1 Now those that
sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah,
and Zidkijah,
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of
the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah,
Hanan,
11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu,
Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,
18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the
porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated
themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God,
their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having
knowledge, and having understanding;
29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into
a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given
by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments
of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;
30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people
of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals
on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them
on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave
the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly
with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house
of our God;
33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and
for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new
moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for
the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all
the work of the house of our God.
34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and
the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house
of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed
year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as
it is written in the law:
35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits
of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the
LORD:
36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it
is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of
our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests
that minister in the house of our God:
37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and
our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine
and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of
our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that
the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of
our tillage.
38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites,
when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up
the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers,
into the treasure house.
39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall
bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil,
unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and
the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers:
and we will not forsake the house of our God.
Chapter 11
1 And the rulers
of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also
cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy
city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered
themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
3 Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem:
but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession
in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites,
and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.
4 And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and
of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah
the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah,
the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children
of Perez;
5 And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the
son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son
of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.
6 All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred
threescore and eight valiant men.
7 And these are the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam,
the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the
son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.
8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.
9 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the
son of Senuah was second over the city.
10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.
11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son
of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler
of the house of God.
12 And their brethren that did the work of the house were eight
hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son
of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son
of Pashur, the son of Malchiah,
13 And his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty
and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai,
the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
14 And their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty
and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of
the great men.
15 Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son
of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
16 And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites,
had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.
17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son
of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer:
and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son
of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore
and four.
19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that
kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.
20 And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites,
were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
21 But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were
over the Nethinims.
22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the
son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the
son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the
business of the house of God.
23 For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a
certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of
Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters
concerning the people.
25 And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children
of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in the villages thereof,
and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel,
and in the villages thereof,
26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
27 And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages
thereof,
28 And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,
29 And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,
30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the
fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And
they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.
31 The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash,
and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages,
32 And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.
Chapter 12
1 Now these are
the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the
son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jediah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the
priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah,
Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and
his brethren.
9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against
them in the watches.
10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and
Eliashib begat Joiada,
11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the
fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan,
and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests,
to the reign of Darius the Persian.
23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written
in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan
the son of Eliashib.
24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua
the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to
praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David
the man of God, ward over against ward.
25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub,
were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the
son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and
of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought
the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem,
to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings,
and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together,
both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from
the villages of Netophathi;
29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba
and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round
about Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and
purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and
appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof
one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of
Judah,
33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah
the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah,
the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:
36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai,
Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments
of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they
went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up
of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate
eastward.
38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over
against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon
the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the
broad wall;
39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate,
and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the
tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still
in the prison gate.
40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the
house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai,
Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan,
and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud,
with Jezrahiah their overseer.
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced:
for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also
and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was
heard even afar off.
44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for
the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for
the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities
the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah
rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their
God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment
of David, and of Solomon his son.
46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief
of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days
of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters,
every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto
the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children
of Aaron.
Chapter 13
1 On that day they
read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and
therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite
should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and
with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse
them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they
separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight
of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime
they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels,
and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which
was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and
the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two
and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto
the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib
did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of
the house of God.
8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household
stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither
brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat
offering and the frankincense.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not
been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the
work, were fled every one to his field.
11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house
of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them
in their place.
12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new
wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the
priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and
next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah:
for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute
unto their brethren.
14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out
my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and
for the offices thereof.
15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on
the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also
wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they
brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against
them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish,
and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children
of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto
them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath
day?
18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all
this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath
upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began
to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should
be shut, 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 burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without
Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge
ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.
From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves,
and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the
sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and
spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod,
of Ammon, and of Moab:
24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and
could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the
language of each people.
25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain
of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by
God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons,
nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among
many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of
his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless
even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil,
to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high
priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore
I chased him from me.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood,
and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the
wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the
firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good. |