Love Like a Mother -- Naomi and Ruth

Legacy: God Honors the Heart by Vance K. Jackson

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7 Times Jesus Claimed to Be God

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Witness

Timeless Kingdom

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The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="NEH.1">
 <div class="label">1</div><div class="s1">Nehemiah&#8217;s Prayer</div><div class="p"> 1The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 3They said to me, &#8220;Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5Then I said:</div><div class="pm">&#8220;Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father&#8217;s family, have committed against you. 7We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.</div><div class="pm"> 8&#8220;Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, &#8216;If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.&#8217;</div><div class="pm"> 10&#8220;They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.&#8221;</div><div class="p">I was cupbearer to the king.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="NEH.2">
 <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1">Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 1In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2so the king asked me, &#8220;Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.&#8221;</div><div class="p">I was very much afraid, 3but I said to the king, &#8220;May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The king said to me, &#8220;What is it you want?&#8221;</div><div class="p">Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5and I answered the king, &#8220;If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, &#8220;How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?&#8221; It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.</div><div class="p"> 7I also said to him, &#8220;If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?&#8221; And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 9So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king&#8217;s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.</div><div class="p"> 10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.</div><div class="s1">Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem&#8217;s Walls</div><div class="p"> 11I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.</div><div class="p"> 13By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal#2:13 Or Serpent or Fig Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King&#8217;s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.</div><div class="p"> 17Then I said to them, &#8220;You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.&#8221; 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.</div><div class="p">They replied, &#8220;Let us start rebuilding.&#8221; So they began this good work.</div><div class="p"> 19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. &#8220;What is this you are doing?&#8221; they asked. &#8220;Are you rebelling against the king?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20I answered them by saying, &#8220;The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="NEH.3">
 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">Builders of the Wall</div><div class="p"> 1Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 3The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.#3:5 Or their Lord or the governor</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 6The Jeshanah#3:6 Or Old Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah&#8212;Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth&#8212;places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 13The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits#3:13 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 14The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 15The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,#3:15 Hebrew Shelah, a variant of Shiloah, that is, Siloam by the King&#8217;s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. 16Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs#3:16 Hebrew; Septuagint, some Vulgate manuscripts and Syriac tomb of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.</div><div class="p"> 17Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui#3:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint and verse 24); most Hebrew manuscripts Bavvai son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. 20Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib&#8217;s house to the end of it.</div><div class="p"> 22The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 23Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah&#8217;s house to the angle and the corner, 25and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh 26and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. 27Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 28Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. 30Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. 31Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; 32and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="NEH.4">
 <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1">Opposition to the Rebuilding</div><div class="p"> # In Hebrew texts 4:1-6 is numbered 3:33-38, and 4:7-23 is numbered 4:1-17. 1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, &#8220;What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble&#8212;burned as they are?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, &#8220;What they are building&#8212;even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 4Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of#4:5 Or have aroused your anger before the builders.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 6So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.</div><div class="p"> 7But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem&#8217;s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.</div><div class="p"> 10Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, &#8220;The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Also our enemies said, &#8220;Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, &#8220;Wherever you turn, they will attack us.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.</div><div class="p"> 16From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.</div><div class="p"> 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, &#8220;The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22At that time I also said to the people, &#8220;Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.&#8221; 23Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.#4:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="NEH.5">
 <div class="label">5</div><div class="s1">Nehemiah Helps the Poor</div><div class="p"> 1Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2Some were saying, &#8220;We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Others were saying, &#8220;We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Still others were saying, &#8220;We have had to borrow money to pay the king&#8217;s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, &#8220;You are charging your own people interest!&#8221; So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8and said: &#8220;As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!&#8221; They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.</div><div class="p"> 9So I continued, &#8220;What you are doing is not right. Shouldn&#8217;t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! 11Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them&#8212;one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;We will give it back,&#8221; they said. &#8220;And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.&#8221;</div><div class="p">Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. 13I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, &#8220;In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!&#8221;</div><div class="p">At this the whole assembly said, &#8220;Amen,&#8221; and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.</div><div class="p"> 14Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year&#8212;twelve years&#8212;neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15But the earlier governors&#8212;those preceding me&#8212;placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels#5:15 That is, about 1 pound or about 460 grams of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. 16Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we#5:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac I did not acquire any land.</div><div class="p"> 17Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.</div><div class="p"> 19Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="NEH.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="s1">Further Opposition to the Rebuilding</div><div class="p"> 1When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it&#8212;though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates&#8212; 2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: &#8220;Come, let us meet together in one of the villages#6:2 Or in Kephirim on the plain of Ono.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But they were scheming to harm me; 3so I sent messengers to them with this reply: &#8220;I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?&#8221; 4Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.</div><div class="p"> 5Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter 6in which was written:</div><div class="pm">&#8220;It is reported among the nations&#8212;and Geshem#6:6 Hebrew Gashmu, a variant of Geshem says it is true&#8212;that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king 7and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: &#8216;There is a king in Judah!&#8217; Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8I sent him this reply: &#8220;Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, &#8220;Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But I prayed, &#8220;Now strengthen my hands.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, &#8220;Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you&#8212;by night they are coming to kill you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11But I said, &#8220;Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!&#8221; 12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 14Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.</div><div class="s1">Opposition to the Completed Wall</div><div class="p"> 16When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.</div><div class="p"> 17Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. 18For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="NEH.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="nb"> 1all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.</div><div class="p"> 2So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.</div><div class="p"> 4Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.</div><div class="p"> 5Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, &#8220;Amen! Amen!&#8221; Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.</div><div class="p"> 7The Levites&#8212;Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah&#8212;instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear#8:8 Or God, translating it and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.</div><div class="p"> 9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, &#8220;This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.&#8221; For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.</div><div class="p"> 10Nehemiah said, &#8220;Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11The Levites calmed all the people, saying, &#8220;Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.</div><div class="p"> 13On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month 15and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: &#8220;Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters&#8221;&#8212;as it is written.#8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.</div><div class="p"> 16So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.</div><div class="p"> 18Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="NEH.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">The Israelites Confess Their Sins</div><div class="p"> 1On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. 4Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 5And the Levites&#8212;Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah&#8212;said: &#8220;Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.#9:5 Or God for ever and ever&#8221;</div><div class="pm">&#8220;Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.</div><div class="pm"> 7&#8220;You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. 8You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.</div><div class="pm"> 9&#8220;You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea.#9:9 Or the Sea of Reeds 10You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. 11You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. 12By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.</div><div class="pm"> 13&#8220;You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. 14You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. 15In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.</div><div class="pm"> 16&#8220;But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands. 17They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, 18even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, &#8216;This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,&#8217; or when they committed awful blasphemies.</div><div class="pm"> 19&#8220;Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. 21For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.</div><div class="pm"> 22&#8220;You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon#9:22 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts Sihon, that is, the country of the king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan. 23You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess. 24Their children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. 25They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.</div><div class="pm"> 26&#8220;But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies. 27So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.</div><div class="pm"> 28&#8220;But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.</div><div class="pm"> 29&#8220;You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, &#8216;The person who obeys them will live by them.&#8217; Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. 30For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. 31But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.</div><div class="pm"> 32&#8220;Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes&#8212;the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. 33In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly. 34Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. 35Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.</div><div class="pm"> 36&#8220;But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. 37Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.</div><div class="s1">The Agreement of the People</div><div class="p"> 38&#8220;In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.&#8221;#9:38 In Hebrew texts this verse (9:38) is numbered 10:1.</div><div class="b"></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="NEH.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="p"> # In Hebrew texts 10:1-39 is numbered 10:2-40. 1Those who sealed it were:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1">Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1">Zedekiah, 2Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,</div><div class="li1"> 3Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,</div><div class="li1"> 4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,</div><div class="li1"> 5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,</div><div class="li1"> 6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,</div><div class="li1"> 7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,</div><div class="li1"> 8Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.</div><div class="li1">These were the priests.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 9The Levites:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1">Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,</div><div class="li1"> 10and their associates: Shebaniah,</div><div class="li1">Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,</div><div class="li1"> 11Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,</div><div class="li1"> 12Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,</div><div class="li1"> 13Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 14The leaders of the people:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1">Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,</div><div class="li1"> 15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,</div><div class="li1"> 16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,</div><div class="li1"> 17Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,</div><div class="li1"> 18Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,</div><div class="li1"> 19Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,</div><div class="li1"> 20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,</div><div class="li1"> 21Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,</div><div class="li1"> 22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,</div><div class="li1"> 23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,</div><div class="li1"> 24Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,</div><div class="li1"> 25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,</div><div class="li1"> 26Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,</div><div class="li1"> 27Malluk, Harim and Baanah.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 28&#8220;The rest of the people&#8212;priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand&#8212; 29all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.</div><div class="pm"> 30&#8220;We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.</div><div class="pm"> 31&#8220;When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.</div><div class="pm"> 32&#8220;We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel#10:32 That is, about 1/8 ounce or about 4 grams each year for the service of the house of our God: 33for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings#10:33 Or purification offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.</div><div class="pm"> 34&#8220;We&#8212;the priests, the Levites and the people&#8212;have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.</div><div class="pm"> 35&#8220;We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.</div><div class="pm"> 36&#8220;As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.</div><div class="pm"> 37&#8220;Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. 38A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.</div><div class="pm">&#8220;We will not neglect the house of our God.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="NEH.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">The New Residents of Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 1Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. 2The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 3These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon&#8217;s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, 4while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem):</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m">From the descendants of Judah:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="mi">Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; 5and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. 6The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 7From the descendants of Benjamin:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="mi">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, 8and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai&#8212;928 men. 9Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 10From the priests:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="mi">Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib; Jakin; 11Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God, 12and their associates, who carried on work for the temple&#8212;822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13and his associates, who were heads of families&#8212;242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14and his#11:14 Most Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew their associates, who were men of standing&#8212;128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 15From the Levites:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="mi">Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; 17Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 19The gatekeepers:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="mi">Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates&#8212;172 men.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 20The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.</div><div class="p"> 21The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.</div><div class="p"> 22The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph&#8217;s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. 23The musicians were under the king&#8217;s orders, which regulated their daily activity.</div><div class="p"> 24Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king&#8217;s agent in all affairs relating to the people.</div><div class="p"> 25As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, 26in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 27in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its settlements, 28in Ziklag, in Mekonah and its settlements, 29in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.</div><div class="p"> 31The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba lived in Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its settlements, 32in Anathoth, Nob and Ananiah, 33in Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim, 34in Hadid, Zeboim and Neballat, 35in Lod and Ono, and in Ge Harashim.</div><div class="p"> 36Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="NEH.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Priests and Levites</div><div class="p"> 1These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua:</div><div class="li1">Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,</div><div class="li1"> 2Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,</div><div class="li1"> 3Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,</div><div class="li1"> 4Iddo, Ginnethon,#12:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 16); most Hebrew manuscripts Ginnethoi Abijah,</div><div class="li1"> 5Mijamin,#12:5 A variant of Miniamin Moadiah, Bilgah,</div><div class="li1"> 6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,</div><div class="li1"> 7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.</div><div class="m">These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.</div><div class="p"> 8The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.</div><div class="p"> 10Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.</div><div class="p"> 12In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:</div><div class="li1">of Seraiah&#8217;s family, Meraiah;</div><div class="li1">of Jeremiah&#8217;s, Hananiah;</div><div class="li1"> 13of Ezra&#8217;s, Meshullam;</div><div class="li1">of Amariah&#8217;s, Jehohanan;</div><div class="li1"> 14of Malluk&#8217;s, Jonathan;</div><div class="li1">of Shekaniah&#8217;s,#12:14 Very many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also verse 3); most Hebrew manuscripts Shebaniah&#8217;s Joseph;</div><div class="li1"> 15of Harim&#8217;s, Adna;</div><div class="li1">of Meremoth&#8217;s,#12:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 3); Hebrew Meraioth&#8217;s Helkai;</div><div class="li1"> 16of Iddo&#8217;s, Zechariah;</div><div class="li1">of Ginnethon&#8217;s, Meshullam;</div><div class="li1"> 17of Abijah&#8217;s, Zikri;</div><div class="li1">of Miniamin&#8217;s and of Moadiah&#8217;s, Piltai;</div><div class="li1"> 18of Bilgah&#8217;s, Shammua;</div><div class="li1">of Shemaiah&#8217;s, Jehonathan;</div><div class="li1"> 19of Joiarib&#8217;s, Mattenai;</div><div class="li1">of Jedaiah&#8217;s, Uzzi;</div><div class="li1"> 20of Sallu&#8217;s, Kallai;</div><div class="li1">of Amok&#8217;s, Eber;</div><div class="li1"> 21of Hilkiah&#8217;s, Hashabiah;</div><div class="li1">of Jedaiah&#8217;s, Nethanel.</div><div class="p"> 22The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. 24And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.</div><div class="p"> 25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.</div><div class="s1">Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem&#8212;from the villages of the Netophathites, 29from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.</div><div class="p"> 31I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of#12:31 Or go alongside the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of#12:31 Or proceed alongside the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36and his associates&#8212;Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani&#8212;with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David&#8217;s palace to the Water Gate on the east.</div><div class="p"> 38The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of#12:38 Or them alongside the wall, together with half the people&#8212;past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah#12:39 Or Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.</div><div class="p"> 40The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41as well as the priests&#8212;Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets&#8212; 42and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.</div><div class="p"> 44At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. 45They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. 46For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch13" data-usfm="NEH.13">
 <div class="label">13</div><div class="s1">Nehemiah&#8217;s Final Reforms</div><div class="p"> 1On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.</div><div class="p"> 4Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, 5and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.</div><div class="p"> 6But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission 7and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. 8I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah&#8217;s household goods out of the room. 9I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.</div><div class="p"> 10I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. 11So I rebuked the officials and asked them, &#8220;Why is the house of God neglected?&#8221; Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.</div><div class="p"> 12All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms. 13I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 14Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 15In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. 17I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, &#8220;What is this wicked thing you are doing&#8212;desecrating the Sabbath day? 18Didn&#8217;t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21But I warned them and said, &#8220;Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.&#8221; From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 23Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. 25I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God&#8217;s name and said: &#8220;You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. 26Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. 27Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 29Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 30So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. 31I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">Remember me with favor, my God.</div>
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Journey Through Esther, Ezra & NehemiahSample

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