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Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews.

Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain."

Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields,^(a) our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine."^(b)

Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax^(c) on our fields and vineyards.

Although we are of the same flesh and blood^(d) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.^(e) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."^(f)

When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.

I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are charging your own people interest!"^(g) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them

and said: "As far as possible, we have bought^(h) back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.⁽ⁱ⁾

So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach^(j) of our Gentile enemies?

I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!^(k)

Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest^(l) you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil."

"We will give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath^(m) to do what they had promised.

I also shook⁽ⁿ⁾ out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen,"^(o) and praised the Lord . And the people did as they had promised.

Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,^(p) when I was appointed to be their governor^(q) in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels^[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God^(r) I did not act like that.

Instead,^(s) I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we^[b] did not acquire any land.

Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.

Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry^(t) were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

Remember^(u) me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah,^(a) Geshem^(b) the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—

Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages^[a] on the plain of Ono.^(c)" But they were scheming to harm me;

so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"

Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

Then, the fifth time, Sanballat^(d) sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter

in which was written: "It is reported among the nations—and Geshem^[b](e) says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king

and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together."

I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple^(f), and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you."

But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!"

I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me^(g) because Tobiah and Sanballat^(h) had hired him.

He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.⁽ⁱ⁾

Remember^(j) Tobiah and Sanballat,^(k) my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet^(l) Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets^(m) have been trying to intimidate me.

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.

When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them.

For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,^(a) the musicians^(b) and the Levites^(c) were appointed.

I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,^(d) along with Hananiah^(e) the commander of the citadel,^(f) because he was a man of integrity and feared^(g) God more than most people do.

I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses."

The List of the Exiles Who Returned^(h)

Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,⁽ⁱ⁾ and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles^(j) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,

in company with Zerubbabel,^(k) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah): The list of the men of Israel:

the descendants of Parosh	2,172 Nehemiah 7:9 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Shephatiah	372 Nehemiah 7:10 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Arah	652 Nehemiah 7:11 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)	2,818 Nehemiah 7:12 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Elam	1,254 Nehemiah 7:13 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Zattu	845 Nehemiah 7:14 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Zakkai	760 Nehemiah 7:15 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Binnui	648 Nehemiah 7:16 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Bebai	628 Nehemiah 7:17 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Azgad	2,322 Nehemiah 7:18 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Adonikam	667 Nehemiah 7:19 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Bigvai	2,067 Nehemiah 7:20 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Adin(l)	655 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:21 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Ater (through Hezekiah)	98 Nehemiah 7:22 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Hashum	328 Nehemiah 7:23 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Bezai	324 Nehemiah 7:24 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Hariph	112 Nehemiah 7:25 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Gibeon	95 Nehemiah 7:26 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(m)	188 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:27 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Anathoth(n)	128 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:28 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Beth Azmaveth	42 Nehemiah 7:29 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(o) and Beeroth(p)	743 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:30 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Ramah and Geba	621 Nehemiah 7:31 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Mikmash	122 Nehemiah 7:32 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Bethel and Ai(q)	123 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:33 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of the other Nebo	52 Nehemiah 7:34 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of the other Elam	1,254 Nehemiah 7:35 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Harim	320 Nehemiah 7:36 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Jericho(r)	345 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:37 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Lod, Hadid and Ono(s)	721 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:38 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Senaah	3,930 Nehemiah 7:39 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)	973 Nehemiah 7:40 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Immer	1,052 Nehemiah 7:41 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Pashhur	1,247 Nehemiah 7:42 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]
of Harim	1,017 Nehemiah 7:43 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah)

74 Nehemiah 7:44 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The musicians:^(t)

the descendants of Asaph

148 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:45 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The gatekeepers:^(u)

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai	138 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:46 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The temple servants:^(v)

the descendants of

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:47 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Keros, Sia, Padon, Nehemiah 7:48 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, Nehemiah 7:49 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Nehemiah 7:50 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Nehemiah 7:51 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Nehemiah 7:52 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Besai, Meunim, Nephusim, Nehemiah 7:53 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Nehemiah 7:54 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, Nehemiah 7:55 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Nehemiah 7:56 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Neziah and Hatipha Nehemiah 7:57 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of

Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, Nehemiah 7:58 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, Nehemiah 7:59 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

Shephatiah, Hattil,

Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon Nehemiah 7:60 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon(w)

392 Footnotes:   Cross References:   Nehemiah 7:61 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

the descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda	642 Nehemiah 7:63 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

And from among the priests:

the descendants of

Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). Nehemiah 7:64 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Study Tools ]

These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.^(x)

The whole company numbered 42,360,

besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers.

There were 736 horses, 245 mules,^[a]

435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics^[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests.

Some of the heads of the families^(y) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics^[c] of gold and 2,200 minas^[d] of silver.

The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas^[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.^(z)

The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,^(aa) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.^(ab)

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,^(ac)

¹all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.^(a) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,^(b) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

So on the first day of the seventh month^(c) Ezra the priest brought the Law^(d) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.

He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^(e) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform^(f) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing^(g) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.

Ezra praised the Lord , the great God; and all the people lifted their hands^(h) and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

The Levites⁽ⁱ⁾—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^(j) the people in the Law while the people were standing there.

They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites^(k) who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep."^(l) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing^(m) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy⁽ⁿ⁾ of the Lord is your strength."

The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve."

Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,^(o) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law.

They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters^(p) during the festival of the seventh month

and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters"—as it is written.^[b]

So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate^(q) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.^(r)

The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.^(s) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated^(t) it like this. And their joy was very great.

Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read^(u) from the Book of the Law^(v) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,^(w) there was an assembly.^(x)

The Israelites Confess Their Sins

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.^(a)

Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.^(b) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.^(c)

They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.

Standing on the stairs of the Levites^(d) were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God.

And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: "Stand up and praise the Lord your God,^(e) who is from everlasting to everlasting.^[a]" "Blessed be your glorious name,^(f) and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

You alone are the Lord .^(g) You made the heavens,^(h) even the highest heavens, and all their starry host,⁽ⁱ⁾ the earth^(j) and all that is on it, the seas^(k) and all that is in them.^(l) You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven^(m) worship you.

"You are the Lord God, who chose Abram⁽ⁿ⁾ and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans^(o) and named him Abraham.^(p)

You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites.^(q) You have kept your promise^(r) because you are righteous.^(s)

"You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt;^(t) you heard their cry at the Red Sea.^[b](u)

You sent signs^(v) and wonders^(w) against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name^(x) for yourself,^(y) which remains to this day.

You divided the sea before them,^(z) so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths,^(aa) like a stone into mighty waters.^(ab)

By day^(ac) you led^(ad) them with a pillar of cloud,^(ae) and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

"You came down on Mount Sinai;^(af) you spoke^(ag) to them from heaven.^(ah) You gave them regulations and laws that are just^(ai) and right, and decrees and commands that are good.^(aj)

You made known to them your holy Sabbath^(ak) and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.

In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven^(al) and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock;^(am) you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand^(an) to give them.^(ao)

"But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked,^(ap) and they did not obey your commands.^(aq)

They refused to listen and failed to remember^(ar) the miracles^(as) you performed among them. They became stiff-necked^(at) and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery.^(au) But you are a forgiving God,^(av) gracious and compassionate,^(aw) slow to anger^(ax) and abounding in love.^(ay) Therefore you did not desert them,^(az)

even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf^(ba) and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,' or when they committed awful blasphemies.^(bb)

"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon^(bc) them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud^(bd) did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.

You gave your good Spirit^(be) to instruct^(bf) them. You did not withhold your manna^(bg) from their mouths, and you gave them water^(bh) for their thirst.

For forty years^(bi) you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing,^(bj) their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.^(bk)

"You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon^[c](bl) king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.^(bm)

You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky,^(bn) and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess.

Their children went in and took possession of the land.^(bo) You subdued^(bp) before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased.

They captured fortified cities and fertile land;^(bq) they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things,^(br) wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished;^(bs) they reveled in your great goodness.^(bt)

"But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law.^(bu) They killed^(bv) your prophets,^(bw) who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.^(bx)

So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies,^(by) who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion^(bz) you gave them deliverers,^(ca) who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

"But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.^(cb) Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion^(cc) you delivered them^(cd) time after time.

"You warned^(ce) them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant^(cf) and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.'^(cg) Stubbornly they turned their backs^(ch) on you, became stiff-necked^(ci) and refused to listen.^(cj)

For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets.^(ck) Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.^(cl)

But in your great mercy you did not put an end^(cm) to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful^(cn) God.

"Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty^(co) and awesome,^(cp) who keeps his covenant of love,^(cq) do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship^(cr) that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous;^(cs) you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.^(ct)

Our kings,^(cu) our leaders, our priests and our ancestors^(cv) did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep.

Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness^(cw) to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you^(cx) or turn from their evil ways.

"But see, we are slaves^(cy) today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.

Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.^(cz)

"In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement,^(da) putting it in writing,^(db) and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it."^[d]