Study Desk

And Judah said, The strength of the burden carriers is weakening, and there is much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall.

So I stationed from the lowest parts of the place, from the back of the wall, in the higher places; even, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

So we worked in the work. And half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars came out.

Likewise at the same time I said to the people, Let each man with his servant stay inside Jerusalem, so that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labor in the day.

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.

For some were saying, With our sons and our daughters, we are many. Let us take up grain for them, so that we may eat and live.

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 they said, We will restore, and will ask nothing from them. So we will do as you say. Then I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this word.

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.

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.

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.

So the wall was restored in the twenty fifth of Elul, on the fifty second day.

And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, so that they might be counted by genealogy. And I found a register of genealogy of those who came up at the first. And I found written in it:

So the priests, and the Levites, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and some of the people, and the temple-slaves, and all Israel, lived in their cities. And when the seventh month came,the sons of Israel were in theircities.

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.

And You divided the Sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the Sea on the dry land. And their pursuers You threw into the depths, like a stone into the mighty waters.

So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, and I, and half of the rulers with me.

And that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced. For God had made them rejoice with great joy. And the wives, and the children rejoiced so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even at a distance.

And it happened, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants atthe gates, so that there should be no burden brought in on the Sabbath day.

And the drinking was according to the law, no one compelling; for so the king had ordered every first one of his house that they should do according to every man's pleasure.