Bible-Reading.comNehemiah 5
1About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
2Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
5We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,
7and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them
8and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
9So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
10I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.
11Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”
12“We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.
13I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of His house and possession every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
14Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
15The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
16Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
17There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.
18Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
19Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
Nehemiah 6
1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—
2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”
4Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.
5The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter
6that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king,
7and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.”
8Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”
9For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.
10Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you— by night they are coming to kill you!”
11But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!”
12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
14O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.
15So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.
16When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
17Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came back to them.
18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
19Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Nehemiah 7
1When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
2Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
3And I told them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are on duty, keep the doors shut and securely fastened. And appoint the residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their own homes.”
4Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.
5Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. I found the genealogical register of those who had first returned, and I found the following written in it:
6These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
7accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:
8the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;
9the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;
10the descendants of Arah, 652;
11the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;
12the descendants of Elam, 1,254;
13the descendants of Zattu, 845;
14the descendants of Zaccai, 760;
15the descendants of Binnui, 648;
16the descendants of Bebai, 628;
17the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;
18the descendants of Adonikam, 667;
19the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;
20the descendants of Adin, 655;
21the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;
22the descendants of Hashum, 328;
23the descendants of Bezai, 324;
24the descendants of Hariph, 112;
25the descendants of Gibeon, 95;
26the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;
27the men of Anathoth, 128;
28the men of Beth-azmaveth, 42;
29the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;
30the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
31the men of Michmash, 122;
32the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;
33the men of the other Nebo, 52;
34the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254;
35the descendants of Harim, 320;
36the men of Jericho, 345;
37the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;
38and the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.
39The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973;
40the descendants of Immer, 1,052;
41the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;
42and the descendants of Harim, 1,017.
43The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodevah ), 74.
44The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 148.
45The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai, 138 in all.
46The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth,
47the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon,
48the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai,
49the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar,
50the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda,
51the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah,
52the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephushesim,
53the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur,
54the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,
55the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah,
56the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
57The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida,
58the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,
59the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants of Amon.
60The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.
61The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:
62the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642 in all.
63And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).
64These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
65The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.
66The whole assembly numbered 42,360,
67in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.
68They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
69435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
70Some of the heads of the families contributed to the project. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.
71And some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the project 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.
72The rest of the people gave a total of 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priestly garments.
73So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. And by the seventh month the Israelites had settled in their towns.
Nehemiah 8
1At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
2On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
3So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up.
6Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
8So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.
9Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
10Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
11And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.”
12Then all the people began to eat and drink, to send out portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
13On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.
14And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month.
15So they proclaimed this message and spread it 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 booths, as it is written.”
16And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the court of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim.
17The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.
18Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.
Nehemiah 9
1On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.
2Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
3While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.
4And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.
5Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
6You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.
7You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.
8You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites— to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.
9You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.
10You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.
11You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.
12You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.
13You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.
14You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.
15In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.
16But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.
17They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.
18Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,
19You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.
20You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.
21For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
22You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.
23You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.
24So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.
25They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.
26But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
27So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
28But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.
29You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They stubbornly shrugged their shoulders; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.
30You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.
31But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
32So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.
33You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.
34Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.
35For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.
36So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness— here we are as slaves!
37Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
38In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”