1 The priests which came up with Zerubbabel. 10 The succession of the high priests.

TOW these are the priests and the

babel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
S Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

The walls dedicated.

them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.

26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi';

29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azma

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mat-veth for the singers had builded them

taniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

villages round about Jerusalem.

30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

9 AlsoBakbukiah and Unni, theirbrethren, were over against them in the watches. 10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joi$1 Then I brought up the princes of akim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib be- | Judah upon the wall, and appointed two gat Joiada,

11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Scraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth,

great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung-gate:

32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 And certain of the priests sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:

36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musi

18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemai-cal instruments of David the man of God, ah, Jehonathan;

19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

and Ezra the scribe before them.

37 And at the fountain-gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs city David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water-gate eastward.

22 The Levites in the days of Elia38 And the other company of them that shib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, gave thanks went over against them, and qwere recorded chief of the fathers: also I after them, and the half of the people the priests, to the reign of Darius the || upon the wall, from beyond the tower of Persian. the furnaces even unto the broad wall; 39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and aaneel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep-gate: and they stood still in the prison-gate.

23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Joha-bove the fish-gate, and the tower of Hannan the son of Eliashib.

24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against

40 So stood the two companies of them Nehemiah returneth,

CHAP. XIIL. and reformeth abuses. 423 that gave thanks in the house of God, and || commanded to be given to the Levites, I, and the half of the rulers with me:

41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaish, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hanamah, with trumpets;

42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their

overseer.

and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the honschold stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. 44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treased the chambers: and thither brought I

ures, for the offerings, for the first-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

9 Then I commanded, and they cleansagain the vessels of the house of God, with the meat-offering and the frankincense.

10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forand set them in their place.

45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, accordingsaken? and I gathered them together, to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion : and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.

CHAP. XIII.

12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oif unto the treasuries.

13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levite Levites, Pedaialı: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful; and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of

1 Separation made from the mixed mul-my God, and for the offices thereof.

titude.. 4 Nehemiah's return, and reg

ulations.

N that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for

ever;

15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testifed against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit, our God || children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the

turned the curse into a blessing.

3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah :

5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19 And it came to pass, that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark bo fore the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the

THE BOOK OF ESTHER.

1 Ahasuerus maketh royal feasts. 10 Va hi's disobedience, and punishment. OW it came to pass in the days of

Nhacuse to Pashasurus which

reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces :)

2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, bring before him:

4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

6 Where were white, green, and blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver,shena, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble.

14 And the next unto him was CarShethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the

7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from || first in the kingdom;)

A qucen to be chosen.

CHAP. 11. Mordecai and Esther's affinity. 425. 15 What shall we do unto the queen And the thing pleased the king; and he Vashti according to law, because she hath did so. not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was

16 And Memucan answered before the || Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of

king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.

17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she

came not.

18. Likewise shall the ladies of Persia

and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathererl together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought

19 If it please the king, let there goalso unto the king's house, to the custody

a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.

20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small,

of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and sev en maidens which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

21 And the saying pleased the king 11 And Mordecai walked every day and the princes; and the king did accord-before the court of the women's house, to ing to the word of Memucan:

22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published ac

know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

12Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications

cording to the language of every peo-accomplished, to wit, six months with

ple.

CHAP. II. 1 Out of the choice of virgins, a queen is to be chosen. 15 Esther is

A

elected.

FTER these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

15 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she re

4 And let the maiden which pleaseth|quired nothing but what Hegai the king's the king be queen instead of Vashti || chamberlain, the keeper of the women, 425 Esther chosen queen. ESTHER. Haman's rage against the Jews. appointed. And Esther obtained favour || cai bowed not, nor did him reverence, in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first month, (that is, the month Nisan,) in the twelfth year of of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the 19 And when the virgins were gather- people in all the provinces of thy kinged together the second time, then Mor-dom; and their laws are diverse from all decai sat in the king's gate. people; neither keep they the king's laws:

20 Esther had not yet shewed her kin-therefore it is not for the king's profit to

dred, nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthanand Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahas

suffer them.

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews enemy.

11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors. that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province, according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and

2 And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman; for the king had so command-women, in one day, even upon the thir

ed concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

teenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

14 The copy of the writing for a com

3 Then the king's servants which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment to be given in every province

mandment?

4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Morde

was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.