meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Writings/Nehemiah/English/The Koren Jerusalem Bible.txt"}
text: Nehemiah
  נחמיה
  The Koren Jerusalem Bible
  
  
  Nehemiah
  
  
  
  
  
  The words of Neĥemya the son of Ĥakhalya. And it came to pass in the month Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the capital,
  that Ĥanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men of Yehuda; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Yerushalayim.
  And they said to me, The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province suffer much hardship and insult: and the wall of Yerushalayim is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.
  And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and I fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
  and said, I pray thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, who keeps covenant and troth to those who love him and observe his commandments:
  let Thy ear now be attentive, and Thy eyes open, that Thou mayst hear the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee now day and night, for the children of Yisra᾽el Thy servants, and I will confess the sins of the children of Yisra᾽el which we have sinned against Thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
  We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, or the statutes, or the judgments, which Thou didst command Thy servant Moshe.
  Remember, I pray Thee, the word that Thou didst command Thy servant Moshe, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
  but if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though your outcasts be at the utmost parts of heaven, from there will I gather them, and I will bring them to the place which I have chosen to set my name there.
  Now these are Thy servants and Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great power, and by Thy strong hand.
  O Lord, I pray Thee, let now Thy ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant, and to the prayer of Thy servants, who delight to fear Thy name: and prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
  
  
  
  And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaĥshasta the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
  Wherefore the king said to me, Why is thy face sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very much afraid,
  and I said to the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of the tombs of my ancestors lies waste, and its gates are consumed with fire?
  Then the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
  And I said to the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight that thou wouldst send me to Yehuda, to the city of the graves of my ancestors, that I may rebuild it.
  And the king said to me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
  Moreover I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may let me pass through until I come into Yehuda;
  and a letter to Asaf the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
  Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
  When Sanvallat the Ĥoronite, and Toviyya the servant, the ῾Ammonite, heard of it, it displeased them greatly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Yisra᾽el.
  So I came to Yerushalayim, and was there three days.
  And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; and I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Yerushalayim: nor was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
  And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon’s well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Yerushalayim, which were broken down, and its gates which had been destroyed by fire.
  Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
  Then I went up in the night by the wadi, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.
  And the rulers knew not where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told it to the Jews, or to the priests, or to the nobles, or to the rulers, or to the rest who did the work.
  Then said I to them, You see the distress that we are in, how Yerushalayim lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire: come and let us build up the wall of Yerushalayim, so that we no longer suffer insult.
  Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
  But when Sanvallat the Ĥoronite, and Toviyya the servant, the ῾Ammonite, and Geshem the ῾Arvian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that you do? will you rebel against the king?
  Then I answered them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, or right, or memorial, in Yerushalayim.
  
  
  
  Then Elyashiv the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they built the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up its doors; even to the tower of the hundred they sanctified it, as far as the tower of Ĥanan᾽el.
  And next to him the men of Yereĥo built. And next to them Zakkur the son of Imri built.
  But the fish gate did the sons of Sena᾽a build; they also laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
  And next to them Meremot the son of Uriyya, the son of Qoż repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berekhya the son of Meshezav᾽el repaired. And next to them Żadoq the son of Ba῾ana repaired.
  And next to them the Teqo῾ites repaired; but their nobles did not put their necks to the work of their Lord.
  And Yoyada the son of Paseaĥ, and Meshullam the son of Besodya repaired the old gate; they laid its beams, and set up its doors, and its bolts, and its bars.
  And next to them Melatya the Giv῾onite and Yadon the Meronotite, the men of Giv῾on and of Miżpa repaired, as far as the seat of the governor beyond the river.
  Next to him ῾Uzzi᾽el the son of Ĥarhaya of the goldsmiths repaired. And next to him Ĥananya one of the perfumers repaired; and they restored Yerushalayim unto the broad wall.
  And next to them Refaya the son of Ĥur, the ruler of the half district of Yerushalayim repaired.
  And next to them Yedaya son of Ĥarumaf repaired, even over against his house. And next to him Ĥattush the son of Ĥashavneya repaired.
  Malkiyya the son of Ĥarim, and Ĥashshuv the son of Paĥat-mo᾽av, repaired another section, and the furnace tower.
  And next to him Shallum the son of Halloĥesh, the ruler of the half district of Yerushalayim repaired, he and his daughters.
  The valley gate did Ĥanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoaĥ repair; they built it, and set up its doors, its bolts and its bars. and a thousand cubits on the wall as far as the dung gate.
  But the dung gate did Malkiyya the son of Rekhav, the ruler of part of Bet-hakkerem repair; he undertook to build it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
  But the fountain gate did Shallun the son of Kol-ĥoze, the ruler of the district of Miżpa repair; he built it, and covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the wall of the pool of Shelaĥ by the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David.
  After him did Neĥemya the son of ῾Azbuq, the ruler of the half district of Bet-żur repair, as far as a point opposite the tombs of the house of David, as far as the man-made pool, and as far as the house of the warriors.
  After him the Levites repaired, Reĥum the son of Bani: next to him Ĥashavya, the ruler of the half district of Qe῾ila repaired for his area.
  After him their brethren, Bavvay the son of Ĥenadad, the ruler of the half district of Qe῾ila repaired.
  And next to him ῾Ezer the son of Yeshua, the ruler of Miżpa, repaired another section over against the ascent to the armoury at the corner.
  After him Barukh the son of Zakkay earnestly repaired another section, from the corner as far as the door of the house of Elyashiv the high priest.
  After him did Meromot the son of Uriyya the son of Qoż repair another section, from the door of the house of Elyashiv even to the end of the house of Elyashiv.
  And after him the priests, the men of the plain repaired.
  After him Binyamin and Ĥashshuv repaired opposite their house. After him ῾Azarya the son of Ma῾aseya the son of ῾Ananya repaired by his house.
  After him Binnuy the son of Ĥenadad repaired another section, from the house of ῾Azarya as far as the corner, and up to the turning.
  Palal the son of ῾Uzay, opposite the corner, and the tower which projects from the king’s high house, that was by the court of the guard. After him Pedaya the son of Par῾osh.
  Moreover the temple servants dwelt in the ῾Ofel, as far as a point opposite the water gate towards the east, and the projecting tower.
  After them the Teqo῾ites repaired another section, opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of the ῾Ofel.
  From above the horse gate the priests repaired every one over against his house.
  After them Żadoq the son of Immer repaired opposite his house. And after him Shema῾ya the son of Shekhanya, the keeper of the east gate, repaired.
  After him Ĥananya the son of Shelemya, and Ĥanun the sixth son of Żalaf repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berekhya repaired opposite his chamber.
  After him Malkiyya one of the goldsmiths repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the muster gate to the corner of the battlement.
  And between the corner of the battlement and the sheep gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.
  But it came to pass, that when Sanvallat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews.
  And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Shomeron, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they restore things? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish seeing they are burned?
  Now Toviyya the ῾Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.
  Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their insolence upon their own head, and give them up for a prey in the land of captivity:
  and do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before Thee: for they have provoked Thee to anger before the builders.
  So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height: for the people had a mind to work.
  
  
  
  But it came to pass, that when Sanvallat, and Toviyya, and the ῾Arvians, and the ῾Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Yerushalayim were being repaired, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry,
  and they conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Yerushalayim, and to cause confusion in it.
  Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
  And Yehuda said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is failing, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
  And our adversaries said, They shall neither know, nor see, until we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
  And it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said to us ten times, From all places where you shall return, they will be upon us.
  Therefore in the lower places behind the wall on the bare face of the rock, I stationed the people; I stationed them according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
  And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and awe inspiring, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
  And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, everyone to his work.
  And it came to pass from that time onwards, that the half of my servants did the work, and the other half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Yehuda.
  They who built the wall, and they who bore burdens, loaded themselves in such a way that with one of his hands each laboured in the work, and with the other hand he held a weapon.
  For the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so he built. And he who sounded the shofar was by me.
  And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, far from one another.
  In whatever place you hear the sound of the shofar, rally to us there: our God shall fight for us.
  So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
  Likewise at the same time I said to the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Yerushalayim, so that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour in the day.
  So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes: everyone brought his weapon with him, even to the water.
  
  
  
  And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
  For there were those who said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore let us get corn, that we may eat, and live.
  Some also there were who said, We have mortgaged our lands, our vineyards, and our houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
  There were also those who said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
  Yet now our flesh is as good as the flesh of our brethren, our children as good as their children: and, lo, we press our sons and our daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are pressed into slavery already: nor is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
  And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
  Then I took counsel with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, You make claims for debt, everyone of his brother! And I held a great assembly against them.
  And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the heathen; and will you nevertheless sell your brethren? or shall they be sold to us? Then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer.
  Also I said, That which you do is not good: ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the insult of the heathen our enemies?
  I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, have lent them money and corn: I pray you, let us release this debt.
  Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the percentage of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you exact of them.
  Then they said, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayst. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
  Also I shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, who does not perform this promise, even thus may he be shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.
  Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Yehuda, from the twentieth year even to the thirty second year of Artaĥshasta the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
  But the former governors who had been before me laid burdens upon the people, and had taken of them for bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants bore rule over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
  For I also continued in the work of this wall, nor did we buy any land: and all my servants were gathered there to the work.
  Moreover there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers, besides those who came to us from among the nations who were round about us.
  Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I did not demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
  Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
  
  
  
  Now it came to pass, when Sanvallat, and Toviyya, and Geshem the ῾Arvian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
  then Sanvallat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
  And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
  So they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
  Then Sanvallat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand:
  in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou didst build the wall, that thou mayst be their king, according to these words.
  And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim of these at Yerushalayim, saying, There is a king in Yehuda: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
  Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayst, but thou dost invent them out of thy own heart.
  For they all would have us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it shall not be done. (Now therefore, strengthen my hands.)
  Afterwards I came to the house of Shema῾ya the son of Delaya the son of Mehetav᾽el, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night they will come to slay thee.
  And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.
  And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Toviyya and Sanvallat had hired him.
  For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might taunt me.
  My God, remember Toviyya and Sanvallat according to these their works, and also the prophetess No῾adya, and the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.
  So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty two days.
  And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard that, all the nations that were about us were afraid and were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
  Moreover in those days the nobles of Yehuda sent many letters to Toviyya, and the letters of Toviyya came to them.
  For there were many in Yehuda sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Shekhanya the son of Araĥ; and his son Yehoĥanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berekhya.
  Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Toviyya sent letters to put me in fear.
  
  
  
  Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
  that I gave my brother Ĥanani, and Ĥananya the ruler of the palace, charge over Yerushalayim: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
  And I said to them, Let not the gates of Yerushalayim be opened until the sun is hot; and while people are still standing there, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches among the inhabitants of Yerushalayim everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house.
  Now the city was large and great: but the people in it were few, and the houses were not yet built.
  And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and found written there.
  These are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity, of the exile, whom Nevukhadneżżar the king of Bavel had carried away, and came back to Yerushalayim and to Yehuda, everyone to his city,
  who came with Zerubbavel, Yeshua, Neĥemya, ῾Azarya, Ra῾amya, Naĥamani, Mordekhay, Bilshan, Misperet, Bigvay, Neĥum, Ba῾ana. The number of the men of the people of Yisra᾽el:
  the children of Par῾osh, two thousand one hundred and seventy two;
  the children of Shefatya, three hundred and seventy two;
  the children of Araĥ, six hundred and fifty two;
  the children of Paĥat-mo᾽av, of the children of Yeshua and Yo᾽av, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen;
  the children of ῾Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty four;
  the children of Zattu, eight hundred and forty five;
  the children of Zakkay, seven hundred and sixty;
  the children of Binnuy, six hundred and forty eight;
  the children of Bevay six hundred and twenty eight;
  the children of ῾Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty two;
  the children of Adoniqam, six hundred and sixty seven;
  the children of Bigvay, two thousand and sixty seven;
  the children of ῾Adin, six hundred and fifty five;
  the children of Ater of Ĥizqiyya, ninety eight;
  the children of Ĥashum, three hundred and twenty eight;
  the children of Beżay, three hundred and twenty four;
  the children of Ĥarif, one hundred and twelve;
  the children of Giv῾on, ninety five;
  the men of Bet-leĥem and Netofa, one hundred and eighty eight;
  the men of ῾Anatot, one hundred and twenty eight;
  the men of Bet-῾azmavet, forty two;
  the men of Qiryat-ye῾arim, Kefira, and Be᾽erot, seven hundred and forty three;
  the men of Rama and Geva, six hundred and twenty one;
  the men of Mikhmas, one hundred and twenty two;
  the men of Bet-el and ῾Ay, one hundred and twenty three;
  the men of the other Nevo, fifty two;
  the children of the other ῾Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty four;
  the children of Ĥarim, three hundred and twenty;
  the children of Yereĥo, three hundred and forty five;
  the children of Lod, Ĥadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty one;
  the children of Sena᾽a, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
  The priests: the children of Yeda῾ya, of the house of Yeshua, nine hundred and seventy three;
  the children of Immer, one thousand and fifty two;
  the children of Pashĥur, one thousand two hundred and forty seven;
  the children of Ĥarim, one thousand and seventeen.
  The Levites: the children of Yeshua, of Qadmi᾽el, and of the children of Hodeya, seventy four.
  The singers: the children of Asaf, one hundred and forty eight.
  The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of ῾Aqquv, the children of Ĥatita, the children of Shovay, one hundred and thirty eight.
  The temple servants: the children of Żiĥa, the children of Ĥasufa, the children of Tabba῾ot,
  the children of Qeros, the children of Si῾a, the children of Padon,
  the children of Levana, the children of Ĥagava, the children of Salmay,
  the children of Ĥanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gaĥar,
  the children of Re᾽aya, the children of Reżin, the children of Neqoda,
  the children of Gazzam, the children of ῾Uzza, the children of Paseaĥ,
  the children of Besay, the children of Me῾unim, the children of Nefishesim,
  the children of Baqbuq, the children of Ĥaqufa, the children of Ĥarĥur,
  the children of Bażlit, the children of Meĥida, the children of Ĥarsha,
  the children of Barqos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temaĥ,
  the children of Neżiaĥ, the children of Ĥatifa.
  The children of the servants of Shelomo: the children of Sotay, the children of Soferet, the children of Perida,
  the children of Ya῾ala, the children of Darqon, the children of Giddel,
  the children of Shefatya, the children of Ĥattil, the children of Pokheret of Żevayim, the children of Amon.
  All the temple servants and the children of the servants of Shelomo were three hundred and ninety two.
  And these were they who went up from Tel-melaĥ, Tel-ĥarsha, Keruv, Addon, and Immer: but they could not tell their father’s houses, nor their seed, Whether they were of Yisra᾽el.
  The children of Delaya, the children of Toviyya, the children of Neqoda, six hundred and forty two.
  And of the priests: the children of Ĥavaya, the children of Qoż, the children of Barzillay, who took one of the daughters of Barzillay the Gil῾adite to wife, and was called after their name.
  These sought their register, that is, the genealogy, but it was not found: therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as unfit.
  And the Tirshata said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a priest with Urim and Tummim.
  The whole congregation together was forty two thousand three hundred and sixty,
  besides their men servants and their women servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty seven: and they had two hundred and forty five singing men and singing women. [This verse is inserted in some versions: Their horses, seven hundred and thirty six: their mules, two hundred and forty five: ]
  their camels, four hundred and thirty five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses:
  and some of the chief of the fathers’ houses gave for the work. The Tirshata gave to the treasury a thousand drachmas of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments.
  And some of the chiefs of the fathers’ houses gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand drachmas of gold, and two thousand and two hundred minas of silver.
  And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drachmas of gold, and two thousand minas of silver, and sixty seven priests’ garments.
  So the priests, and the Levites, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and some of the people, and the temple servants, and all Yisra᾽el, dwelt in their cities;     and when the seventh month came, and the children of Yisra᾽el were in their cities,
  
  
  
  then all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the open place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to ῾Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Tora of Moshe, which the Lord had commanded to Yisra᾽el.
  And ῾Ezra the priest brought the Tora before the congregation both of men and women, and all those who could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
  And he read therein facing the open place which was before the water gate from morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the Tora.
  And ῾Ezra the scribe stood upon a platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattitya, and Shema, and ῾Anaya, and Uriyya, and Ĥilqiyya, and Ma῾aseya, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaya and Misha᾽el, and Malkiyya, and Ĥashum, and Ĥashbaddana, Zekhrya, Meshullam.
  And ῾Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
  and ῾Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
  Also Yeshua, and Bani, and Sherevya, Yamin, ῾Aqquv, Shabbetay, Hodiyya, Ma῾aseya, Qelita, ῾Azarya, Yozaved, Ĥanan, Pelaya, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the Tora: and the people stood in their place.
  So they read in the book, in the Tora of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
  And Neĥemya, who is the Tirshata, and ῾Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn, or weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Tora.
  Then he said to them, Go your way, eat sumptuously, and drink sweet beverages, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy to our Lord: for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
  So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved.
  And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
  And on the second day, the chiefs of the fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, were gathered to ῾Ezra the scribe, in order to study the words of the Tora.
  And they found written in the Tora which the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moshe, that the children of Yisra᾽el should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
  and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Yerushalayim, saying, Go out to the mountain, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
  So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Efrayim.
  And all the congregation of those who were come back out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Yeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Yisra᾽el had not done so. And there was very great gladness.
  Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the Tora of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the prescribed form.
  
  
  
  Now on the twenty fourth day of this month the children of Yisra᾽el were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and with earth upon them.
  And the seed of Yisra᾽el separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
  And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the Tora of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and prostrated themselves before the Lord their God.
  Then upon the stairs of the Levites stood Yeshua, and Bani, Qadmi᾽el, Shevanya, Bunni, Sherevya, Bani, and Kenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.
  Then the Levites, Yeshua, and Qadmi᾽el, Bani, Ĥashavneya, Sherevya, Hodiyya, Shevanya, and Petaĥya said, Rise up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting, and let them bless Thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
  Thou are Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are in it, the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou dost preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships Thee.
  Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Avram, and didst bring him out of Ur of the Kasdim, and didst give him the name of Avraham;
  and didst find his heart faithful before Thee, and didst make a covenant with him to give the land of the Kena῾ani, the Ĥitti the Emori, and the Perizzi, and the Yevusi, and the Girgashi, to give it to his seed, and Thou hast performed Thy words; for Thou art righteous:
  and Thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Miżrayim, and didst hear their cry by the sea of Suf;
  and didst show signs and wonders upon Par῾o, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for Thou didst know that they dealt arrogantly against them. So didst Thou make for Thyself a name, as it is this day.
  And Thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and Thou didst throw their pursuers into the deeps, like a stone into the mighty waters.
  And Thou didst lead them with a pillar of cloud by day; and with a column of fire by night, to give them light on the way wherein they should go.
  And Thou didst come down upon mount Sinay, and didst speak with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true Torot, good statutes and commandments:
  and Thou didst make known to them Thy holy sabbath, and didst command them precepts, statutes, and Tora, by the hand of Moshe Thy servant:
  and Thou didst give them bread from heaven for their hunger, and didst bring forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and didst promise them that they should go in to possess the land which Thou hadst sworn to give them.
  But they and our fathers dealt arrogantly, and hardened their necks, and did not hearken to Thy commandments.
  And they refused to obey; nor were they mindful of Thy wonders that Thou didst do among them; but they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and great in love; so Thou didst not forsake them.
  Even when they had made for themselves a molten calf, and had said, This is thy God who brought thee up out of Miżrayim, and had committed great blasphemies;
  yet Thou in Thy manifold mercies didst not forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; nor did the column of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.
  And Thou didst give Thy good spirit to instruct them, and didst not withhold Thy manna from their mouth, and didst give them water for their thirst.
  For forty years Thou didst sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not grow old, and their feet did not swell.
  And Thou didst give them kingdoms and nations, and didst allot it to them piecemeal: so that they possessed the land of Siĥon, and the land of the king of Ĥeshbon, and the land of ῾Og king of Bashan.
  Their children also Thou didst multiply like the stars of heaven, and didst bring them into the land, concerning which Thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
  So the children went in and possessed the land, and Thou didst subdue before them the inhabitants of the land, the Kena῾anim, and didst give them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, so that they might do with them as they pleased.
  And they took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells already hewn, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were sated, and became fat, and delighted themselves in Thy great bounty.
  Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against Thee, and cast Thy Tora behind their backs, and slew Thy prophets who forewarned them to turn them to Thee, and they committed great blasphemies.
  Therefore Thou didst deliver them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to Thee, Thou didst hear them from heaven; and according to Thy manifold mercies Thou didst give them rescuers, who rescued them out of the hand of their enemies.
  But after they had rest, they did evil again before Thee: therefore Thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried to Thee, Thou didst hear them from heaven; and many times didst Thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
  and didst forewarn them, that Thou mightest bring them back to Thy Tora: yet they acted presumptuously, and hearkened not to Thy commandments, but sinned against Thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live by them;) and they turned a stubborn shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
  Yet many years didst Thou bear with them, and didst forewarn them by Thy spirit in Thy prophets: yet they would not give ear: therefore Thou didst give them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
  Yet for Thy great mercies’ sake Thou didst not utterly consume them, or forsake them; for Thou art a gracious and merciful God.
  Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and troth, let not all the trouble seem little before Thee, that has come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all Thy people, since the time of the kings of Ashshur to this day.
  Yet Thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for Thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
  nor have our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers, kept Thy Tora, or hearkened to Thy commandments and Thy testimonies, with which Thou didst testify against them.
  For they have not served Thee in their kingdom, and in Thy great bounty that Thou didst give them, and in the large and fat land which Thou didst give before them, nor did they turn from their wicked works.
  Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that Thou didst give to our fathers to eat its fruit and its bounty, behold, we are servants in it;
  and its rich yield goes to the kings whom Thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
  
  
  
  And because of all this we make a firm covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and our priests, set their seal to it.
  Now those who set their seal are, Neĥemya the Tirshata, the son of Ĥakhalya, and Żidqiyya,
  Seraya, ῾Azarya, Yirmeya,
  Pashĥur, Amarya, Malkiyya,
  Ĥattush, Shevanya, Mallukh,
  Ĥarim, Meremot, ῾Ovadya,
  Daniyyel, Ginneton, Barukh,
  Meshullam, Aviyya, Miyyamin,
  Ma῾azeya, Bilgay, Shema῾ya: these were the priests.
  And the Levites: both Yeshua the son of Azanya, Binnuy of the sons of Ĥenadad, Qadmi᾽el;
  and their brothers, Shevanya, Hodiyya, Qelita, Pelaya, Ĥanan,
  Mikha, Reĥov, Ĥashavya,
  Zakhur, Sherevya, Shevanya,
  Hodiyya, Bani, Beninu.
  The chiefs of the people; Par῾osh, Paĥat-mo᾽av, ῾Elam, Zattu, Bani,
  Bunni, ῾Azgad, Bevay,
  Adoniyya, Bigvay, ῾Adin,
  Ater, Ĥizqiyya, ῾Azzur,
  Hodiyya, Ĥashum, Beżay,
  Ĥarif, ῾Anatot, Nevay,
  Magpi῾ash, Meshullam, Ĥezir,
  Meshezav᾽el, Żadoq, Yaddua,
  Pelatya, Ĥanan, ῾Anaya,
  Hoshea, Ĥananya, Ĥashshuv,
  Halloĥesh, Pilĥa, Shoveq,
  Reĥum, Ĥashavna, Ma῾aseya,
  and Aĥiyya, Ĥanan, ῾Anan,
  Mallukh, Ĥarim, Ba῾ana.
  And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gate keepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all they who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Tora of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone having knowledge, and having understanding;
  join with their brethren, their nobles, and enter into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in the Tora of God, which was given by Moshe the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;
  and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, or take their daughters for our sons:
  and if the peoples of the land bring in wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, that we will not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we will forego the produce of the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
  We also lay ordinances on ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
  for the showbread, and for the continual meal offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the appointed seasons, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Yisra᾽el, and for all the work of the house of our God.
  And we have cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Tora:
  and to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the Lord:
  also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Tora, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God:
  and that we shall bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites receive the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
  And the priest the son of Aharon shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.
  For the children of Yisra᾽el and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, to the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests who minister, and the gate keepers, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.
  
  
  
  And the rulers of the people dwelt at Yerushalayim: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Yerushalayim the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
  And the people blessed all the men, who willingly offered to dwell in Yerushalayim.
  Now these are the chiefs of the province who dwelt in Yerushalayim: but in the cities of Yehuda everyone dwelt in his possession in their cities: Yisra᾽el, the priests, and the Levites, and the temple servants, and the children of the servants of Shelomo.
  And at Yerushalayim dwelt certain of the children of Yehuda, of the children of Binyamin. Of the children of Yehuda; ῾Ataya the son of ῾Uzziyya, the son of Zekharya, the son of Amarya, the son of Shefatya, the son of Mahalal᾽el, of the children of Pereż;
  and Ma῾aseya the son of Barukh, the son of Kol-ĥoze, the son of Ĥazaya, the son of ῾Adaya, the son of Yoyariv, the son of Zekharya, the son of the Shilonite.
  All the sons of Pereż who dwelt in Yerushalayim, were four hundred and sixty eight men at arms.
  And these are the sons of Binyamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Yo῾ed, the son of Pedaya, the son of Qolaya, the son of Ma῾aseya, the son of Iti᾽el, the son of Yesha῾ya.
  And after him Gabbay, Sallay, nine hundred and twenty eight.
  And Yo᾽el the son of Zikhri was their overseer: and Yehuda the son of Senu᾽a was second over the city.
  Of the priests: Yeda῾ya the son of Yoyariv, Yakhin,
  Seraya the son of Ĥilqiyya, the son of Meshullam, the son of Żadoq, the son of Merayot, the son of Aĥituv, ruler of the house of God.
  And their brethren who did the work of the house were eight hundred and twenty two: and ῾Adaya the son of Yeroĥam, the son of Pelalya, the son of Amżi, the son of Zekharya, the son of Pashĥur, the son of Malkiyya,
  And his brethren, heads of fathers’ houses, two hundred and forty two: and ῾Amashsay the son of ῾Azar᾽el, the son of Aĥzay, the son of Meshillemot, the son of Immer,
  and their brethren, mighty men of valour, a hundred and twenty eight: and their overseer was Zavdi᾽el, the son of Haggedolim.
  Also of the Levites: Shema῾ya the son of Ĥashshuv, the son of ῾Azriqam, the son of Ĥashavya, the son of Bunni;
  and Shabbetay and Yozavad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outside work of the house of God.
  And Mattanya the son of Mikha, the son of Zavdi, the son of Asaf, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Baqbuqya the second among his brethren, and ῾Avda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Yedutun.
  All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty four.
  Moreover the gate keepers, ῾Aqquv, Talmon, and their brethren who kept the gates, were a hundred and seventy two.
  And the residue of Yisra᾽el, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Yehuda, everyone in his inheritance.
  But the temple servants dwelt in ῾Ofel: and Żiĥa and Gishpa were over the temple servants.
  The overseer also of the Levities at Yerushalayim was ῾Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Ĥashavya, the son of Mattanya, the son of Mikha, of the sons of Asaf, the singers, over the business of the house of God.
  For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, and a certain portion for the singers, as every day required.
  And Pataĥya the son of Meshezav᾽el, of the children of Zeraĥ the son of Yehuda, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.
  And for the settlements, with their fields, some of the children of Yehuda dwelt at Qiryat-arba, and in its hamlets, and at Divon, and in its hamlets, and at Yeqavże᾽el, and in its hamlets,
  and at Yeshua, and at Molada, and at Bet-pelet,
  and at Ĥażar-shu῾al, and at Be᾽er-sheva, and in its hamlets,
  and at Żiqlag, and at Mekhona, and in its hamlets,
  and at ῾En-rimmon, and at Żor῾a, and at Yarmut,
  Zanoaĥ, ῾Adullam, and their settlements, Lakhish, and its fields, ῾Azeqa, and its hamlets. And they dwelt from Be᾽er-sheva as far as the valley of Hinnom.
  And the children of Binyamin from Geva, at Mikhmash, and ῾Ayya, and Bet-el, and in its hamlets,
  and at ῾Anatot, Nov, ῾Ananya,
  Ĥażor, Rama, Gittayim,
  Ĥadid, Żevo῾im, Nevallat,
  Lod, Ono, Ge-ĥarashim.
  And of the Levites, certain sections in Yehuda were attached to Binyamin.
  
  
  
  Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbavel the son of She᾽alti᾽el, and Yeshua: Seraya, Yirmeya, ῾Ezra,
  Amarya, Mallukh, Ĥattush,
  Shekhanya, Reĥum, Meremot,
  ῾Iddo, Ginnetoy, Aviyya,
  Miyyamin, Ma῾adya, Bilga,
  Shema῾ya and Yoyariv, Yeda῾ya,
  Sallu, ῾Amoq, Ĥilqiyya, Yeda῾ya. These were the chiefs of the priests and their brethren in the days of Yeshua.
  Moreover the Levites: Yeshua, Binnuy, Qadmi᾽el, Sherevya, Yehuda, and Mattanya, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
  Also Baqbuqya and ῾Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the duty watches.
  And Yeshua begot Yoyaqim and Yoyaqim begot Elyashiv, and Elyashiv begot Yoyada,
  and Yoyada begot Yonatan, and Yonatan begot Yaddua.
  And in the days of Yoyaqim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses; of Seraya, Meraya, of Yirmeya, Ĥananya;
  of ῾Ezra, Meshullam; of Amarya, Yehoĥanan;
  of Melikhu, Yonatan; of Shevanya, Yosef;
  of Ĥarim, ῾Adna; of Merayot, Ĥelqay;
  of ῾Iddo, Zekharya; of Ginneton, Meshullam;
  of Aviyya, Zikhri; of Minyamin, of Mo῾adya, Piltay;
  of Bilga, Shammua; of Shema῾ya, Yehonatan;
  and of Yoyariv, Mattenay; of Yeda῾ya, ῾Uzzi;
  of Sallay, Qallay; of ῾Amoq, ῾Ever;
  of Ĥilqiyya, Ĥashavya; of Yeda῾ya, Netan᾽el.
  The Levites in the days of Elyashiv, Yoyada, and Yoĥanan, and Yaddua, were recorded chiefs of the fathers’ houses: also the priests, to the reign of Daryavesh the Parsian.
  The sons of Levi, the chiefs of the fathers’ houses were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Yoĥanan the son of Elyashiv.
  And the chiefs of the Levites: Ĥashavya, Sherevya, and Yeshua the son of Qadmi᾽el, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, section by section.
  Mattanya, and Baqbuqya, ῾Ovadya, Meshullam, Talmon, ῾Aqquv, were gate-keepers, standing guard at the storehouse of the gates.
  These were in the days of Yoyaqim the son of Yeshua, the son of Yożadaq, and in the days of Neĥemya the governor, and of ῾Ezra the priest, the scribe.
  And at the dedication of the wall of Yerushalayim they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Yerushalayim, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, with harps, and with lyres.
  And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the district round about Yerushalayim, and from the settlements of the Netofati;
  also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geva and ῾Azmavet: for the singers had built themselves settlements round about Yerushalayim.
  And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
  Then I brought up the princes of Yehuda upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession. One went on the right hand upon the wall towards the dung gate:
  and after them went Hosha῾ya. and half of the princes of Yehuda,
  And ῾Azarya, ῾Ezra, and Meshullam,
  Yehuda, and Binyamin, and Shema῾ya, and Yirmeya,
  and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets; namely, Zekharya the son of Yonatan, the son of Shema῾ya, the son of Mattanya, the son of Mikhaya, the son of Zakhur, the son of Asaf:
  and his brethren, Shema῾ya, and ῾Azar᾽el, Milalay, Gilalay, Ma῾ay, Netan᾽el, and Yehuda, and Ĥanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and ῾Ezra the scribe before them.
  And at the foundation gate, they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water gate eastward.
  And the other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, and half of the people upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces to the broad wall;
  and above the gate of Efrayim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Ĥanan᾽el, and the tower of the hundred, as far as the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.
  So the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God stood, and I and the half of the rulers with me:
  and the priests; Elyaqim, Ma῾aseya, Minyamin, Mikhaya, Elyo῾enay, Zekharya, and Ĥananya, with trumpets;
  and Ma῾aseya, and Shema῾ya, and El῾azar, and ῾Uzzi, and Yehoĥanan, and Malkiyya, and ῾Elam, and ῾Ezer. And the singers sang loud, Yizraĥya being their overseer.
  And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Yerushalayim was heard from afar off.
  And on that day were some appointed over the chambers for the treasurers, for the heave offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions assigned by the Tora for the priests and Levites: for Yehuda rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.
  And they kept the service of their God, and the service of the purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David, and of Shelomo his son.
  For in the days of David and Asaf of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
  And all Yisra᾽el in the days of Zerubbavel, and in the days of Neĥemya, gave the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, as every day required: and they gave the holy portions to the Levites; and the Levites gave the holy portions to the children of Aharon.
  
  
  
  On that day they read in the book of Moshe in the hearing of the people; and therein was found written, that the ῾Ammonite and the Mo᾽avite should not come into the congregation of God forever;
  because they did not meet the children of Yisra᾽el with bread and with water, but hired Bil῾am against them, that he should curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
  Now it came to pass, when they had heard that Tora, that they separated from Yisra᾽el all the mixed multitude.
  And before this, Elyashiv the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God; being allied to Toviyya,
  prepared for him a great chamber, where they had previously put the meal offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the heave offerings of the priests.
  But in all this time I was not at Yerushalayim: for in the thirty second year of Artaĥshasta king of Bavel, I came to the king, and after certain days I obtained leave of the king:
  and I came to Yerushalayim, and understood of the evil that Elyashiv did for Toviyya, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
  And it vexed me very much: so I cast all the household articles of Toviyya out of the chamber.
  Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the meal offerings and the frankincense.
  And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, who did the work, were fled everyone to his field.
  Then I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
  Then all Yehuda brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries.
  And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemya the priest, and Żadoq the scribe, and of the Levites Pedaya: and next to them was Ĥanan the son of Zakkur, the son of Mattanya: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brethren.
  Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its service.
  In those days I saw in Yehuda some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves of corn, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Yerushalayim on the sabbath day: and I forewarned them on the day on which they sold food.
  There dwelt men of Żor there also, who brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath to the children of Yehuda, and in Yerushalayim.
  Then I contended with the nobles of Yehuda, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the sabbath day?
  Did not your father do thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? and yet you bring more wrath upon Yisra᾽el by profaning the sabbath.
  And it came to pass, that when the gates of Yerushalayim began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set some of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.
  So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of ware lodged outside Yerushalayim once or twice.
  Then I forewarned them, and said to them, Why do you lodge about the wall? if you do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time on, they came no more on the sabbath.
  And I commanded the Levites, that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and guard the gates, to keep the sabbath day holy. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to Thy abundant love.
  In those days also I saw Jews who had married wives of Ashdod, of ῾Ammon, and of Mo᾽av:
  and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Yehuda, but according to the language of various other peoples.
  And I contended with them, and cursed them, and beat some of them, and pulled out their hair, and made them take oath by God, saying, You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons, or for yourselves.
  Did not Shelomo king of Yisra᾽el sin by these things? and even though among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Yisra᾽el: nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin.
  Shall we then hearken to you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying foreign wives?
  And one of the sons of Yoyada, the son of Elyashiv the high priest, was son in law to Sanvallat the Ĥoronite: therefore I chased him from me.
  Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
  Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duty watches for the priests and the Levites, everyone in his business;
  and for the wood offering, at the times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.