Ezra mourns for Israel's conduct. EZRA. His prayer. offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. those that had been carried away; and I 29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye sat astonished until the evening sacrifice. weigh them, before the chief of the priests 5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of up from my heaviness; and having rent Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of my garment and my mantle, I fell upon the house of the LORD. my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God. 30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. 6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. 31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of 7 Since the days of our fathers have we our God was upon us, and he delivered us been in a great trespass unto this day; and from the hand of the enemy, and of such for our iniquities have we, our kings, and as lay in wait by the way. our priests, been delivered into the hand 32 And we came to Jerusalem, and of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to abode there three days. captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion 33 Now on the fourth day was the of face, as it is this day. silver and the gold and the vessels weigh- 8 And now for a little space grace hath ed in the house of our God by the hand of been shewed from the LORD our God, to Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; leave us a remnant to escape, and to give and with him was Eleazar the son of Phi- us a nail in his holy place, that our God nehas; and with them was Jozabad the son may lighten our eyes, and give us a little of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, reviving in our bondage. Levites; 34 By number and by weight of every one and all the weight was written at that time. 9 For we were bond-men; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, 35 Also the children of those that had to set up the house of our God, and to rebeen carried away, which were come out pair the desolations thereof, and to give of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for 10 And now, O our God, what shall we all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy say after this? for we have forsaken thy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a commandments, sin-offering all this was a burnt-offering 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy unto the LORD. servants the prophets, saying, The land 36 And they delivered the king's unto which ye go to possess it, is an uncommissions unto the king's lieutenants, clean land with the filthiness of the peoand to the governors on this side the river: ple of the lands, with their abominations, and they furthered the people, and the which have filled it from one end to anohouse of God. ther with their uncleanness. NOW CHAP. IX. 12 Now therefore give not your daughTOW when these things were done, ters unto their sons, neither take their the princes came to me, saying, The daughters unto your sons, nor seek their people of Israel, and the priests, and the peace or their wealth for ever: that ye Levites, have not separated themselves may be strong, and eat the good of the from the people of the lands, doing ac- land, and leave it for an inheritance to cording to their abominations, even of the your children for ever. Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, 13 And after all that is come upon us the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moab- for our evil deeds, and for our great tresites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. pass, seeing that thou our God hast pu2 For they have taken of their daugh- nished us less than our iniquities deserve, ters for themselves, and for their sons: and hast given us such deliverance as this; so that the holy seed have mingled them- 14 Should we again break thy comselves with the people of those lands: yea, mandments, and join in affinity with the the hand of the princes and rulers hath people of these abominations? wouldest been chief in this trespass. not thou be angry with us till thou hadst 3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my consumed us, so that there should be no garment and my mantle, and plucked off remnant nor escaping? the hair of my head and of my beard, and 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art sat down astonished. righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as 4 Then were assembled unto me every it is this day: behold, we are before thee one that trembled at the words of the God in our trespasses; for we cannot stand beof Israel, because of the transgression of fore thee because of this. The people repent. CHAP. X. CHAP. X. Of those who took strange wives. a time of much rain, and we are not able TOW when Ezra had prayed, and when to stand without, neither is this a work of Now Ezra ba, praeping and cast-one day or two; for we are many that ing himself down before the house of God, have transgressed in this thing. there assembled unto him out of Israel a 14 Let now our rulers of all the congrevery great congregation of men and wo-gation stand, and let all them which have men and children: for the people wept taken strange wives in our cities come at very sore. appointed times, and with them the elders 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of every city, and the judges thereof, unof the sons of Elam, answered and said til the fierce wrath of our God for this unto Ezra, We have trespassed against matter be turned from us. our God, and have taken strange wives of 15 ¶ Only Jonathan the son of Asahel the people of the land: yet now there is and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were emhope in Israel concerning this thing. ployed about this matter: and Meshullam 3 Now therefore let us make a cove- and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. nant with our God to put away all the 16 And the children of the captivity wives, and such as are born of them, ac-did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain cording to the counsel of my lord, and of chief of the fathers, after the house of their those that tremble at the commandment of fathers, and all of them by their names, our God; and let it be done according to were separated, and sat down in the first the law. day of the tenth month to examine the 4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto matter. thee: we also will be with thee: be of 17 And they made an end with all the good courage, and do it. men that had taken strange wives by the 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief first day of the first month. priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. 18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the 6 Then Ezra rose up from before the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maasehouse of God, and went into the chamber iah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. of Johanan the son of Eliasbib: and when 19 And they gave their hands that they he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor would put away their wives; and being drink water: for he mourned because of guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for the transgression of them that had been their trespass. carried away. 20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, 7 And they made proclamation through- and Zebadiah. out Judah and Jerusalem unto all the chil- 21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseidren of the captivity, that they should ga-ah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, ther themselves together unto Jerusalem; and Uzziah. 8 And that whosoever would not come 22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, within three days, according to the coun-Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, sel of the princes and the elders, all his and Elasah. substance should be forfeited, and himseif 23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and separated from the congregation of those Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita,) that had been carried away. Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 9 Then all the men of Judah and] Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives to increase the trespass of Israel. 11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. 24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. 25 Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijab, and Benaiah. 26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. 27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth. 30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Matta13 But the people are many, and it isniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. He is sent to Jerusalem. 38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Am-thiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, ram, and Uel, Benaiah. 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, ΤΗ 44 All these had t.ken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children. ¶ The Book of NEHEMIAH. CHAP. I. Ipeople, whom thou hast redeemed by thy HE words of Nehemiah the son of great power, and by thy strong hand. Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 11 O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, came, he and certain men of Judah; and II pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant asked them concerning the Jews that had him mercy in the sight of this man. escaped, which were left of the captivity, I was the king's cup-bearer. and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the CHAP. II. For AND it came to pass in the month Ni san, in the twentieth year of Artax province are in great affliction and re- erxes the king, that wine was before him: proach: the wall of Jerusalem also is bro- and I took up the wine, and gave it unto ken down, and the gates thereof are burn- the king. Now I had not been beforetime ed with fire. sad in his presence. 4 ¶ And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, 2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, 5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD 3 And said unto the king, Let the king God of heaven, the great and terrible live for ever: why should not my counteGod, that keepeth covenant and mercy nance be sad, when the city, the place of for them that love him and observe his my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the commandments: gates thereof are consumed with fire? 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and 4 Then the king said unto me, For what thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the dost thou make request? So I prayed to prayer of thy servant, which I pray before the God of heaven. thee now, day and night, for the children 5 And I said unto the king, If it please of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins the king, and if thy servant have found of the children of Israel, which we have favour in thy sight, that thou wouldst send sinned against thee: both I and my father's me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' house have sinned. sepulchres, that I may build it. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against 6 And the king said unto me, (the queen thee, and have not kept the command- also sitting by him,) For how long shall ments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, thy journey be? and when wilt thou rewhich thou commandedst thy servant turn? So it pleased the king to send me; Moses. and I set him a time. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word 7 Moreover, I said unto the king, If it that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, please the king, let letters be given me to saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you the governors beyond the river, that they abroad among the nations: may convey me over till I come into 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my Judah; commandments, and do them; though there 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of were of you cast out unto the uttermost part the king's forest, that he may give me timof the heaven, yet will I gather them from ber to make beams for the gates of the pathence, and will bring them unto the place lace which appertained to the house, and that I have chosen to set my name there. for the wall of the city, and for the house 10 Now these are thy servants and thy that I shall enter into. And the king Nehemiah views the ruins. CHAP. III. The building the wall. granted me, according to the good hand offunto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, my God upon me. unto the tower of Hananeel. 9 ¶ Then I came to the governors be- 2 And next unto him builded the men yond the river, and gave them the king's of Jericho. And next to them builded letters. Now the king had sent captains of Zaccur the son of Imri. the army and horsemen with me. 3 But the fish-gate did the sons of Has 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and senaah build, who also laid the beams Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the of it, it grieved them exceedingly that locks thereof, and the bars thereof. there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. 4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. 12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to 5 And next unto them the Tekoites redo at Jerusalem: neither was there any paired; but their nobles put not their necks beast with me, save the beast that I rode to the work of their LORD. 6 Moreover, the old gate repaired Je upon. 13 And I went out by night by the gate hoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam of the valley, even before the dragon-well, the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams and to the dung-port, and viewed the walls thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. the gates thereof were consumed with fire. 7 And next unto them repaired Mela14 Then I went on to the gate of the tiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Merofountain, and to the king's pool: but there nothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizwas no place for the beast that was under pah, unto the throne of the governor on me to pass. this side the river. 15 Then went I up in the night by the 8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel_the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next back, and entered by the gate of the val- unto him also repaired Hananiah the son ley, and so returned. of one of the apothecaries, and they forti16 And the rulers knew not whither Ified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. 17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. 9 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. 10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces. 12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. 13 The valley-gate_repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thouand Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they sand cubits on the wall unto the dung-gate. laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and 14 But the dung-gate repaired Malchiah said, What is this thing that ye do? will the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of ye rebel against the king? Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the 20 Then answered I them, and said unto doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the them, The God of heaven, he will prosper bars thereof. us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. CHAP. III. 15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks HEN Eliashib the high priest rose up thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall with his brethren the priests, and of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, they builded the sheep-gate; they sancti- and unto the stairs that go down from the fied it, and set up the doors of it; even city of David. T Nehemiah prays. CHAP. IV. 16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-Beard that we builded the wall, he it came to pass that when Sanbalzur, unto the place over against the sepul chres of David, and to the pool that was was wroth, and took great indignation, made, and unto the house of the mighty. and mocked the Jews. 17 After him repaired the Levites, Re- 2 And he spake before his brethren, and hum the son of Bani. Next unto him re- the army of Samaria, and said, What do paired Hashabiah the ruler of the half part these feeble Jews? will they fortify themof Keilah, in his part. selves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 18 After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. 19 And next to him repaired Ezer the 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another him, and he said, Even that which they piece over against the going up to the ar-build, if a fox go up, he shall even break moury, at the turning of the wall. down their stone wall. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: earnestly repaired the other piece, from and turn their reproach upon their own the turning of the wall unto the door of the head, and give them for a prey in the land house of Eliashib the high priest. of captivity: 21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain. 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. 7¶ But it came to pass, that when San 23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah ballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the son of Ananiah,by his house. 24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner. the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches Legan to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and 25 Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the tower to hinder it. which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After him, Pedaiah the son of Parosh. 26 Moreover, the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water-gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 27 After them the. Tekoites repaired 11 And our adversaries said, They shall another piece, over against the great tower not know, neither see, till we come in the that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. midst among them, and slay them, and 28 From above the horse-gate repaired cause the work to cease. the priests, every one over against his house. 12 And it came to pass, that when the 29 After them repaired Zadok the son Jews which dwelt by them came, they said of Immer, over against his house. After untous ten times, From all places whence ye him repaired also Shemaiah the son of She-shall return unto us they will be upon you. chaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 13 ¶ Therefore set in the lower places 30 After him repaired Hananiah the son behind the wall, and on the higher places, I of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of even set the people after their families with Zalaph, another piece. After him re- their swords, their spears, and their bows. paired Meshullam the son of Berechiah 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said over against his chamber. unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to 31 After him repaired Malchiah the the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of goldsmith's son, unto the place of the Ne-them: remember the LORD which is great thinims, and of the merchants, over against and terrible, and fight for your brethren, the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of your sons, and your daughters, your wives, the corner. and your houses. 32 And between the going up of the 15 And it came to pass, when cur enecorner unto the sheep-gate repaired the mies heard that it was known unto us, and goldsmiths and the merchants. God had brought their counsel to nought, |