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that I gave charge to Ananias my brother, and Ananias the ruler of the palace, over Jerusalem: for he was a true man, and one that feared God beyond many.

And of the priests; the children of Ebia, the children of Acos, the children of Berzelli, for they took wives of the daughters of Berzelli the Galaadite, and they were called by their name.

And part of the heads of families gave into the treasury to Neemias for the work a thousand pieces of gold, fifty bowls, and thirty priests’ garments.

And Esdras opened the book before all the people, for he was above the people; and it came to pass when he had opened it, that all the people stood.

And Neemias, and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites, and they that instructed the people, spoke and said to all the people, It is a holy day to the Lord our God; do not mourn, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.

And the governor said to them, Go, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them that have nothing; for the day is holy to our Lord: and faint not, for the Lord is our strength.

And the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for it is a holy day, and despond not.

So all the people departed to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, for they understood the words which he made known to them.

And the people went forth, and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the streets of the city, and as far as the gate of Ephraim.

And all the congregation who had returned from the captivity, made booths, and dwelt in booths: for the children of Israel had not done so from the days of Jesus the son of Naue until that day: and there was great joy.

and thou foundest his heart faithful before thee, and didst make a covenant with him to give to him and to his seed the land of the Chananites, and the Chettites, and Amorites, and Pherezites, and Jebusites, and Gergesites; and thou hast confirmed thy words, for thou art righteous.

And thou shewedst signs and wonders in Egypt, on Pharao and all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knowest that they behaved insolently against them: and thou madest thyself a name, as at this day.

And thou guidedst them by day by a pillar of cloud, and by night by a pillar of fire, to enlighten for them the way wherein they should walk.

And thou gavest them bread from heaven for their food, and thou broughtest them forth water from a rock for their thirst; and thou badest them go in to inherit the land over which thou stretchedst out thy hand to give it them.

Yet thou in thy great compassions didst not forsake them in the wilderness: thou didst not turn away from them the pillar of the cloud by day, to guide them in the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to enlighten for them the way wherein they should walk.

But thou in thy many mercies didst not appoint them to destruction, and didst not forsake them; for thou art strong, and merciful, and pitiful.

But thou art righteous in all the things that come upon us; for thou hast wrought faithfully, but we have greatly sinned.

Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land which thou gavest to our fathers to eat the fruit of it and the good things of it, behold, we are servants upon it:

and its produce is abundant for the kings whom thou didst appoint over us because of our sins; and they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, as it pleases them, and we are in great affliction.

And as for the people of the land who bring wares and all manner of merchandise to sell on the sabbath-day, we will not buy of them on the sabbath or on the holy day: and we will leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.