B. C. sight, that thou wouldest send 6 And the king said unto me, 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace. † Heb. fch. 5. 14 B. C. He inciteth the Jews to build. 18 Then I told them of Pthe hand of my God which was good P ver..8. upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise 92Sa.2.7. up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. 20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will which appertained to the house, ch 3. 7. tEzra 4.3 arise and build: 'but ye have no and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, baccording to the good hand of my God upon me. 9 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. h Ezra 5. 5. &7.6,9, 28.ver.18 445. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 11 So I came to Jerusalem,andi Ezra 8. was there three days. 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 do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. 32. 13 And I went out by night by k2Ch. 26. the gate ofthe valley,even before 9.ch.3.13. the dragon-well,and to the dungport, and viewed the walls of Je rusalem, which were broken Ich.1.3.& down, and the gates thereof ver. 17. were consumed with fire. ch.12.10 bJn. 5. 2. portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. CHAPTER III. The names and order of them that builded the wall. THEN Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, band they builded the sheep-gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; ch.12.39 even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, untothe tower of dHananeel. dJe.31.38 Heb. at f2Ch. 33. 2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. 3 But the fish-gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the 8 See ch. thereof. locks thereof, and the bars 10. 6. 1.&7.1. 14 Then I went on to the gate mch.3.15. bJu.5.23. 15 Then went I up in the night 16 And the rulers knew not whither I 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. ngSa. 15. ich.12.39. 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. 5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. 6 Moreover, ithe old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. 7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the kch. 2. 8. kthrone of the governor on this side the river. NEHEMIAH. B. C. 445. Nehemiah armeth the labourers, fdespised and dturn their re: proach upon their own head,and give them for a prey in the land † Heb. of captivity: 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. despite. dps 79.12 Pr. 3. 34. B. C. 445. † Heb. on his eps.69.27 loins. † Heb. 7 But it came to pass, that fwhen Sanballat, and Tobiah, f ver. 1. and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalemtwere made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and fto hin-4, 5. der it. 9 Nevertheless hwe 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. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know,neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. ascend ed. Ps.83.3, † Heb. to make an error to it. hPs.50.15 D Ex. 14. 14,25. De. 22.&20.4. 1.30. & 3. Jos.23.10 IOr, every one went with his weapon for water, See Ju.5. 11. a Is. 5. 7. Or, That from all b Le. 25. places ye 35, 36, 37. must re- De. 15, 7. 12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. 13 Therefore set I fin the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their fami- Heb. lies with their swords, their from the spears, and their bows. turn to us. lower parts of the place, 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, iBe not ye afraid of &c. them: remember the LORD iNu.14.9. which is great and terrible, and De. 1. 29. Ifight for your brethren, your k De. 10. sons, and your daughters, your 17. wives, and your houses. 12 Sa. 10. m Job 5. 2. 15 And it came to pass, when 12. our enemies heard that it was known unto us, "and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. 16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, € 18.58. 7. and giveth instructions. with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded tby his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 19 T And I said unto 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, one far from another. 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: "our God shall fight for us. and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 21 So we laboured in the work: 22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing. CHAPTER V. The Jews complain of their debt,mortgage, and bondage, 1. 6 Nehemiah rebuketh the usurers, and causeth them to make a covenant of restitution. 14 He forbeareth his own allowance, and keepeth hospitality. A of the people and of their ND there was a great cry wives against their bbrethren the Jews. 2 Forthere were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. 4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our chil dren as their children: and lo, dEx.21.7. we dbring into bondage our sons Le.25.39. and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. The practice of usury reproved. of his brother. And I set a great | assembly against them. 8 And I said unto them, We, after our ability, have fredeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. 9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. 12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and temptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise. m 14 T Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not "eaten the bread of the governor. CHAPTER VI. B. C. 445. Le. 25. 48. 15 But the former governors 15. that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the Pfear of God. 02 Co.11. 9.&12.13. 16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall. neither bought P ver. 9. we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the B. C. 455. Nehemiah's generosity. wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, sv.14, 15. because the bondage was heavy upon this people. tch.13.22. ach. 2. 10, 19.& 4. 1, 7. Or, Gashmu, v. 6. bch. 3. 1. 3. Pr. 26. 24, 25. d1 Ch.8. 12.ch. 11. 35. Ps. 37. 12, 32. 1 Or, ver. 1. Geshem, fch. 2. 19. 19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. NOW CHAPTER VI. Sanballat practiseth by craft, by rumours, by hired prophecies, to territy Nehemiah, I. 15 The work is finished to the terror of the enemies. 17 Secret intelligence passeth between the enemies and the nobles of Judah. TOW it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (bthough at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 2 That Sanballat and Geshem Csent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of dOno. But they thought to do me mischief. 3 And I sent messengers unto 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? 4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; 6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, fthat thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. 7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. 8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. 9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. 10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, 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 will they come to slay thee. 15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 16 And it came to pass, that kwhen all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they per-1 Ps. 126. ceived that this work was 2. wrought of our God. 6. 1. letters 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah tsent many † Heb. letters unto Tobiah, and the let-multiters of Tobiah came unto them. plied 18 For there were many in Ju- their dah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecha- to To passing niah the son of Arah; and his son biah Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah Or, sent letters to put me in fear. CHAPTER VII. Nehemiah committeth the charge of Jerusalem to Hanani and Hananiah, 1. 5 A register of the genealogy of them which came at the first out of Babylon, 8 of the people, 39 of the priests, 43 of the Levites, 46 of the Nethinims, 57 of Solomon's servants, 63 and of the priests which could not find their pedigree. 66 The whole number of them, with their substance. 70 Their oblations. matters. a ch. 6. 1. Or, Seraiah: See Ezra 2. 2. I Or, Bani b ch.2.8. Jora. 1 Or. Ex. 18. Or, Gibbar 3 And I said unto them, Let not 21. the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every Or, AzmaIveth. Those that returned from Babylon one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house. 4 Now the city was † large and great; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. 5 T And my God put into mine heart to gather together the no bles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckon ed by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein, 6 d These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city; 7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani,Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this; 8 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two. 9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. 10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two. 11 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. 14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. 15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight. 16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. 17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two. 18The childrenof Adonikam,six hundred threescore and seven. 19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven. 20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five. 21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight. 23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four. 24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve. 25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five. 26 The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight. 27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. 28 The men of Beth-azma veth, forty and two. |