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And to cary the siluer and gold, which the king and his counsellers haue freely offered vnto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Ierusalem.

Whatsoeuer is commanded by the God of heauen, let it be diligently done, for the house of the God of heauen: for why should there be wrath against the realme of the king and his sonnes?

And hath extended mercy vnto me, before the king and his counsellers, and before all the kings mighty princes, and I was strengthned as the hand of the Lord my God was vpon me, and I gathered together out of Israel, chiefe men to goe vp with me.

And I sent them with commandement vnto Iddo the chiefe at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say vnto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring vnto vs ministers for the house of our God.

And by the good hand of our God vpon vs, they brought vs a man of vnderstanding, of the sonnes of Mahli the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel, and Sherebiah, with his sonnes, and his brethren, eighteene.

And Hashabiah, and with him Ieshaiah of the sonnes of Merari, his brethren, and their sonnes, twentie.

For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of souldiers and horsmen, to helpe vs against the enemie in the way: because wee had spoken vnto the king, saying, The hand of our God is vpon all them for good, that seeke him, but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

And weighed vnto them the siluer and the gold, and the vessels, euen the offering of the house of our God, which the king and his counsellours, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:

And now for a litle space grace hath bene shewed from the Lord our God, to leaue vs a remnant to escape, and to giue vs a naile in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and giue vs a litle reuiuing in our bondage:

And that whosoeuer would not come within three dayes, according to the counsell of the Princes, and the Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himselfe separated from the congregation of those that had beene caried away.

Now therefore make confession vnto the Lord God of your fathers, and doe his pleasure: and separate your selues from the people of the land, and from the strange wiues.

And among the sonnes of the Priestes, there were found that had taken strange wiues: namely, of the sons of Ieshua the sonne of Iozadak, and his brethren, Maasiah, and Eliezer, and Iarib, and Gedaliah.

And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heauen, the great and terrible God, that keepeth couenant and mercie for them that loue him, and obserue his commandements:

And it came to passe, in the moneth Nisan, in the twentieth yeere of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I tooke vp the wine, and gaue it vnto the King: now I had not bene beforetime sad in his presence.

Then answered I them, and said vnto them, The God of heauen, he will prosper vs, therefore wee his seruants will arise and build: But you haue no portion, nor right, nor memoriall in Ierusalem.

Then Eliashib the hie priest, rose vp with his brethren the Priests, and they built the sheepe-gate, they sanctified it, & set vp the doores of it, euen vnto the towre of Meah they sanctified it, vnto the towre of Hananeel.

And next vnto them repaired Iedaiah the sonne of Harumaph, euen ouer against his house: and next vnto him repaired Hattush the sonne of Hashabniah.

And next vnto him repaired Shallum the sonne of Halloesh the ruler of the halfe part of Ierusalem, hee, and his daughters.

After him repaired the Leuites, Rehum the sonne of Bani: next vnto him repaired Hashabiah the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah in his part.

After him repaired Beniamin, and Hashub, ouer against their house: after him repaired Azariah the sonne of Maaseiah, the sonne of Ananiah, by his house.