Historical
Israel Confesses Sins
9 It was on the twenty-fourth day of that same month. The people of Israel gathered together. They did not eat. And they put on rough cloth and put dust on their heads. This was to show their sadness. 2 Those people whose ancestors were from Israel had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and confessed their sins and their ancestors’ sins. 3 For a fourth of the day they stood where they were. And they read from the Book of the Teachings of the Lord their God. Then they spent another fourth of the day confessing their sins. And they worshiped the Lord their God. 4 These Levites were standing on the stairs: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kanani. They called out to the Lord their God with loud voices. 5 And these Levites spoke: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah. They said, “Stand up and praise the Lord your God. He lives forever and ever.”
The People’s Prayer
“Blessed be your wonderful name.
It is more wonderful than all blessing and praise.
6 You are the only Lord.
You made the heavens, even the highest heavens.
You made all the stars.
You made the earth and everything that is on it.
You made the seas and everything that is in them.
You give life to everything.
The heavenly army worships you.
7 “You are the Lord God.
You chose Abram.
You brought him out of Ur of the Babylonians.
You named him Abraham.
8 You found that he was faithful to you.
So you made an agreement with him.
You promised to give his descendants the land of the Canaanites,
Hittites, Amorites,
Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites.
You have kept your promise.
You are fair.
9 “You saw our ancestors suffering in Egypt.
You heard them cry out at the Red Sea.
10 You did signs and miracles against the king of Egypt.
And you did them against all his officers and all the people of Egypt.
You knew how proud they were.
You made everyone know your name.
And it is still known today.
11 You divided the sea in front of our ancestors.
They walked through it on dry ground.
But you threw the people chasing them into the deep water.
They were like a stone being thrown into mighty waters.
12 You led our ancestors with a pillar of cloud in the daytime.
And you led them with a pillar of fire at night.
It lit the way
they were supposed to go.
13 You came down to Mount Sinai.
You talked to our ancestors from heaven.
You gave them fair rules and true teachings.
You gave them good orders and commands.
14 You told them about your holy Sabbath.
You gave commands, orders and teachings to them
through your servant Moses.
15 When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven.
When they were thirsty, you brought them water from the rock.
You told them to go into the land and take it over.
You had promised to give it to them.
16 “But our ancestors were proud and stubborn.
They did not obey your commands.
17 They refused to listen.
They forgot the miracles you did for them.
They became stubborn and turned against you.
They chose a leader to lead them back to their slavery.
But you are a forgiving God.
You are kind and full of mercy.
You do not become angry quickly. And you have great love.
So you did not leave them.
18 Our ancestors even made an idol of a calf for themselves.
They said, ‘This is your god, Israel.
It brought you up out of Egypt.’
They spoke against you.
19 “You have great mercy.
So you did not leave them in the desert.
During the day the pillar of cloud guided them on their way.
And the pillar of fire led them at night.
It lit the way they were supposed to go.
20 You gave your good Spirit to teach them.
You gave them manna to eat.
And you gave them water when they were thirsty.
21 You took care of them for 40 years in the desert.
They needed nothing.
Their clothes did not wear out.
And their feet did not swell.
22 “You gave them kingdoms and nations.
You gave them more land.
They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon.
And they took over the country of Og king of Bashan.
23 You made their children as many as the stars in the sky.
And you brought them into the land.
This was where you had told their ancestors to enter and take over.
24 So their children went into the land and took over.
The Canaanites lived there.
But you defeated them for our ancestors.
You handed over to them the Canaanites, their kings and the people of the land.
Our ancestors could do what they wanted with them.
25 Our ancestors captured strong, walled cities and fertile land.
They took over houses full of good things.
They took over wells that were already dug.
They took vineyards, olive trees and many fruit trees.
They ate until they were full and became fat.
They enjoyed your great goodness.
26 “But they were disobedient and turned against you.
They ignored your teachings.
Your prophets warned them to come back to you.
But they killed those prophets.
And they spoke against you.
27 So you allowed their enemies to defeat them.
Their enemies treated them badly.
But in this time of trouble our ancestors cried out to you.
And you heard from heaven.
You had great mercy.
You gave them saviors who saved them from the power of their enemies.
28 But as soon as they had rest,
they again did what was evil.
So you left them to their enemies
who ruled over them.
But they cried out to you again.
And you heard from heaven.
Because of your mercy, you saved them again and again.
29 You warned them to return to obeying your teachings.
But they were proud. They did not obey your commands.
If a man obeys your laws, he will live.
But they sinned against your laws.
They were stubborn and disobedient.
They would not listen.
30 You were patient with them for many years.
You warned them by your Spirit through the prophets.
But they did not pay attention.
So you allowed them to be defeated by other countries.
31 But because your mercy is great, you did not kill them all.
You did not leave them.
You are a kind and merciful God.
32 “And so, our God, you are the great and mighty and wonderful God.
You keep your agreement of love.
Do not let all our trouble seem unimportant in your eyes.
This trouble has come to us, to our kings and to our leaders.
It has come to our priests and prophets.
It has come to our ancestors and all your people.
This trouble has come to us since the days of the kings of Assyria.
And it has lasted until today.
33 You have been fair in everything that has happened to us.
You have been loyal, but we have been wicked.
34 Our kings, leaders, priests and ancestors did not obey your teachings.
They did not pay attention to the commands and warnings you gave them.
35 Even when our ancestors were living in their kingdom,
they did not serve you.
They were enjoying all the good things you had given them.
They were enjoying the land that was fertile and full of room.
But they did not stop their evil ways.
36 “Look, we are slaves today
in the land you gave our ancestors.
They were to enjoy its fruit and its good things.
But look, we are slaves here.
37 The land’s great harvest belongs to the kings you have put over us.
This is because of our sins.
Those kings rule over us and our cattle as they please.
And we are in much trouble.
The People’s Agreement
38 “Because of all this, we are making an agreement in writing. Our leaders, Levites and priests are putting their seals on it.”
10 These are the men who sealed the agreement:
Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, sealed it.
These men also sealed it: Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. These are the priests.
9 These are the Levites who sealed it: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, 10 and their fellow Levites: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.
14 These are the leaders of the people who sealed the agreement: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim and Baanah.
28 The rest of the people took an oath. They were the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers and Temple servants. And they were all those who separated themselves from foreigners to keep the Teachings of God. It was also their wives and their sons and daughters who could understand. 29 They joined their fellow Israelites and their leading men. They took an oath, which was tied to a curse in case they broke the oath. They promised to follow the Teachings of God, which they had been given through Moses the servant of God. These people also promised to obey all the commands, rules and laws of the Lord our Master.
30 They said:
We promise not to let our daughters marry foreigners. And we promise not to let our sons marry their daughters. 31 The foreigners might bring goods or grain to sell on the Sabbath. But we will not buy on the Sabbath day or any holy day. Every seventh year we will not plant. And that year we will forget all that people owe us.
32 We will be responsible for obeying the commands. We will pay for the service of the Temple of our God. We will give an eighth of an ounce of silver each year. 33 It is to pay for the bread that is set out on the table. It is to pay for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings. It is for the offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moon festivals and special feasts. It is for the holy offerings. And it is for the offerings to remove the sins of the Israelites so they will belong to God. It is for the work of the Temple of our God.
34 We are the priests, the Levites and the people. We have thrown lots to decide when each family must bring wood to the Temple. This is to be done at certain times each year. The wood is for burning on the altar of the Lord our God. We will do this as it is written in the Teachings.
35 We also will bring the first fruits from our crops. And we will bring the first fruits of every tree to the Temple each year.
36 We will bring our firstborn sons and cattle to the Temple. We will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks. We will do this as it is written in the Teachings. We will bring them to the priests who are serving in the Temple.
37 We will bring things to the priests at the storerooms of the Temple. We will bring the first of our ground meal, our offerings, the fruit from all our trees and our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tenth of our crops to the Levites. The Levites will collect these things in all the towns where we work. 38 A priest of Aaron’s family must be with the Levites when they receive the tenth of the people’s crops. The Levites must bring a tenth of all they receive to the Temple of our God. Then they will put it in the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel and the Levites are to bring their gifts to the storerooms. These are the gifts of grain, new wine and oil. The things for the Temple are kept in the storerooms. It is also where the priests, who are serving, the gatekeepers and singers stay.
We will not ignore the Temple of our God.
New People Move into Jerusalem
11 The leaders of Israel lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people threw lots. One person out of every ten was to come and live in Jerusalem. It was the holy city. The other nine could stay in their own cities. 2 The people blessed those who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
3 These are the area leaders who lived in Jerusalem. (Some people lived on their own land in the cities of Judah. These included Israelites, priests, Levites, Temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants. 4 Others from the families of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem.)
These are descendants of Judah who moved into Jerusalem. There was Athaiah son of Uzziah. (Uzziah was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Shephatiah, who was the son of Mahalalel. Mahalalel was a descendant of Perez.) 5 There was also Maaseiah son of Baruch. (Baruch was the son of Col-Hozeh, who was the son of Hazaiah. Hazaiah was the son of Adaiah, who was the son of Joiarib. Joiarib was the son of Zechariah, who was a descendant of Shelah.) 6 All the descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men. They were soldiers.
7 These are descendants of Benjamin who moved into Jerusalem. There was Sallu son of Meshullam. (Meshullam was the son of Joed, who was the son of Pedaiah. Pedaiah was the son of Kolaiah, who was the son of Maaseiah. Maaseiah was the son of Ithiel, who was the son of Jeshaiah.) 8 Following him were Gabbai and Sallai. All together there were 928 men. 9 Joel son of Zicri was appointed over them. And Judah son of Hassenuah was second in charge of the new area of the city.
10 These are the priests who moved into Jerusalem. There was Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin 11 and Seraiah son of Hilkiah. (Hilkiah was the son of Meshullam, who was the son of Zadok. Zadok was the son of Meraioth, who was the son of Ahitub. Seraiah was the supervisor in the Temple.) 12 And there were others with them who did the work for the Temple. All together there were 822 men. Also there was Adaiah son of Jeroham. (Jeroham was the son of Pelaliah, who was the son of Amzi. Amzi was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Pashhur. Pashhur was the son of Malkijah.) 13 And there were family heads with him. All together there were 242 men. Also there was Amashsai son of Azarel. (Azarel was the son of Ahzai, who was the son of Meshillemoth. Meshillemoth was the son of Immer.) 14 And there were brave men with Amashsai. All together there were 128 men. Zabdiel son of Haggedolim was appointed over them.
15 These are the Levites who moved into Jerusalem. There was Shemaiah son of Hasshub. (Hasshub was the son of Azrikam, who was the son of Hashabiah. Hashabiah was the son of Bunni.) 16 And there were Shabbethai and Jozabad. They were two of the leaders of the Levites. They were in charge of the work outside the Temple. 17 There was Mattaniah son of Mica. (Mica was the son of Zabdi, who was the son of Asaph.) Mattaniah was the director. He led the people in thanksgiving and prayer. There was Bakbukiah, who was second in charge over his fellow Levites. And there was Abda son of Shammua. (Shammua was the son of Galal, who was the son of Jeduthun.) 18 All together 284 Levites lived in the holy city of Jerusalem.
19 These are the gatekeepers who moved into Jerusalem. There were Akkub, Talmon and others with them. There was a total of 172 men. They guarded the city gates.
20 The other Israelites, priests and Levites lived on their own land. They were in all the cities of Judah.
21 The Temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
22 Uzzi son of Bani was appointed over the Levites in Jerusalem. (Bani was the son of Hashabiah, who was the son of Mattaniah. Mattaniah was the son of Mica.) Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants. They were the singers. They were responsible for the service of the Temple. 23 The singers took orders from the king. Those orders told the singers what to do each day.
24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel was the king’s spokesman. Meshezabel was a descendant of Zerah, the son of Judah.
25 Some of the people of Judah lived in villages with their surrounding fields. Some lived in Kiriath Arba and its surroundings. Some lived in Dibon and its surroundings. Some lived in Jekabzeel and its surroundings. 26 Others lived in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet, 27 Hazar Shual, Beersheba and its surroundings. 28 Others were in Ziklag and Meconah and its surroundings. 29 Some people lived in En Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam and their villages. Some were in Lachish and the fields around it. Some lived in Azekah and its surroundings. So they settled from Beersheba all the way to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 The descendants of the Benjaminites from Geba lived in Micmash, Aija, Bethel and its surroundings. 32 They lived in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim. 34 They lived in Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, Ono and in the Valley of the Craftsmen.
36 Some groups of the Levites from Judah settled in the land of Benjamin.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.