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Nehemiah
Chapters: 1 2
3 4
5
6 7
| The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it
came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in
Shushan the palace, |
| That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and
certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had
escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. |
| And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of
the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and
reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates
thereof are burned with fire. |
| And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that
I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed
before the God of heaven, |
| And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the
great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that
love him and observe his commandments: |
| Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open,
that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before
thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and
confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against
thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. |
| We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have
not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which
thou commandedst thy servant Moses. |
| Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou
commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter
you abroad among the nations: |
| But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments,
and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part
of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them
unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. |
| Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou
hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. |
| O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be
attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy
servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy
servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I
was the king's cupbearer. |
| And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the
twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I
took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been
beforetime sad in his presence. |
| Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy
countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but
sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, |
| And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever:
why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my
fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed
with fire? |
| Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make
request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. |
| And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and
if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send
me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build
it. |
| And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting
by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?
So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. |
| Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the
king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that
they may convey me over till I come into Judah; |
| And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's
forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and
for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me,
according to the good hand of my God upon me. |
| Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and
gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army
and horsemen with me. |
| When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant,
the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was
come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. |
| So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. |
| And I arose in the night, I and some few men with
me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at
Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I
rode upon. |
| And I went out by night by the gate of the valley,
even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls
of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were
consumed with fire. |
| Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to
the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me
to pass. |
| Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed
the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so
returned. |
| And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I
did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor
to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. |
| Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we
are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with
fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no
more a reproach. |
| Then I told them of the hand of my God which was
good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And
they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands
for this good work. |
| But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the
servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us
to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will
ye rebel against the king? |
| Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of
heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and
build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. |
| Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his
brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified
it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they
sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. |
| And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And
next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. |
| But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build,
who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks
thereof, and the bars thereof. |
| And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of
Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of
Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the
son of Baana. |
| And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their
nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. |
| Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of
Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof,
and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars
thereof. |
| And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite,
and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the
throne of the governor on this side the river. |
| Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah,
of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one
of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. |
| And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur,
the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. |
| And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of
Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired
Hattush the son of Hashabniah. |
| Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of
Pahathmoab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces. |
| And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of
Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. |
| The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants
of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks
thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto
the dung gate. |
| But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of
Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the
doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. |
| But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the
son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered
it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars
thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and
unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. |
| After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the
ruler of the half part of Bethzur, unto the place over against the
sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house
of the mighty. |
| After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of
Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of
Keilah, in his part. |
| After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of
Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. |
| And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the
ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury
at the turning of the wall. |
| After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly
repaired the other piece, from the turning of the wall unto the door of
the house of Eliashib the high priest. |
| After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the
son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to
the end of the house of Eliashib. |
| And after him repaired the priests, the men of the
plain. |
| After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against
their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of
Ananiah by his house. |
| After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another
piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto
the corner. |
| Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of
the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that
was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh. |
| Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the
place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that
lieth out. |
| After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over
against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. |
| From above the horse gate repaired the priests,
every one over against his house. |
| After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over
against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of
Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate. |
| After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah,
and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired
Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber. |
| After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto
the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate
Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner. |
| And between the going up of the corner unto the
sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants. |
| But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that
we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and
mocked the Jews. |
| And he spake before his brethren and the army of
Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify
themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will
they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? |
| Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said,
Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down
their stone wall. |
| Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their
reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of
captivity: |
| And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin
be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger
before the builders. |
| So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined
together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. |
| But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah,
and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the
walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be
stopped, then they were very wroth, |
| And conspired all of them together to come and to
fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. |
| Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and
set a watch against them day and night, because of them. |
| And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of
burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able
to build the wall. |
| And our adversaries said, They shall not know,
neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and
cause the work to cease. |
| And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt
by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye
shall return unto us they will be upon you. |
| Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall,
and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families
with their swords, their spears, and their bows. |
| And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles,
and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of
them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your
brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. |
| And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it
was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we
returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. |
| And it came to pass from that time forth, that the
half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held
both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the
rulers were behind all the house of Judah. |
| They which builded on the wall, and they that bare
burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought
in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. |
| For the builders, every one had his sword girded by
his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. |
| And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and
to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are
separated upon the wall, one far from another. |
| In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the
trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. |
| So we laboured in the work: and half of them held
the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. |
| Likewise at the same time said I unto the people,
Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night
they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. |
| So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor
the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes,
saving that every one put them off for washing. |
| And there was a great cry of the people and of their
wives against their brethren the Jews. |
| For there were that said, We, our sons, and our
daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may
eat, and live. |
| Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged
our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the
dearth. |
| There were also that said, We have borrowed money
for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. |
| Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren,
our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons
and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought
unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for
other men have our lands and vineyards. |
| And I was very angry when I heard their cry and
these words. |
| Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the
nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of
his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. |
| And I said unto them, We after our ability have
redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and
will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then
held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. |
| Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not
to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen
our enemies? |
| I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might
exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. |
| Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their
lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the
hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil,
that ye exact of them. |
| Then said they, We will restore them, and will
require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the
priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this
promise. |
| Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out
every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this
promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the
congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did
according to this promise. |
| Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be
their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto
the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve
years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. |
| But the former governors that had been before me
were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine,
beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over
the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. |
| Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,
neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither
unto the work. |
| Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty
of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the
heathen that are about us. |
| Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox
and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten
days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the
bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. |
| Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all
that I have done for this people. |
| Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and
Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had
builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at
that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) |
| That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying,
Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of
Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. |
| And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing
a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease,
whilst I leave it, and come down to you? |
| Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort;
and I answered them after the same manner. |
| Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like
manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; |
| Wherein was written, It is reported among the
heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for
which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king,
according to these words. |
| And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of
thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be
reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and
let us take counsel together. |
| Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such
things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own
heart. |
| For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands
shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O
God, strengthen my hands. |
| Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son
of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us
meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut
the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the
night will they come to slay thee. |
| And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is
there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I
will not go in. |
| And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but
that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat
had hired him. |
| Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and
do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that
they might reproach me. |
| My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat
according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the
rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear. |
| So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day
of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. |
| And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard
thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they
were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work
was wrought of our God. |
| Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many
letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. |
| For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because
he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan
had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. |
| Also they reported his good deeds before me, and
uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear. |
| Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I
had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites
were appointed, |
| That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the
ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man,
and feared God above many. |
| And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem
be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut
the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his
house. |
| Now the city was large and great: but the people
were few therein, and the houses were not builded. |
| And my God put into mine heart to gather together
the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned
by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came
up at the first, and found written therein, |
| These are the children of the province, that went up
out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to
Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city; |
| Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah,
Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this; |
| The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred
seventy and two. |
| The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy
and two. |
| The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two. |
| The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of
Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen. |
| The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty
and four. |
| The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. |
| The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and
threescore. |
| The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight. |
| The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. |
| The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred
twenty and two. |
| The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and
seven. |
| The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and
seven. |
| The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five. |
| The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. |
| The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and
eight. |
| The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and
four. |
| The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve. |
| The children of Gibeon, ninety and five. |
| The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred
fourscore and eight. |
| The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. |
| The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two. |
| The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth,
seven hundred forty and three. |
| The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and
one. |
| The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two. |
| The men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred twenty and
three. |
| The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two. |
| The children of the other Elam, a thousand two
hundred fifty and four. |
| The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. |
| The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and
five. |
| The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred
twenty and one. |
| The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred
and thirty. |
| The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house
of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. |
| The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. |
| The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty
and seven. |
| The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. |
| The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and
of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four. |
| The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty
and eight. |
| The porters: the children of Shallum, the children
of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of
Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight. |
| The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of
Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth, |
| The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the
children of Padon, |
| The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the
children of Shalmai, |
| The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the
children of Gahar, |
| The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the
children of Nekoda, |
| The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the
children of Phaseah, |
| The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the
children of Nephishesim, |
| The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the
children of Harhur, |
| The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the
children of Harsha, |
| The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the
children of Tamah, |
| The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. |
| The children of Solomon's servants: the children of
Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, |
| The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the
children of Giddel, |
| The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil,
the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon. |
| All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's
servants, were three hundred ninety and two. |
| And these were they which went up also from Telmelah,
Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their
father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel. |
| The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the
children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. |
| And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the
children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their
name. |
| These sought their register among those that were
reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as
polluted, put from the priesthood. |
| And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should
not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim
and Thummim. |
| The whole congregation together was forty and two
thousand three hundred and threescore, |
| Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of
whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they
had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women. |
| Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their
mules, two hundred forty and five: |
| Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six
thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. |
| And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the
work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty
basins, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. |
| And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the
treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and
two hundred pound of silver. |
| And that which the rest of the people gave was
twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and
threescore and seven priests' garments. |
| So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters,
and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all
Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the
children of Israel were in their cities. |
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taught in
the examples and teachings contained in the Holy scriptures of
the Bible excluding additions and subtractions!
