The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁴ As long as I had been appointed governor in Judah—for the 12 years from the 20th to the 32nd year of King Artaxerxes’ reign over the Persian Empire—no one in my family took a salary from the food tax the empire levied. ¹⁵ Every governor who had come before me had exploited his authority and levied a stiff tax—a pound of silver a day—and taken food and wine to supply his own table, often using unmerciful servants to extract this payment. But my fear of the True God kept me from ever acting in the same way. ¹⁶ (All my attention and resources were devoted to rebuilding the wall. Land acquisition was not the goal of my followers or me.) ¹⁷ I went beyond that, however. I also supplied food for 150 Jews and officials—in addition to diplomats from the surrounding pagan nations. ¹⁸ All were fed at my table at my expense: each day an ox, 6 of my best sheep, and some birds were prepared and served alongside a variety of wines that were resupplied every 10 days. Even with all of this expense and effort, I never demanded the food tax which would have been mine to claim as governor because I could see how hard life was for the people and what these demands would cost them.

6 Once again, we found that our progress had been reported to our enemies. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab (as well as the rest of our adversaries) heard that under my leadership the wall had been rebuilt. Not one gap remained (though the doors still had to be hung on the gates). ² Sanballat and Geshem sent messengers to me.

They were planning to hurt me. ³ So instead of going, I sent messengers back to them.

⁴ This same exchange played out four different times: they asked for a meeting; I refused.

⁵ The fifth time I was approached by a servant of Sanballat. He came with the same message, but this time he also carried an unsealed letter in his hand.

⁸ My message back to him was simple.

⁹ We knew our enemies’ intent was to intimidate us into stopping our work. They reasoned, “These Jews will stop rebuilding out of fear and discouragement. Progress will grind to a halt.” Instead I renewed my dedication, strengthened my hands.

¹⁰ A little later, I went to see Shemaiah (Delaiah’s son and Mehetabel’s grandson) who was shut up inside his house.

^12-13 While I was speaking these words, I realized God had not sent him to me. God would never tell me to break His laws. Shemaiah’s prophecy was “inspired” by the money of Tobiah and Sanballat. After hearing his message, they thought I would be scared and thus vulnerable to sin. They hoped to use such a lapse in behavior to discredit me.

¹⁵ Even with all that interference, the wall was soon finished. It was the 25th day of Elul. The work had been accomplished in 52 days. ¹⁶ When our enemies heard the work was complete and the surrounding nations saw our wall, their confidence crumbled. Only one possible conclusion could be drawn: it was not just our efforts that had done this thing. God had been working alongside us. ¹⁷ These developments caused a flurry of correspondence between the nobles of Judah and Tobiah. ¹⁸ Many of these nobles in Judah were tied to Tobiah by a marriage oath.

He was the son-in-law of Shecaniah (Arah’s son), and his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam (Berechiah’s son). ¹⁹ These men constantly praised Tobiah in my presence, describing his good deeds to me. They also reported to Tobiah what I said. And still he sent me his letters; his attempts to intimidate me were ceaseless.

7 Later, when the wall was completed and the doors had finally been set in their places, the temple gatekeepers were appointed to protect the city, with the help of the singers and the Levites. ² I placed Hanani, my brother, in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, the captain of the fortress. Hanani was honest and faithful, and in the fear of God he surpassed most men. ³ I commissioned these two men.

⁴ While Jerusalem was large and open, its population was still very small. In fact, no homes had yet been rebuilt, and without people it seemed empty.

⁵ It was at that time that God inspired me to gather those people who were in the city. I called the nobles, the officials of the city, and the common folk. I had found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return to Jerusalem; this is what the record showed:

⁶ A list of the Jews exiled under Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, living in the province of Jerusalem who returned from captivity in Babylon. They came back to Jerusalem and other towns around Judah, each returning to his home. ⁷ They were the first to journey back, following the leadership of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The men of the population of Israel, listed by their family of origin— ⁸ Parosh’s descendants: 2,172; ⁹ Shephatiah’s descendants: 372; ¹⁰ Arah’s descendants: 652; ¹¹ Pahath-moab’s descendants (from Jeshua and Joab’s line): 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: 667; ¹⁹ Bigvai and his descendants: 2,067; ²⁰ Adin’s descendants: 655; ²¹ Ater’s descendants (from Hezekiah’s line): 98; ²² Hashum’s descendants: 328; ²³ Bezai’s descendants: 324; ²⁴ Hariph’s descendants: 112; ²⁵ Gibeon’s descendants: 95.

The men in the population of Israel listed by their place of origin— ²⁶ the people of Bethlehem and Netophah: 188; ²⁷ the people of Anathoth: 128; ²⁸ the people of Beth-azmaveth: 42; ²⁹ the people of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: 743; ³⁰ the people of Ramah and Geba: 621; ³¹ the people of Michmas: 122; ³² the people of Bethel and Ai: 123; ³³ the people of Nebo (the other one): 52; ³⁴ the people of Elam (the other one): 1,254; ³⁵ the people of Harim: 320; ³⁶ the people of Jericho: 345; ³⁷ the people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721; ³⁸ the people of Senaah: 3,930.

The men in the population of Israel listed by their responsibilities— ³⁹ the priestly families—Jedaiah’s descendants (from Jeshua’s line): 973; ⁴⁰ Immer’s descendants: 1,052; ⁴¹ Pashhur’s descendants: 1,247; ⁴² Harim’s descendants: 1,017; ⁴³ the Levitical families—Jeshua’s descendants (from Kadmiel and Hodevah’s line): 74. ⁴⁴ The singers—Asaph’s descendants: 148. ⁴⁵ The gatekeepers—Shallum’s, Ater’s, Talmon’s, Akkub’s, Hatita’s, and Shobai’s descendants: 138. ⁴⁶ The temple servants—Ziha’s, Hasupha’s, Tabbaoth’s, ⁴⁷ Keros’s, Sia’s, Padon’s, ⁴⁸ Lebana’s, Hagaba’s, Shalmai’s, ⁴⁹ Hanan’s, Giddel’s, Gahar’s, ⁵⁰ Reaiah’s, Rezin’s, Nekoda’s, ⁵¹ Gazzam’s, Uzza’s, Paseah’s, ⁵² Besai’s, Meunim’s, Nephushesim’s, ⁵³ Bakbuk’s, Hakupha’s, Harhur’s, ⁵⁴ Bazlith’s, Mehida’s, Harsha’s, ⁵⁵ Barkos’s, Sisera’s, Temah’s, ⁵⁶ Neziah’s, and Hatipha’s descendants. ⁵⁷ The descendants of Solomon’s servants—Sotai’s, Sophereth’s, Perida’s, ⁵⁸ Jaala’s, Darkon’s, Giddel’s, ⁵⁹ Shephatiah’s, Hattil’s, Pochereth-hazzebaim’s, and Amon’s descendants. ⁶⁰ Combined, the temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants added up to 392.

⁶¹ At the time of our reckoning, people from the outlying towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer came into Jerusalem. Their names, however, could not be found in the official record, and they had no records of their own to prove they had descended from the families of Israel. This group included ⁶² the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda and totaled 642 people. ⁶³ Three families claiming to come from priestly families also returned: Hobaiah’s, Hakkoz’s, and Barzillai’s descendants. (Barzillai had married a woman descended from Barzillai of Gilead—he took her name as his own). ⁶⁴ After searching the genealogical records they, too, were unable to find their names, and so they were considered impure and disqualified from serving in the priesthood. ⁶⁵ As the governor appointed by Persia,^[b] I ordered them not to eat any of the sacred food set apart for priests until a priest could be found to consult God on this matter with the sacred stones, Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁶ When our census was complete, we numbered 42,360, ⁶⁷ as well as the 7,337 male and female servants, 245 male and female singers, ⁶⁸ and many animals: 736 horses, 245 mules, ⁶⁹ 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

⁷⁰ Some of the heads of families made contributions so that the work we had begun could continue. As the governor, I contributed 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold bowls, 30 priests’ robes, and 630 pounds of silver.^{[c] 71} Then other family leaders began to give too: 20,000 gold coins and roughly 2,750 pounds of silver. ⁷² Together the rest of the community added 20,000 gold coins, 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 priestly robes. ⁷³ Then the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, many common folk, and the rest of Israel returned to live in their towns. This was finished by the beginning of the seventh month.

8 As to the concern of eating food dedicated to idols: we know that all of us have knowledge, but knowledge can be risky. Knowledge promotes overconfidence and worse arrogance, but charity of the heart (love, that is) looks to build up others. ² Just because a person presumes to have some bit of knowledge, that person doesn’t necessarily have the right kind of knowledge. ³ But if someone loves God, it is certain that God has already known that one.

⁴ So to address your concerns about eating food offered to idols, let me start with what we know. An idol is essentially nothing, as there is no other God but the One. ⁵ And even if the majority believes there are many so-called gods in heaven and on earth (certainly many worship such “gods” and “lords”), this is not our view. ⁶ For us, there is one God, the Father who is the ultimate source of all things and the goal of our lives. And there is one Lord—Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King; through Him all things were created, and by Him we are redeemed.

⁷ But this knowledge is not in everyone. Up until now, some have been so familiar with idols and what goes on in the temples that when they eat meat that has been offered first to some idol, their weak consciences are polluted. This is the issue. ⁸ Again, here’s what we know: what we eat will not bring us closer to God—we gain nothing in feasting and lose nothing by fasting. ⁹ Now let me warn you: don’t let your newfound liberty cause those who don’t know this to fall face-first. ¹⁰ Let’s say a person (someone who knows of Jesus) sees you eating in the temple of an idol; and because the person with a weaker conscience is still unsure of things, he becomes confident, follows your lead, and eats idol food. ¹¹ Now, because of your knowledge on display in your conduct, the weaker brother or sister—for whom the Anointed One died—is destroyed! Ruined! ¹² What’s more, by living according to your knowledge, you have sinned against these brothers and sisters and wounded their weak consciences—and because you sinned against them, you have sinned against the Anointed One, the Liberating King.

¹³ So if any type of food is an issue that causes my brothers and sisters to fall away from God, then God forbid I should ever eat it again so that I would never be the crack, the rise, or the rock on the road that causes them to stumble.

Psalm 33