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Nehemiah 1-10
New American Standard Bible 1995
Nehemiah 1-10
New American Standard Bible 1995
Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles
1 The words of (A)Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in (B)the month Chislev, (C)in the twentieth year, while I was in (D)Susa the [a]capitol, 2 that (E)Hanani, one of my brothers, and [b]some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “The remnant there in the (F)province who survived the captivity are in great distress and (G)reproach, and (H)the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and (I)its gates are burned with fire.”
4 When I heard these words, (J)I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before (K)the God of heaven. 5 I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, (L)the great and awesome God, (M)who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6 (N)let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, (O)confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; (P)I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 (Q)We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances (R)which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘(S)If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 (T)but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I (U)will gather them from there and will bring them (V)to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ 10 (W)They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech You, (X)may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to [c]revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”
Now I was the (Y)cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah’s Prayer Answered
2 And it came about in the month Nisan, (Z)in the twentieth year of King (AA)Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and (AB)I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? (AC)This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “(AD)Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad (AE)when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” (AF)So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” 6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and (AG)I gave him a definite time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me (AH)for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s (AI)forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of (AJ)the fortress which is by the [d]temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because (AK)the good hand of my God was on me.
9 Then I came to (AL)the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now (AM)the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 When (AN)Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite [e]official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
11 So I (AO)came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my [f]mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. 13 So I went out at night by (AP)the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the [g]Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem (AQ)which were broken down and its (AR)gates which were consumed by fire. 14 Then I passed on to (AS)the Fountain Gate and (AT)the King’s Pool, but there was no place for [h]my mount to pass. 15 So I went up at night by the (AU)ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that (AV)Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” 18 I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” (AW)So they put their hands to the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite [i]official, and (AX)Geshem the Arab heard it, (AY)they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? (AZ)Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 So I answered them and said to them, “(BA)The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, (BB)but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
Builders of the Walls
3 Then (BC)Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built (BD)the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and (BE)hung its doors. They consecrated [j]the wall to (BF)the Tower of the Hundred and (BG)the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to him (BH)the men of Jericho built, and next to [k]them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3 Now the sons of Hassenaah built (BI)the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 4 Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs. And next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel made repairs. And next to [l]him Zadok the son of Baana also made repairs. 5 Moreover, next to [m]him the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not [n]support the work of their masters.
6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired (BJ)the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. 7 Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, [o]also made repairs for the official seat of the (BK)governor of the province beyond the River. 8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the (BL)goldsmiths made repairs. And next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored Jerusalem as far as (BM)the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, (BN)the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and (BO)the Tower of Furnaces. 12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, (BP)the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired (BQ)the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the [p]Refuse Gate.
14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, the official of the district of (BR)Beth-haccherem repaired the [q](BS)Refuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars.
15 Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah, (BT)repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at (BU)the king’s garden as far as (BV)the steps that descend from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, (BW)official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as (BX)the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men. 17 After him the Levites carried out repairs under Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18 After him their brothers carried out repairs under Bavvai the son of Henadad, official of the other half of the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, (BY)the official of Mizpah, repaired [r]another section in front of the ascent of the armory (BZ)at the Angle. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of (CA)Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the doorway of Eliashib’s house even as far as the end of [s]his house. 22 After him the priests, (CB)the men of the [t]valley, carried out repairs. 23 After [u]them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house. After [v]them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, carried out repairs beside his house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah as far as (CC)the Angle and as far as the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai made repairs in front of the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king, which is by (CD)the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs. 26 (CE)The temple servants living in (CF)Ophel made repairs as far as the front of (CG)the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. 27 After [w]them (CH)the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel.
28 Above (CI)the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house. 29 After [x]them Zadok the son of Immer carried out repairs in front of his house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own [y]quarters. 31 After him Malchijah, [z]one of (CJ)the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the [aa]Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner. 32 Between the upper room of the corner and (CK)the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.
Work Is Ridiculed
4 [ab]Now it came about that when (CL)Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. 2 He spoke in the presence of his brothers and (CM)the [ac]wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the [ad](CN)dusty rubble even the burned ones?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building—(CO)if a fox should [ae]jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”
4 (CP)Hear, O our God, how we are despised! (CQ)Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not [af](CR)forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have [ag]demoralized the builders.
6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a [ah]mind to work.
7 [ai]Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the [aj]repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them (CS)conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.
Discouragement Overcome
9 But we prayed to our God, and because of them we (CT)set up a guard against them day and night.
10 Thus [ak]in Judah it was said,
“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,
Yet there is much [al]rubbish;
And we ourselves are unable
To rebuild the wall.”
11 Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “[am]They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,” 13 then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the [an]exposed places, and I (CU)stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. 14 When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “(CV)Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and (CW)fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that (CX)God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18 As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while [ao]the trumpeter stood near me. 19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, [ap]rally to us there. (CY)Our God will fight for us.”
21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from [aq]dawn until the stars [ar]appeared. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.” 23 So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.
Usury Abolished
5 Now (CZ)there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their (DA)Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us (DB)get grain that we may eat and live.” 3 There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4 Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money (DC)for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now (DD)our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, (DE)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and [as]we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 Then I was very (DF)angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7 I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “(DG)You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 I said to them, “We according to our ability (DH)have [at]redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of (DI)the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. 11 Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We (DJ)will give it back and (DK)will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and (DL)took an oath from them that they would do according to this [au]promise. 13 I (DM)also shook out the [av]front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this [aw]promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And (DN)all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this [ax]promise.
Nehemiah’s Example
14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from (DO)the twentieth year to the (DP)thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my [ay]kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. 15 But the former governors who were before me [az]laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so (DQ)because of the fear of God. 16 I also [ba]applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, (DR)there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now (DS)that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this (DT)I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. 19 (DU)Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
The Enemy’s Plot
6 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, (DV)although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at [bb]Chephirim in the plain of (DW)Ono.” But they were planning to [bc]harm me. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and [bd]Gashmu says, that (DX)you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. 7 You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning [be]you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are (DY)inventing them [bf]in your own mind.” 9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, [bg]thinking, “[bh]They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, (DZ)O God, strengthen my hands.
10 When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, (EA)who was [bi]confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” 11 But I said, “(EB)Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple [bj]to save his life? I will not go in.” 12 Then I perceived [bk]that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He was hired for this reason, (EC)that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. 14 (ED)Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah (EE)the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
The Wall Is Finished
15 So (EF)the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 (EG)When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they [bl]lost their confidence; for (EH)they recognized that this work had been accomplished [bm]with the help of our God. 17 Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
Census of First Returned Exiles
7 Now when (EI)the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2 then I put (EJ)Hanani my brother, and (EK)Hananiah the commander of (EL)the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was (EM)a faithful man and feared God more than many. 3 Then I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.” 4 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.
5 (EN)Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first [bn]in which I found the following record:
6 (EO)These are the [bo]people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, 7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, [bp]Azariah, [bq]Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, [br]Mispereth, Bigvai, [bs]Nehum, Baanah.
The number of men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172; 9 the sons of Shephatiah, 372; 10 the sons of Arah, 652; 11 the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; 12 the sons of Elam, 1,254; 13 the sons of Zattu, 845; 14 the sons of Zaccai, 760; 15 the sons of [bt]Binnui, 648; 16 the sons of Bebai, 628; 17 the sons of Azgad, 2,322; 18 the sons of Adonikam, 667; 19 the sons of Bigvai, 2,067; 20 the sons of Adin, 655; 21 the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98; 22 the sons of Hashum, 328; 23 the sons of Bezai, 324; 24 the sons of [bu]Hariph, 112; 25 the sons of [bv]Gibeon, 95; 26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; 27 the men of Anathoth, 128; 28 the men of [bw]Beth-azmaveth, 42; 29 the men of [bx]Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; 30 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; 31 the men of Michmas, 122; 32 the men of Bethel and Ai, 123; 33 the men of the other Nebo, 52; 34 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; 35 the sons of Harim, 320; 36 the [by]men of Jericho, 345; 37 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721; 38 the sons of Senaah, 3,930.
39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; 40 the sons of Immer, 1,052; 41 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; 42 the sons of Harim, 1,017.
43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of [bz]Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.
46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of [ca]Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of [cb]Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of [cc]Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
57 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of [cd]Sophereth, the sons of [ce]Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of [cf]Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.
61 These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, [cg]Addon and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses or their [ch]descendants, whether they were of Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Of the priests: the sons of [ci]Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. 64 These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. 65 (EP)The [cj]governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with (EQ)Urim and Thummim.
Total of People and Gifts
66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and their female servants, [ck]of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. 68 [cl](ER)Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; 69 their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
70 Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The [cm](ES)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments. 71 Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. 72 That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas and 67 priests’ garments.
73 Now (ET)the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities.
(EU)And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.
Ezra Reads the Law
8 And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of (EV)the Water Gate, and they [cn]asked (EW)Ezra the scribe to bring (EX)the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had [co]given to Israel. 2 Then (EY)Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on (EZ)the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it before the square which was in front of (FA)the Water Gate from [cp]early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 Ezra opened (FB)the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people (FC)stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, “(FD)Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then (FE)they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8 They read from the book, from the law of God, [cq]translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.
“This Day Is Holy”
9 Then Nehemiah, who was the [cr](FF)governor, and Ezra (FG)the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “(FH)This day is holy to the Lord your God; (FI)do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and (FJ)send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, (FK)to send portions and to [cs]celebrate a great festival, (FL)because they understood the words which had been made known to them.
Feast of Booths Restored
13 Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel (FM)should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15 [ct](FN)So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and (FO)in Jerusalem, saying, “(FP)Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and [cu]wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each (FQ)on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at (FR)the Water Gate and in the square at (FS)the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in [cv]them. The sons of Israel (FT)had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And (FU)there was great rejoicing. 18 (FV)He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they (FW)celebrated the feast seven days, and on (FX)the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.
The People Confess Their Sin
9 Now on the twenty-fourth day of (FY)this month the sons of Israel assembled (FZ)with fasting, in sackcloth and with (GA)dirt upon them. 2 The [cw](GB)descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and (GC)confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 While (GD)they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 (GE)Now on the Levites’ platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.
5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the Lord your God forever and ever!
O may Your glorious name be blessed
And exalted above all blessing and praise!
6 “(GF)You alone are the Lord.
(GG)You have made the heavens,
The heaven of heavens with all their host,
The earth and all that is on it,
The seas and all that is in them.
(GH)You give life to all of them
And the heavenly host bows down before You.
7 “You are the Lord God,
(GI)Who chose Abram
And brought him out from (GJ)Ur of the Chaldees,
And (GK)gave him the name Abraham.
8 “You found (GL)his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give him the land of the Canaanite,
Of the Hittite and the Amorite,
Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—
To give it to his [cx]descendants.
And You (GM)have fulfilled Your promise,
For You are righteous.
9 “(GN)You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,
And (GO)heard their cry by the [cy]Red Sea.
10 “Then You performed (GP)signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
Against all his servants and all the people of his land;
For You knew that (GQ)they acted arrogantly toward them,
And (GR)made a name for Yourself as it is this day.
11 “(GS)You divided the sea before them,
So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground;
And (GT)their pursuers You hurled into the depths,
Like a stone into [cz]raging waters.
12 “And with a pillar of cloud (GU)You led them by day,
And with a pillar of fire by night
To light for them the way
In which they were to go.
13 “Then (GV)You came down on Mount Sinai,
And (GW)spoke with them from heaven;
You gave them (GX)just ordinances and true laws,
Good statutes and commandments.
14 “So You made known to them (GY)Your holy sabbath,
And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law,
Through Your servant Moses.
15 “You (GZ)provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger,
You (HA)brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst,
And You (HB)told them to enter in order to possess
The land which You [da]swore to give them.
16 “But they, our fathers, (HC)acted arrogantly;
They [db](HD)became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments.
17 “They refused to listen,
And (HE)did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them;
So they became stubborn and (HF)appointed a leader to return to their slavery [dc]in Egypt.
But You are a God (HG)of forgiveness,
Gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not forsake them.
18 “Even when they (HH)made for themselves
A calf of molten metal
And said, ‘This is your God
Who brought you up from Egypt,’
And committed great [dd]blasphemies,
19 (HI)You, in Your great compassion,
Did not forsake them in the wilderness;
(HJ)The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day,
To guide them on their way,
Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.
20 “(HK)You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth,
And You gave them water for their thirst.
21 “Indeed, (HL)forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want;
Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.
22 “You also gave them kingdoms and peoples,
And allotted them to them as a [de]boundary.
(HM)They took possession of the land of Sihon [df]the king of Heshbon
And the land of Og the king of Bashan.
23 “You made their sons numerous as (HN)the stars of heaven,
And You brought them into the land
Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess.
24 “(HO)So their sons entered and possessed the land.
And (HP)You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites,
And You gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land,
To do with them [dg]as they desired.
25 “(HQ)They captured fortified cities and a [dh](HR)fertile land.
They took possession of (HS)houses full of every good thing,
Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves,
Fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate, were filled and (HT)grew fat,
And (HU)reveled in Your great goodness.
26 “(HV)But they became disobedient and rebelled against You,
And (HW)cast Your law behind their backs
And (HX)killed Your prophets who had (HY)admonished them
So that they might return to You,
And (HZ)they committed great [di]blasphemies.
27 “Therefore You (IA)delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them,
But when they cried to You (IB)in the time of their distress,
You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion
You (IC)gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.
28 “But (ID)as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You;
Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them.
When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven,
And (IE)many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,
29 And (IF)admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law.
Yet (IG)they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances,
By (IH)which if a man observes them he shall live.
And they [dj](II)turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.
30 “(IJ)However, You bore with them for many years,
And (IK)admonished them by (IL)Your Spirit through Your prophets,
Yet they would not give ear.
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
31 “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You (IM)did not make an end of them or forsake them,
For You are (IN)a gracious and compassionate God.
32 “Now therefore, our God, (IO)the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness,
Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You,
Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people,
(IP)From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.
33 “However, (IQ)You are just in all that has come upon us;
For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.
34 “For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law
Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your [dk]admonitions with which You have [dl]admonished them.
35 “But (IR)they, in their own kingdom,
(IS)With Your great goodness which You gave them,
With the broad and rich land which You set before them,
Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds.
36 “Behold, (IT)we are slaves today,
And as to the land which You gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty,
Behold, we are slaves in it.
37 “(IU)Its abundant produce is for the kings
Whom You have set over us because of our sins;
They also rule over our bodies
And over our cattle as they please,
So we are in great distress.
A Covenant Results
38 “[dm]Now because of all this
(IV)We are making an agreement in writing;
And on the (IW)sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”
Signers of the Document
10 [dn]Now on the (IX)sealed document were the names of: Nehemiah the [do]governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, 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: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 also their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
Obligations of the Document
28 Now (IY)the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and (IZ)all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding, 29 are joining with their [dp]kinsmen, their nobles, and are [dq](JA)taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of [dr]God our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes; 30 and (JB)that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 As (JC)for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the (JD)seventh year and the (JE)exaction of every debt.
32 We also [ds]placed ourselves under obligation to contribute yearly (JF)one third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the (JG)showbread, for the continual grain offering, for the continual burnt offering, the sabbaths, the new moon, for the appointed times, for the holy things and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.
34 Likewise (JH)we cast lots (JI)for the supply of wood among the priests, the Levites and the people so that they might bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers’ households, at fixed times annually, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law; 35 and that they might bring the first fruits of our ground and (JJ)the first fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the Lord annually, 36 and (JK)bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God. 37 (JL)We will also bring the first of our [dt]dough, our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the new wine and the oil (JM)to the priests at the chambers of the house of our God, and the (JN)tithe of our ground to the Levites, for the Levites are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns. 38 (JO)The priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of (JP)the storehouse. 39 For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the (JQ)contribution of the grain, the new wine and the oil to the chambers; there are the utensils of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers and the singers. Thus (JR)we will not [du]neglect the house of our God.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 1:1 Or palace or citadel
- Nehemiah 1:2 Lit he and some
- Nehemiah 1:11 Or fear
- Nehemiah 2:8 Lit house
- Nehemiah 2:10 Lit servant
- Nehemiah 2:12 Lit heart
- Nehemiah 2:13 Lit Gate of Ash-heaps
- Nehemiah 2:14 Lit the animal under me
- Nehemiah 2:19 Lit servant
- Nehemiah 3:1 Lit it
- Nehemiah 3:2 Lit him
- Nehemiah 3:4 Lit them
- Nehemiah 3:5 Lit them
- Nehemiah 3:5 Lit bring their neck to
- Nehemiah 3:7 Or which was under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province beyond the River, also made repairs
- Nehemiah 3:13 Lit Gate of Ash-heaps
- Nehemiah 3:14 Lit Gate of Ash-heaps
- Nehemiah 3:19 Lit a second measure, and so in vv 20, 21, 24, 30
- Nehemiah 3:21 Lit Eliashib’s
- Nehemiah 3:22 Lit circle; i.e. lower Jordan valley
- Nehemiah 3:23 Lit him
- Nehemiah 3:23 Lit him
- Nehemiah 3:27 Lit him
- Nehemiah 3:29 Lit him
- Nehemiah 3:30 Or cell
- Nehemiah 3:31 Lit son of
- Nehemiah 3:31 Or Mustering
- Nehemiah 4:1 Ch 3:33 in Heb
- Nehemiah 4:2 Or army
- Nehemiah 4:2 Lit heaps of dust
- Nehemiah 4:3 Lit go up
- Nehemiah 4:5 Lit cover
- Nehemiah 4:5 Lit offended against
- Nehemiah 4:6 Lit heart
- Nehemiah 4:7 Ch 4:1 in Heb
- Nehemiah 4:7 Lit healing
- Nehemiah 4:10 Lit Judah said
- Nehemiah 4:10 Lit dust
- Nehemiah 4:12 So Gr; Heb omits they...up
- Nehemiah 4:13 Lit bare
- Nehemiah 4:18 Lit he who sounded the trumpet
- Nehemiah 4:20 Lit assemble yourselves
- Nehemiah 4:21 Lit rising of the dawn
- Nehemiah 4:21 Lit came out
- Nehemiah 5:5 Lit there is not the power in our hands
- Nehemiah 5:8 Lit bought
- Nehemiah 5:12 Lit word
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit bosom
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit word
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit word
- Nehemiah 5:14 Lit brothers
- Nehemiah 5:15 Lit made heavy
- Nehemiah 5:16 Or held fast
- Nehemiah 6:2 Another reading is, one of the villages
- Nehemiah 6:2 Lit do evil to me
- Nehemiah 6:6 In v 1 and elsewhere, Geshem
- Nehemiah 6:7 Lit you, saying
- Nehemiah 6:8 Lit from your heart
- Nehemiah 6:9 Lit saying,
- Nehemiah 6:9 Lit Their hands will drop from
- Nehemiah 6:10 Lit shut up
- Nehemiah 6:11 Lit and live
- Nehemiah 6:12 Lit and behold God
- Nehemiah 6:16 Lit fell exceedingly in their own eyes
- Nehemiah 6:16 Lit from our God
- Nehemiah 7:5 Lit and I found written in it
- Nehemiah 7:6 Lit sons
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Seraiah
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Reelaiah
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Mispar
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Rehum
- Nehemiah 7:15 In Ezra 2:10, Bani
- Nehemiah 7:24 In Ezra 2:18, Jorah
- Nehemiah 7:25 In Ezra 2:20, Gibbar
- Nehemiah 7:28 In Ezra 2:24, Azmaveth
- Nehemiah 7:29 In Ezra 2:25, Kiriath-arim
- Nehemiah 7:36 Lit sons
- Nehemiah 7:43 In Ezra 2:40, Hodaviah
- Nehemiah 7:47 In Ezra 2:44, Siaha
- Nehemiah 7:52 In Ezra 2:50, Nephisim
- Nehemiah 7:54 In Ezra 2:52, Bazluth
- Nehemiah 7:57 In Ezra 2:55, Hassophereth
- Nehemiah 7:57 In Ezra 2:55, Peruda
- Nehemiah 7:59 In Ezra 2:57, Ami
- Nehemiah 7:61 In Ezra 2:59, Addan
- Nehemiah 7:61 Lit seed
- Nehemiah 7:63 In Ezra 2:61, Habaiah
- Nehemiah 7:65 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
- Nehemiah 7:67 Lit these
- Nehemiah 7:68 So with some ancient mss and Gr
- Nehemiah 7:70 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
- Nehemiah 8:1 Lit said to
- Nehemiah 8:1 Lit commanded
- Nehemiah 8:3 Lit the light
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or explaining
- Nehemiah 8:9 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
- Nehemiah 8:12 Lit make a great rejoicing
- Nehemiah 8:15 Lit And that they will cause to be heard
- Nehemiah 8:15 Lit oil tree, species unknown
- Nehemiah 8:17 Lit the booths
- Nehemiah 9:2 Lit seed
- Nehemiah 9:8 Lit seed
- Nehemiah 9:9 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Nehemiah 9:11 Lit strong, mighty
- Nehemiah 9:15 Lit lifted up Your hand
- Nehemiah 9:16 Lit stiffened their neck; so also v 17
- Nehemiah 9:17 So Gr and some Heb mss; Heb reads in their rebellion
- Nehemiah 9:18 Lit acts of contempt
- Nehemiah 9:22 Lit side, corner
- Nehemiah 9:22 So the Gr and the Latin; Heb reads and the land of the king of Heshbon
- Nehemiah 9:24 Lit according to their desire
- Nehemiah 9:25 Lit fat
- Nehemiah 9:26 Lit acts of contempt
- Nehemiah 9:29 Lit gave
- Nehemiah 9:34 Lit testimonies
- Nehemiah 9:34 Or witnessed
- Nehemiah 9:38 Ch 10:1 in Heb
- Nehemiah 10:1 Ch 10:2 in Heb
- Nehemiah 10:1 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
- Nehemiah 10:29 Lit brothers
- Nehemiah 10:29 Lit entering into a
- Nehemiah 10:29 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Nehemiah 10:32 Lit imposed commandments on us
- Nehemiah 10:37 Or coarse meal
- Nehemiah 10:39 Lit forsake
Nehemiah 1-9
New International Version
Nehemiah 1-9
New International Version
Nehemiah’s Prayer
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev(A) in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,(B) 2 Hanani,(C) one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant(D) that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.(E)”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.(F) For some days I mourned and fasted(G) and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,(H) who keeps his covenant of love(I) with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear(J) the prayer(K) your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess(L) the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly(M) toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember(N) the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter(O) you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather(P) them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’(Q)
10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.(R) 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive(S) to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor(T) in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer(U) to the king.
Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(V) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(W) Why should my face not look sad when the city(X) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(Y)”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
6 Then the king(Z), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(AA) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel(AB) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,(AC) the king granted my requests.(AD) 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry(AE) with me.
10 When Sanballat(AF) the Horonite and Tobiah(AG) the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.(AH)
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days(AI) 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate(AJ) toward the Jackal[a] Well and the Dung Gate,(AK) examining the walls(AL) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate(AM) and the King’s Pool,(AN) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.(AO) Come, let us rebuild the wall(AP) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.(AQ)” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me(AR) and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
19 But when Sanballat(AS) the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem(AT) the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.(AU) “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,(AV) but as for you, you have no share(AW) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Builders of the Wall
3 Eliashib(AX) the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt(AY) the Sheep Gate.(AZ) They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.(BA) 2 The men of Jericho(BB) built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.
3 The Fish Gate(BC) was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4 Meremoth(BD) son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa,(BE) but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.[b]
6 The Jeshanah[c] Gate(BF) was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7 Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon(BG) and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.(BH) 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10 Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.(BI) 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.
13 The Valley Gate(BJ) was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah.(BK) They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits[d] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.(BL)
14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem.(BM) He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
15 The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,[e](BN) by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. 16 Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur,(BO) made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs[f](BP) of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.
17 Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah,(BQ) carried out repairs for his district. 18 Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui[g] son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19 Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. 20 Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 Next to him, Meremoth(BR) son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it.
22 The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 23 Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24 Next to him, Binnui(BS) son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner, 25 and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard.(BT) Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh(BU) 26 and the temple servants(BV) living on the hill of Ophel(BW) made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate(BX) toward the east and the projecting tower. 27 Next to them, the men of Tekoa(BY) repaired another section, from the great projecting tower(BZ) to the wall of Ophel.
28 Above the Horse Gate,(CA) the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. 31 Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; 32 and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate(CB) the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.
Opposition to the Rebuilding
4 [h]When Sanballat(CC) heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates(CD) and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble(CE)—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah(CF) the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”(CG)
4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised.(CH) Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt(CI) or blot out their sins from your sight,(CJ) for they have thrown insults in the face of[i] the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah,(CK) the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together(CL) to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers(CM) is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid(CN) of them. Remember(CO) the Lord, who is great and awesome,(CP) and fight(CQ) for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it,(CR) we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon(CS) in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet(CT) stayed with me.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet,(CU) join us there. Our God will fight(CV) for us!”
21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.[j]
Nehemiah Helps the Poor
5 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields,(CW) our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”(CX)
4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax(CY) on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood(CZ) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.(DA) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”(DB)
6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!”(DC) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: “As far as possible, we have bought(DD) back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.(DE)
9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach(DF) of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!(DG) 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest(DH) you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath(DI) to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook(DJ) out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,”(DK) and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(DL) when I was appointed to be their governor(DM) in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels[k] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God(DN) I did not act like that. 16 Instead,(DO) I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we[l] did not acquire any land.
17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry(DP) were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
19 Remember(DQ) me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
Further Opposition to the Rebuilding
6 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah,(DR) Geshem(DS) the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[m] on the plain of Ono.(DT)”
But they were scheming to harm me; 3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.
5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat(DU) sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter 6 in which was written:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem[n](DV) says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king 7 and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
8 I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”
But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple(DW), and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”
11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” 12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me(DX) because Tobiah and Sanballat(DY) had hired him. 13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.(DZ)
14 Remember(EA) Tobiah and Sanballat,(EB) my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet(EC) Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets(ED) have been trying to intimidate me. 15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
Opposition to the Completed Wall
16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
17 Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. 18 For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,(EE) the musicians(EF) and the Levites(EG) were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,(EH) along with Hananiah(EI) the commander of the citadel,(EJ) because he was a man of integrity and feared(EK) God more than most people do. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
The List of the Exiles Who Returned(EL)
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(EM) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:
6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles(EN) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel,(EO) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of Israel:
| 8 the descendants of Parosh | 2,172 |
| 9 of Shephatiah | 372 |
| 10 of Arah | 652 |
| 11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) | 2,818 |
| 12 of Elam | 1,254 |
| 13 of Zattu | 845 |
| 14 of Zakkai | 760 |
| 15 of Binnui | 648 |
| 16 of Bebai | 628 |
| 17 of Azgad | 2,322 |
| 18 of Adonikam | 667 |
| 19 of Bigvai | 2,067 |
| 20 of Adin(EP) | 655 |
| 21 of Ater (through Hezekiah) | 98 |
| 22 of Hashum | 328 |
| 23 of Bezai | 324 |
| 24 of Hariph | 112 |
| 25 of Gibeon | 95 |
| 26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(EQ) | 188 |
| 27 of Anathoth(ER) | 128 |
| 28 of Beth Azmaveth | 42 |
| 29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(ES) and Beeroth(ET) | 743 |
| 30 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
| 31 of Mikmash | 122 |
| 32 of Bethel and Ai(EU) | 123 |
| 33 of the other Nebo | 52 |
| 34 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
| 35 of Harim | 320 |
| 36 of Jericho(EV) | 345 |
| 37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(EW) | 721 |
| 38 of Senaah | 3,930 |
39 The priests:
| the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) | 973 |
| 40 of Immer | 1,052 |
| 41 of Pashhur | 1,247 |
| 42 of Harim | 1,017 |
43 The Levites:
| the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) | 74 |
44 The musicians:(EX)
| the descendants of Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers:(EY)
| the descendants of | |
| Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 138 |
46 The temple servants:(EZ)
| the descendants of |
| Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, |
| 47 Keros, Sia, Padon, |
| 48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, |
| 49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, |
| 50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, |
| 51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, |
| 52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim, |
| 53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, |
| 54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, |
| 55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, |
| 56 Neziah and Hatipha |
57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
| the descendants of |
| Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, |
| 58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, |
| 59 Shephatiah, Hattil, |
| Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon |
| 60 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon(FA) | 392 |
61 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:
| 62 the descendants of | |
| Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda | 642 |
63 And from among the priests:
| the descendants of |
| Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). |
64 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.(FB)
66 The whole company numbered 42,360, 67 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules,[o] 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[p] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families(FC) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[q] of gold and 2,200 minas[r] of silver. 72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[s] of silver and 67 garments for priests.(FD)
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(FE) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(FF)
Ezra Reads the Law
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(FG) 8 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.(FH) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,(FI) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month(FJ) Ezra the priest brought the Law(FK) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate(FL) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform(FM) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing(FN) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands(FO) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites(FP)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed(FQ) the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[t] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites(FR) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”(FS) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing(FT) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy(FU) of the Lord is your strength.”
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,(FV) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters(FW) during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.[u]
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate(FX) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.(FY) 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.(FZ) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated(GA) it like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read(GB) from the Book of the Law(GC) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,(GD) there was an assembly.(GE)
The Israelites Confess Their Sins
9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.(GF) 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.(GG) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.(GH) 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. 4 Standing on the stairs of the Levites(GI) were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 5 And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God,(GJ) who is from everlasting to everlasting.[v]”
“Blessed be your glorious name,(GK) and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the Lord.(GL) You made the heavens,(GM) even the highest heavens, and all their starry host,(GN) the earth(GO) and all that is on it, the seas(GP) and all that is in them.(GQ) You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven(GR) worship you.
7 “You are the Lord God, who chose Abram(GS) and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans(GT) and named him Abraham.(GU) 8 You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites.(GV) You have kept your promise(GW) because you are righteous.(GX)
9 “You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt;(GY) you heard their cry at the Red Sea.[w](GZ) 10 You sent signs(HA) and wonders(HB) against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name(HC) for yourself,(HD) which remains to this day. 11 You divided the sea before them,(HE) so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths,(HF) like a stone into mighty waters.(HG) 12 By day(HH) you led(HI) them with a pillar of cloud,(HJ) and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.
13 “You came down on Mount Sinai;(HK) you spoke(HL) to them from heaven.(HM) You gave them regulations and laws that are just(HN) and right, and decrees and commands that are good.(HO) 14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath(HP) and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. 15 In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven(HQ) and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock;(HR) you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand(HS) to give them.(HT)
16 “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked,(HU) and they did not obey your commands.(HV) 17 They refused to listen and failed to remember(HW) the miracles(HX) you performed among them. They became stiff-necked(HY) and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery.(HZ) But you are a forgiving God,(IA) gracious and compassionate,(IB) slow to anger(IC) and abounding in love.(ID) Therefore you did not desert them,(IE) 18 even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf(IF) and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.(IG)
19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon(IH) them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud(II) did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20 You gave your good Spirit(IJ) to instruct(IK) them. You did not withhold your manna(IL) from their mouths, and you gave them water(IM) for their thirst. 21 For forty years(IN) you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing,(IO) their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.(IP)
22 “You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon[x](IQ) king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.(IR) 23 You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky,(IS) and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess. 24 Their children went in and took possession of the land.(IT) You subdued(IU) before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. 25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land;(IV) they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things,(IW) wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished;(IX) they reveled in your great goodness.(IY)
26 “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law.(IZ) They killed(JA) your prophets,(JB) who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.(JC) 27 So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies,(JD) who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion(JE) you gave them deliverers,(JF) who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.
28 “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.(JG) Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion(JH) you delivered them(JI) time after time.
29 “You warned(JJ) them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant(JK) and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’(JL) Stubbornly they turned their backs(JM) on you, became stiff-necked(JN) and refused to listen.(JO) 30 For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets.(JP) Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.(JQ) 31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end(JR) to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful(JS) God.
32 “Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty(JT) and awesome,(JU) who keeps his covenant of love,(JV) do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship(JW) that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. 33 In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous;(JX) you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.(JY) 34 Our kings,(JZ) our leaders, our priests and our ancestors(KA) did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. 35 Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness(KB) to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you(KC) or turn from their evil ways.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent or Fig
- Nehemiah 3:5 Or their Lord or the governor
- Nehemiah 3:6 Or Old
- Nehemiah 3:13 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters
- Nehemiah 3:15 Hebrew Shelah, a variant of Shiloah, that is, Siloam
- Nehemiah 3:16 Hebrew; Septuagint, some Vulgate manuscripts and Syriac tomb
- Nehemiah 3:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint and verse 24); most Hebrew manuscripts Bavvai
- Nehemiah 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-6 is numbered 3:33-38, and 4:7-23 is numbered 4:1-17.
- Nehemiah 4:5 Or have aroused your anger before
- Nehemiah 4:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
- Nehemiah 5:15 That is, about 1 pound or about 460 grams
- Nehemiah 5:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac I
- Nehemiah 6:2 Or in Kephirim
- Nehemiah 6:6 Hebrew Gashmu, a variant of Geshem
- Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
- Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
- Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or God, translating it
- Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.
- Nehemiah 9:5 Or God for ever and ever
- Nehemiah 9:9 Or the Sea of Reeds
- Nehemiah 9:22 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts Sihon, that is, the country of the
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