Nehemiah 12:27-13:31
New King James Version
Nehemiah Dedicates the Wall
27 Now at (A)the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, (B)both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the (C)villages of the Netophathites, 29 from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem. 30 Then the priests and Levites (D)purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
31 So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. (E)One went to the right hand on the wall (F)toward the Refuse Gate. 32 After them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons (G)with trumpets—Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with (H)the musical (I)instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 (J)By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up (K)the stairs of the (L)City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as (M)the Water Gate eastward.
38 (N)The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the (O)Tower of the Ovens as far as (P)the Broad Wall, 39 (Q)and above the Gate of Ephraim, above (R)the Old Gate, above (S)the Fish Gate, (T)the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of [a]the Hundred, as far as (U)the Sheep Gate; and they stopped by (V)the Gate of the Prison.
40 So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me; 41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, [b]Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers [c]sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director.
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard (W)afar off.
Temple Responsibilities
44 (X)And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the (Y)tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who [d]ministered. 45 Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, (Z)according to the command of David and Solomon his son. 46 For in the days of David (AA)and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for (AB)each day. (AC)They also [e]consecrated holy things for the Levites, (AD)and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.
Principles of Separation(AE)
13 On that day (AF)they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written (AG)that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but (AH)hired Balaam against them to curse them. (AI)However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So it was, when they had heard the Law, (AJ)that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
The Reforms of Nehemiah
4 Now before this, (AK)Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with (AL)Tobiah. 5 And he had prepared for him a large room, (AM)where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, (AN)which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests. 6 But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, (AO)for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in (AP)preparing a room for him in the courts of the [f]house of God. 8 And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. 9 Then I commanded them to (AQ)cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.
10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had (AR)not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to (AS)his field. 11 So (AT)I contended with the rulers, and said, (AU)“Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place. 12 (AV)Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. 13 (AW)And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered (AX)faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.
14 (AY)Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!
15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses (AZ)on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, (BA)which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. 16 Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 (BB)Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it (BC)began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. (BD)Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of [g]wares [h]lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night [i]around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that (BE)they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!
23 In those days I also saw Jews who (BF)had married women of (BG)Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.
25 So I (BH)contended with them and [j]cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them (BI)swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. 26 (BJ)Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, (BK)who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. (BL)Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. 27 Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, (BM)transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?”
28 And one of the sons (BN)of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of (BO)Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.
29 (BP)Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and (BQ)the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 (BR)Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also (BS)assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, 31 and to bringing (BT)the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times.
(BU)Remember me, O my God, for good!
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 12:39 Heb. Hammeah
- Nehemiah 12:41 Or Mijamin, v. 5
- Nehemiah 12:42 Lit. made their voice to be heard
- Nehemiah 12:44 Lit. stood
- Nehemiah 12:47 set apart
- Nehemiah 13:7 Temple
- Nehemiah 13:20 merchandise
- Nehemiah 13:20 spent the night
- Nehemiah 13:21 Lit. before
- Nehemiah 13:25 pronounced them cursed
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
New King James Version
Worship and the Lord’s Supper
11 Imitate(A) me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Head Coverings
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that (B)the head of every man is Christ, (C)the head of woman is man, and (D)the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or (E)prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were (F)shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is (G)shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since (H)he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman (I)from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman (J)for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, (K)neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given [a]to her for a covering. 16 But (L)if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, (M)nor do the churches of God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 11:15 M omits to her
Psalm 35:1-16
New King James Version
The Lord the Avenger of His People
A Psalm of David.
35 Plead[a] my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and [b]buckler,
And stand up for my help.
3 Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”
4 (A)Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be (B)turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.
5 (C)Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the [c]angel of the Lord chase them.
6 Let their way be (D)dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
7 For without cause they have (E)hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.
8 [d]Let (F)destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
10 (G)All my bones shall say,
“Lord, (H)who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”
11 Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 (I)They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.
13 But as for me, (J)when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own [e]heart.
14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down [f]heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.
15 But in my [g]adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;
16 With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 35:1 Contend for me
- Psalm 35:2 A small shield
- Psalm 35:5 Or Angel
- Psalm 35:8 Lit. Let destruction he does not know come upon him,
- Psalm 35:13 Lit. bosom
- Psalm 35:14 in mourning
- Psalm 35:15 limping, stumbling
Proverbs 21:17-18
New King James Version
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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