8:4 Ezra the scribe stood on a towering wooden platform 6 constructed for this purpose. Standing near him on his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Masseiah. On his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 8:5 Ezra opened the book in plain view 7 of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book, 8 all the people stood up. 8:6 Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people replied “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
8:7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah – all of whom were Levites 9 – were teaching the people the law, as the people remained standing. 8:8 They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it 10 and imparting insight. Thus the people 11 gained understanding from what was read.
8:9 Then Nehemiah the governor, 12 Ezra the priestly scribe, 13 and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, 14 “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law. 8:10 He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. 15 Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
8:11 Then the Levites quieted all the people saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not grieve.” 8:12 So all the people departed to eat and drink and to share their food 16 with others 17 and to enjoy tremendous joy, 18 for they had gained insight in the matters that had been made known to them.
8:13 On the second day of the month the family leaders 19 met with 20 Ezra the scribe, together with all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to consider the words of the law. 8:14 They discovered written in the law that the LORD had commanded through 21 Moses that the Israelites should live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month, 8:15 and that they should make a proclamation and disseminate this message 22 in all their cities and in Jerusalem: 23 “Go to the hill country and bring back olive branches and branches of wild olive trees, myrtle trees, date palms, and other leafy trees to construct temporary shelters, as it is written.”
8:16 So the people went out and brought these things 24 back and constructed temporary shelters for themselves, each on his roof and in his courtyard and in the courtyards of the temple 25 of God and in the plaza of the Water Gate and the plaza of the Ephraim Gate. 8:17 So all the assembly which had returned from the exile constructed temporary shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. Everyone experienced very great joy. 26 8:18 Ezra 27 read in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day to the last. 28 They observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly 29 as was required. 30
9:1 On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust. 9:2 Those truly of Israelite descent 31 separated from all the foreigners, 32 standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. 33 9:3 For one-fourth of the day they stood in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God, and for another fourth they were confessing their sins 34 and worshiping the LORD their God. 9:4 Then the Levites – Jeshua, Binnui, 35 Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani – stood on the steps and called out loudly 36 to the LORD their God. 9:5 The Levites – Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah – said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God!”
“May you be blessed, O LORD our God, from age to age. 37 May your glorious name 38 be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise. 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, 39 along with all their multitude of stars, 40 the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
9:7 “You are the LORD God who chose Abram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans. You changed his name to Abraham. 9:8 When you perceived that his heart was faithful toward you, you established a 41 covenant with him to give his descendants 42 the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites. You have fulfilled your promise, 43 for you are righteous.
9:9 “You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea. 44 9:10 You performed awesome signs 45 against Pharaoh, against his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians 46 had acted presumptuously 47 against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day. 9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through 48 the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers 49 into the depths, like a stone into surging 50 waters. 9:12 You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.
9:13 “You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You provided them with just judgments, true laws, and good statutes and commandments. 9:14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath; you issued commandments, statutes, and law to them through 51 Moses your servant. 9:15 You provided bread from heaven for them in their time of hunger, and you brought forth water from the rock for them in their time of thirst. You told them to enter in order to possess the land that you had sworn 52 to give them.
9:16 “But they – our ancestors 53 – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled 54 and did not obey your commandments. 9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. 55 But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. 56 You did not abandon them, 9:18 even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up from Egypt,’ or when they committed atrocious 57 blasphemies.
9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day, 58 nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel. 9:20 You imparted your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths; you provided water for their thirst. 9:21 For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
9:22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and you allocated them to every corner of the land. 59 They inherited the land of King Sihon of Heshbon 60 and the land of King Og of Bashan. 9:23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of the sky. You brought them to the land you had told their ancestors to enter in order to possess. 9:24 Their descendants 61 entered and possessed the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites who were the inhabitants of the land. You delivered them into their hand, together with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with as they pleased. 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things – wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full 62 and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.
9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. 63 They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies. 9:27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who oppressed them. But in the time of their distress they called to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you provided them with deliverers to rescue them from 64 their adversaries.
9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to 65 their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again. 9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law, but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments. They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual, if he obeys them, 66 will live. They boldly turned from you; 67 they rebelled 68 and did not obey. 9:30 You prolonged your kindness 69 with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, 70 so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. 71 9:31 However, due to your abundant mercy you did not do away with them altogether; you did not abandon them. For you are a merciful and compassionate God.
9:32 “So now, our God – the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity 72 – do not regard as inconsequential 73 all the hardship that has befallen us – our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day! 9:33 You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. 74 It is we who have been in the wrong! 9:34 Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them. 9:35 Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible 75 goodness that you had lavished 76 on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set 77 before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices.
9:36 “So today we are slaves! In the very land you gave to our ancestors to eat its fruit and to enjoy 78 its good things – we are slaves! 9:37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, 79 and we are in great distress!
9:38 (10:1) 80 “Because of all of this we are entering into a binding covenant 81 in written form; 82 our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have affixed their names 83 on the sealed document.”
10:1 On the sealed documents were the following names: 84
Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, along with Zedekiah,
10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
10:3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
10:5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
10:7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
10:9 The Levites were as follows:
Jeshua 85 son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.
10:10 Their colleagues 86 were as follows:
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
10:11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
10:12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
10:13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
10:14 The leaders 87 of the people were as follows:
Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
10:17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
10:18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
10:19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
10:21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
10:24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
10:26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
10:27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
10:28 “Now the rest of the people – the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple attendants, and all those who have separated themselves from the neighboring peoples 88 because of the law of God, along with their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all of whom are able to understand – 10:29 hereby participate with their colleagues the town leaders 89 and enter into a curse and an oath 90 to adhere to 91 the law of God which was given through Moses the servant of God, and to obey 92 carefully all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, 93 along with his ordinances and his statutes.
10:30 “We will not give our daughters in marriage to the neighboring peoples, and we will not take their daughters in marriage for our sons. 10:31 We will not buy 94 on the Sabbath or on a holy day from the neighboring peoples who bring their wares and all kinds of grain to sell on the Sabbath day. We will let the fields lie fallow every seventh year, and we will cancel every loan. 95 10:32 We accept responsibility for fulfilling 96 the commands to give 97 one third of a shekel each year for the work of the temple 98 of our God, 10:33 for the loaves of presentation and for the regular grain offerings and regular burnt offerings, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the appointed meetings, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the temple of our God.
10:34 “We – the priests, the Levites, and the people – have cast lots concerning the wood offerings, to bring them to the temple of our God according to our families 99 at the designated times year by year to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as is written in the law. 10:35 We also accept responsibility for 100 bringing the first fruits of our land and the first fruits of every fruit tree year by year to the temple of the LORD. 10:36 We also accept responsibility, as is written in the law, for bringing the firstborn of our sons and our cattle and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks to the temple of our God, to the priests who are ministering in the temple of our God. 10:37 We will also bring the first of our coarse meal, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of new wine, and of olive oil to the priests at the storerooms of the temple of our God, along with a tenth of the produce 101 of our land to the Levites, for the Levites are the ones who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work. 102 10:38 A priest of Aaron’s line 103 will be with the Levites when the Levites collect the tithes, and the Levites will bring up a tenth of the tithes to the temple of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 10:39 The Israelites and the Levites will bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils of the sanctuary are kept, and where the priests who minister stay, along with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the temple of our God.”
11:1 So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, 104 while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine 105 remained in other cities. 11:2 The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.
11:3 These are the provincial leaders 106 who settled in Jerusalem. (While other Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple attendants, and the sons of the servants of Solomon settled in the cities of Judah, each on his own property in their cities, 11:4 some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.)
Of the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; 11:5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, from the descendants of Shelah. 107 11:6 The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.
11:7 These are the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 11:8 and his followers, 108 Gabbai and Sallai – 928 in all. 11:9 Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city.
11:10 From the priests:
Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11:11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the temple of God, 11:12 and their colleagues 109 who were carrying out work for the temple – 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 11:13 and his colleagues who were heads of families 110 – 242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14 and his colleagues 111 who were exceptional men – 128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.
11:15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders 112 of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 11:17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise 113 leader who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his colleagues; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 11:18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284.
11:19 And the gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates – 172.
11:20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.
11:21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them. 114
11:22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph’s descendants who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God. 11:23 For they were under royal orders 115 which determined their activity day by day. 116
11:24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king 117 in every matter pertaining to the people.
11:25 As for the settlements with their fields, some of the people of Judah settled in Kiriath Arba and its neighboring villages, 118 in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its settlements, 11:26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 11:27 in Hazar Shual, in Beer Sheba and its villages, 11:28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 11:29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 11:30 Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
11:31 Some of the descendants of 119 Benjamin settled in Geba, 120 Micmash, Aija, Bethel 121 and its villages, 11:32 in Anathoth, Nob, and Ananiah, 11:33 in Hazor, 122 Ramah, and Gittaim, 11:34 in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat, 11:35 in Lod, Ono, and 123 the Valley of the Craftsmen. 124 11:36 Some of the Judean divisions of the Levites settled in Benjamin.
12:1 These are the priests and Levites who returned 125 with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethon, 126 Abijah, 12:5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders 127 of the priests and their colleagues 128 in the days of Jeshua.
12:8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues 129 was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 12:9 Bakbukiah and Unni, 130 their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services.
12:10 Jeshua was the father of 131 Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 12:11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12:12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 12:14 of Malluch, 132 Jonathan; of Shecaniah, 133 Joseph; 12:15 of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, 134 Helkai; 12:16 of Iddo, 135 Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 12:17 of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin and 136 of Moadiah, Piltai; 12:18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 12:19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 12:20 of Sallu, 137 Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 12:21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
12:22 As for the Levites, 138 in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. 12:23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles 139 as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 12:24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by 140 David the man of God.
12:25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates. 12:26 These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priestly scribe. 141
12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, 142 they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived 143 to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 12:28 The singers 144 were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 12:29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. 12:30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
12:31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed 145 on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate. 12:32 Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, 12:33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 12:35 some of the priests 146 with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 12:36 and his colleagues – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani – with musical instruments of 147 David the man of God. (Ezra the scribe led them.) 148 12:37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall. They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east.
12:38 The second choir was proceeding 149 in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 12:39 over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, 150 the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped 151 at the Gate of the Guard.
12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations 152 in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, 12:41 and the priests – Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with their trumpets – 12:42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang loudly 153 under the direction of Jezrahiah. 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from 154 the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah 155 took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 156 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and 157 his son Solomon. 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors 158 for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God. 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel was contributing the portions for the singers and gatekeepers, according to the daily need. 159 They also set aside 160 the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
13:1 On that day the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing 161 of the people. They found 162 written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever enter the assembly of God, 13:2 for they had not met the Israelites with food 163 and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.) 13:3 When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.
13:4 But prior to this time, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been appointed over the storerooms 164 of the temple of our God. 13:5 He made for himself a large storeroom where previously they had been keeping 165 the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil as commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the offering for the priests.
13:6 During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, 166 for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time 167 I had requested leave of the king, 13:7 and I returned to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by supplying him with a storeroom in the courts of the temple of God. 13:8 I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the storeroom. 13:9 Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment 168 of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.
13:10 I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields. 13:11 So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions. 169
13:12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms. 13:13 I gave instructions 170 that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of 171 the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, 172 for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues. 173
13:14 Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services!
13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. 13:16 The people from Tyre 174 who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah – and in Jerusalem, of all places! 175 13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors 176 acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”
13:19 When the evening shadows 177 began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered 178 the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned 179 some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. 13:20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21 But I warned them and said, 180 “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” 181 From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. 182 13:22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.
13:23 Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 13:24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned 183 ) and were unable to speak the language of Judah. 13:25 So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, “You will not marry off 184 your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! 13:26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made 185 him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin! 13:27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying 186 foreign wives?”
13:28 Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight.
13:29 Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, 187 and the Levites.
13:30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific 188 duties to the priests and the Levites. 13:31 I also provided for 189 the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits.
Please remember me for good, O my God.
1 tn Heb “like one man.”
2 tn Heb “said [to].”
3 tn Heb “from the light till the noon of the day.”
4 tn Heb “all who could hear with understanding.” The word “children” is understood to be implied here by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, TEV, NLT).
5 tn Heb “the ears of all the people were toward.”
6 tn Heb “a tower of wood.”
7 tn Heb “to the eyes.”
8 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the book) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tc The MT reads “and the Levites.” The conjunction (“and”) should be deleted, following the LXX, Aquila, and the Vulgate. That the vav (ו) of the MT is the vav explicativum (“even the Levites”) is unlikely here.
10 tn The exact meaning of the pual participle מְפֹרָשׁ (mÿforash) in this verse is uncertain. The basic sense of the Hebrew word seems to be “to make distinct.” The word may also have the sense of “to divide in parts,” “to interpret,” or “to translate.” The context of Neh 8:8 does not decisively clarify how the participle is to be understood here. It probably refers to the role of the Levites as those who explained or interpreted the portions of biblical text that had been publicly read on this occasion. A different option, however, is suggested by the translation distincte (“distinctly”) of the Vulgate (cf. KJV, ASV). If the Hebrew word means “distinctly” here, it would imply that the readers paid particular attention to such things as word-grouping and pronunciation so as to be sure that the listeners had every opportunity to understand the message that was being read. Yet another view is found in the Talmud, which understands translation of the Hebrew text into Aramaic to be what is in view here. The following explanation of Neh 8:8 is found in b. Megillah 3a: “‘And they read in the book, in the law of God’: this indicates the [Hebrew] text; ‘with an interpretation’: this indicates the targum; ‘and they gave the sense’: this indicates the verse stops; ‘and caused them to understand the reading’: this indicates the accentuation, or, according to another version, the Masoretic notes.” However, this ancient rabbinic view that the origins of the Targum are found in Neh 8:8 is debatable. It is not clear that the practice of paraphrasing the Hebrew biblical text into Aramaic in order to accommodate the needs of those Jews who were not at home in the Hebrew language developed this early. The translation of מְפֹרָשׁ adopted above (i.e., “explaining it”) understands the word to have in mind an explanatory function (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT) rather than one of translation.
11 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tc The unexpected reference to Nehemiah here has led some scholars to suspect that the phrase “Nehemiah the governor” is a later addition to the text and not original.
13 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”
14 tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
15 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
16 tn Heb “to send portions.”
17 tn The Hebrew text does not include the phrase “with others” but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
18 tn Heb “to make great joy.”
19 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
20 tn Heb “were gathered to”; NAB, NIV “gathered around”; NRSV “came together to.”
21 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
22 tn Heb “a voice.”
23 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
24 tn The words “these things” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
25 tn Heb “the house.”
26 tn Heb “And there was very great joy.”
27 tn Heb “He”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
28 tn Heb “the last day.”
29 tn Heb “on the eighth day an assembly.” The words “they held” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
30 tn Heb “according to the judgment.”
31 tn Heb “the seed of Israel.”
32 tn Heb “sons of a foreigner.”
33 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 16, 23, 32, 34, 36).
34 tn Heb “confessing.” The words “their sins” are not present in the Hebrew text of v. 3, but are clearly implied here because they are explicitly stated in v. 2.
35 tc Heb “Bani.” The translation reads “Binnui” (so also NAB) rather than the MT reading “Bani.” Otherwise there are two individuals with the same name in this verse. The name “Binnui” appears, for example, in Neh 10:10.
36 tn Heb “in a great voice.”
37 tc The MT reads here only “from age to age,” without the preceding words “May you be blessed, O
38 tn Heb “the name of your glory.”
39 tn Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”
40 tn Heb “all their host.”
41 tn Heb “the” (so NAB).
42 tn Heb “seed.”
43 tn Heb “your words.”
44 tn Heb “the Sea of Reeds.” Traditionally this is identified as the Red Sea, and the modern designation has been used in the translation for clarity.
45 tn Heb “signs and wonders.” This phrase is a hendiadys. The second noun functions adjectivally, while the first noun retains its full nominal sense: “awesome signs” or “miraculous signs.”
46 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47 tn Or “arrogantly” (so NASB); NRSV “insolently.”
48 tn Heb “in the midst of.”
49 tn Heb “those who pursued them.”
50 tn Heb “mighty.”
51 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
52 tn Heb “had lifted your hand.”
53 tn Heb “and our fathers.” The vav is explicative.
54 tn Heb “they stiffened their neck” (so also in the following verse).
55 tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew
56 tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.
57 tn Heb “great.”
58 tn Heb “did not turn from them by day to guide them in the path.”
59 tn The words “of the land” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
60 tc Most Hebrew
61 tn Heb “the sons.”
62 tn Heb “they ate and were sated.” This expression is a hendiadys. The first verb retains its full verbal sense, while the second functions adverbially: “they ate and were filled” = “they ate until they were full.”
63 tn Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”
64 tn Heb “from the hand of” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “from the power of.”
65 tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”
66 tn Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
67 tn Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”
68 tn Heb “they stiffened their neck.”
69 tn The Hebrew expression here is elliptical. The words “your kindness” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
70 tn Heb “did not give ear to.”
71 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
72 tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys. The second noun retains its full nominal sense, while the first functions adjectivally: “the covenant and loyalty” = covenant fidelity.
73 tn Heb “do not let it seem small in your sight.”
74 tn Heb “you have done truth.”
75 tn Heb “great.”
76 tn Heb “given them.”
77 tn Heb “given.”
78 tn The expression “to enjoy” is not included in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
79 tn Heb “according to their desire.”
80 sn Beginning with 9:38, the verse numbers through 10:39 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 9:38 ET = 10:1 HT, 10:1 ET = 10:2 HT, 10:2 ET = 10:3 HT, etc., through 10:39 ET = 10:40 HT. Beginning with 11:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
81 tn Heb “we are cutting.”
82 tn Heb “and writing.”
83 tn Heb “our leaders, our Levites, and our priests on the sealed document.” The Hebrew text is elliptical here; the words “have affixed their names” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons. Cf. v. 2.
84 tn The words “were the following names” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 9, 10, 14.
85 tc With many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and the ancient versions the translation reads יְשׁוּעַ (yÿshua’, “Jeshua”) rather than the reading וְיֵשׁוּעַ (vÿyeshua’, “and Jeshua”) of BHS.
86 tn Heb “brothers” (also in v. 30).
87 tn Heb “heads”; ASV “chiefs.”
88 tn Heb “from the peoples of the lands.” Cf. vv. 30, 31.
89 tn Heb “the nobles.”
90 tn The expression “a curse and an oath” may be a hendiadys, meaning “an oath with penalties.”
91 tn Heb “to walk in.”
92 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
93 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
94 tn Heb “take.”
95 tn Heb “debt of every hand,” an idiom referring to the hand that holds legally binding contractual agreements.
96 tn Heb “cause to stand on us.”
97 tc The MT reads “to give upon us.” However, the term עָלֵינוּ (’alenu, “upon us”) should probably be deleted, following a few medieval Hebrew
98 tn Heb “house” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39).
99 tn Heb “the house of our fathers.”
100 tn The words “we accept responsibility” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are inferred from v. 33 (so also in v. 37).
101 tn Heb “a tithe of our land.”
102 tn Heb “of our work.”
103 tn Heb “And the priest the son of Aaron.”
104 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
105 tn Heb “nine of the hands.” The word “hand” is used here in the sense or a part or portion.
106 tn Heb “the heads of the province.”
107 tc The translation reads מִן־הַשֵּׁלָנִי (min hashelani, “from the Shelahite”) rather than the MT reading בֶּן־הַשִּׁלֹנִי (ben hashiloni, “the son of the Shilionite”). See 1 Chr 9:5.
108 tn Heb “those behind him.” Some scholars emend the text to וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “his brothers”).
109 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 13, 14, 17, 19).
110 tn Heb “heads of fathers.”
111 tc The translation reads with the LXX וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “and his brothers”) rather than the MT reading וַאֲחֵיהֶם (va’akhehem, “and their brothers”).
112 tn Heb “who were of the heads.”
113 tc The translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and Vulgate הַתְּהִלָה (hattÿhilah, “the praise”) rather than the MT reading הַתְּחִלָּה (hattÿkhillah, “the beginning”).
114 tn Heb “the temple attendants.” The pronoun “them” has been substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
115 tn Heb “the commandment of the king was over them.”
116 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
117 tn Heb “to the hand of the king.”
118 tn Heb “its daughters.” So also in vv. 27, 28, 30, and 31.
119 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew
120 tc Heb “from Geba.” It is preferable to delete the preposition “from” read by the MT.
121 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
122 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
123 tc The translation reads וְגֵי (vÿgey, “and the valley”) rather than the MT reading גֵּי (gey, “the valley”). The original vav (ו) probably dropped out accidentally due to haplography with the final vav on the immediately preceding word.
124 tn Heb “Ge-harashim,” which could be left untranslated as a place name.
125 tn Heb “who went up.”
126 tc Most Hebrew
127 tn Heb “heads” (so also in v. 12).
128 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 8, 9, 24, 36).
129 tn Heb “he and his brothers.”
130 tc The translation reads וְעֻנִּי (vÿ’unni) with the Qere rather than וְעֻנּוֹ (vÿ’uno) of the MT Kethib.
131 tn Heb “begat.”
132 tc The present translation reads with the LXX לְמַלּוּךְ (lÿmallukh) rather than לִמְלוּכִי (limlukhi) of the Kethib (by dittography) or לִמְלִיכוּ (limlikhu) of the Qere.
133 tc Most Hebrew
134 tc The present translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and the Syriac Peshitta לִמְרֵמוֹת (limremot, cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT “Meremoth”) rather than the MT reading לִמְרָיוֹת (limrayot, cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV “Meraioth”). Cf. v. 3.
135 tc The present translation (along with most English versions) reads with the Qere and the Syriac Peshitta לְעִדּוֹא (lÿ’iddo’, “Iddo”) rather than the MT reading לַעֲדָיָא (la’adaya’) which probably arose through graphic confusion. Cf. v. 4.
136 tn Or “of Miniamin, …; of Moadiah, Piltai,” where the name of the leader of the family of Miniamin has dropped out of the text due to a problem in transmission.
137 tc The present translation reads סַלּוּ (sallu, cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT “Sallu”) rather than the MT reading סַלַּי (sallai, cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV “Sallai” ). Cf. v. 7.
138 tn Some scholars delete these words, regarding them as a later scribal addition to the text.
139 tn Or “the Book of the Annals” (so NRSV); NLT “The Book of History.”
140 tn Heb “in [accord with] the commandment of.”
141 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”
142 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
143 tn Heb “from all their places.” The words “they lived” are implied.
144 tn Heb “the sons of the singers.”
145 tc The translation reads וְהָאַחַת הֹלֶכֶת (vÿha’akhat holekhet, “and one was proceeding”) rather than the MT reading וְתַהֲלֻכֹת (vÿtahalukhot, “and processions”).
146 tn Heb “some of the sons of the priests.”
147 tn Or “prescribed by” (NIV, NLT); TEV “of the kind played by.” The precise relationship of these musical instruments to David is not clear.
148 tn Heb “was before them.”
149 tc The translation reads הוֹלֶכֶת (holekhet, “was proceeding”) rather than the MT הַהוֹלֶכֶת (haholekhet, “the one proceeding”). The MT probably reflects dittography – accidental writing of ה (hey) twice instead of once.
150 tn Or “the Old Gate” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).
151 tn Heb “they stood.”
152 tn Heb “stood.”
153 tn Heb “caused to hear.”
154 tc The translation reads מִשְּׂדֶי (missÿde, “from the fields”) rather than the MT reading לִשְׂדֵי (lisdey, “to the fields”).
155 tn Heb “for Judah.” The words “the people of” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, since “Judah” is a proper name as well as a place name.
156 tn Heb “standing.”
157 tc With many medieval Hebrew
158 tn Heb “heads.” The translation reads with the Qere the plural רֹאשֵׁי (ro’shey, “heads”) rather than the Kethib singular רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) of the MT.
159 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
160 tn Heb “were sanctifying.”
161 tn Heb “ears.”
162 tn Heb “it was found.” The Hebrew verb is passive.
163 tn Heb “bread.” The Hebrew term is generic here, however, referring to more than bread alone.
164 tc The translation reads the plural rather than the singular of the MT.
165 tn Heb “giving.”
166 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
167 tn Heb “to the end of days.”
168 tn On the usage of this Hebrew word see HALOT 478-79 s.v. כְּלִי.
169 tn Heb “and I stood them on their standing.”
170 tc Probably one should read with the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate וָאֲצַוֶּה (va’atsavveh, “and I commanded”) rather than the rare denominative verb וָאוֹצְרָה (va’otsÿrah, “and I appointed over the storeroom”) of the MT.
171 tn Heb “be over”
172 tn Heb “on their hand.”
173 tn Heb “brothers.”
174 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
175 tn The words “of all places” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation to indicate the emphasis on Jerusalem.
176 tn Heb “your fathers.”
177 tn Heb “the gates of Jerusalem grew dark.”
178 tn Heb “said” (so also in v. 22).
179 tn Heb “caused to stand.”
180 tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.
181 tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”
182 sn This statement contains a great deal of restrained humor. The author clearly takes pleasure in the effectiveness of the measures that he had enacted.
183 tn Heb “people and people.”
184 tn Heb “give.”
185 tn Heb “gave.”
186 tn Heb “give a dwelling to.”
187 tc One medieval Hebrew
188 tn Heb “a man in his work.”
189 tn The words “I also provided for” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.