Study Desk

Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,

Now in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,

So I answered them and said, "The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem."

At the Sheep Gate, Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests began rebuilding. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated the wall.

next to him, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house; and next to him, Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs.

And next to them, Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, made repairs, with the help of his daughters.

Next to him, the Levites made repairs under Rehum son of Bani, and next to him, Hashabiah, ruler of a half-district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.

Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house, and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house.

Above the Horse Gate, each of the priests made repairs in front of his own house.

Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard of the East Gate, made repairs.

Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, as well as Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, made repairs to another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his own quarters.

before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?"

When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

At that time I also said to the people, "Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day."

So neither I nor brothers nor my men nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.

I 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.

Furthermore, 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 (12 years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter