1

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Which contains part of November and part of December, and was their ninth month. Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, The Argument - God, in all ages and at all times, sets up worthy persons for the convenience and profit of his Church, as now within the compass of seventy years he raised up various excellent men for the preservation of his people after their return from Babylon. Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, of which the first was their captain to bring them home, and provided that the temple was built: the second reformed their manners and planted religion: and the third built up the walls, delivered the people from oppression and provided that the law of God was carried out among them. He was a godly man, and in great authority with the king, so that the king favoured him greatly and gave him letters to accomplish all the things he desired. This book is also called the second of Ezra by the Latins because he was the author of it.

2 That Hanani, one of my A Jew as I was. brethren, came, he and [certain] men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the Meaning in Judea. province [are] in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also [is] broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 And when I heard these wordes, I sate downe and wept, and mourned certeine dayes, & I fasted and prayed before the God of heauen,

5 And sayde, O Lorde God of heauen, the great and terrible God, that keepeth couenant and mercy for them that loue him, and obserue his commandements,

6 I pray thee, let thine eares be attet, & thine eies open, to heare the praier of thy seruat, which I pray before thee dayly, day & night for ye childre of Israel thy seruats, & confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel, which we haue sinned against thee, both I and my fathers house haue sinned:

7 We haue grieuously sinned against thee, and haue not kept the commandements, nor the statutes, nor the iudgements, which thou commandedst thy seruant Moses.

8 I beseeche thee, remember the worde that thou commandedst thy seruant Moses, saying, Ye wil transgresse, and I will scatter you abroade among the people.

9 But if ye turne vnto me, & keepe my commandements, and doe them, though your scattering were to the vttermost part of the heauen, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen to place my Name there.

10 Now these are thy seruants and thy people, whome thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy mightie hand.

11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to That is, to worship you. fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of That is, the king Artaxerxes. this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

2

1 And it came to pass in the month Which was the first month of the year, and contains part of March and part of April. Nisan, in the twentieth year of Who is also called Darius, (Ezr_7:1) and was the son of Hystaspis. Artaxerxes the king, [that] wine [was] before him: and I took up the wine, and gave [it] unto the king. Now I had not been [beforetime] sad in his presence.

2 And the king said vnto me, Why is thy coutenance sad, seeing thou art not sicke? this is nothing, but sorow of heart. Then was I sore afrayd,

3 And I said to the King, God saue the King for euer: why should not my countenance be sad, when the citie & house of the sepulchres of my fathers lieth waste, and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire?

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed I desired God in my heart to prosper my enterprise. to the God of heaven.

5 And sayde vnto the King, If it please the King, and if thy seruant haue found fauour in thy sight, I desire that thou wouldest send me to Iudah vnto the city of the sepulchres of my fathers, that I may buyld it.

6 And the King sayd vnto me, (the Queene also sitting by him) How long shall thy iourney be? & when wilt thou come againe? So it pleased the King, and he sent me, and I set him a time.

7 After I saide vnto the King, If it please the King, let them giue mee letters to the captaines beyond the Riuer, that they may conuay me ouer, till I come into Iudah,

8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertained] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to As God moved me to ask, and as he gave me success in it. the good hand of my God upon me.

9 Then came I to the captaines beyonde the Riuer, and gaue them the Kings letters; the King had sent captaines of the armie and horsemen with me.

10 When These were great enemies to the Jews, and laboured always both by force and subtilty to overcome them and Tobiah, because his wife was a Jewess, knew of their affairs and so brought them great trouble. Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

11 So I came to Ierusalem, & was there three dayes.

12 And I rose in the night, I, and a fewe men with me: for I told no man, what God had put in mine heart to do at Ierusalem, & there was not a beast with me, saue the beast whereon I rode.

13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, & came before the draggon well, and to the dung porte, and vewed the walles of Ierusalem, howe they were broken downe, and the portes thereof deuoured with the fire.

14 Then I went foorth vnto the gate of the fountaine, and to the Kings fishpoole, and there was no rowme for the beast that was vnder me to passe.

15 Then went I vp in ye night by the brooke, and viewed the wall, and turned backe, and comming backe, I entred by the gate of the valley & returned.

16 And the rulers knewe not whither I was gone, nor what I did, neither did I as yet tell it vnto the Iewes, nor to the Priestes, nor to the noble men, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that laboured in the worke.

17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we [are] in, how Jerusalem [lieth] waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more That is, contemned by other nations as though God had forsaken us. a reproach.

18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they They were encouraged and gave themselves to do well, and to travel in this worthy enterprise. strengthened their hands for [this] good [work].

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and These were three chief governors under the king of Persia beyond the Euphrates. Geshem the Arabian, heard [it], they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What [is] this thing that ye do? will ye Thus the wicked when they will burden the children of God, always lay treason to their charge both because it makes them most odious to the world, and also stirs the hatred of princes against them. rebel against the king?

20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor Neither are you of the number of the children of God (to whom he has appointed this city only) neither did any of your predecessors ever fear God. memorial, in Jerusalem.

3

1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they In Hebrew they sanctified it, that is, they finished it, and so dedicated it to the Lord by prayer, in desiring him to maintain it. sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.

2 And next vnto him buylded the men of Iericho, and beside him Zaccur the sonne of Imri.

3 But the fish port did the sonnes of Senaah buylde, which also layde the beames thereof, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof.

4 And next vnto them fortified Merimoth, the sonne of Vrijah, the sonne of Hakkoz: and next vnto them fortified Meshullam, the sonne of Berechiah, the sonne of Meshezabeel: and next vnto them fortified Zadok, the sonne of Baana:

5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles The rich and mighty would not obey those who were appointed officers in this work, neither would they help them. put not their necks to the work of their Lord.

6 And the gate of the olde fishpoole fortified Iehoiada the sonne of Paseah, and Meshullam the sonne of Besodaiah: they laid the beames thereof, and set on the doores thereof, and the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof.

7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the To the place where the Duke was wont to sit in judgment, who governed the country in their absence. throne of the governor on this side the river.

8 Next vnto him fortified Vzziel the sonne of Harhohiah of the golde smithes: next vnto him also fortified Hananiah, the sonne of Harakkahim, and they repayred Ierusalem vnto the broad wall.

9 Also next vnto them fortified Rephaiah, the sonne of Hur, the ruler of the halfe part of Ierusalem.

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

11 Malchiiah the sonne of Harim, and Hashub the sonne of Pahath Moab fortified the seconde porcion, and the tower of the fornaces.

12 Next vnto him also fortified Shallum, the sonne of Halloesh, the ruler of the halfe part of Ierusalem, he, and his daughters.

13 The valley gate fortified Hanum, and the inhabitants of Zanuah: they buylt it, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof, euen a thousand cubites on the wall vnto the dung porte.

14 But the dung port fortified Malchiah, the sonne of Rechab, the ruler of the fourth part of Beth-haccarem: he built it, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, & the barres thereof.

15 But the gate of the fountaine fortified Shallun, the sonne of Col-hozeh, the ruler of the fourth part of Mizpah: he builded it, and couered it, and set on the doores thereof, the lockes thereof, and the barres thereof, and the wall vnto the fishpoole of Shelah by the Kings garden, and vnto the steppes that goe downe from the citie of Dauid.

16 After him fortified Nehemiah the sonne of Azbuk, the ruler of ye halfe part of Beth-zur, vntill the otherside ouer against the sepulchres of Dauid, and to the fishpoole that was repaired, and vnto the house of the mightie.

17 After him fortified the Leuites, Rehum the sonne of Bani, and next vnto him fortified Hashabiah the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah in his quarter.

18 After him fortified their brethren: Bauai, the sonne of Henadad the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah:

19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the Where the weapons and armour of the city lay. turning [of the wall].

20 After him was earnest Baruch the sonne of Zacchai, and fortified another portion from the corner vnto the doore of the house of Eliashib the hie Priest.

21 After him fortified Merimoth, the sonne of Vriiah, the sonne of Hakkoz, another portion from the doore of the house of Eliashib, euen as long as the house of Eliashib extended.

22 And after him repaired the priests, the men of Who dwelt in the plain country by Jordan and Jericho. the plain.

23 After them fortified Beniamin, and Hasshub ouer against their house: after him fortified Azariah, the sonne of Maaseiah, the sonne of Ananiah, by his house.

24 After him fortified Binnui, the sonne of Henadad another portion, from the house of Azariah vnto the turning and vnto the corner.

25 Palal, the sonne of Vzai, from ouer against the corner, & the high tower, that lieth out from the Kings house, which is beside the court of the prison. After him, Pedaiah, the sonne of Parosh.

26 Moreover the Read (Ezr_2:43). Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto [the place] over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.

27 After him fortified the Tekoites another portion ouer against the great tower, that lyeth out, euen vnto the wall of the fortresse.

28 From aboue the horsegate forth fortified the Priests, euery one ouer against his house.

29 After them fortified Zadok the sonne of Immer ouer against his house: and after him fortified Shemaiah, the sonne of Shechadiah the keeper of the East gate.

30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the Meaning the sixth of his sons. sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.

31 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Which was the place of judgment or execution. Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.

32 And betwene the chamber of the corner vnto the sheepegate fortified the goldesmithes and the marchantes.

4

1 Bvt when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, then was he wroth and sore grieued, and mocked the Iewes,

2 And he spake before his Of his companions who dwelt in Samaria. brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these Thus the wicked who do not consider that God's power is always ready to defend his, mock them as thought they were weak and feeble. feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

3 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and said, Although they buylde, yet if a foxe goe vp, he shall euen breake downe their stonie wall.

4 This is the remedy that the children of God have against the derision and threatenings of their enemies, to flee to God by prayer.Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey Let them be spoiled and led away captive. in the land of captivity:

5 And cover not their Let the plagues declare to the world that they set themselves against you and your Church: that he prays only having respect for God's glory and not for any private affection, or grudge. iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders.

6 So we built the wall, and all the wall was ioyned vnto the halfe thereof, and the heart of the people was to worke.

7 But when Sanballat, & Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodims heard that the walles of Ierusalem were repayred, (for the breaches began to be stopped) then they were very wroth,

8 And conspired all together to come & to fight against Ierusalem, and to hinder them.

9 The we prayed vnto our God, & set watchmen by them, day and night, because of them.

10 And Iudah said, The strength of the bearers is weakened, and there is much earth, so that we are not able to build the wall.

11 Also our aduersaries had sayde, They shall not knowe, neither see, till we come into the middes of them and slay them, and cause the worke to cease.

12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us That is, often. ten times, They who brought the tidings said this, when you leave your work, and go either to eat or to rest, your enemies will assail you. From all places whence ye shall return unto us [they will be upon you].

13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall vpon the toppes of the stones, & placed the people by their families, with their swordes, their speares and their bowes.

14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: Who is always on hand to deliver his out of danger: and therefore seeing they should fight for the maintenance of God's glory, and for the preservation of their own lives and of theirs, he encourages them to play the valiant men. remember the Lord, [which is] great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

15 And when our enemies heard that it was knowen vnto vs, then God brought their counsell to nought, and we turned all againe to the wall, euery one vnto his worke.

16 And it came to pass from that time forth, [that] the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers [were] To overcome them and encourage them in their work. behind all the house of Judah.

17 They that buylded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, and they that laded, did the worke with one hand, and with the other helde the sworde.

18 For euery one of the buylders had his sworde girded on his loynes, and so buylded: and he that blewe the trumpet, was beside me.

19 Then saide I vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The worke is great and large, and we are separated vpon the wall, one farre from another.

20 In what place [therefore] ye hear the sound of the trumpet, Meaning, to resist their enemies, if need be. resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

21 So we laboured in the worke, and halfe of them helde the speares, from the appearing of the morning, till the starres came foorth.

22 And at the same time said I vnto the people, Let euery one with his seruant lodge within Ierusalem, that they may be a watch for vs in the night, and labour in the day.

23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, [saving that] every one put them off That is, when they purified themselves or else when they washed their clothes. for washing.

5

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives Against the rich who oppressed them. against their brethren the Jews.

2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up This is the complaint of the people, showing the extremity they were brought to. corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.

3 And there were that saide, We must gage our landes, and our vineyardes, and our houses, and take vp corne for the famine.

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's To pay our tribute to the king of the Persians, which was exacted yearly from us. tribute, [and that upon] our lands and vineyards.

5 Yet now our flesh [is] as By nature the rich are no better than the poor. the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and [some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage [already]: neither [is it] in our power We are not able to redeem them, but out of poverty are forced to sell them to others. [to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6 Then was I very angrie when I heard their crie and these wordes.

7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye You press them with usury, and seek to bring all thing into your hands. exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great Both because they should be moved with pity seeing how many were oppressed by them, and also hear the judgment of others, who should be witnesses of their dealings with their brethren. assembly against them.

8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be Seeing God has once delivered them from the bondage of the heathen, shall we make them our slaves? sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing [to answer].

9 Meaning, Nehemiah.Also I said, It [is] not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the Who by this occasion will blaspheme the Name of God, seeing that our actions are no better than theirs. reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 For euen I, my brethren, and my seruants doe lende them money and corne: I pray you, let vs leaue off this burden.

11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, Which you take from them for the loan. that ye exact of them.

12 Then said they, We will restore it, and will not require it of them: we will doe as thou hast said. Then I called the Priestes, and caused them to sweare, that they shoulde doe according to this promes.

13 So I shooke my lappe, and said, So let God shake out euery man that wil not perfourme this promise from his house, & from his labour: euen thus let him be shaken out, & emptied; all the Cogregation said, Amen, & praised the Lord: and the people did according to this promes.

14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the I did not receive the portion and diet which the governors who were before me exacted, in which he declares that he rather sought the wealth of the people than his own convenience. bread of the governor.

15 For the former gouernours that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides fourtie shekels of siluer: yea, and their seruants bare rule ouer the people: but so did not I, because of the feare of God.

16 But rather I fortified a portio in the worke of this wall, and we bought no lande, and all my seruants came thither together vnto the worke.

17 Moreouer there were at my table an hundreth & fiftie of the Iewes, & rulers, which came vnto vs from among the heathen that are about vs.

18 Now [that] which was prepared [for me] daily [was] one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of While at other times they had by measure, at this time they had most liberally. all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Remember me, O my God, in goodnesse, according to all that I haue done for this people.

6

1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and [that] there was no That is, that they were joined together, as in (Neh_4:6). breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

2 Then sent Sanballat and Geshem vnto me, saying, Come thou that we may meete together in the villages in the plaine of Ono: and they thought to doe me euill.

3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I [am] doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: Meaning, that if he obeyed their request, the work God had appointed would cease: showing by this that we should not commit ourselves to the hands of the wicked. why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

4 Yet they sent vnto me foure times after this sort; I answered them after the same maner.

5 Then sent Sanballat his seruant after this sorte vnto me the fift time, with an open letter in his hand,

6 Wherein [was] written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith [it, that] thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these As the same goes. words.

7 And thou hast also appointed You have bribed and set up false prophets, to make yourself king, and so to defraud the king of Persia of that subjection which you owe to him. prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

8 Then I sent vnto him, saying, It is not done according to these wordes that thou sayest: for thou feynest them of thine owne heart.

9 For all they afrayed vs, saying, Their handes shalbe weakened from the worke, and it shall not be done: nowe therefore incourage thou me.

10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who [was] As though he would be secret, to the intent that he might pray to God with greater liberty, and receive some revelation, which in him was only hypocrisy. shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

11 And I said, He did not doubt that God was able to preserve him and knew that if he had obeyed this counsel he would have discouraged all the people: thus God gives power to his to resist false prophecies, though they seem to have great probability. Should such a man as I flee? and who [is there], that, [being] as I [am], would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

12 And loe, I perceiued, that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecie against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 Therefore was he hyred, that I might be afrayde, and doe thus, and sinne, and that they might haue an euill report that they might reproche me.

14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the Grief caused him to pray against such, who under the pretence of being the ministers of God, were adversaries to his glory, and went about to overthrow his Church, declaring also by this that where there is one true minister of God, the devil has many hirelings. prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Which was the sixth month and contained part of August, and part of September. Elul, in After I had sent Sanballat his answer. fifty and two days.

16 And when all our enemies heard thereof, euen all the heathen that were about vs, they were afraid, & their courage failed them: for they knew, that this worke was wrought by our God.

17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many Thus the Church of God always has enemies within itself, which is more dangerous than outward and professed enemies. letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them.

18 For there were many in Iudah, that were sworne vnto him: for he was the sonne in lawe of Shechaniah, the sonne of Arah: and his sonne Iehonathan had the daughter of Meshullam, the sonne of Berechiah.

19 Yea, they spake in his praise before me, & tolde him my wordes, and Tobiah sent letters to put me in feare.

7

1 Nowe when the wall was builded, and I had set vp the doores, and the porters, and the singers and the Leuites were appointed,

2 Then I commanded my brother Hanani and Hananiah the prince of the palace in Ierusalem (for he was doubtlesse a faithfull man, and feared God aboue many)

3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while That is, they who are mentioned, (Neh_7:2). they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar [them]: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one [to be] over against his house.

4 Nowe the citie was large and great, but the people were few therein, and the houses were not buylded.

5 And my God put into mine heart, and I gathered the princes, and the rulers, and the people, to count their genealogies: and I found a booke of the genealogie of them, which came vp at the first, and found written therein,

6 These [are] the That is, the inhabitants of Judah. children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;

7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah in Ezra is called Seraiah, and Raamiah Reelaiah (Ezr_2:2). Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, [I say], of the men of the people of Israel [was this];

8 The sonnes of Parosh, two thousande an hundreth seuentie and two.

9 The sonnes of Shephatiah, three hundreth seuentie and two.

10 The sonnes of Arah, sixe hundreth fiftie and two.

11 The sonnes of Pahath Moab of ye sonnes of Ieshua, & Ioab, two thousand, eight hundreth and eighteene.

12 The sonnes of Elam, a thousand, two hundreth fiftie and foure.

13 The sonnes of Zattu, eight hundreth and fiue and fourtie.

14 The sonnes of Zacchai, seuen hundreth & three score.

15 The sonnes of Binnui, sixe hundreth and eight and fourtie.

16 The sonnes of Bebai, sixe hundreth and eight and twentie.

17 The sonnes of Azgad, two thousand, three hundreth and two and twentie.

18 The sonnes of Adonikam, sixe hundreth three score and seuen.

19 The sonnes of Biguai, two thousand three score and seuen.

20 The sonnes of Adin, sixe hundreth, and fiue and fiftie.

21 The sonnes of Ater of Hizkiah, ninetie and eight.

22 The sonnes of Hashum, three hundreth & eight and twentie.

23 The sonnes of Bezai, three hundreth and foure and twentie.

24 The sonnes of Hariph, an hundreth and twelue.

25 The That is, the inhabitants of Gibeon. children of Gibeon, ninety and five.

26 The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, an hundreth foure score and eight.

27 The men of Anathoth, an hundreth and eight and twentie.

28 The me of Beth-azmaueth, two & fourty.

29 The men of Kiriath-iearim, Chephirah & Beeroth, seuen hundreth, and three and fourtie.

30 The men of Ramah and Gaba, sixe hundreth and one and twentie.

31 The men of Michmas, an hundreth and two and twentie.

32 The men of Beth-el and Ai, an hundreth & three and twentie.

33 The men For there were two cities with this name. of the other Nebo, fifty and two.

34 The sonnes of the other Elam, a thousand, two hundreth and foure and fiftie.

35 The sonnes of Harim, three hundreth and twentie.

36 The sonnes of Iericho, three hundreth and fiue and fourtie.

37 The sonnes of Lod-hadid and Ono, seuen hundreth and one and twentie.

38 The sonnes of Senaah, three thousand, nine hundreth and thirtie.

39 The Priestes: the sonnes of Iedaiah of the house of Ieshua, nine hundreth seuentie & three.

40 The sonnes of Immer, a thousand and two and fiftie.

41 The sonnes of Pashur, a thousande, two hundreth and seuen and fourtie.

42 The sonnes of Harim, a thousande and seuenteene.

43 The Leuites: the sonnes of Ieshua of Kadmiel, and of the sonnes of Hodiuah, seuentie & foure.

44 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundreth, and eight and fourtie.

45 The porters: the sonnes of Shallum, the sonnes of Ater, the sonnes of Talmon, the sonnes of Akkub, the sonnes of Hatita, the sonnes of Shobai, an hundreth and eight and thirtie.

46 The Read (Ezr_2:43). Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

47 The sonnes of Keros, the sonnes of Sia, the sonnes of Padon,

48 The sonnes of Lebana, the sonnes of Hagaba, the sonnes of Shalmai,

49 The sonnes of Hanan, the sonnes of Giddel, the sonnes of Gahar,

50 The sonnes of Reaiah, the sonnes of Rezin, the sonnes of Nekoda,

51 The sonnes of Gazzam, ye sonnes of Vzza, the sonnes of Paseah,

52 The sonnes of Besai, the sonnes of Meunim, the sonnes of Nephishesim,

53 The sonnes of Bakbuk, the sonnes of Hakupha, the sonnes of Harhur,

54 The sonnes of Bazlith, the sonnes of Mehida, the sonnes of Harsha,

55 The sonnes of Barkos, the sonnes of Sissera, the sonnes of Tamah,

56 The sonnes of Neziah, the sonnes of Hatipha,

57 The sonnes of Salomons seruantes, the sonnes of Sotai, the sonnes of Sophereth, ye sonnes of Perida,

58 The sonnes of Iaala, the sonnes of Darkon, the sonnes of Giddel,

59 The sonnes of Shephatiah, the sonnes of Hattil, the sonnes of Pochereth of Zebaim, the sonnes of Amon.

60 All the Nethinims, and the sonnes of Salomons seruantes were three hundreth, ninetie and two.

61 And these came vp from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shewe their fathers house, nor their seede, or if they were of Israel.

62 The sonnes of Delaiah: the sonnes of Tobiah, the sonnes of Nekoda, six hundreth and two and fourtie.

63 And of the Priestes: the sonnes of Habaiah, the sonnes of Hakkoz, the sonnes of Barzillai, which tooke one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was named after their name.

64 These sought their writing of the genealogies, but it was not founde: therefore they were put from the Priesthood.

65 And Meaning, Nehemiah: for Tirshatha in the Chaldee tongue means a butler. the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood [up] a priest with Urim and Thummim.

66 All the Congregation together was two & fourtie thousand, three hundreth and threescore,

67 Besides their seruantes and their maydes, which were seuen thousand, three hundreth and seuen and thirtie: and they had two hundreth and fiue and fourtie singing men and singing women.

68 Their horses were seuen hundreth and sixe and thirtie, and their mules two hundreth and fiue and fourtie.

69 The camels foure hundreth and fiue and thirtie, and sixe thousande, seuen hundreth and twentie asses.

70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand Read (Ezr_2:69). drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.

71 And some of the chiefe fathers gaue vnto the treasure of the worke, twentie thousand drams of golde, and two thousande and two hundreth pieces of siluer.

72 And the rest of the people gaue twentie thousand drammes of golde, and two thousande pieces of siluer, and three score & seuen Priestes garments.

73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and [some] of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the Which contained part of September and part of October. seventh month came, the children of Israel [were] in their cities.

8

1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that [was] before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the Read (Ezr_7:6). scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all Who had age and discretion to understand. that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read therein before the street that [was] before the water gate from the morning until This declares the great zeal that the people had to hear the word of God. midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people [were attentive] unto the book of the law.

4 And Ezra the Scribe stoode vpon a pulpit of wood which he had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, & Ananiah, and Vriiah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hande, and on his left hand Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, & Hashum, & Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was So that his voice might be heard the better. above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

6 And Ezra praysed the Lorde the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting vp their handes: & they bowed themselues, and worshipped the Lord with their faces toward the grounde.

7 Also Ieshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Iamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Iozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Leuites caused the people to vnderstand the lawe, and the people stood in their place.

8 And they read in the booke of the Lawe of God distinctly, and gaue the sense, & caused them to vnderstand the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, which [is] the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day [is] holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people In considering their offences against the Law, therefore the Levites do not reprove them for mourning, but assure them of God's mercies if they are repentant. wept, when they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is That is, remember the poor. prepared: for [this] day [is] holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the Rejoice in the Lord, and he will give you strength. joy of the LORD is your strength.

11 And the Leuites made silence throughout all the people, saying, Holde your peace: for the day is holy, be not sad therefore.

12 Then all the people went to eate and to drinke, and to send away part, and to make great ioy, because they had vnderstand the wordes that they had taught them.

13 And on the second day the chiefe fathers of all the people, the Priests and the Leuites were gathered vnto Ezra the scribe, that he also might instruct them in the wordes of the Lawe.

14 And they found written in the Law, (that the Lorde had commanded by Moses) that the children of Israel should dwel in boothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth,

15 And that they shoulde cause it to bee declared and proclaimed in all their cities, and in Ierusalem, saying, Go forth vnto the mount, and bring oliue branches, and pine branches, & branches of myrtus, and palme branches, & branches of thicke trees, to make boothes, as it is written.

16 So the people went forth, and brought [them], and made themselves booths, every one upon the For their houses were made with flat roofs, read (Deu_22:8). roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the Which was almost a thousand years. days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

18 And he read in the booke of the Lawe of God euery day, from the first day vnto the last day; they kept the feast seuen dayes, and on the eight day a solemne assemblie, according vnto the maner.

9

1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this Meaning, the seventh. month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

2 (And they that were of the seede of Israel were separated from all the strangers) and they stoode and confessed their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God [one] fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they They confessed their sins, and used prayers. confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.

4 Then stoode vp vpon the staires of the Leuites Ieshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cryed with a loud voyce vnto the Lord their God.

5 And the Leuites said, euen Ieshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodiiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, Stande vp, and praise the Lorde your God for euer, and euer, and let them praise thy glorious Name, O God, which excelleth aboue all thankesgiuing and praise.

6 Thou art Lorde alone: thou hast made heauen, and the heauen of all heauens, with all their hoste, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, & al that are in them, & thou preseruest them all, and the host of the heauen worshippeth thee.

7 Thou art, O Lord, the God, that hast chosen Abram, and broughtest him out of Vr in Caldea, and madest his name Abraham,

8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a couenant with him, to giue vnto his seede the lande of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, and Perizzites, and Iebusites, and Girgashites, and hast performed thy wordes, because thou art iust.

9 Thou hast also considered the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the red Sea,

10 And shewed tokens & wonders vpon Pharaoh, and on all his seruants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudely against them: therefore thou madest thee a Name, as appeareth this day.

11 For thou didest breake vp the Sea before them, and they went through the middes of the Sea on dry lande: and those that pursued them, hast thou cast into the bottomes as a stone, in the mightie waters:

12 And leddest them in the day with a pillar of a cloude, and in the night with a pillar of fire to giue them light in the way that they went.

13 Thou camest downe also vpon mount Sinai, and spakest vnto them from heauen, and gauest them right iudgements, and true lawes, ordinances and good commandements,

14 And declaredst vnto them thine holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, and ordinances, and lawes, by the hande of Moses thy seruant:

15 And gauest them bread from heauen for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rocke for their thirst: and promisedst them that they shoulde goe in, and take possession of the land: for the which thou haddest lift vp thine hand for to giue them.

16 But they and our fathers behaued them selues proudely, and hardened their neck, so that they hearkened not vnto thy commandements,

17 But refused to obey, & would not remember thy marueilous works that thou haddest done for them, but hardened their neckes, and had in their heads to returne to their bondage by their rebellion: but thou, O God of mercies, gratious and full of compassion, of long suffring and of great mercie, yet forsookest them not.

18 Moreouer, when they made them a molten calfe (and said, This is thy God that brought thee vp out of the land of Egypt) and committed great blasphemies,

19 Yet thou for thy great mercies forsookest them not in the wildernesse: the pillar of the cloude departed not from them by day to leade them the way, neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way whereby they should goe.

20 Thou gauest also thy good Spirite to instruct them, & withheldest not thy MAN from their mouth, & gauest them water for their thirst.

21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet Though the way was tedious and long. swelled not.

22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst Meaning, the heathen whom he drove out. divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

23 And thou diddest multiplie their children, like the starres of the heauen, and broughtest them into the lande, whereof thou haddest spoken vnto their fathers, that they should goe, and possesse it.

24 So the children went in, and possessed the lande, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the lande, euen the Canaanites, and gauest them into their handes, with their Kings and the people of the lande, that they might do with them what they would.

25 And they tooke their strong cities and the fat lande, and possessed houses, full of all goods, cisternes digged out, vineyardes, and oliues, and trees for foode in abundance, and they did eate, and were filled, and became fat, and liued in pleasure through thy great goodnesse.

26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which Taking heaven and earth to witness that God would destroy them unless they returned, as in (2Ch_24:19). testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

27 Therefore thou deliueredst them into the hande of their enemies that vexed them: yet in the time of their affliction, when they cryed vnto thee, thou heardest them from the heauen, & through thy great mercies thou gauest them sauiours, who saued them out of the hande of their aduersaries.

28 But after they had He declares how God's mercies always contended with the wickedness of the people, who always in their prosperity forgot God. rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest [them] from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and Which is a sign taken from oxen that shrink at the yoke or burden in (Zec_7:11). withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not When you admonished them by your prophets. hear.

30 Yet thou diddest forbeare them many yeeres, and protestedst among them by thy Spirite, euen by the hande of thy Prophets, but they woulde not heare: therefore gauest thou them into the hande of the people of the lands.

31 Yet for thy great mercies thou hast not consumed them, neither forsaken them: for thou art a gracious and mercifull God.

32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the By whom we were led away into captivity and have been appointed to be slain, as in (Est_3:13). kings of Assyria unto this day.

33 Howbeit thou [art] just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast He confesses that all these things came to them justly for their sins, but he appeals from God's justice to his mercies. done right, but we have done wickedly:

34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst That you would destroy them, unless they would return to you, as in (Neh_9:26). testify against them.

35 And they haue not serued thee in their kingdome, and in thy great goodnesse that thou shewedst vnto them, & in the large and fat lande which thou diddest set before them, and haue not conuerted from their euill workes.

36 Behold, we [are] servants this day, and [for] the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the That is, to be the Lord's. fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we [are] servants in it:

37 And it yeeldeth much fruit vnto the kings whom thou hast set ouer vs, because of our sinnes: and they haue dominion ouer our bodyes and ouer our cattell at their pleasure, and we are in great affliction.

38 And because of all this we make Thus by affliction they promise to keep God's commandments to which they could not be brought by God's great benefits. a sure [covenant], and write [it]; and our princes, Levites, [and] priests, seal [unto it].

10

1 Nowe they that sealed were Nehemiah the Tirshatha the sonne of Hachaliah, and Zidkiiah,

2 Seraiah, Azariah, Ieremiah,

3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchiah,

4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

5 Harim, Merimoth, Obadiah,

6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

7 Meshullam, Abiiah, Miamin,

8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these [were] Who subscribed to keep the promise. the priests.

9 And the Leuites: Ieshua the sonne of Azaniah, Binnui, of the sonnes of Henadad, Kadmiel.

10 And their brethren Shebaniah, Hodiiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanun,

11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,

12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu.

14 The chiefe of the people were Parosh, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

16 Adoniah, Biguai, Adin,

17 Ater, Hizkiiah, Azzur,

18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Iaddua,

22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,

24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,

25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

26 And Ahiiah, Hanan, Anan,

27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Read (Ezr_2:43). Nethinims, and all they that had Who being idolaters forsook their wickedness and gave themselves to serve God. separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

29 They They made the oath in the name of the whole multitude. clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a To which they gave themselves if they broke the law, (Deu_28:15). curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

30 And that we would not giue our daughters to the people of the lande, neither take their daughters for our sonnes.

31 And [if] the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, Which nonetheless they broke soon after, (Neh_13:15). [that] we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and [that] we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

32 And we made statutes for our selues to giue by the yeere the thirde part of a shekel for the seruice of the house of our God,

33 For the This states why they gave this third part of the shekel which was beyond the half shekel that they were required to pay, (Exo_30:13). shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy [things], and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and [for] all the work of the house of our God.

34 We cast also lottes for the offering of the wood, euen the Priestes, the Leuites and the people to bring it into the house of our God, by the house of our fathers, yeerely at the times appointed, to burne it vpon the altar of the Lorde our God, as it is written in the Lawe,

35 And to bring the first fruites of our land, and the first of all the fruites of all trees, yeere by yeere, into the house of the Lorde,

36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as [it is] This rehearsal shows that there was no part or ceremony in the Law, to which they did not bind themselves by covenant. written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:

37 And [that] we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our Wherever we laboured or worked, there the tithes were due to the Lord both by the law, and according to the oath and covenant that we made. tillage.

38 And the Priest, the sonne of Aaron shall be with the Leuites, when ye Leuites take tithes, and the Leuites shall bring vp the tenth parte of the tithes vnto the house of our God, vnto the chambers of the treasure house.

39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where [are] the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and We will not leave it destitute of that which is needed for it. we will not forsake the house of our God.

11

1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, Because their enemies dwelt round about them, they provided that it might be replenished with men, and used this policy because there were few who offered themselves willingly. to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts [to dwell] in [other] cities.

2 And the people thanked all the men that were willing to dwell in Ierusalem.

3 These now are the chiefe of the prouince, that dwelt in Ierusalem, but in the cities of Iudah, euery one dwelt in his owne possession in their cities of Israel, the Priestes and the Leuites, and the Nethinims, and the sonnes of Salomons seruants.

4 And at Jerusalem dwelt [certain] of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Which came from Perez the son of Judah. Perez;

5 And Maaseiah the sonne of Baruch, the sonne of Col Hozeh, the sonne of Hazaiah, the sonne of Adaiah, the sonne of Ioiarib, the sonne of Zechariah, the sonne of Shiloni.

6 All the sonnes of Perez that dwelt at Ierusalem, were foure hundreth, three score & eight valiant men.

7 These also are the sonnes of Beniamin, Sallu, the sonne of Meshullam, the sonne of Ioed, the sonne of Pedaiah, the sonne of Kolaiah, the sonne of Maaseiah, the sonne of Ithiel, the sonne of Ieshaiah.

8 And after him Gabai, Sallai, nine hundreth and twentie and eight.

9 And Ioel the sonne of Zichri was gouernour ouer them: and Iudah, the sonne of Senuah was the second ouer the citie:

10 Of the Priestes, Iedaiah, the sonne of Ioiarib, Iachin.

11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, That is, was the high priest. [was] the ruler of the house of God.

12 And their brethren That served and ministered in the temple. that did the work of the house [were] eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah,

13 And his brethren, chiefe of the fathers, two hundreth and two and fourtie: and Amashsai the sonne of Azareel, the sonne of Ahazai, the sonne of Meshilemoth, the sonne of Immer:

14 And their brethren valiant men, an hundreth and eight and twentie: & their ouerseer was Zabdiel the sonne of Hagedolim.

15 And of the Leuites, Shemaiah, the sonne of Hashub, the sonne of Azrikam, the sonne of Hashabiah, the sonne of Bunni.

16 And Shabbethai, & Iozabad of the chiefe of the Leuites were ouer the workes of the house of God without.

17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, [was] the principal to That is, he began the psalm and was the chanter. begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

18 All the Leuites in the holy citie were two hundreth foure score and foure.

19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the Meaning of the temple. gates, [were] an hundred seventy and two.

20 And the Of them who dwelt not in Jerusalem. residue of Israel, of the priests, [and] the Levites, [were] in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

21 And the Nethinims dwelt in the fortres, & Ziha, and Gispa was ouer the Nethinims.

22 And the ouerseer of the Leuites in Ierusalem was Vzzi the sonne of Bani, the sonne of Ashabiah, the sonne of Mattaniah, the sonne of Micha: of the sonnes of Asaph singers were ouer the worke of the house of God.

23 For it was the Kings commandement cocerning them, that faithfull prouision shoulde bee for the singers euery day.

24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, Was chief about the king for all high affairs. [was] at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people.

25 And in the villages in their landes, some of the children of Iudah dwelt in Kiriath-arba, and in the villages thereof, and in Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and in Iekabzeel. and in the villages thereof,

26 And in Ieshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth palet,

27 And in Hazer-shual, and in Beer-sheba, and in the villages thereof,

28 And in Ziklag, and in Mechonah, and in the villages thereof,

29 And in En-rimmon, and in Zareah, and in Iarmuth,

30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, in Lachish, and in the fieldes thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof: & they dwelt from Beer-sheba, vnto the valley of HinNumbers

31 And the sonnes of Beniamin from Geba, in Michmash, and Aiia, and Beth-el, and in the villages thereof,

32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

34 Hadid, Zeboim, Nebalat,

35 Lod and Ono, in the carpenters valley.

36 And of the Leuites were diuisions in Iudah and in Beniamin.

12

1 Now these [are] the priests and the Levites that From Babylon to Jerusalem. went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Merimoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abiiah,

5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Ioiarib, Iedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These [were] the Next in dignity to the high priests and who were of the stock of Aaron. chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, [and] Mattaniah, Had charge of them who sang the psalms. [which was] over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, [were] over against them in the They kept the wards and watches according to their turns, (2Ch_23:6). watches.

10 And Ieshua begate Ioiakim: Ioiakim also begate Eliashib, and Eliashib begate Ioiada.

11 And Ioiada begate Ionathan, & Ionathan begate Iaddua,

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of That is, next to Seraiah or rather of the order, who was called after the name of Seraiah. Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 Vnder Ezra, Meshullam, vnder Amariah, Iehohanan,

14 Vnder Melicu, Ionathan, vnder Shebaniah, Ioseph,

15 Vnder Harim, Adna, vnder Maraioth, Helkai,

16 Vnder Iddo, Zechariah, vnder Ginnithon, Meshullam,

17 Of Of which was Zachariah, John the Baptist's father. Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 Vnder Bilgah, Shammua, vnder Shemaiah, Iehonathan,

19 Vnder Ioiarib, Mattenai, vnder Iedaiah, Vzzi,

20 Vnder Sallai, Kallai, vnder Amok, Eber,

21 Vnder Hilkiah, Hashabiah, vnder Iedaiah, Nethaneel.

22 In the dayes of Eliashib, Ioiada, and Iohanan and Iaddua were the chiefe fathers of the Leuites written, and the Priests in the reigne of Darius the Persian.

23 The sonnes of Leui, the chiefe fathers were written in the booke of the Chronicles euen vnto the dayes of Iohanan the sonne of Eliashib.

24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise [and] to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over That is, one after another and every one in his course. against ward.

25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were porters keeping the warde at the thresholds of the gates.

26 These were in the dayes of Ioiakim, the sonne of Ieshua, the sonne of Iozadak, and in the dayes of Nehemiah the captaine, and of Ezra the Priest and scribe.

27 And in the dedication of the wall at Ierusalem they sought the Leuites out of all their places to bring them to Ierusalem to keepe the dedication and gladnes, both with thanksgiuings & with songs, cymbales, violes and with harpes.

28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Who were a certain family and had their possessions in the fields, (1Ch_2:54). Netophathi;

29 And from the house of Gilgal, and out of the countreis of Geba, and Azmaueth: for the singers had built them villages round about Ierusalem.

30 And the Priests and Leuites were purified, and clensed the people, & the gates, & the wall.

31 Then Meaning, Nehemiah. I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great [companies of them that gave] thanks, [whereof one] went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and halfe of the princes of Iudah,

33 And Azariah, Ezra and Meshullam,

34 Iudah, Beniamin, and Shemaiah, and Ieremiah,

35 And of the Priests sonnes with trumpets, Zechariah the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Shemaiah, the sonne of Mattaniah, the sonne of Michaiah, the sonne of Zaccur, ye sonne of Asaph.

36 And That is, the brass throne of Zaccur. his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the Which was going up to the mount Zion, which is called the city of David. stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

38 And the seconde companie of them that gaue thankes, went on the other side, and I after them, and the halfe of the people was vpon the wal, and vpon the towre of the furnaces euen vnto the broad wall.

39 And vpon the gate of Ephraim, and vpon the olde gate, and vpon the fishgate, & the towre of Hananeel, and the towre of Meah, euen vnto the sheepegate: and they stood in the gate of the warde.

40 So stood the two companies (of them that gaue thankes) in the house of God, and I and the halfe of the rulers with me.

41 The Priests also, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets,

42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Vzzi, and Iehohanan, and Malchiiah, and Elam, and Ezer: and the singers sang loude, hauing Izrahiah which was the ouerseer.

43 And the same day they offered great sacrifices and reioyced: for God had giuen them great ioy, so that both the women, and the children were ioyfull: and the ioy of Ierusalem was heard farre off.

44 And at that time were some appointed Which were chambers appointed by Hezekiah to put in the tither, and such things, (2Ch_31:11) and now were repaired again for the same use. over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

45 And both the singers and the Leuites kept the ward of their God, and the warde of the purification according to the commaundement of Dauid, and Salomon his sonne.

46 For in the dayes of Dauid and Asaph, of olde were chiefe singers, and songs of praise and thankesgiuing vnto God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified [holy things] unto the Levites; and the Levites That is, the tenth part of the tithes. sanctified [them] unto the children of Aaron.

13

1 And on that day did they reade in the booke of Moses, in the audience of the people, and it was found written therein, that the Ammonite, & the Moabite should not enter into the Congregation of God,

2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: and our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel That is, all who had joined in unlawful marriage and also those with whom God had forbidden them to mingle with. all the mixed multitude.

4 And before That the separation was made. this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, [was] He was united with Tobiah the Ammonite the enemy of the Jews. allied unto Tobiah:

5 And he had made him a great chamber and there had they aforetime layde the offringes, the incense, and the vessels, and the tithes of corne, of wine, and of oyle (appointed for the Leuites, and the singers, and the porters) and the offringes of the Priests.

6 But in all this [time] was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Called also Darius, (Ezr_6:1). Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of Thus we see to what inconveniences the people fall into when they are destitute of one who fears God, seeing that their chief governor was absent only for a little while and yet they fell into such great absurdities: as appears in, (Exo_32:1). the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8 And it grieued me sore: therefore I cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobiah out of the chamber.

9 And I commanded them to clense ye chambers: and thither brought I againe the vessels of the house of God with the meate offring and the incense.

10 And I perceiued that the portions of the Leuites had not bene giuen, and that euery one was fled to his lande, euen the Leuites and singers that executed the worke.

11 Then reproued I the rulers and sayd, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I assembled them, and set them in their place.

12 Then brought all Iudah the tithes of corne and of wine, and of oyle vnto the treasures.

13 And I made treasurers ouer the treasures, Shelemiah the Priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Leuites, Pedaiah, and vnder their hande Hanan the sonne of Zaccur the sonne of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithfull, and their office was to distribute vnto their brethren.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my He protests that he did his duty with a good conscience yet he does not justify himself in it, but desires God to favour him and to be merciful to him for his own goodness' sake, as in (Neh_13:22, Neh_13:31). good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

15 In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all [manner of] burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I declared to them that God would not allow such transgressors of his law to go unpunished. I testified [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals.

16 There dwelt men of Tyrus also therein, which brought fish and all wares, and solde on the Sabbath vnto the children of Iudah euen in Ierusalem.

17 Then reprooued I the rulers of Iudah, and sayd vnto them, What euil thing is this that yee doe, and breake the Sabbath day?

18 Did not your fathers Was this not the reason God plagued us in times past: meaning, that if they transgressed now in the same way, their plague would be greater. thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be About the time that the sun went down, for the sabbath lasted from the sun setting one day, to the sun setting the next day. dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and [some] of my servants set I at the gates, [that] there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

20 So the chapmen and marchants of al marchandise remained once or twise all night without Ierusalem.

21 And I protested among them, and said vnto them, Why tary ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once againe, I will lay hands vpon you. from that time came they no more on the Sabbath.

22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and [that] they should come [and] Meaning, of the temple that none that was unclean should enter. keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, [concerning] this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

23 In those days also saw I Jews [that] had married wives of Which was a city of the Philistines and they had married wives from it and so had corrupted their speech and religion. Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:

24 And their children spake halfe in ye speach of Ashdod, and could not speake in the Iewes language, and according to the language of the one people, and of the other people.

25 And I contended with them, and That is, I excommunicated them and drove them out of the congregation. cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

26 Did not Salomon the king of Israel sinne by these thinges? yet among many nations was there no King like him: for he was beloued of his God, and God had made him King ouer Israel: yet strange women caused him to sinne.

27 Shall wee then obey vnto you, to doe all this great euil, and to transgresse against our God, euen to marry strange wiues?

28 And one of the sonnes of Ioiada the sonne of Eliashib the hie Priest was the sonne in law of Sanballat the Horonite: but I chased him fro me.

29 Remember them, O my God, because they have Punish them according to their sin and the evil example they have given to the rest of the people contrary to their calling. defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 Then cleansed I them from all strangers, and appoynted the wardes of the Priestes and of the Leuites, euery one in his office,

31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, That is, to show mercy to me. for good.