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So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, though each had his vessel of water.

Then my heart ruled within myself, and I contended with the nobles and the magistrates. And I said to them, You are each man lending at interest, from his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.

Also I shook my lap, and I said, So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor, who does not lift up this thing; even may he be shaken out this way and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this thing.

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, in which was written,

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.

Also they reported his good deeds before me, and my words were going to him. Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

And I said to them, Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are standing, let them shut and bar the doors. And make stand guards from the people of Jerusalem, each one in his watch, and each one tobe across from his house.

These are the sons of the province who went up of the exiles, of the captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had removed. And they came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, each man to his city.

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 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.

You are Jehovah the God who chose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and appointed his name, Abraham.

And You found his heart faithful before You, and cut with him the covenant to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give performed Your Words, for You are righteous.

And You gave signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of the land. For You knew that they were seething against them. And You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.

making strong their brothers, their honored ones; and were entering into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God's Law which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to keep and to do all the commandments of Jehovah our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes.

And these are the rulers of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah, a man lived in his possession in their cities; Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the temple-slaves, and the sons of Solomon's servants.

and his brothers, rulers of the fathers, two hundred and forty two. And Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the leader of the beginning, he gave thanks with prayer. And Bakbukiah the second from his brothers, and Abda the sonof Shammua, the son of Galal, the son ofJeduthun.

And the rest of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each one in his inheritance.

For it was the king's command concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, the matter of the day in his day.

And the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah. Mattaniah was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers.