Study Desk

Now ^(C1)there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their ^(C2)Jewish brothers.

For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let's ^(C1)get grain so that we may eat and live."

And there were others who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses so that we might get grain because of the famine."

There also were those who said, "We have borrowed money ^(C1)for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.

"And now ^(C1)our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, ^(C2)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and ^(F1)we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others."

Then I was very ^(C1)angry when I heard their outcry and these words.

So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, "^(C1)You are lending at interest, each to his brother!" Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.

And I said to them, "We, according to our ability, ^(C1)have ^(F1)redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?" Then they were silent and could not find a word to say.

So I said, "The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of ^(C1)the taunting of the nations, our enemies?

"And likewise I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let's ^(F1)do without this interest.

"Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, as well as the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you are charging as interest from them."

Then they said, "We ^(C1)will give it back and ^(C2)will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say." So I called the priests and made them ^(C3)take an oath to act in accordance with this ^(F1)promise.

I ^(C1)also shook out the ^(F1)front of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every person from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this ^(F2)promise; just so may he be shaken out and emptied." And ^(C2)all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people acted in accordance with this ^(F2)promise.

Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ^(C1)the twentieth year to the ^(C2)thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance.

But the previous governors who were before me ^(F1)laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so ^(C1)because of my fear of God.

I also ^(F1)applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

Moreover, ^(C1)there were at my table 150 Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.

Now ^(C1)that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep; also birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all sorts of wine were provided in abundance. Yet for all this ^(C2)I did not request the governor's food allowance, because the forced labor was heavy on this people.

^(C1)Remember me, my God, for good, in return for all that I have done for this people.

Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach was left in it, ^(C1)although at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates,

Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let's meet together ^(F1)at Chephirim in the plain of ^(C1)Ono." But they were plotting to ^(F2)harm me.

So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"

Then they sent messages to me four times worded in this way, and I answered them with the same wording.

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.

In it was written: "It is reported among the nations, and ^(F1)Gashmu says, that ^(C1)you and the Jews intend to rebel; for that reason you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.

"You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning ^(F1)you, 'A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let's consult together."

Then I sent a message to him saying, "Nothing like these things that you are saying has been done, but you are ^(C1)inventing them ^(F1)in your own mind."

For all of them were trying to frighten us, ^(F1)thinking, "^(F2)They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, ^(C1)God, strengthen my hands.

When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, ^(C1)who was confined at home, he said, "Let's meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let's close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night."

But I said, "^(C1)Should a man like me flee? And who is there like me who would go into the temple ^(F1)to save his own life? I will not go in."

Then I realized ^(F1)that God certainly had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

He was hired for this reason, ^(C1)that I would become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could taunt me.

^(C1)Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in accordance with these works of theirs, and also Noadiah ^(C2)the prophetess and the rest of the prophets, who were trying to frighten me.

So ^(C1)the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

^(C1)When all our enemies heard about it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they ^(F1)lost their confidence; for ^(C2)they realized that this work had been accomplished ^(F2)with the help of our God.

Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and ^(F1)Tobiah's letters came to them.

For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence, and were reporting my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

Now when ^(C1)the wall was rebuilt and I had installed the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites were appointed,

then I put ^(C1)Hanani my brother, and ^(C2)Hananiah the commander of ^(C3)the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was ^(C4)a faithful man and feared God more than many.

Then I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, the gatekeepers are to ^(F1)keep the doors shut and bolted. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house."

Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.

^(C1)Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the other people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first, ^(F1)in which I found the following record:

^(C1)These are the ^(F1)people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had taken into exile, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city,

who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, ^(F1)Azariah, ^(F2)Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, ^(F3)Mispereth, Bigvai, ^(F4)Nehum, and Baanah. The number of men of the people of Israel:

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Cross References:  

the sons of Parosh, 2,172;

the sons of Shephatiah, 372;

the sons of Arah, 652;

the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818;

the sons of Elam, 1,254;

the sons of Zattu, 845;

the sons of Zaccai, 760;

the sons of ^(F1)Binnui, 648;

the sons of Bebai, 628;

the sons of Azgad, 2,322;

the sons of Adonikam, 667;

the sons of Bigvai, 2,067;

the sons of Adin, 655;

the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98;

the sons of Hashum, 328;

the sons of Bezai, 324;

the sons of ^(F1)Hariph, 112;

the sons of ^(F1)Gibeon, 95;

the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

the men of Anathoth, 128;

the men of ^(F1)Beth-azmaveth, 42;

the men of ^(F1)Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

the men of Michmas, 122;

the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;

the men of the other Nebo, 52;

the sons of the other Elam, 1,254;

the sons of Harim, 320;

the ^(F1)men of Jericho, 345;

the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;

the sons of Senaah, 3,930.

The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973;

the sons of Immer, 1,052;

the sons of Pashhur, 1,247;

the sons of Harim, 1,017.

The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of ^(F1)Hodevah, 74.

The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148.

The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.

The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,

the sons of Keros, the sons of ^(F1)Sia, the sons of Padon,

the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai,

the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,

the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda,

the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,

the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of ^(F1)Nephushesim,

the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,

the sons of ^(F1)Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,

the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,

the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of ^(F1)Sophereth, the sons of ^(F2)Perida,

the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,

the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of ^(F1)Amon.

All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants totaled 392.

These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, ^(F1)Addon, and Immer; but they could not provide evidence for their fathers' households or their ^(F2)descendants, whether they were of Israel:

the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642.

And of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them.

These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and disqualified from the priesthood.

And ^(C1)the ^(F1)governor said to them that they were not to eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with ^(C2)Urim and Thummim.

The whole assembly together totaled 42,360,

besides their male slaves and their female slaves, ^(F1)of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers.

^(F1)(C1)Their horses were 736; their mules, 245;

their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.

Some of the heads of fathers' households gave to the work. The ^(F1)(C1)governor gave to the treasury a thousand gold drachmas, fifty basins, and 530 priests' garments.

And some of the heads of fathers' households gave to the treasury for the work twenty thousand gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas.

What the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priests' garments.

Now ^(C1)the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities. ^(C2)And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.

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Cross References:  

And all the people gathered as one person at the public square which was in front of ^(C1)the Water Gate, and they ^(F1)asked ^(C2)Ezra the scribe to bring ^(C3)the Book of the Law of Moses which the LORD had ^(F2)given to Israel.

Then ^(C1)Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on ^(C2)the first day of the seventh month.

And he read from it before the public square which was in front of ^(C1)the Water Gate, from ^(F1)early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and ^(F2)all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left.

Then Ezra opened ^(C1)the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people ^(C2)stood up.

Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, "^(C1)Amen, Amen!" with the raising of their hands; then ^(C2)they kneeled down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Law to the people while the people remained in their place.

They read from the book, from the Law of God, ^(F1)translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

Then Nehemiah, who was the ^(F1)(C1)governor, and Ezra ^(C2)the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "^(C3)This day is holy to the LORD your God; ^(C4)do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the Law.

Then he said to them, "Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and ^(C1)send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your ^(F1)refuge."

So the Levites silenced all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved."

Then all the people went away to eat, drink, ^(C1)to send portions, and to ^(F1)celebrate a great feast, ^(C2)because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

Then on the second day the heads of fathers' households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe so that they might gain insight into the words of the Law.

And they found written in the Law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel ^(C1)were to live in ^(F1)booths during the feast of the seventh month.

^(C1)And that they were to proclaim and circulate a proclamation in all their cities and ^(C2)in Jerusalem, saying, "^(C3)Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and ^(F1)wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other trees with thick branches, to make booths, as it is written."

So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each ^(C1)on his roof, and in their courtyards and in the courtyards of the house of God, and in the public square at ^(C2)the Water Gate, and in the square at ^(C3)the Gate of Ephraim.

The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. Indeed, the sons of Israel ^(C1)had not done so since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And ^(C2)there was very great rejoicing.

^(C1)He read from the Book of the Law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they ^(C2)celebrated the feast seven days, and on ^(C3)the eighth day there was a festive assembly in accordance with the ordinance.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of ^(C1)this month the sons of Israel assembled ^(C2)with fasting, in sackcloth and with ^(C3)dirt upon them.

The ^(F1)(C1)descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and ^(C2)confessed their sins and the wrongdoings of their fathers.

While ^(C1)they stood in their place, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

^(C1)Now on the Levites' platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and they cried out with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and ever! May Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise!

-"^(C1)You alone are the LORD. ^(C2)You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their ^(F1)lights, The earth and everything that is on it, The seas and everything that is in them. ^(C3)You give life to all of them, And the heavenly ^(F1)lights bow down before You.

-"You are the LORD God, ^(C1)Who chose Abram And brought him out from ^(C2)Ur of the Chaldees, And ^(C3)gave him the name Abraham.

-"You found ^(C1)his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite— To give it to his ^(F1)descendants. And You ^(C2)have fulfilled Your ^(F2)promise, Because You are righteous.

"^(C1)You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And ^(C2)heard their cry by the ^(F1)Red Sea.

-"Then You performed ^(C1)signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants and all the people of his land; For You knew that ^(C2)they acted arrogantly toward them, And You ^(C3)made a name for Yourself as it is this day.

-"^(C1)You divided the sea before them, So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground; And You hurled ^(C2)their pursuers into the depths, Like a stone into ^(F1)raging waters.

-"And with a pillar of cloud ^(C1)You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

-"Then ^(C1)You came down on Mount Sinai, And ^(C2)spoke with them from heaven; You gave them ^(C3)just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

-"So You made known to them ^(C1)Your holy Sabbath, And gave them commandments, statutes, and law, Through Your servant Moses.

-"You ^(C1)provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You ^(C2)brought out water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You ^(C3)told them to enter in order to take possession of The land which You ^(F1)swore to give them.

"But they, our fathers, ^(C1)acted arrogantly; They ^(F1)(C2)became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments.

-"They refused to listen, And ^(C1)did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You performed among them; So they became stubborn and ^(C2)appointed a leader to return to their slavery in ^(F1)Egypt. But You are a God ^(C3)of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in ^(F2)mercy; And You did not abandon them.

-"Even when they ^(C1)made for themselves A calf of cast metal And said, 'This is your ^(F1)god Who brought you up from Egypt,' And committed great blasphemies,

^(C1)You, in Your great compassion, Did not abandon them in the wilderness; ^(C2)The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.

-"Instead, ^(C1)You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst.

-"Indeed, for ^(C1)forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not lacking; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell up.

-"You also gave them kingdoms and peoples, And allotted them to them as a ^(F1)boundary. ^(C1)They took possession of the land of Sihon ^(F2)the king of Heshbon And the land of Og the king of Bashan.

-"You made their sons as numerous as ^(C1)the stars of heaven, And You brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

-"^(C1)So their sons entered and took possession of the land. And ^(C2)You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And You handed them over to them, with their kings and the peoples of the land, To do with them ^(F1)as they desired.

-"^(C1)They captured fortified cities and a ^(F1)(C2)fertile land. They took possession of ^(C3)houses full of every good thing, Carved out cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled and ^(C4)put on fat, And ^(C5)lived luxuriously in Your great goodness.

"^(C1)But they became rebellious and revolted against You, And ^(C2)threw Your Law behind their backs And ^(C3)killed Your prophets who had ^(C4)admonished them In order to bring them back to You, And ^(C5)they committed great blasphemies.

-"Therefore You ^(C1)handed them over to their enemies who oppressed them, But when they cried out to You ^(C2)in the time of their distress, You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion You ^(C3)gave them ^(F1)people who saved them from the hand of their enemies.

-"But ^(C1)as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You; Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them. When they cried out again to You, You heard from heaven, And ^(C2)many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,

And ^(C1)admonished them in order to turn them back to Your Law. Yet ^(C2)they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances, ^(C3)Which, if a person ^(F1)follows them, then he will live by them. And they ^(F2)(C4)turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.

-"^(C1)However, You remained patient with them for many years, And ^(C2)admonished them by ^(C3)Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not listen. Therefore You handed them over to the peoples of the lands.

-"Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You ^(C1)did not make an end of them or abandon them, For You are ^(C2)a gracious and compassionate God.

"Now then, our God, ^(C1)the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps His covenant and faithfulness, Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You, Which has happened to us, our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and to all Your people, ^(C2)From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.

-"However, ^(C1)You are righteous in everything that has happened to us; For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.

-"For our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our fathers have not kept Your Law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your ^(F1)admonitions with which You have ^(F2)admonished them.

-"But ^(C1)they, in their own kingdom, ^(C2)With Your great goodness which You gave them, With the broad and rich land which You placed before them, Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds.

-"Behold, ^(C1)we are slaves today, And as for the land which You gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its bounty, Behold, we are slaves on it.

-"And ^(C1)its abundant produce is for the kings Whom You have set over us because of our sins; They also rule over our bodies And over our cattle as they please, So we are in great distress.

"^(F1)Now because of all this ^(C1)We are making an agreement in writing; And on the ^(C2)sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites, and our priests."