Study Desk

And some were saying, We have borrowed silver for the king's tax, on our fields, and our vineyards,

yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers; as their sons, so are our sons; and, behold, we are bringing our sons and our daughters into bondage, to be slaves; yea, there are some of our daughters brought into bondage.And there is no power for our hand, and our fields and our vineyards are in the possession of other men.

And that which was prepared for me daily was one ox, six fat sheep. Also birds were prepared for me; and between ten days, in all of the wine plentifully. And with this I did not seek thebread of the governor, for the bondage washeavy on this people.

Think upon me for good, my God, according to all that I have done for this people.

It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says that you and the Jews plan to rebel; for which reason you are building the wall, so that you may be a king to them, according to these words.

And I sent to him, saying, These things which you are saying are not happening, for you pretend them out of your own heart.

For they all made us fear, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, and it will not be done. And now, make my hands strong.

And I came to 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, inside the temple, and let us shut thedoors of the temple. For they will come tokill you. Yea, in the night they will come to kill you.

And I understood that, behold, God had not sent him. For he spoke the prophecy against me, and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

So he was hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and I should sin, and become for them for an evil name with which they might reproach me.

And it happened when all our enemies heard, and all the nations who were around us saw, they were very much lowered in their own eyes. For they saw that this work was done by our God.

For many in Judah were sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

I commanded that my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the fortress be over Jerusalem. For he was as a man of truth and feared God above many.

And Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand were Pedaiah, and Mishael,and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

And Ezra opened the book to the eyes of all the people, for he was above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up.

And Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to Jehovah your God. Do not mourn or weep, For allthe people wept when they heard the Wordsof the Law.

Then he said to them, Go eat the fat, and drink of the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your fortress.

And the Levites were silencing all the people, saying, Be quiet, for today is holy, and do not be grieved.

And the people went out and brought in, and made booths for themselves, each man on his roof and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the plaza of the Water Gate, and in the plaza of the Ephraim Gate.

And all the congregation of those who had come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths. For since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.