Nehemiah 7-8
Christian Standard Bible
The Exiles Return
7 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed,(A) the gatekeepers,(B) singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 Then I put my brother Hanani(C) in charge of Jerusalem,(D) along with Hananiah,(E) commander of the fortress,(F) because he was a faithful man who feared God(G) more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”(H)
4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.(I) 5 Then my God put it into my mind(J) to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:(K)
6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar(L) of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town.(M) 7 They came with Zerubbabel,(N) Jeshua,(O) Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included[a]
| 8 Parosh’s descendants(P) | 2,172 |
| 9 Shephatiah’s descendants | 372 |
| 10 Arah’s descendants | 652 |
| 11 Pahath-moab’s descendants: | |
| Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants | 2,818 |
| 12 Elam’s descendants | 1,254 |
| 13 Zattu’s descendants | 845 |
| 14 Zaccai’s descendants | 760 |
| 15 Binnui’s descendants | 648 |
| 16 Bebai’s descendants | 628 |
| 17 Azgad’s descendants | 2,322 |
| 18 Adonikam’s descendants(Q) | 667 |
| 19 Bigvai’s descendants | 2,067 |
| 20 Adin’s descendants(R) | 655 |
| 21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah | 98 |
| 22 Hashum’s descendants | 328 |
| 23 Bezai’s descendants | 324 |
| 24 Hariph’s descendants | 112 |
| 25 Gibeon’s[b] descendants | 95 |
| 26 Bethlehem’s(S) and Netophah’s(T) men | 188 |
| 27 Anathoth’s(U) men | 128 |
| 28 Beth-azmaveth’s men | 42 |
| 29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men | 743 |
| 30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men | 621 |
| 31 Michmas’s men | 122 |
| 32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men(V) | 123 |
| 33 the other Nebo’s men | 52 |
| 34 the other Elam’s people | 1,254 |
| 35 Harim’s people | 320 |
| 36 Jericho’s people(W) | 345 |
| 37 Lod’s,(X) Hadid’s, and Ono’s people | 721 |
| 38 Senaah’s people | 3,930. |
39 The priests included
| Jedaiah’s(Y) descendants of the house of Jeshua | 973 |
| 40 Immer’s descendants | 1,052 |
| 41 Pashhur’s descendants | 1,247 |
| 42 Harim’s descendants | 1,017. |
43 The Levites(Z) included
| Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel | |
| Hodevah’s descendants | 74. |
44 The singers(AA) included
| Asaph’s descendants | 148. |
45 The gatekeepers(AB) included
| Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, | |
| Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, | |
| Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants | 138. |
46 The temple servants(AC) included
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,
Tabbaoth’s descendants, 47 Keros’s descendants,
Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,
Shalmai’s descendants, 49 Hanan’s descendants,
Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants, 51 Gazzam’s descendants,
Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants,
Nephishesim’s[c] descendants, 53 Bakbuk’s descendants,
Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,
54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants,
Harsha’s descendants, 55 Barkos’s descendants,
Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,
56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants(AD) included
Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants,
Perida’s descendants, 58 Jaala’s descendants,
Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants,
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.
| 60 All the temple servants | |
| and the descendants of Solomon’s servants(AE) | 392. |
61 The following(AF) are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families[d] and their lineage were Israelite:
| 62 Delaiah’s descendants, | |
| Tobiah’s descendants, | |
| and Nekoda’s descendants | 642 |
63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name. 64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 65 The governor(AG) ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.(AH)
| 66 The whole combined assembly numbered | 42,360 |
| 67 not including their 7,337 male and female servants, | |
| as well as their 245 male and female singers. | |
| 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,[e] | |
| 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.(AI) |
70 Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins,[f] 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. 71 Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. 73 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.(AJ)
Public Reading of the Law
When the seventh month(AK) came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,
8 all the people gathered together(AL) at the square in front of the Water Gate.(AM) They asked the scribe Ezra(AN) to bring the book of the law of Moses(AO) that the Lord had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month,(AP) the priest Ezra(AQ) brought the law(AR) before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate,(AS) he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively[g] to the book of the law.(AT) 4 The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platform(AU) made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted(AV) all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” (AW) Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.(AX)
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah,(AY) who were Levites,[h](AZ) explained the law(BA) to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. 9 Nehemiah the governor,(BB) Ezra the priest and scribe,(BC) and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day(BD) is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”(BE) For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared,(BF) since today(BG) is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”[i](BH) 11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still,(BI) since today(BJ) is holy. Don’t grieve.” 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration,(BK) because they had understood the words that were explained to them.
Festival of Shelters Observed
13 On the second day, the family heads of all the people, along with the priests and Levites,(BL) assembled before the scribe Ezra(BM) to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.(BN) 15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make shelters, just as it is written.”(BO) 16 The people went out, brought back branches, and made shelters for themselves on each of their rooftops(BP) and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate,(BQ) and the square by the Ephraim Gate.(BR) 17 The whole community that had returned from exile(BS) made shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day.(BT) And there was tremendous joy.(BU) 18 Ezra[j] read out of the book of the law of God(BV) every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.(BW)
Footnotes
- 7:7 Lit the men of the people of Israel
- 7:25 = Gibbar’s in Ezr 2:20
- 7:52 Alt Hb tradition reads Nephushesim’s
- 7:61 Lit the house of their fathers
- 7:68 Some Hb mss, LXX; Ezr 2:66; other Hb mss omit v. 68
- 7:70 Or drachmas, or darics; also in vv. 71,72
- 8:3 Lit The ears of all the people listened
- 8:7 Vg, 1 Esdras 9:48; MT reads Pelaiah and the Levites
- 8:10 Or stronghold
- 8:18 Some Hb mss, Syr read They
Acts 15:22-41
Christian Standard Bible
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,(A) both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote:
“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:(B)
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us(C) and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,[a](D) 25 we have unanimously(E) decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives(F) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:(G) 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.(H) You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.”
The Outcome of the Jerusalem Letter
30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message.(I) 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace(J) by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them.[b][c] 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.(K)
Paul and Barnabas Part Company
36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town(L) where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark(M) with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord.(N) 41 He traveled through Syria(O) and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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Psalm 84:1-7
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 84
Longing for God’s House
For the choir director: on the Gittith.(A) A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord of Armies.(B)
2 I long and yearn
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh cry out for[a] the living God.(C)
3 Even a sparrow finds a home,
and a swallow, a nest for herself
where she places her young—
near your altars, Lord of Armies,
my King and my God.(D)
4 How happy are those who reside in your house,
who praise you continually.(E)Selah
5 Happy are the people whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(F)
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,[b]
they make it a source of spring water;
even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.[c](G)
7 They go from strength to strength;
each appears before God in Zion.(H)
Proverbs 17:24-26
Christian Standard Bible
24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(A) roam to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.(B)
Footnotes
- 17:26 Or noble unfairly
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