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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEZR">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="EZR.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Ezra&#8217;s Prayer About Intermarriage</div><div class="p"> 1After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, &#8220;The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.</div><div class="p"> 5Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6and prayed:</div><div class="pm">&#8220;I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.</div><div class="pm"> 8&#8220;But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place#9:8 Or a foothold in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.</div><div class="pm"> 10&#8220;But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands 11you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: &#8216;The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.&#8217;</div><div class="pm"> 13&#8220;What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. 14Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? 15Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEZR">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="EZR.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">The People&#8217;s Confession of Sin</div><div class="p"> 1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites&#8212;men, women and children&#8212;gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. 2Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, &#8220;We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 3Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. 4Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. 6Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.</div><div class="p"> 7A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. 8Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 9Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, &#8220;You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel&#8217;s guilt. 11Now honor#10:11 Or Now make confession to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: &#8220;You are right! We must do as you say. 13But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. 14Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.&#8221; 15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.</div><div class="p"> 16So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, 17and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.</div><div class="s1">Those Guilty of Intermarriage</div><div class="li1"> 18Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1">From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 19(They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)</div><div class="li1"> 20From the descendants of Immer:</div><div class="li2">Hanani and Zebadiah.</div><div class="li1"> 21From the descendants of Harim:</div><div class="li2">Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.</div><div class="li1"> 22From the descendants of Pashhur:</div><div class="li2">Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1"> 23Among the Levites:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li2">Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.</div><div class="li1"> 24From the musicians:</div><div class="li2">Eliashib.</div><div class="li1">From the gatekeepers:</div><div class="li2">Shallum, Telem and Uri.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1"> 25And among the other Israelites:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1">From the descendants of Parosh:</div><div class="li2">Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.</div><div class="li1"> 26From the descendants of Elam:</div><div class="li2">Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.</div><div class="li1"> 27From the descendants of Zattu:</div><div class="li2">Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.</div><div class="li1"> 28From the descendants of Bebai:</div><div class="li2">Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.</div><div class="li1"> 29From the descendants of Bani:</div><div class="li2">Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.</div><div class="li1"> 30From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:</div><div class="li2">Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.</div><div class="li1"> 31From the descendants of Harim:</div><div class="li2">Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.</div><div class="li1"> 33From the descendants of Hashum:</div><div class="li2">Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.</div><div class="li1"> 34From the descendants of Bani:</div><div class="li2">Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.</div><div class="li1"> 38From the descendants of Binnui:#10:37,38 See Septuagint (also 1 Esdras 9:34); Hebrew Jaasu 38 and Bani and Binnui,</div><div class="li2">Shimei, 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.</div><div class="li1"> 43From the descendants of Nebo:</div><div class="li2">Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 44All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.#10:44 Or and they sent them away with their children</div>
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<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">
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 <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">
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 <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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