The Daily Audio Bible
The Population of Jerusalem
11 So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine[a] remained in other cities. 2 The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.
3 These are the provincial leaders[b] who settled in Jerusalem. (While other Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple attendants, and the sons of the servants of Solomon settled in the cities of Judah, each on his own property in their cities, 4 some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.)
Of the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, from the descendants of Shelah.[c] 6 The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.
7 These are the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 8 and his followers,[d] Gabbai and Sallai—928 in all. 9 Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city.
10 From the priests:
Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the temple of God, 12 and their colleagues[e] who were carrying out work for the temple—822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13 and his colleagues who were heads of families[f]—242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and his colleagues[g] who were exceptional men—128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.
15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders[h] of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise[i] leader who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his colleagues; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284.
19 And the gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates—172.
20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.
21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them.[j]
22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God. 23 For they were under royal orders[k] which determined their activity day by day.[l]
24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king[m] in every matter pertaining to the people.
25 As for the settlements with their fields, some of the people of Judah settled in Kiriath Arba and its neighboring villages,[n] in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its settlements, 26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 27 in Hazar Shual, in Beer Sheba and its villages, 28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 Some of the descendants of[o] Benjamin settled in Geba,[p] Micmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, 32 in Anathoth, Nob, and Ananiah, 33 in Hazor, Ramah, and Gittaim, 34 in Hadid, Zeboyim, and Neballat, 35 in Lod, Ono, and[q] the Valley of the Craftsmen.[r] 36 Some of the Judean divisions of the Levites settled in Benjamin.
The Priests and the Levites Who Returned to Jerusalem
12 These are the priests and Levites who returned[s] with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethon,[t] Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders[u] of the priests and their colleagues[v] in the days of Jeshua.
8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues[w] was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 Bakbukiah and Unni,[x] their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services.
10 Jeshua was the father of[y] Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluch,[z] Jonathan; of Shecaniah,[aa] Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth,[ab] Helkai; 16 of Iddo,[ac] Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin and[ad] of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallu,[ae] Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 As for the Levites,[af] in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles[ag] as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by[ah] David the man of God.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates. 26 These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priestly scribe.[ai]
Avoid Idol Feasts
14 So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking to thoughtful people. Consider what I say. 16 Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread. 18 Look at the people of Israel.[a] Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything? 20 No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice[b] is to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we really stronger than he is?[c]
Live to Glorify God
23 “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,”[d] but not everything builds others up.[e] 24 Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience, 26 for the earth and its abundance are the Lord’s.[f] 27 If an unbeliever invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is served without asking questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This is from a sacrifice,” do not eat, because of the one who told you and because of conscience[g]— 29 I do not mean yours but the other person’s. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food[h] that I give thanks for? 31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please everyone in all things. I do not seek my own benefit, but the benefit[i] of many, so that they may be saved.
11 Come children. Listen to me.
I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.[a]
12 Do you want to really live?[b]
Would you love to live a long, happy life?[c]
13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words[d]
or use deceptive speech.[e]
14 Turn away from evil and do what is right.[f]
Strive for peace and promote it.[g]
15 The Lord pays attention to the godly
and hears their cry for help.[h]
16 But the Lord opposes evildoers
and wipes out all memory of them from the earth.[i]
17 The godly[j] cry out and the Lord hears;
he saves them from all their troubles.[k]
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he delivers[l] those who are discouraged.[m]
19 The godly[n] face many dangers,[o]
but the Lord saves[p] them[q] from each one of them.
20 He protects[r] all his bones;[s]
not one of them is broken.[t]
21 Evil people self-destruct;[u]
those who hate the godly are punished.[v]
22 The Lord rescues his servants;[w]
all who take shelter in him escape punishment.[x]
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