19 ¶ And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from an-7 Heb. on other.

20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither to us: our God will fight for us.

21 So we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars ap-s peared.

22 Likewise at the same time said I to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labor in the day.

his loins.

or, every

one went

with his weapon for

water.

23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, 8 saving that every one put them 1 Heb. my off for washing.

CHAP. V.

1 The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage. 6 Nehemiah rebuketh the usurers, and causeth them to make a covenant of restitution. 14 He forbeareth his own allowance, and keepeth hospitality.

heart consulted in

me.

corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

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, that ye exact of them.

12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and 2 emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

15 But the former governors, that had been before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and

AND there was a great cry of the their

brethren the Jews.

2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 Yet now our flesh is as 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 to bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6¶ And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact interest, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

8 And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold to us? Then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 Also I said, That is not good which ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

2 Heb.

empty, or,

void."

10 I likewise, my brethren, and my c. 13. 22. servants, might exact of them money and

even their servants bore rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither to the work.

17 Moreover, there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came to us from among the heathen that were about us.

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 an abundance of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I required not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

CHAP. VI.

1 Sanballat practiceth by craft, by rumors, by hired prophecies, to terrify Nehemiah. 15 The work is finished to the terror of the enemies. 17 Secret intelligence passeth between the enemies and the nobles of Judah.

Nlat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the

OW it came to pass, when Sanbal

Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates ;)

2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

3 And I sent messengers to them, sayling, I am doing a great work, so that I

cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

4 Yet they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the

same manner.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

6 In which was written, It is reported among the heathen, and i 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 words.

And thou hast also appointed 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.

Before CHRIST, 536.

1 or, Geshem, v. 2.

2 Heb. mul

tiplied their

8 Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thy own ing to Tobiah.

heart.

9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it may not be done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was 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, 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.

letters pass

12 And lo, I perceived that God had 30r,matters not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and

before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

CHAP. VII.

1 Nehemiah committeth the charge of Jerusa lem to Hanani and Hananiah. 5 A register of the genealogy of them who came at first from Babylon, 8 of the people, 39 of the priests, 43 of the Levites, 46 of the Nethinims, 57 of Solomon's servants, 63 and of the priests who could not find their pedigree. 66 The whole number of them with their substance. 70 Their oblations.

Nwas built, and I had set up the

OW it came to pass, when the wall

doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.

3 And I said to them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun shall be hot; and while 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 Now the city was 1 large and great: but the people in it were few, and the houses were not built.

5 And my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them who came up at the first, and found written in it,

6 a These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Bab ylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one to his city;

7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, 2 Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number,

report, that they might reproach me.

14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the 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 Elul, in fifty and two days.

16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard of it, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things,| they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought by our God.

17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah 2 sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.

18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-inlaw of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and

in spaces.

a Ezra 2. 1, &c.

2 or, Seraiah.

was this;

8 The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred and seventy two.

9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy two.

10 The children of Arah, six hundred and fifty two.

11 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eigh

teen.

12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty four.

13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred and forty five.

14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.

15 The children of 3 Binnui, six hundred and forty eight.

16 The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty eight.

17 The children of Azgad, two thou

of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good deeds!

18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty seven.

gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and sixty seven priests' garments.

Before CHRIST, 445.

11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

CHAP. VIII.

1 The religious manner of reading and hear. ing the law. 9 They comfort the people. 13 The forwardness of them to hear, and be instructed. 16 They keep the feast of tabernacles.

A

ND all the people assembled as one man in the street that was before the water-gate; and they spoke to Ezra the 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 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 2 from the morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 3 pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 And Ezra opened the book in the 4 sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

1

2

3

12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they clared to them.

13 And on the second day were as Ezra 7. 6. sembled the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even 6 to understand the words of the law.

Heb. that understood

in hearing.

Heb. from the light.

Heb. tower of wood.

4 Heb. eyes.

14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:

15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his 5 or, the gov-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.

ernor.

6 or, that

they might

instruct in the words

of the law.

Heb. by the hand of.

Deut. 16. 13.

8 Heb. a

restraint.

a c. 8. 2.

strange children.

2 or,

17 And all the congregation of them that had returned from the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day, had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was s a solemn assembly, according to the

manner.

CHAP. IX.

1 A solemn fast, and repentance of the people. 4 The Levites make a religious confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness.

NOW in the twenty and fourth day of

this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all 1 strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, 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 confessed, and worshiped the LORD their God.

4 Then stood upon the 2 stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorions

name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are in it, the seas, and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven wor-d shipeth thee.

7 Thou art the LORD the God, who chosest Abram, and broughtest him forth from Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of & Abraham; 8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him, to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:

9 And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;

10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a a name, as it is this day.

11 And thou didst divide the sea be

fore them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty wa

ters.

12 Moreover, thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go. 13 m Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judg. ments, and 3 true laws, good statutes and commandments: 14 And madest known to them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

n

Before CHRIST,

445.

Gen. 1. 1. © Gen. 11. 31. & 12. 1. Gen. 17. 5. Gen. 15. 6. Gen. 12. 7.

& 15. 18. &

17. 7. 8.
Ex. 3. 7. &

14. 10.

Ex. 7. 8. 9.

10. 12. & 14.

22.

chapters. Ex. 14. 21. Ex. 10. 10. Ex. 13. 21. Ex. 19. 20. & 20. 1.

3 Heb. laws of truth. Ex. 16. 14.

15.

Ex, 17. 6.

15 And gavest them bread from heav-6 en for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land 4 which thou hadst sworn to give them. 16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, 17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst perform among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou arts a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them

hadst lift
up thy
hand to

give them.
Num. 14.4.

5 Heb.
a God of
pardons.

Ex. 32. 4.

1 Cor. 10. 1.

t Num. 11. 17.

Ex. 16. 15. Josh. 5. 12. Ex. 17.6.

Deut. 8. 4. * Num. 21. 21, &c. Heb. according to or, cisterns.

7

their will.

8 Heb. tree of food.

1 Kings 19.

Heb. they

10.

9

returned to do evil.

10

11

Heb. they gave u withdraw ing shoul

der.

Heb. protract over them.

* 2 Kings 17. 13.

2 Chr. 36.

15.

12 Heb.

in the hand of thy prophets.

the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes grew not old, and their feet swelled not.

22 Moreover, thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst 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 Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them 6 as they would.

25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards and oliveyards, and 8 fruit trees in abundance: so they ate and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

26 Nevertheless, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy

prophets who testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to thee, thou hearedest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them deliverers, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

28 But after they had rest, 9 they did evil again before thee: therefore thou leftest them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned and cried to thee, thou hearedest 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 to thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not to thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man doeth, he shall live in them:) and 10 withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

30 Yet many years didst thou 11 forbear over them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit 12 in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the lands.