The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua), 973;

All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392.

On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust.

Those truly of Israelite descent separated from all the foreigners, standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.

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.

“We will not give our daughters in marriage to the neighboring peoples, and we will not take their daughters in marriage for our sons.

The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.

and his colleagues who were exceptional men – 128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.

The singers were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites

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 his son Solomon.

The people from Tyre 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!

Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned) and were unable to speak the language of Judah.

So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord – and Satan also arrived among them.

Now the day came when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

If his children increase – it is for the sword! His offspring never have enough to eat.

Arrows do not make it flee; slingstones become like chaff to it.

It looks on every haughty being; it is king over all that are proud.”

The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father!

You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive? (Selah)