Nehemiah 10-13

Complete Jewish Bible

10 ^(9:38)“‘In view of all this, we are making a binding covenant, putting it in writing and having it sealed by our leaders, our L’vi’im and our cohanim.’”

²⁽¹⁾On the sealed document were the names of: Nechemyah the Tirshata the son of Hakhalyah, Tzedekyah, ³⁽²⁾S’rayah, ‘Azaryah, Yirmeyah, ⁴⁽³⁾Pash’chur, Amaryah, Malkiyah, ⁵⁽⁴⁾Hatush, Sh’vanyah, Malukh, ⁶⁽⁵⁾Harim, M’remot, ‘Ovadyah, ⁷⁽⁶⁾Dani’el, Ginton, Barukh, ⁸⁽⁷⁾Meshulam, Aviyah, Miyamin, ⁹⁽⁸⁾Ma‘azyah, Bilgai and Sh’ma‘yah. These were the cohanim.

¹⁰⁽⁹⁾The L’vi’im were: Yeshua the son of Azanyah, Binui a descendant of Henadad, Kadmi’el, ¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾and their kinsmen Sh’vanyah, Hodiyah, K’lita, P’layah, Hanan, ¹²⁽¹¹⁾Mikha, Rechov, Hashavyah, ¹³⁽¹²⁾Zakur, Sherevyah, Sh’vanyah, ¹⁴⁽¹³⁾Hodiyah, Bani and B’ninu.

¹⁵⁽¹⁴⁾The leaders of the people: Par‘osh, Pachat-Mo’av, ‘Eilam, Zatu, Bani, ¹⁶⁽¹⁵⁾Buni, ‘Azgad, B’vai, ¹⁷⁽¹⁶⁾Adoniyah, Bigvai, ‘Adin, ¹⁸⁽¹⁷⁾Ater, Hizkiyah, ‘Azur, ¹⁹⁽¹⁸⁾Hodiyah, Hashum, Betzai, ²⁰⁽¹⁹⁾Harif, ‘Anatot, Neivai, ²¹⁽²⁰⁾Magpi‘ash, Meshulam, Hezir, ²²⁽²¹⁾Mesheizav’el, Tzadok, Yadua, ²³⁽²²⁾P’latyah, Hanan, ‘Anayah, ²⁴⁽²³⁾Hoshea, Hananyah, Hashuv, ²⁵⁽²⁴⁾HaLochesh, Pilcha, Shovek, ²⁶⁽²⁵⁾Rechum, Hashavnah, Ma‘aseiyah, ²⁷⁽²⁶⁾Achiyah, Hanan, ‘Anan, ²⁸⁽²⁷⁾Malukh, Harim and Ba‘anah.

²⁹⁽²⁸⁾The rest of the people, the cohanim, the L’vi’im, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Torah of God, along with their wives, sons and daughters, everyone capable of knowing and understanding, ³⁰⁽²⁹⁾joined their kinsmen and their leaders in swearing an oath, accompanied by a curse [in case of noncompliance], as follows:

“We will live by God’s Torah, given by Moshe the servant of God, and will perform and obey all the mitzvot, rulings and laws of Adonai our Lord.

³¹⁽³⁰⁾“We will not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land or take their daughters as wives for our sons.

³²⁽³¹⁾“If the peoples of the lands bring merchandise or food to sell on Shabbat, we will not buy from them on Shabbat or on a holy day.

“We will forego [planting and harvesting our fields] during the seventh year and collecting debts then.

³³⁽³²⁾“We will impose on ourselves a yearly tax of one-third of a shekel [one-seventh of an ounce of silver] for the service of the house of our God, ³⁴⁽³³⁾for the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering, for [the offerings] on Shabbat, on Rosh-Hodesh, at the designated times and at other holy times, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Isra’el, and for all the work connected with the house of our God.

³⁵⁽³⁴⁾“We, the cohanim, the L’vi’im and the people, will cast lots in connection with the wood offering, so that it will be brought to the house of our God according to our fathers’ clans, at specified times, year by year, and then be burned on the altar of Adonai our God, as prescribed in the Torah.

³⁶⁽³⁵⁾“Every year we will bring the firstfruits of our land and the firstfruits of all fruit from every kind of tree to the house of Adonai. ³⁷⁽³⁶⁾“We will also bring the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as prescribed in the Torah, and the firstborn of our herds and flocks, to the house of our God, to the cohanim ministering in the house of our God.

³⁸⁽³⁷⁾“We will bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of every kind of tree, wine and olive oil to the cohanim in the storerooms of the house of our God, along with the tenths from our land for the L’vi’im; since they, the L’vi’im, take the tenths in all the cities where we farm. ³⁹⁽³⁸⁾The cohen the descendant of Aharon is to be with the L’vi’im when the L’vi’im take tenths. The L’vi’im will bring the tenth of the tenth to the house of our God, to the storerooms for supplies. ⁴⁰⁽³⁹⁾For the people of Isra’el and the descendants of Levi are to bring the contribution of grain, wine and olive oil to the rooms where the equipment for the sanctuary, the ministering cohanim, the gatekeepers and the singers are. We will not abandon the house of our God.”

11 The leaders of the people took up residence in Yerushalayim; while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one-tenth of them to live in Yerushalayim the holy city, with the other nine-tenths in the other cities. ²The people blessed all those who volunteered to live in Yerushalayim.

³In the cities of Y’hudah, everyone lived on his own property — the people of Isra’el, the cohanim, the L’vi’im, the temple servants and the descendants of Shlomo’s servants. But the leaders of the province lived in Yerushalayim. ⁴Some of those living in Yerushalayim were from people of Y’hudah, and others were from people of Binyamin. Those from the people of Y’hudah were: ‘Atayah the son of ‘Uziyah, the son of Z’kharyah, the son of Amaryah, the son of Sh’fatyah, the son of Mahalal’el, from the descendants of Peretz; ⁵and Ma‘aseiyah the son of Barukh, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazayah, the son of ‘Adayah, the son of Yoyariv, the son of Z’kharyah, who belonged to the family of Shelah. ⁶The total number of descendants of Peretz living in Yerushalayim was 468 courageous men.

⁷These are the people of Binyamin: Salu the son of Meshulam, the son of Yo‘ed, the son of P’dayah, the son of Kolayah, the son of Ma‘aseiyah, the son of Iti’el, the son of Yesha‘yah. ⁸After him: Gabai, Salai; 928 in all. ⁹Yo’el the son of Zikhri was their overseer, and Y’hudah the son of Hasnu’ah was second in charge of the city.

¹⁰From the cohanim: Y’da‘yah the son of Yoyariv, Yakhin, ¹¹S’rayah the son of Hilkiyah, the son of Meshulam, the son of Tzadok, the son of M’rayot, the son of Achituv, the supervisor of the house of God, ¹²and their kinsmen who did the work for the house; in all 822; and ‘Adayah the son of Yerocham, the son of P’lalyah, the son of Amtzi, the son of Z’kharyah, the son of Pash’chur, the son of Malkiyah; ¹³with his kinsmen, heads of fathers’ clans, 242; and ‘Amash’sai the son of ‘Azar’el, the son of Achzai, the son of Meshillemot, the son of Immer; ¹⁴with his kinsmen, courageous men, 128; their overseer was Zavdi’el the son of HaG’dolim.

¹⁵From the L’vi’im: Sh’ma‘yah the son of Hashuv, the son of ‘Azrikam, the son of Hashavyah, the son of Buni, ¹⁶and Shabtai and Yozavad, from the leaders of the L’vi’im, who were in charge of external affairs for the house of God; ¹⁷and Matanyah the son of Mikha, the son of Zavdi, the son of Asaf, the leader who began the thanksgiving prayer; and Bakbukyah, the second among his kinsmen; and ‘Avda the son of Shamua, the son of Galal, the son of Y’dutun. ¹⁸All the L’vi’im in the holy city numbered 284.

¹⁹The gatekeepers: ‘Akuv, Talmon and their kinsmen, who kept watch at the gates, numbered 172.

²⁰The rest of Isra’el, [the rest of] the cohanim and [the rest of] the L’vi’im were in all the cities of Y’hudah, each on his own property.

²¹The temple servants lived in the ‘Ofel; Tzicha and Gishpa were in charge of the temple servants.

²²The overseer of the L’vi’im in Yerushalayim was ‘Uzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashavyah, the son of Matanyah, the son of Mikha, from the descendants of Asaf the singers; [he was] in charge of the work of the house of God. ²³For they were subject to the king’s orders; and there was a fixed schedule for the singers, assigning them their daily duties. ²⁴P’tachyah the son of Mesheizav’el, from the descendants of Zerach the son of Y’hudah, was the king’s deputy in all affairs concerning the people.

²⁵As for the villages and their surrounding fields: some of the people of Y’hudah lived in Kiryat-Arba and its villages, in Divon and its villages, in Y’kabze’el and its villages, ²⁶in Yeshua, in Moladah, in Beit-Pelet, ²⁷in Hatzar-Shu‘al and its villages, in Be’er-Sheva and its villages, ²⁸in Ziklag, in M’khonah and its villages, ²⁹in ‘Ein-Rimmon, in Tzor‘ah, in Yarmut, ³⁰Zanoach, Adulam and their villages, in Lakhish and its surrounding fields, and in ‘Azekah and its villages. Thus they occupied the territory from Be’er-Sheva as far as the Hinnom Valley.

³¹The people of Binyamin lived from Geva onward, in Mikhmas and ‘Ayah, in Beit-El and its villages, ³²and in ‘Anatot, Nov, ‘Ananyah, ³³Hatzor, Ramah, Gittayim, ³⁴Hadid, Tzvo‘im, N’valat, ³⁵Lud, Ono and Gei-Harashim.

³⁶Of the L’vi’im, some divisions from Y’hudah settled in Binyamin.

12 These are the cohanim and L’vi’im who went up with Z’rubavel the son of Sh’alti’el, and Yeshua: S’rayah, Yirmeyah, ‘Ezra, ²Amaryah, Malukh, Hatush, ³Sh’khanyah, Rechum, M’remot, ⁴‘Iddo, Gintoi, Achiyah, ⁵Miyamin, Ma‘adiyah, Bilgah, ⁶Sh’ma‘yah, Yoyariv, Y’da‘yah, ⁷Salu, ‘Amok, Hilkiyah and Y’da‘yah. These were the leaders of the cohanim and their kinsmen during the time of Yeshua.

⁸The L’vi’im: Yeshua, Binui, Kadmi’el, Sherevyah, Y’hudah and Mattanyah, who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his kinsmen, ⁹with Bakbukyah and ‘Uni, their kinsmen, singing antiphonally with them in the service.

¹⁰Yeshua was the father of Yoyakim, Yoyakim was the father of Elyashiv, Elyashiv was the father of Yoyada, ¹¹Yoyada was the father of Yonatan, and Yonatan was the father of Yadua.

¹²In the days of Yoyakim these were the cohanim who were heads of fathers’ clans: of S’rayah, M’rayah; of Yirmeyah, Hananyah; ¹³of ‘Ezra, Meshulam; of Amaryah, Y’hochanan; ¹⁴of M’likhu, Yonatan; of Sh’vanyah, Yosef; ¹⁵of Harim, ‘Adna; of M’rayot, Helkai; ¹⁶of ‘Iddo, Z’kharyah; of Ginton, Meshulam; ¹⁷of Achiyah, Zikhri; of Minyamin, of Mo‘adyah, Piltai; ¹⁸of Bilgai, Shamua; of Sh’ma‘yah, Y’honatan; ¹⁹of Yoyariv, Matnai; of Y’da‘yah, ‘Uzi; ²⁰of Salai, Kallai; of ‘Amok, ‘Ever; ²¹of Hilkiyah, Hashavyah; and of Y’da‘yah, N’tan’el.

²²As for the L’vi’im, the heads of fathers’ clans in the days of Elyashiv, Yoyada, Yochanan and Yadua were recorded; also the cohanim, up to the reign of Daryavesh the Persian. ²³The descendants of Levi who were heads of fathers’ clans were recorded in the annals until the days of Yochanan the [grand]son of Elyashiv. ²⁴The chiefs of the L’vi’im were Hashavyah, Sherevyah and Yeshua the son of Kadmi’el, with their kinsmen in an antiphonal choir, to praise and give thanks, in accordance with the order of David the man of God, choir opposite choir.

²⁵Mattanyah, Bakbukyah, ‘Ovadyah, Meshulam, Talmon and ‘Akuv were the gatekeepers who guarded the supplies kept at the gates. ²⁶This was in the days of Yoyakim the son of Yeshua, the son of Yotzadak, and in the days of Nechemyah the governor and of ‘Ezra the cohen and Torah-teacher.

²⁷At the dedication of the wall of Yerushalayim, they sought out the L’vi’im from wherever they had settled to bring them to Yerushalayim and celebrate the dedication with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs accompanied by cymbals, lutes and lyres. ²⁸The trained singers assembled together from the area around Yerushalayim, the villages of the N’tofati, ²⁹Beit-Gilgal and the region of Geva and ‘Azmavet; for the singers had built villages for themselves all around Yerushalayim.

³⁰The cohanim and L’vi’im first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates and the wall; ³¹and after that I brought the leaders of Y’hudah up onto the wall and appointed two large choirs to give thanks and to walk in procession. One went to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate. ³²After them went Hosha‘yah and half of the leaders of Y’hudah, ³³together with ‘Azaryah, ‘Ezra, Meshulam, ³⁴Y’hudah, Binyamin, Sh’ma‘yah and Yirmeyah. ³⁵With them were some of the sons of the cohanim carrying trumpets, namely, Z’kharyah the son of Yonatan the son of Sh’ma‘yah, the son of Mattanyah, the son of Mikhayah, the son of Zakur, the son of Asaf, ³⁶and his kinsmen, Sh’ma‘yah, ‘Azar’el, Milalai, Gilalai, Ma‘ai, N’tan’el, Y’hudah and Hanani, who had the musical instruments of David the man of God. ‘Ezra the Torah-teacher led them. ³⁷At the Fountain Gate they went straight ahead up the steps to the City of David, where the wall goes up, passed above the house of David, and went on to the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸The other thanksgiving choir, consisting of half the people, walked on the wall to meet them, with myself following. They went above the Tower of the Furnaces to the Broad Wall, ³⁹above the Efrayim Gate, by the gate to the Old City, to the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hanan’el and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate, and halted at the Prison Gate.

⁴⁰Thus stood the two choirs of those giving thanks in the house of God, with myself and half of the leaders with me. ⁴¹The cohanim there included Elyakim, Ma‘aseiyah, Minyamin, Mikhayah, Elyo‘einai, Z’kharyah and Hananyah carrying trumpets; ⁴²also Ma‘aseiyah, Sh’ma‘yah, El‘azar, ‘Uzi, Y’hochanan, Malkiyah, ‘Eilam and ‘Ezer. The singers sang loudly, directed by Yizrachyah. ⁴³With joy they offered great sacrifices that day, for God had made them celebrate with great joy. The women and children too rejoiced, so that the celebrating in Yerushalayim could be heard far off.

⁴⁴At that time, men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for supplies, contributions, firstfruits and tenths, and to gather into them, from the fields belonging to the cities, the portions prescribed by the Torah for the cohanim and L’vi’im. For Y’hudah rejoiced over the cohanim and L’vi’im who took their position ⁴⁵carrying out the duties of their God and the duties of purification, as also did the singers and gatekeepers, in accordance with the order of David and of Shlomo his son. ⁴⁶For back in the days of David and Asaf, there had been leaders for those singing the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷So in the days of Z’rubavel and in the days of Nechemyah, all Isra’el gave portions to the singers and gatekeepers as required daily. They set aside a portion for the L’vi’im, who, in turn set aside a portion for the descendants of Aharon.

13 It was also at that time, when they were reading in the scroll of Moshe, that it was found written that no ‘Amoni or Mo’avi may ever enter the assembly of God, ²because they did not supply the people of Isra’el with food and water, but hired Bil‘am against them to put a curse on them — although our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³On hearing the Torah, they separated from Isra’el everyone of mixed ancestry.

⁴Also, prior to this, Elyashiv the cohen, who had been put in charge of the storage rooms in the house of our God, and who was related by marriage to Toviyah, ⁵had prepared for him a large room where formerly they had stored the grain offerings, frankincense, equipment and the tenths of grain, wine and olive oil ordered to be given to the L’vi’im, singers and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the cohanim.

⁶During all this time I wasn’t present in Yerushalayim; because in the thirty-second year of Artach’shashta king of Bavel, I went to see the king; then, after some time had passed, I asked permission from the king ⁷and returned to Yerushalayim, where I found out about the terrible thing Elyashiv had done for Toviyah by preparing a room for him in the courtyards of the house of our God. ⁸I was so furious that I threw all Toviyah’s household goods out of the room. ⁹Then, at my order, they cleansed the rooms; and I brought back the equipment of the house of God, the grain offerings and frankincense.

¹⁰I also learned that the portions for the L’vi’im had not been given to them, so that the L’vi’im and singers who were supposed to be doing the work had deserted, each one to his own farm. ¹¹I disputed with the leaders, demanding, “Why is the house of God abandoned?” I gathered the L’vi’im together and restored them to their stations; ¹²and then all Y’hudah brought the tenth of grain, wine and olive oil to the storerooms. ¹³To supervise the storerooms I appointed Shelemyah the cohen, Tzadok the Torah-teacher and, from the L’vi’im, P’dayah; assisting them was Hanan the son of Zakur, the son of Mattanyah; for these were considered reliable. Their duty was to make the distribution to their kinsmen. ¹⁴My God, remember me for this; don’t wipe out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God and for his service!

¹⁵During this time I saw in Y’hudah some people who were treading winepresses on Shabbat, also bringing in heaps of grain and loading donkeys with it, likewise wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads; and they were bringing them into Yerushalayim on the day of Shabbat. On the day when they were planning to sell the food, I warned them not to. ¹⁶There were also living there people from Tzor who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on Shabbat to the people in Y’hudah and even in Yerushalayim. ¹⁷I disputed with the nobles of Y’hudah, demanding of them, “What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat? ¹⁸Didn’t your ancestors do this, and didn’t our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you are bringing still more fury against Isra’el by profaning Shabbat!” ¹⁹So when the gates of Yerushalayim began to grow dark before Shabbat, I ordered that the doors be shut; and I ordered that they not be reopened until after Shabbat. I put some of my servants in charge of the gates, to see to it that no loads be brought in on Shabbat. ²⁰The merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Yerushalayim once or twice, ²¹until I warned them, “Why are you spending the night by the wall? Do it again, and I’ll use force against you!” From then on they stopped coming on Shabbat. ²²Then I ordered the L’vi’im to purify themselves and come and guard the gates, in order to keep the day of Shabbat holy. My God, remember this too for me, and have mercy on me in keeping with the greatness of your grace!

²³Also during this time I saw the Judeans who had married women from Ashdod, ‘Amon and Mo’av; ²⁴and their children, who spoke half in the language of Ashdod and couldn’t speak in the language the Judeans spoke but only in the language of each people. ²⁵I disputed with them and cursed them, and I beat some of them up and pulled out their hair. Then I made them swear by God, “You will not give your daughters as wives for their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves. ²⁶Wasn’t it by doing these things that Shlomo king of Isra’el sinned? There was no king like him among many nations, and his God loved him, and God made him king over all Isra’el; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. ²⁷Are we to give in to you and let you continue in this very great evil, breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?”

²⁸One of the sons of Yoyada the son of Elyashiv, the cohen hagadol, had become son-in-law to Sanvalat the Horoni; so I drove him out of my presence. ²⁹My God, remember them; because they have defiled the office of cohen and the covenant of the cohanim and L’vi’im.

³⁰Thus I cleansed them of everything foreign, and I had the cohanim and L’vi’im resume their duties, each one in his appointed task. ³¹I also made provision for the delivery of wood at stated times, and for the firstfruits. My God, remember me favorably.

Nechemyah 10-13

Orthodox Jewish Bible

10 ^(10:2)Now those that sealed were, Nechemyah the tirshata ben Chachalyah, and Tzedekyah,

²⁽³⁾Serayah, Azaryah, Yirmeyah,

³⁽⁴⁾Pashchur, Amaryah, Malkiyah,

⁴⁽⁵⁾Chattush, Shevanyah, Maluch,

⁵⁽⁶⁾Charim, Meremot, Ovadyah,

⁶⁽⁷⁾Daniel, Ginton, Baruch,

⁷⁽⁸⁾Meshullam, Aviyah, Miyamin,

⁸⁽⁹⁾Ma’azyah, Bilgai, Shemayah; these were the kohanim.

⁹⁽¹⁰⁾And the Levi’im; both Yeshua ben Azanyah, Binnui of the Bnei Chenadad, Kadmiel;

¹⁰⁽¹¹⁾And their brethren, Shevanyah, Hodiyah, Kelita, Pelayah, Chanan,

¹¹⁽¹²⁾Micha, Rechov, Chashavyah,

¹²⁽¹³⁾Zakkur, Sherevyah, Shevanyah,

¹³⁽¹⁴⁾Hodiyah, Bani, and Beninu.

¹⁴⁽¹⁵⁾The chief of the people: Parosh, Pachat-Moav, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

¹⁵⁽¹⁶⁾Bunni, Azgad, Bevai,

¹⁶⁽¹⁷⁾Adoniyah, Bigvai, Adin,

¹⁷⁽¹⁸⁾Ater, Chizkiyah, Azzur,

¹⁸⁽¹⁹⁾Hodiyah, Chashum, Betzai,

¹⁹⁽²⁰⁾Chariph, Anatot, Neivai,

²⁰⁽²¹⁾Magpiash, Meshullam, Chezir,

²¹⁽²²⁾Meshezav’el, Tzadok, Yaddua,

²²⁽²³⁾Pelatyah, Chanan, Anayah,

²³⁽²⁴⁾Hoshea, Chananyah, Chashuv,

²⁴⁽²⁵⁾Halochesh, Pilcha, Shovek,

²⁵⁽²⁶⁾Rechum, Chashavnah, Ma’aseiyah,

²⁶⁽²⁷⁾And Achiyah, Chanan, Anan,

²⁷⁽²⁸⁾Maluch, Charim, Ba’anah.

²⁸⁽²⁹⁾And the rest of the people, the Kohanim, the Levi’im, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Netinim, and all they that had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands unto the Torat HaElohim, their wives, their banim, and their banot, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

²⁹⁽³⁰⁾They were the machazikim (the ones joining) with their brethren, their nobles, and bound themselves with a curse, and into an oath, to walk in Torat HaElohim, which was given by Moshe Eved HaElohim, and to be shomer to do all the mitzvot of Hashem Adoneinu, and His mishpatim and His chukkot;

³⁰⁽³¹⁾And that we would not give our banot unto the peoples of the land, not take their banot for our banim;

³¹⁽³²⁾And if the people of the land bring merchandise or any grain on Shabbos or on Yom Kodesh to sell, that we would not buy it of them on Shabbos, or on Yom Kodesh; and that we would every Shanah HaShevi’it [Ex 23:11] forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.

³²⁽³³⁾Also we will assume on us mitzvot, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the Avodat Beis Eloheinu [Mt 17:24];

³³⁽³⁴⁾For the Lechem HaMa’arekhet, and for the Minchat HaTamid, and for the Olat HaTamid, of the Shabbatot, of the Chodashim, for the Mo’adim, and for the Kodashim, and for the Chatta’ot to make kapporah for Yisroel, and for all the work of the Beis Eloheinu.

³⁴⁽³⁵⁾And we cast the goralot among the Kohanim, the Levi’im, and the people, for the korban of the wood, to bring it into the Beis Eloheinu, after the batim of Avoteinu, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the Mizbe’ach of Hashem Eloheinu, as it is written in the Torah [Lv 6:12-13];

³⁵⁽³⁶⁾And to bring the bikkurei admateinu, and the bikkurei kol pri kol etz, year by year, unto Beis Hashem;

³⁶⁽³⁷⁾Also the bechorot baneinu, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Torah, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the Beis Eloheinu, unto the Kohanim that minister in the Beis Eloheinu;

³⁷⁽³⁸⁾And that we should bring the reshit arisoteinu, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of tirosh and of oil, unto the Kohanim, to the storerooms of the Beis Eloheinu; and the ma’aser of our land unto the Levi’im, that the same Levi’im might collect me’a’serim in all the cities of avodateinu.

³⁸⁽³⁹⁾And the Kohen Ben Aharon shall be with the Levi’im, when the Levi’im receive tithes; and the Levi’im shall bring up the ma’aser hama’aser unto the Beis Eloheinu, to the storerooms, into the Beis HaOtzar.

³⁹⁽⁴⁰⁾For the Bnei Yisroel and the Bnei Levi shall bring the terumah of the grain, of the tirosh, and the oil, unto the storerooms, where are Keli HaMikdash, and the Kohanim that minister, and the gatekeepers, and the singers; and we will not forsake the Beis Eloheinu.

11 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Yerushalayim; the rest of the people also cast goralot, to bring one of ten to dwell in Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

²And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Yerushalayim.

³Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Yerushalayim, but in the towns of Yehudah dwelt every one in his possession in their towns—Yisroel, the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and the Netinim, and the Bnei Avdei Sh’lomo.

⁴And at Yerushalayim dwelt certain of the Bnei Yehudah, and of the Bnei Binyamin. Of the Bnei Yehudah; Atayah ben Uziyah, ben Zecharyah, ben Amaryah, ben Shephatyah, ben Mahalal’el, of the children of Peretz;

⁵And Ma’aseiyah ben Baruch, ben Colchozeh, ben Chazayah, ben Adayah, ben Yoyariv, ben Zecharyah, ben Shelah.

⁶All the Bnei Peretz that dwelt at Yerushalayim were four hundred threescore and eight anshei chayil.

⁷And these are the Bnei Binyamin: Sallu ben Meshullam, ben Yoed, ben Pedayah, ben Kolayah, ben Ma’aseiyah, ben Itiel, ben Yeshayah.

⁸And after him Gabai, Sallai, 928.

⁹And Yoel ben Zichri was their pakid (overseer), and Yehudah ben Hasnuah was second over the Ir.

¹⁰Of the Kohanim; Yedayah ben Yoyariv, Yachin,

¹¹Serayah ben Chilkiyah ben Meshullam ben Tzadok ben Merayot ben Achituv the Nagid Bais HaElohim.

¹²And their brethren that did the work of the Beis {HaMikdash] were eight hundred twenty and two; and Adayah ben Yerocham, ben Pelalyah, ben Amtzi, ben Zecharyah, ben Pashchur, ben Malkiyah.

¹³And his brethren, chief of the avot, two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai ben Azare’el ben Achzai ben Meshillemot ben Immer,

¹⁴And their brethren, gibborei chayil, one hundred twenty and eight; and their overseer was Zavdiel ben HaGedolim.

¹⁵Also of the Levi’im; Shemayah ben Chashuv ben Azrikam ben Chashavyah ben Bunni;

¹⁶And Shabtai and Yozavad, of the chief of the Levi’im, had the oversight of the outside work of the Beis HaElohim.

¹⁷And Matanyah ben Micha ben Zavdi ben Asaph was the Rosh leading techillah in tefillah, and Bakbukyah the second among his brethren, and Avda ben Shammua ben Galal ben Yedutun.

¹⁸All the Levi’im in the Ir HaKodesh were two hundred fourscore and four.

¹⁹Moreover the gatekeepers, Akuv, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were one hundred seventy and two.

²⁰And the rest of Yisroel, of the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, were in all the cities of Yehudah, every one in his nachalah.

²¹But the Netinim dwelt in Ophel, and Tzicha and Gishpa were over the Netinim.

²²The overseer also of the Levi’im at Yerushalayim was Uzzi ben Bani, ben Chashavyah ben Matanyah ben Micha. Of the Bnei Asaph, the singers were responsible for the Beis HaElohim.

²³For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a regulation be for the singers, over their daily actities.

²⁴And Petachyah ben Mesheizav’el, of the Bnei Zerach ben Yehudah, was the king’s deputy in all matters concerning the people.

²⁵And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Yehudah dwelt at Kiryat-Arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Divon, and in the villages thereof, and at Yekabze’el, and in the villages thereof,

²⁶And at Yeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beit-Pelet,

²⁷And at Chatzar Shual, and at Beer Sheva, and in the villages thereof,

²⁸And at Tziklag, and at Mechonah, and in the villages thereof,

²⁹And at En-Rimmon, and at Tzorah, and at Yarmut,

³⁰Zanoach, Adulam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from BeerSheva unto the valley of Gehinnom.

³¹The children also of Binyamin from Geva dwelt at Michmas, and Ayah, and Beit-El, and in their villages.

³²And at Anatot, Nov, Ananyah,

³³Chatzor, Ramah, Gittayim,

³⁴Chadid, Tzvo’im, Nevalat,

³⁵Lud, and Ono, the Gey-HaCharashim.

³⁶And of the Levi’im were divisions in Yehudah and in Binyamin.

12 Now these are the Kohanim and the Levi’im that went up with Zerubavel ben Sh’altiel, and Yeshua; Serayah, Yirmeyah, Ezra,

²Amaryah, Maluch, Chattush,

³Shechanyah, Rechum, Meremot,

⁴Iddo, Gintoi, Achiyah,

⁵Miyamin, Ma’adiyah, Bilgah,

⁶Shemayah, and Yoyariv, Yedayah,

⁷Sallu, Amok, Chilkiyah, Yedayah. These were the chief of the Kohanim and of their brethren in the days of Yeshua.

⁸Moreover the Levi’im; Yeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherevyah, Yehudah, and Matanyah, which was over the huyedot, he and his brethren.

⁹Also Bakbukyah and Unni, their brethren, were opposite them in the mishmarot (services).

¹⁰And Yeshua fathered Yoyakim, Yoyakim also fathered Elyashiv, and Elyashiv fathered Yoyada,

¹¹And Yoyada fathered Yonatan, and Yonatan fathered Yaddua.

¹²And in the days of Yoyakim these were Kohanim rashei haAvot; of Serayah, Merayah; of Yirmeyah, Chananyah;

¹³Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amaryah, Yehochanan;

¹⁴Of Melichu, Yonatan; of Shevanyah, Yosef;

¹⁵Of Charim, Adna; of Merayot, Chelkai;

¹⁶Of Iddo, Zecharyah; of Ginton, Meshullam;

¹⁷Of Achiyah, Zichri; of Minyamin, of Moadyah, Piltai;

¹⁸Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemayah, Yehonatan;

¹⁹And of Yoyariv, Matnai; of Yedayah, Uzzi;

²⁰Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Ever;

²¹Of Chilkiyah, Chashavyah; of Yedayah, Netanel.

²²The Levi’im in the days of Elyashiv, Yoyada, and Yochanan, and Yaddua, were recorded rashei haAvot; also the kohanim, to the reign of Daryavesh the Persian.

²³The Bnei Levi, the rashei haAvot, were written in the Sefer Divrei Hayamim, even until the days of Yochanan ben Elyashiv.

²⁴And the chiefs of the Levi’im: Chashavyah, Sherevyah, and Yeshua ben Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the mitzvat Dovid Ish HaElohim, choir opposite choir.

²⁵Matanyah, and Bakbukyah, Ovadyah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akuv, were gatekeepers keeping the storerooms of the gates.

²⁶These were in the days of Yoyakim ben Yeshua ben Yotzadak, and in the days of Nechemyah the governor, and of Ezra HaKohen HaSofer.

²⁷And at the dedication of the Chomat Yerushalayim they sought the Levi’im from all their places, to bring them to Yerushalayim, to keep the dedication with simchah, both with todot, and with singing, with cymbals, nevalim, and with kinorot.

²⁸And Bnei HaMishorerim gathered themselves together, both out of the region around Yerushalayim, and from the villages of Netophati;

²⁹Also from the Bais Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geva and Azmavet; for the singers had built villages around Yerushalayim.

³⁰Kohanim and Levi’im made themselves tahor, and made the people tahor, the gates, and the chomah.

³¹Then I brought up the sarim of Yehudah upon the chomah, and appointed two great choirs to give thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the Dung Gate;

³²And after them went Hoshayah, and half of the sarim of Yehudah,

³³And Azaryah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

³⁴Yehudah, Binyamin, Shemayah, and Yirmeyah,

³⁵And certain of the banim of kohanim with trumpets; namely Zecharyah ben Yonatan ben Shemayah ben Matanyah ben Michayah ben Zaccur ben Asaph;

³⁶And his brethren, Shemayah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Ma’ai, Netanel, and Yehudah, Chanani, with the musical instruments of Dovid the Ish HaElohim, and Ezra the Sofer before them.

³⁷And at the Fountain Gate they went up by the steps of Ir Dovid, at the going up of the wall, above the Bais Dovid, even the Water Gate eastward.

³⁸The other company of them that gave thanks went opposite them, I after them, and half the people upon the wall, from beyond the Migdal of the Ovens even unto the Broad Wall;

³⁹And from above the Ephrayim Gate, and above the Old Gate, and above the Fish Gate, and the Migdal of Chanane’el, and the Migdal of the Hundred, even unto the Sheep Gate; and they stood still in the Prison Gate.

⁴⁰So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the Beis HaElohim, and I, and the half of the officials with me;

⁴¹And the Kohanim: Elyakim, Ma’aseiyah, Minyamin, Michayah, Elyoeinai, Zecharyah, and Chananyah, with trumpets;

⁴²And Ma’aseiyah, Shemayah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Yehochanan, Malchiyah, Eilam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Yizrachyah their overseer.

⁴³Also that day they offered zevakhim gedolim, and rejoiced, for HaElohim had made them rejoice with great joy; the wives also and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Yerushalayim was heard even afar off.

⁴⁴And at that time were some appointed over the storerooms for the Otzarot, for terumot, for the reshit, and for ma’aserot (tithes), to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions required by the Torah for the Kohanim and Levi’im: for Yehudah rejoiced for the Kohanim and for the Levi’im stationed [in Beis Hashem].

⁴⁵They performed the Mishmeret Eloheihem and the Mishmeret HaTahorah according to the commandment of Dovid, and of Sh’lomo bno.

⁴⁶For in the days of Dovid and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and shir tehillah and hodot unto Elohim.

⁴⁷And kol Yisroel in the days of Zerubavel, and in the days of Nechemyah, gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, every day its portion; and they set aside as kodesh the portion for the Levi’im; and the Levi’im set aside as kodesh the portion for the Bnei Aharon. [T.N. See "days of Yeshua" Neh 12:7, Kohen Gadol ca. 560-490 B.C.E. resurrected from the national death in Golus and namesake of Moshiach Zech 6:11-12]

13 On that day they read in the Sefer Moshe in the ears of HaAm; and therein was found written, that the Ammoni and the Moavi should not come into the Kehal HaElohim forever,

²Because they met not the Bnei Yisroel with lechem and with mayim, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them; howbeit Eloheinu turned the kelalah into a brocha.

³Now it came to pass, when they had heard the Torah, that they separated from Yisroel all the foreign descent.

⁴And before this, Elyashiv the Kohen, having the oversight of the storeroom of the Beis Eloheinu, was allied unto Toviyah;

⁵And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the minchah, the levonah, and the vessels, and the ma’aser of the grain, the tirosh, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levi’im, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the terumat hakohanim.

⁶But in all this time was not I at Yerushalayim; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta Melech Bavel came I unto HaMelech, and after certain days obtained I leave of HaMelech;

⁷And I came to Yerushalayim, and understood of the evil that Elyashiv did for Toviyah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the Beis HaElohim.

⁸And it grieved me much; therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Toviyah out of the chamber.

⁹Then I commanded, and they made tahor the chambers, and there brought I again the vessels of the Beis HaElohim, with the minchah and the levonah.

¹⁰And I perceived that the portions of the Levi’im had not been given them, for the Levi’im and the singers, that did the work, had gone back every one to his sadeh.

¹¹Then contended I with the officials, and said, Why is the Beis HaElohim forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

¹²Then brought all Yehudah the ma’asar of the grain and the tirosh and the oil unto the Otzarot.

¹³And I made over the Otzarot Shelemyah the Kohen, and Tzadok the Sofer, and of the Levi’im, Pedayah; and next to them was Chanan ben Zakkur, ben Matanyah; for they were considered ne’emanim, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

¹⁴Remember me, O Elohai, concerning this, and wipe not out my faithful deeds that I have done for the Beis Elohai, and for the offices thereof.

¹⁵In those days saw I in Yehudah some treading winepresses on Shabbos, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; as also yayin, grapes, and figs, and all manner of massa (burdens), which they brought into Yerushalayim on Shabbos; and I warned them against selling food on Shabbos.

¹⁶There dwelt men of Tzor also therein, which brought dag (fish), and all manner of merchandise, and sold on Shabbos unto the Bnei Yehudah, and in Yerushalayim.

¹⁷Then I contended with the nobles of Yehudah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, being Mechallel Shabbos (desecrator of Shabbos)?

¹⁸Did not your avot thus, and did not Eloheinu bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Yisroel by committing Chillul Shabbos (desecration of Shabbos).

¹⁹And it came to pass, that when the gates of Yerushalayim began to be dark before Shabbos, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after Shabbos, and some of my own men set I at the gates, that there should no massa (burden) be brought in on Shabbos.

²⁰Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise lodged outside Yerushalayim.

²¹Then I warned 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 Shabbos.

²²And I commanded the Levi’im that they should make themselves tahor, and that they should come and be shomer over the gates, to set apart as kodesh Shabbos. Remember me, O Elohai, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.

²³In those days also saw I Yehudim that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moav,

²⁴And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of the Yehudim, but according to the language of each people.

²⁵And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by Elohim, saying, Ye shall not give your banot unto their banim, nor take their banot unto your banim, or for yourselves.

²⁶Did not Sh’lomo Melech Yisroel sin by these things? Yet among many Goyim was there no melech like him, who was beloved of Elohav, and Elohim made him melech over kol Yisroel. Nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.

²⁷Shall we then pay heed unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against Eloheinu in marrying strange wives?

²⁸And one of the Bnei Yoyada ben Elyashiv, the Kohen HaGadol, was son-inlaw to Sanvalat the Choroni; therefore I drove him away from me.

²⁹Remember them, O Elohai, because they have defiled the kehunah, and the brit (covenant) of the kehunah, and of the Levi’im.

³⁰Thus I cleansed them from all that is foreign, and had them attend again to the duties of the Kohanim and the Levi’im, every one in his appointed work;

³¹And for the korban of wood, at times appointed, and for the bikkurim. Remember me, O Elohai, for good.

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Nehemiah 10-13 Complete Jewish Bible

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