadanah, Zachary, and Mosolam.
And Esdras praised the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with their hands up, and bowed themselves, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
And Jesua, and Baani, and Serabiah, Jami, Acuba, Sebathai, Hodaiah, Maasiah, Celita, Azariah, Jozabed, Hanan, Phalaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to give heed unto the law, and the people stood in their place.
And Nehemiah (which is Harthirsatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to take heed, said unto all the people: this day is holy unto the LORD your God: be not ye sorry therefore, and weep not. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Therefore said he unto them: Go your way, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part unto them also that have not prepared themselves: for this day is holy unto our Lord:|LORDE| be not ye sorry therefore: for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, and to send part unto other, and to make great mirth, because|for| they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
And on the next day were gathered together the chief fathers among all the people and the priests and Levites, unto Esdras the scribe, that he should teach them the words of the law.
And they found written in the law, how that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month.
And so they caused it be declared and proclaimed in all their cities, and at Jerusalem, saying: go up unto the mount and fetch Olive branches, and Pine branches, Myrtle branches, Palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
And the people went up, and fetched them, and made them booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street by the Watergate, and in the street by port Ephraim.
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity, made booths, and dwelt therein. For since the time of Jesua the son of Nun unto this day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great gladness.
And every day from the first day unto the last, read he in the book of the law of God. And seven days held they the feast, and on the eighth day the gathering together, according unto the manner.
and stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God four times on the day, and they knowledged, and worshipped the LORD their God four times on the day.
And the Levites, Jeshua, and Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabniah, Serebiah, Hodjah, Sebaniah, and Pathahiah, said: Stand up praise the LORD your God forever: and let thanks be given unto the name of thy glory, which exceedeth all thanksgiving and praise.
LORD, |thou art| thou alone hast made heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is therein, the sea and all that is therein: thou givest life unto all, and the host of heaven bow themselves unto thee.
and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give unto his seed the land of the Cananites, Hethites, Amorites, Pheresites, Jebusites, and Gergasites, and hast made good thy words: for thou art righteous
and shewed tokens and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they were presumptuous and cruel against them; and so madest thou thee a name as it is this day.
And the reed sea|See| didst thou divide|partedst thou| in sunder before them, so that they went thorow the midst|myddes| of the sea dry shoed: and their persecutors threwest thou into the deep as a stone, in the mighty waters,
and gavest them bread from heaven when they were hungry, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock when they were thirsty: and promised them, that they should go in, and take possession of the land, over which|where over| thou hadst lift up thine hand for to give them.
and refused to hear, and were not mindful of the wonders that thou didst|diddest| for them: but became obstinate and heady in so much that they turned back to their bondage in their disobedience. But thou my God forgavest, and wast gracious, merciful, patient, and of great goodness, and forsookest them not.
yet forsookest thou them not in the wilderness, according to thy great mercy. And the cloudy pillar departed not from them on the day time to lead them the way, neither the pillar of fire in the night season, to shew them light in the way that they went.
Forty years long madest thou provision for them in the wilderness, so that they lacked|wanted| nothing: their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
And thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and partest them according to their portions, so that they possessed the land of Sehon king of Hesebon, and the land of Og the king of Basan.
And their children multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land whereof thou hadst spoken unto their fathers, that they should go in to it, and have it in possession.
And the children went in, and possessed the land, and thou subduedest before them the inhabiters of the land, even the Cananites, and gavest them into their hand, and their kings and the people of the land, that they might do with them what they would.
And they won|wanne| their strong cities, and a fat land, and took possession of houses that were full of all manner goods, wells digged out, vineyards, olivegardens, and many fruitful trees: and they ate and were filled, and became fat, and lived in wealth thorow thy great goodness.
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets, which exhorted them so earnestly, that they should convert unto thee, and did great blasphemies.
Therefore gavest thou them over in to the hand of their enemies that vexed them. And in the time of their trouble they cried unto thee, and thou hardest them from heaven and thorow thy great mercy thou gavest them saviours, which helped them out of the hand of their enemies.
But when they came to rest, they turned back again to do evil before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them. So they converted, and cried unto thee, and thou heardest them from heaven; and many time hast thou delivered them according to thy great mercy,
and testified unto them, that they should turn again unto thy law. Notwithstanding they were proud, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned in thy laws, (which a man should do and live in them) and turned the shoulder away, and were stiffnecked, and would not hear.
And many years didst thou forbear them, and testified unto them thorow thy spirit, even by the office of thy prophets, and yet would they not hear. Therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the nations in the lands.
Now our God, thou great God, mighty and terrible, thou that keepest covenant and mercy, regard not a little all the travail that hath happened unto us, and our kings, princes, priests, prophets, fathers and all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assur unto this day.
As for us, we have been ungodly, and our kings, princes, priests, and fathers have not done after thy law, nor regarded thy commandments, and thy earnest exhortations wherewith thou hast exhorted them,
and have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goods that thou gavest them, and in the large and plenteous land which thou gavest them, |to good| and have not converted from their wicked works.
Behold, therefore are we in bondage this day: yea even in the land that thou gavest unto our fathers, to enjoy the fruits and goods thereof, behold, there are we bondsmen.
And great is the increase of it unto the kings, whom thou hast set over us because of our sins, and they have dominion over our bodies, and cattle, and we are in great trouble.
And the other people, the priests, Levites, Porters, singers, Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people in the lands unto the law of God, with their wives, sons and daughters, as many as could understand it,
and their lords that had rule of them, received it for their brethren. And they came to sware, and to bind themselves with an oath to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, that they would observe and do according unto all the commandments, judgements, and statutes of the LORD our God:
And if the people of the land brought ware on the Sabbath, and all manner of vitailles to sell, that we would not take it of them on the Sabbath and on the holy days. And that we would let the seventh year be free concerning all manner of charge.
namely to the shewbread, to the daily meatoffering, to the daily burntoffering of the Sabbaths, of the new moons and feast days, and to the things that were sanctified, and to the sinofferings, to reconcile Israel withall, and to all the business in the house of our God.
And we cast the lot among the priests, Levites and the people, for offering of the wood to be brought unto the house of our God from year to year, after the houses of our fathers that it might be brent at times appointed, upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:
and the firstlings of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law: and the firstlings of our oxen and of our sheep, that we should bring all this to the house of our God unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:
and that we should bring the firstlings of our dough, and our heaveofferings, and the fruits of all manner of trees, of wine also and of oil, unto the priests to the chests the house of our God. And the tithes of our land unto the Levites, that the Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our ministration.
And the priest the son of Aaron shall with the Levites have also of the tithes of the Levites, so that the Levites shall bring up the tithes of their tithes unto the house of our God to the chest in the treasure house.
For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring up the heaveofferings of the corn, wine, and oil unto the chests. And there shall be|are| the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and singers, that we forsake not the house of our God.
And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem. But the other people cast lots therefore, so that among ten one part went to Jerusalem into the holy city to dwell, and nine parts in the cities.
These are the heads of the land that dwelt at Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah; And every one dwelt in his possession, and|that was| in their cities of|namely| Israel, the priests, Levites, the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.
And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah and of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Usiah, the son of Zachary, the son of Amariah, the son of Saphatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Phares.
These are the children of Ben Jamin: Sallu the son of Mesullam, the son of Joeb, the son of Phadaiah, the son of Colaiah, the son of Masiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.
and his brethren that performed the work in the house: of whom there were eight hundredth twenty two. And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Plalaliel, the son of Amazi, the son of Zachary, the son of Phashur, the son of Melchiah,
and his brethren, chief among the fathers: of whom there were two hundredth and two and forty. And Amashai the son of Asarael, the son of Ahasai, the son of Mosolamoth, the son of Emer:
And Mathaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, which was the principal to begin the thanksgiving unto prayer. And bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Sammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
The overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem, was Usi the son of Baani, the son of Hasabiah, the son of Mathaniah, the son of Micha. Of the children of Asaph, there were singers about the business in the house of God:
and their villages, thorowout all their regions. And the children of Judah that were without in the towns of their land, dwelt some at Kariath Arbe, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof:
Zonoah, Odollam, and in their villages: At Lachis, and in the fields thereof: At Asekah, and in the villages thereof: And dwelt from Bersabe unto the valley of Hennom.
And in the time of Eliasib. Joiada, Johanan and Jadua, were the chief fathers among the Levites, and the priests written under the reign of Darius the Persian.
And these were the chief among the Levites, Hasabiah, Serebiah and Jesua the son of Cadmiel, and their brethren over against them, to give praise and thanks, according as David the man of God had ordained it, one watch over against another.
These were in the time of Joiakim the son of Jesua the son of Josedec, and in the time of Nehemiah the captain|debyte| and of the priest Esdras the scribe.
And in the dedication of the wall at Jerusalem, were the Levites sought out of all their places, that they might be brought to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication and gladness, with thanksgivings, with singing, with cymbals, Psalteries, and harps.
And I caused the princes of Juda to go up upon the wall, and appointed two great choirs|queres| of thanksgiving, which went on the right hand of the wall toward the Dung gate,
and certain of the priests' children with trumpets, namely Zachary the son of Jonathan, the son of Semeiah, the son of Mathaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zecur, the son of Asaph,
and his brethren, Semeiah, and Asarael, Melalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Juda, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Esdras the scribe before them,
toward the Wellgate, and they went up over against them upon the steps of the city of David at the going up of the wall to the house of David, unto the Watergate Eastward.
The other choir of thanksgiving went over against them, and I after them, and the half part of the people upon the wall, toward the Furnacegate upward, until the broad wall,
and to the port of Ephraim, and to the Oldgate, and to the Fishgate, and to the tower of Hananeel, and to the tower of Meah, until the Sheepgate. And in the prison gate they stood still,
And the same day were there great sacrifices offered, and they rejoiced: for God had given them great gladness, so that both the wives and children were joyful, and the mirth of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
At the same time were there men appointed over the treasure chests (wherein were the Heaveofferings, the firstlings and the tithes) that they should gather them out of the fields about the cities, to distribute them unto the priests and Levites according to the law: for Judah was glad of the priests, and Levites,
that they stood and waited upon the office of their God, and the office of the purification. And the singers and porters stood after the commandment of David and of Solomon his son:
In the time of Zorobabel, and Nehemiah, did all Israel, give portions unto the singers and porters, every day his portion, and they gave things hallowed unto the Levites, and the Levites gave things that were sanctified, unto the children of Aaron.
And what time as the book of Moses was read in the ears of the people there was found written therein, that the Ammonites and Moabites should never come into the congregation of God,
because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, and hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: nevertheless our God turned the curse into a blessing.
for he had made him a great chest, and there had they afore time laid the meatofferings, frankincense, vessel, and the tithes of corn, wine and oil (according to the commandment given to the Levites, singers and porters) and the heaveofferings of the priests.
But in all this was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Arthaxerses king of Babilon, came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained|optained| I license of the king
And I perceived, that the portions of the Levites were not given them, for the which cause the Levites and singers were fled, everyone to his land for to work.
And I made treasurers over the treasure, even Selemiah the priest, and Zadoc the scribe, and of the Levites, Phedaiah, and under their hand Hanan the son of Zacur, the son of Mathaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.
At the same time saw I some treading wine presses on the Sabbath and bringing in clusters, and asses laden with wine, grapes, figs, and bringing all manner of burthens unto Jerusalem, upon the Sabbath day. And I rebuked them earnestly the same day that they sold the vitailles.
Did not our fathers even thus, and our God brought all this plague upon us and upon this city? And ye make the wrath more yet upon Israel, in that ye break the Sabbath.
And it fortuned, that when the porters of Jerusalem made shadow|were drawn up| before the Sabbath, I commanded to shut the gates, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burthen be brought in on the Sabbath day.
Then reproved I them sore, and said unto them: Why tarry ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once again, I will lay hands upon you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.
And I said unto the Levites which were clean, that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the Sabbath day. Think upon me (O my God) concerning this also, and spare me according to thy great mercy.
and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews'|Iewish| language, but by the tongue mighty a man perceive every people.
And I reproved them, and cursed them, and smote certain men of them, and plucked|plucte| them up, and took an oath of them by God: Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, neither shall ye take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
Did not Salomon the king of Israel sin therein? and yet among many Heathen was there no king like him, and he was dear unto his God, and God made him king over all Israel, and yet nevertheless outlandish women caused him to sin?