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Nehemiah 5-7
English Standard Version
Nehemiah 5-7
English Standard Version
Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor
5 Now there arose (A)a great outcry of the people and of their wives (B)against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for (C)the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now (D)our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet (E)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
6 I was very angry when I heard (F)their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, (G)“You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, (H)have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk (I)in the fear of our God (J)to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and (K)require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and (L)made them swear (M)to do as they had promised. 13 (N)I also shook out the fold[a] of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” (O)And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah's Generosity
14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from (P)the twentieth year to (Q)the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, (R)neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration[b] forty shekels[c] of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, (S)because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were (T)at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 (U)Now what was prepared at my expense[d] for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this (V)I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 (W)Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
Conspiracy Against Nehemiah
6 Now when (X)Sanballat and Tobiah and (Y)Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it ((Z)although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of (AA)Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And 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 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem[e] also says it, that you and (AB)the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God,[f] strengthen my hands.
10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was (AC)confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?[g] I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, (AD)but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 (AE)Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also (AF)the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
The Wall Is Finished
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And (AG)when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, (AH)for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters 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 (AI)Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of (AJ)Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.
7 Now when the wall had been built (AK)and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave (AL)my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of (AM)the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was (AN)a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.
Lists of Returned Exiles
5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of (AO)those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:
6 (AP)These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, (AQ)Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 9 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 10 The sons of Arah, (AR)652. 11 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 12 The sons of (AS)Elam, 1,254. 13 The sons of Zattu, 845. 14 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 15 The sons of (AT)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, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 22 The sons of Hashum, 328. 23 The sons of (AU)Bezai, 324. 24 The sons of Hariph, 112. 25 The sons of (AV)Gibeon, 95. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 27 The men of Anathoth, 128. 28 The men (AW)of Beth-azmaveth, 42. 29 The men of (AX)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 (AY)the other Elam, 1,254. 35 The sons of Harim, 320. 36 The sons 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 (AZ)Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 40 The sons of (BA)Immer, 1,052. 41 The sons of (BB)Pashhur, 1,247. 42 The sons of (BC)Harim, 1,017.
43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the sons of (BD)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 (BE)Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of (BF)Hagaba, the sons of (BG)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 (BH)Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of (BI)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 Sophereth, the sons of (BJ)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 (BK)Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.
61 (BL)The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, (BM)Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers' houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 (BN)The (BO)governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.
Totals of People and Gifts
66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245,[h] 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.
70 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. The (BP)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[i] of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments and 500 minas[j] of silver.[k] 71 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 (BQ)And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments.
73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.
(BR)And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 5:13 Hebrew bosom
- Nehemiah 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after
- Nehemiah 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
- Nehemiah 5:18 Or prepared for me
- Nehemiah 6:6 Hebrew Gashmu
- Nehemiah 6:9 Hebrew lacks O God
- Nehemiah 6:11 Or would go into the temple to save his life
- Nehemiah 7:68 Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses… 245
- Nehemiah 7:70 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams
- Nehemiah 7:70 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram
- Nehemiah 7:70 Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver
Nehemiah 5-7
New International Version
Nehemiah 5-7
New International Version
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,(A) our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”(B)
4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax(C) on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood(D) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.(E) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”(F)
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!”(G) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: “As far as possible, we have bought(H) 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.(I)
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(J) 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!(K) 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest(L) 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(M) to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook(N) 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,”(O) and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(P) when I was appointed to be their governor(Q) 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[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God(R) I did not act like that. 16 Instead,(S) I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we[b] 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(T) 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(U) 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,(V) Geshem(W) 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[c] on the plain of Ono.(X)”
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(Y) 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[d](Z) 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(AA), 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(AB) because Tobiah and Sanballat(AC) 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.(AD)
14 Remember(AE) Tobiah and Sanballat,(AF) my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet(AG) Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets(AH) 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,(AI) the musicians(AJ) and the Levites(AK) were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,(AL) along with Hananiah(AM) the commander of the citadel,(AN) because he was a man of integrity and feared(AO) 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(AP)
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(AQ) 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(AR) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel,(AS) 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(AT) | 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(AU) | 188 |
| 27 of Anathoth(AV) | 128 |
| 28 of Beth Azmaveth | 42 |
| 29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(AW) and Beeroth(AX) | 743 |
| 30 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
| 31 of Mikmash | 122 |
| 32 of Bethel and Ai(AY) | 123 |
| 33 of the other Nebo | 52 |
| 34 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
| 35 of Harim | 320 |
| 36 of Jericho(AZ) | 345 |
| 37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(BA) | 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:(BB)
| the descendants of Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers:(BC)
| the descendants of | |
| Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 138 |
46 The temple servants:(BD)
| 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(BE) | 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.(BF)
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,[e] 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[f] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families(BG) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[g] of gold and 2,200 minas[h] of silver. 72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[i] of silver and 67 garments for priests.(BH)
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(BI) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(BJ)
Ezra Reads the Law
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(BK)
Footnotes
- 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
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.