Nehemiah*
1* The words of Ne·he·miʹah+ the son of Hac·a·liʹah: Now it came about in the month Chisʹlev,*+ in the twentieth year,+ that I myself happened to be in Shuʹshan+ the castle.* 2 Then Ha·naʹni,+ one of my brothers, came in, he and other men from Judah, and I proceeded to ask+ them about the Jews,+ those who had escaped,+ who had been left over of the captivity,+ and also about Jerusalem. 3 Accordingly they said to me: “Those left over, who have been left over from the captivity, there in the jurisdictional district,+ are in a very bad plight+ and in reproach;+ and the wall+ of Jerusalem is broken down, and its very gates+ have been burned with fire.”
4 And it came about that, as soon as I heard these words, I sat down and began to weep and mourn for days, and I was continually fasting+ and praying before the God of the heavens.+ 5 And I went on to say: “Ah, Jehovah the God* of the heavens, the God* great and fear-inspiring,+ keeping the covenant+ and loving-kindness* toward those loving him+ and keeping his commandments,+ 6 please, let your ear become attentive+ and your eyes opened, to listen to the prayer of your servant,+ which I am praying before you today, day and night,+ concerning the sons of Israel your servants, all the while making confession+ concerning the sins+ of the sons of Israel with which we have sinned against you. We have sinned, both I and the house of my father.+ 7 We have unquestionably acted corruptly against you+ and have not kept the commandments+ and the regulations+ and the judicial decisions+ that you gave in command to Moses your servant.+
8 “Remember,+ please, the word that you commanded Moses your servant, saying, ‘Should YOU, for YOUR part, act unfaithfully, I, for my part, shall scatter YOU among the peoples.+ 9 When YOU will have returned to me+ and kept my commandments+ and done them,+ though YOUR dispersed people should happen to be at the end of the heavens, from there I shall collect+ them and certainly bring them+ to the place that I have chosen to have my name reside there.’+ 10 And they are your servants+ and your people,+ whom you redeemed by your great power+ and by your strong hand.+ 11 Ah, Jehovah,* please, let your ear become attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer+ of your servants who take delight in fearing your name;+ and, please, do grant success to your servant today+ and make him an object of pity before this man.”+
Now I myself happened to be cupbearer+ to the king.
2 And it came about in the month Niʹsan,*+ in the twentieth+ year of Ar·ta·xerxʹes+ the king, that wine was before him, and I as usual took up the wine and gave it to the king.+ But never had I happened to be gloomy before him.+ 2 So the king said to me: “Why is your face gloomy+ when you yourself are not sick? This is nothing but a gloominess of heart.”+ At this I became very much afraid.
3 Then I said to the king: “Let the king himself live to time indefinite!+ Why should not my face become gloomy when the city,+ the house of the burial places of my forefathers,+ is devastated, and its very gates have been eaten up with fire?”+ 4 In turn the king said to me: “What is this that you are seeking to secure?”+ At once I prayed+ to the God of the heavens.+ 5 After that I said to the king: “If to the king it does seem good,+ and if your servant seems good before you,+ that you would send me to Judah, to the city of the burial places of my forefathers, that I may rebuild+ it.” 6 At this the king said to me, as his queenly consort was sitting beside him: “How long will your journey come to be and when will you return?” So it seemed good+ before the king that he should send me, when I gave him the appointed time.+
7 And I went on to say to the king: “If to the king it does seem good, let letters+ be given me to the governors+ beyond the River,*+ that they may let me pass until I come to Judah; 8 also a letter to Aʹsaph the keeper of the park* that belongs to the king, that he may give me trees to build with timber the gates of the Castle*+ that belongs to the house,+ and for the wall+ of the city and for the house into which I am to enter.” So the king gave [them] to me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.+
9 Eventually I came to the governors+ beyond the River and gave them the letters of the king. Moreover, the king sent with me chiefs of the military force and horsemen. 10 When San·balʹlat+ the Horʹo·nite+ and To·biʹah+ the servant, the Amʹmon·ite,+ got to hear [of it], then it seemed to them something very bad+ that a man* had come to seek something good for the sons of Israel.
11 At length I came to Jerusalem, and I continued there for three days. 12 Then I rose up by night, I and a few men with me, and I did not tell a man+ what my God was putting into my heart to do for Jerusalem,+ and there was no domestic animal with me except the domestic animal on which I was riding. 13 And I proceeded to go out by the Valley Gate+ by night and in front of the Fountain of the Big Snake* and to the Gate of the Ash-heaps,*+ and I was constantly examining the walls+ of Jerusalem, how they were broken down and the gates+ of it had been eaten up by fire. 14 And I went passing along to the Fountain Gate+ and to the King’s Pool, and there was no place for the domestic animal under me to pass along. 15 But I kept on ascending in the torrent+ valley by night, and I kept on examining the wall; after which I came back and entered by the Valley Gate,+ and so got back.
16 And the deputy rulers+ themselves did not know where I had gone and what I was doing; and to the Jews and the priests and the nobles and the deputy rulers and the rest of the doers of the work I had not yet told anything. 17 Finally I said to them: “YOU are seeing the bad plight in which we are, how Jerusalem is devastated and its gates have been burned with fire. Come and let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer continue to be a reproach.”+ 18 And I went on to tell them of the hand+ of my God, how it was good upon me,+ and also of the king’s words+ that he had said to me. At this they said: “Let us get up, and we must build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.+
19 Now when San·balʹlat+ the Horʹo·nite and To·biʹah+ the servant,+ the Amʹmon·ite,+ and Geʹshem+ the Arabian+ heard of it, they began to deride us+ and look on us despisingly and say: “What is this thing that YOU are doing? Is it against the king that YOU are rebelling?”+ 20 However, I replied to them and said to them: “The God of the heavens+ is the One that will grant us success,+ and we ourselves, his servants, shall get up, and we must build; but YOU yourselves have no share,+ nor just claim, nor memorial+ in Jerusalem.”
3 And E·liʹa·shib+ the high priest and his brothers, the priests, proceeded to get up and build the Sheep Gate.+ They themselves sanctified it+ and went setting up its doors; and as far as the Tower of Meʹah*+ they sanctified it, as far as the Tower of Ha·nanʹel.+ 2 And at their side the men of Jerʹi·cho+ did building. And at their side Zacʹcur the son of Imʹri did building.
3 And the Fish Gate+ was what the sons of Has·se·naʹah built; they themselves timbered it+ and then set up its doors,+ its bolts and its bars.+ 4 And at their side Merʹe·moth+ the son of U·riʹjah+ the son of Hakʹkoz did repair work, and at their side Me·shulʹlam+ the son of Ber·e·chiʹah the son of Me·shezʹa·bel did repair work; and at their side Zaʹdok the son of Baʹa·na did repair work. 5 And at their side the Te·koʹites+ did repair work; but their majestic ones+ themselves did not bring the back of their neck into the service of their masters.*
6 And the Gate+ of the Old [City] was what Joiʹa·da the son of Pa·seʹah and Me·shulʹlam the son of Bes·o·deiʹah repaired; they themselves timbered it and then set up its doors and its bolts and its bars.+ 7 And at their side Mel·a·tiʹah the Gibʹe·on·ite+ and Jaʹdon the Me·ronʹo·thite,+ did repair work, men of Gibʹe·on+ and Mizʹpah,+ belonging to the throne of the governor+ beyond the River.+ 8 At his side Uzʹzi·el the son of Har·haiʹah, goldsmiths,+ did repair work; and at his side Han·a·niʹah a member of the ointment mixers+ did repair work; and they proceeded to flagstone Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.+ 9 And at their side Re·phaʹiah the son of Hur, a prince of half the district of Jerusalem, did repair work. 10 And at their side Je·daʹiah the son of Ha·ruʹmaph did repair work in front of his own house;+ and at his side Hatʹtush the son of Hash·ab·neiʹah did repair work.
11 Another measured section was what Mal·chiʹjah the son of Haʹrim+ and Hasʹshub the son of Paʹhath-moʹab*+ repaired, and also the Tower of the Bake Ovens.+ 12 And at his side Shalʹlum the son of Hal·loʹhesh, a prince+ of half the district of Jerusalem, did repair work, he and his daughters.
13 The Valley Gate+ was what Haʹnun and the inhabitants of Za·noʹah+ repaired; they themselves built it and then set up its doors,+ its bolts+ and its bars,+ also a thousand cubits* in the wall as far as the Gate of the Ash-heaps.*+ 14 And the Gate of the Ash-heaps was what Mal·chiʹjah the son of Reʹchab, a prince of the district of Beth-hac·cheʹrem,+ repaired; he himself went building it and setting up its doors, its bolts and its bars.
15 And the Fountain Gate+ was what Shalʹlun* the son of Col·hoʹzeh, a prince of the district of Mizʹpah,+ repaired; he himself proceeded to build it and to roof it over and to set up its doors,+ its bolts and its bars, and also the wall of the Pool+ of the Canal* to the King’s Garden+ and as far as the Stairway+ that goes down from the City of David.+
16 After him Ne·he·miʹah the son of Azʹbuk, a prince of half the district of Beth-zur,+ did repair work as far as in front of the Burial Places+ of David and as far as the pool+ that had been made and as far as the House of the Mighty Ones.*+
17 After him the Levites+ did repair work, Reʹhum the son of Baʹni;+ at his side Hash·a·biʹah, a prince of half the district of Keiʹlah,+ did repair work for his district. 18 After him their brothers did repair work, Bavʹvai the son of Henʹa·dad, a prince of half the district of Keiʹlah.
19 And Eʹzer the son of Jeshʹu·a,*+ a prince of Mizʹpah,+ proceeded at his side to repair another measured section in front of the going up to the Armory at the Buttress.+
20 After him Barʹuch the son of Zabʹbai+ worked with fervor+ [and] repaired another measured section, from the Buttress as far as the entrance of the house of E·liʹa·shib+ the high priest.
21 After him Merʹe·moth the son of U·riʹjah+ the son of Hakʹkoz repaired another measured section, from the entrance of the house of E·liʹa·shib as far as the end of E·liʹa·shib’s house.
22 And after him the priests, men of the [Jordan] District,+ did repair work. 23 After them* Benjamin and Hasʹshub did repair work in front of their own house. After them Az·a·riʹah the son of Ma·a·seiʹah the son of A·na·niʹah did repair work close by his own house. 24 After him Binʹnu·i the son of Henʹa·dad repaired another measured section, from the house of Az·a·riʹah as far as the Buttress+ and as far as the corner.
25 [After him] Paʹlal the son of Uʹzai [did repair work] in front of the Buttress and the tower that goes out from the King’s House,+ the upper one that belongs to the Courtyard of the Guard.+ After him there was Pe·daiʹah the son of Paʹrosh.+
26 And the Nethʹi·nim*+ themselves happened to be dwellers in Oʹphel;+ [they did repair work] as far as in front of the Water Gate+ on the east and the protruding tower.
27 After them the Te·koʹites+ repaired another measured section, from in front of the great protruding tower as far as the wall of Oʹphel.
28 Above the Horse Gate+ the priests did repair work, each one in front of his own house.
29 After them Zaʹdok+ the son of Imʹmer did repair work in front of his own house.
And after him She·maiʹah the son of Shec·a·niʹah, the keeper of the East Gate,*+ did repair work.
30 After him Han·a·niʹah the son of Shel·e·miʹah and Haʹnun the sixth son of Zaʹlaph repaired another measured section.
After him Me·shulʹlam+ the son of Ber·e·chiʹah did repair work in front of his own hall.+
31 After him Mal·chiʹjah, a member* of the goldsmith+ guild, did repair work as far as the house of the Nethʹi·nim+ and the traders,+ in front of the Inspection Gate* and as far as the roof chamber of the corner.
32* And between the roof chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate+ the goldsmiths and the traders did repair work.
4* Now it came about that, as soon as San·balʹlat+ heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry+ and highly offended, and he kept deriding+ the Jews. 2 And he began to say before his brothers+ and the military force of Sa·marʹi·a, yes, he began to say: “What are the feeble Jews doing? Will they depend upon themselves? Will they sacrifice?+ Will they finish up in a day? Will they bring the stones to life out of the heaps of dusty rubbish+ when they are burned?”
3 Now To·biʹah+ the Amʹmon·ite+ was alongside him, and he went on to say: “Even what they are building, if a fox+ went up [against it], he would certainly break down their wall of stones.”
4 Hear,+ O our God, for we have become an object of contempt;+ and make their reproach+ return upon their own head, and give them to the plunder in the land of captivity. 5 And do not cover over their error+ and their sin from before you. Let it not be wiped out, for they have committed offense against the builders.
6 So we kept building the wall, and the entire wall came to be joined together clear to half its [height], and the people continued to have a heart for working.+
7* Now it came about that, as soon as San·balʹlat+ and To·biʹah+ and the Arabians+ and the Amʹmon·ites+ and the Ashʹdod·ites+ heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem had gone forward, for the gaps had started to be stopped up, they became very angry. 8 And all of them began to conspire+ together to come and fight against Jerusalem and cause me* disturbance. 9 But we prayed+ to our God and kept a guard posted against them day and night on account of them.
10 And Judah began to say: “The power of the burden bearer+ has stumbled, and there is a great deal of rubbish;+ and we ourselves are not able to build on the wall.”
11 Moreover, our adversaries kept saying: “They will not know+ and they will not see until we come right in among them, and we shall certainly kill them and put a stop to the work.”
12 And it came about that, whenever the Jews dwelling close by them came in, they proceeded to say to us ten times: “[They will come up]* from all the places where YOU people will return to us.”
13 So I kept [men] posted at the lowest parts of the place behind the wall at the open places, and I kept the people posted by families with their swords,+ their lances+ and their bows. 14 When I saw [their fear] I immediately rose and said to the nobles+ and the deputy rulers+ and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid+ on their account. Jehovah* the great+ and the fear-inspiring+ One keep in YOUR mind; and fight for YOUR brothers,+ YOUR sons and YOUR daughters, YOUR wives and YOUR homes.”
15 Now it came about that as soon as our enemies heard that it had become known to us, so that the [true] God* had frustrated their counsel+ and we had all of us gone back to the wall, each one to his work, 16 yes, it came about that from that day forward half of my young men+ were active in the work and half of them were holding the lances, the shields and the bows and the coats of mail;+ and the princes+ were behind the whole house of Judah. 17 As for the builders on the wall and those who were carrying the burden of load bearers, [each] one was active in the work with his one hand while the other [hand]+ was holding the missile.+ 18 And the builders were girded, each one with his sword upon his hip,+ while building;+ and the one to blow the horn+ was alongside me.
19 And I proceeded to say to the nobles and the deputy rulers+ and the rest of the people: “The work is large and extensive, and we are spread about upon the wall far apart from one another. 20 In the place where YOU hear the sound of the horn,* there is where YOU will collect yourselves together to us. Our God himself will fight for us.”+
21 While we were active in the work, the other half of them also were holding the lances, from the ascending of the dawn until the stars came out. 22 Besides, at that time I said to the people: “Let the men spend the night, each one with his attendant, in the midst of Jerusalem,+ and they must become for us a guard by night and workers* by day.” 23 As for me+ and my brothers+ and my attendants+ and the men of the guard+ who were behind me, we were not taking off our garments, each one [having] his missile+ in his right hand.*
5 However, there came to be a great outcry+ of the people and their wives against their Jewish brothers.+ 2 And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters we are giving as security* that we may get grain and eat and keep alive.”+ 3 And there were those who were saying: “Our fields and our vineyards and our houses we are giving as security+ that we may get grain during the food shortage.” 4 And there were those who were saying: “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute+ on our fields and our vineyards.+ 5 And now our flesh is the same as the flesh of our brothers;+ our sons are the same as their sons, but here we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slaves,+ and there are some of our daughters already reduced; and there is no power in our hands while our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
6 Now I became very angry as soon as I heard their outcry and these words. 7 So my heart took consideration within me, and I began finding fault+ with the nobles and the deputy rulers, and went on to say to them: “Usury+ is what YOU are exacting, each one from his own brother.”
Further, I arranged a great assembly on their account.+ 8 And I proceeded to say to them: “We ourselves have bought back+ our own Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations, as far as it was in our power; and at the same time will YOU yourselves sell YOUR own brothers,+ and must they be sold to us?” At this they became speechless, and they did not find a word.+ 9 And I* went on to say: “The thing that YOU are doing is not good.+ Is it not in the fear+ of our God+ that YOU should walk because of the reproach+ of the nations, our enemies?+ 10 And also I, my brothers and my attendants are giving money and grain on loan among them. Let us, please, leave off this lending on interest.+ 11 Please, restore to them on this day their fields,+ their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, and the hundredth* of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil that YOU are exacting as interest from them.”
12 To this they said: “We shall make restoration,+ and from them we shall ask nothing back.+ We shall do precisely as you are saying.”+ So I called the priests and made them swear to do according to this word.+ 13 Also, my bosom I shook out and then said: “In this manner may the [true] God shake out from his house and from his acquired property every man that does not carry out this word; and in this manner may he become shaken out and empty.” To this all the congregation* said: “Amen!”*+ And they began to praise Jehovah.+ And the people proceeded to do according to this word.+
14 Another thing: From the day that he commissioned me to become their governor*+ in the land of Judah, from the twentieth+ year to the thirty-second+ year of Ar·ta·xerxʹes+ the king, twelve years, I myself and my brothers did not eat the bread due the governor.+ 15 As for the former governors that were prior to me, they had made it heavy upon the people, and they kept taking from them for bread and wine daily* forty silver shekels.* Also, their attendants themselves domineered over the people.+ As for me, I did not do that way+ on account of the fear of God.+
16 And, what is more, in the work of this wall I took a hand,+ and not a field did we acquire;+ and all my attendants were collected together there for the work. 17 And the Jews and the deputy rulers, a hundred and fifty men, and those coming in to us from the nations that were around us were at my table.+ 18 As for that which happened to be made ready daily, one bull, six select sheep and birds were made ready for me, and once every ten days every sort of wine+ in abundance. And along with this the bread due the governor I did not demand, because the service upon this people was heavy. 19 Do remember for me,+ O my God, for good,+ all that I have done in behalf of this people.+
6 Now it came about that, as soon as it was told to San·balʹlat+ and To·biʹah+ and to Geʹshem+ the Arabian+ and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall+ and there had not been left in it a gap (although up to that time the doors+ themselves I had not set up in the gates),+ 2 San·balʹlat and Geʹshem immediately sent to me, saying: “Do come, and let us meet+ together by appointment in the villages of the valley plain of Oʹno.”+ But they were scheming to do me harm.+ 3 So I sent messengers to them,+ saying: “It is a great work that I am doing,+ and I am not able to go down. Why should the work cease while I take off from it and have to go down to YOU?”+ 4 However, they sent me the same word four times, and I kept replying to them with the same word.
5 Finally San·balʹlat+ sent his attendant to me with the same word a fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 There was written in it: “Among the nations it has been heard, and Geʹshem*+ is saying [it], that you and the Jews are scheming to rebel.+ That is why you are building the wall; and you are becoming a king to them,+ according to these words. 7 And there are even prophets that you have appointed to call out concerning you throughout Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ And now things like these will be told to the king. So now do come, and let us consult together.”+
8 However, I sent to him, saying: “Things such as you are saying have not been brought about,+ but it is out of your own heart that you are inventing them.”+ 9 For all of them were trying to make us afraid, saying: “Their hands+ will drop down from the work so that it will not be done.” But now strengthen* my hands.+
10 And I myself entered the house of She·maiʹah the son of De·laʹiah the son of Me·hetʹa·bel while he was shut up.+ And he proceeded to say: “Let us meet by appointment+ at the house of the [true] God, within the temple,*+ and let us close the doors of the temple; for they are coming in to kill you, even by night+ they are coming in to kill you.” 11 But I said: “Should a man like me run away?+ And who is there like me that could enter into the temple and live?+ I shall not enter!” 12 So I investigated, and here it was not God+ that had sent him, but he had spoken+ this prophecy against me as To·biʹah and San·balʹlat+ themselves had hired him.+ 13 For this reason he had been hired+ in order that I might be afraid+ and do that way, and I should certainly sin+ and it should certainly become in their possession a bad reputation,+ in order that they might reproach me.+
14 Do remember,+ O my God, To·biʹah+ and San·balʹlat, according to these deeds of [each] one, and also No·a·diʹah the prophetess+ and the rest of the prophets that were continually trying to make me afraid.
15 At length the wall+ came to completion on the twenty-fifth [day] of Eʹlul,* in fifty-two days.
16 And it came about that, as soon as all our enemies+ heard [of it] and all the nations that were around us got to see it, they at once fell very much in their own eyes, and they got to know that it was from our God+ that this work had been done. 17 In those days also the nobles+ of Judah were making numerous their letters that were going to To·biʹah+ and those of To·biʹah that were coming in to them. 18 For many in Judah were sworn* to him, for a son-in-law he was to Shec·a·niʹah the son of Aʹrah;+ and Je·ho·haʹnan his son had himself taken the daughter of Me·shulʹlam+ the son of Ber·e·chiʹah. 19 Also, good things about him they were continually saying before me.+ And my own words they were continually taking out to him. There were letters that To·biʹah sent to make me afraid.+
7 And it came about that, as soon as the wall had been rebuilt,+ I at once set up the doors.+ Then there were appointed the gatekeepers+ and the singers+ and the Levites.+ 2 And I went on to put in command of Jerusalem Ha·naʹni+ my brother and Han·a·niʹah the prince of the Castle,+ for he was such a trustworthy+ man* and feared+ the [true] God more than many others. 3 So I* said to them: “The gates+ of Jerusalem should not be opened until the sun gets hot; and while they are standing by they should shut the doors and bolt [them].+ And station* guards of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each one at his own guardpost and each one in front of his own house.”+ 4 Now the city was wide* and great, and there were few people inside it,+ and there were no houses built.
5 But my God put [it] into my heart+ that I should collect together the nobles and the deputy rulers and the people to get themselves enrolled genealogically.+ Then I found the book of genealogical enrollment+ of those who came up at the first, and found written in it:
6 These are the sons of the jurisdictional district*+ who came up out of the captivity+ of the exiled people whom Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar+ the king of Babylon* had taken into exile+ and who later returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own city;+ 7 those who came in with Ze·rubʹba·bel,+ Jeshʹu·a,*+ Ne·he·miʹah, Az·a·riʹah,* Ra·a·miʹah,* Na·hamʹa·ni, Morʹde·cai,+ Bilʹshan, Misʹpe·reth,* Bigʹvai, Neʹhum,* Baʹa·nah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 The sons of Paʹrosh,+ two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; 9 the sons of Sheph·a·tiʹah,+ three hundred and seventy-two; 10 the sons of Aʹrah,+ six hundred and fifty-two; 11 the sons of Paʹhath-moʹab,+ of the sons of Jeshʹu·a and Joʹab,+ two thousand eight hundred and eighteen; 12 the sons of Eʹlam,+ a thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 13 the sons of Zatʹtu,+ eight hundred and forty-five; 14 the sons of Zacʹcai,+ seven hundred and sixty; 15 the sons of Binʹnu·i,+ six hundred and forty-eight; 16 the sons of Beʹbai,+ six hundred and twenty-eight; 17 the sons of Azʹgad,+ two thousand three hundred and twenty-two; 18 the sons of Ad·o·niʹkam,+ six hundred and sixty-seven; 19 the sons of Bigʹvai,+ two thousand and sixty-seven; 20 the sons of Aʹdin,+ six hundred and fifty-five; 21 the sons of Aʹter,+ of Hez·e·kiʹah, ninety-eight; 22 the sons of Haʹshum,+ three hundred and twenty-eight; 23 the sons of Beʹzai,+ three hundred and twenty-four; 24 the sons of Haʹriph,+ a hundred and twelve; 25 the sons of Gibʹe·on,+ ninety-five; 26 the men of Bethʹle·hem+ and Ne·toʹphah,+ a hundred and eighty-eight; 27 the men of Anʹa·thoth,+ a hundred and twenty-eight; 28 the men of Beth-azʹma·veth,+ forty-two; 29 the men of Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim,+ Che·phiʹrah+ and Be·erʹoth,+ seven hundred and forty-three; 30 the men of Raʹmah+ and Geʹba,+ six hundred and twenty-one; 31 the men of Michʹmas,+ a hundred and twenty-two; 32 the men of Bethʹel+ and Aʹi,+ a hundred and twenty-three; 33 the men of the other Neʹbo,+ fifty-two; 34 the sons of the other Eʹlam,+ a thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 35 the sons of Haʹrim,+ three hundred and twenty; 36 the sons of Jerʹi·cho,+ three hundred and forty-five; 37 the sons of Lod,+ Haʹdid+ and Oʹno,+ seven hundred and twenty-one; 38 the sons of Se·naʹah,+ three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
39 The priests: The sons of Je·daʹiah+ of the house of Jeshʹu·a, nine hundred and seventy-three; 40 the sons of Imʹmer,+ a thousand and fifty-two; 41 the sons of Pashʹhur,+ a thousand two hundred and forty-seven; 42 the sons of Haʹrim,+ a thousand and seventeen.
43 The Levites: The sons of Jeshʹu·a, of Kadʹmi·el,+ of the sons of Hoʹde·vah,+ seventy-four. 44 The singers,+ the sons of Aʹsaph,+ a hundred and forty-eight. 45 The gatekeepers,+ the sons of Shalʹlum,+ the sons of Aʹter, the sons of Talʹmon,+ the sons of Akʹkub,+ the sons of Ha·tiʹta, the sons of Shoʹbai,+ a hundred and thirty-eight.
46 The Nethʹi·nim:*+ The sons of Ziʹha, the sons of Ha·suʹpha, the sons of Tab·baʹoth,+ 47 the sons of Keʹros, the sons of Siʹa,* the sons of Paʹdon,+ 48 the sons of Le·baʹnah, the sons of Hagʹa·bah,+ the sons of Salʹmai, 49 the sons of Haʹnan,+ the sons of Gidʹdel, the sons of Gaʹhar, 50 the sons of Re·aʹiah,+ the sons of Reʹzin,+ the sons of Ne·koʹda, 51 the sons of Gazʹzam, the sons of Uzʹza, the sons of Pa·seʹah, 52 the sons of Beʹsai,+ the sons of Me·uʹnim, the sons of Ne·phushʹe·sim,*+ 53 the sons of Bakʹbuk, the sons of Ha·kuʹpha, the sons of Harʹhur,+ 54 the sons of Bazʹlith,* the sons of Me·hiʹda, the sons of Harʹsha,+ 55 the sons of Barʹkos, the sons of Sisʹe·ra, the sons of Teʹmah,+ 56 the sons of Ne·ziʹah, the sons of Ha·tiʹpha.+
57 The sons of the servants of Solʹo·mon:+ The sons of Soʹtai, the sons of So·pheʹreth, the sons of Pe·riʹda,*+ 58 the sons of Jaʹa·la, the sons of Darʹkon, the sons of Gidʹdel,+ 59 the sons of Sheph·a·tiʹah, the sons of Hatʹtil, the sons of Poʹche·reth-haz·ze·baʹim, the sons of Aʹmon.*+ 60 All the Nethʹi·nim+ and the sons of the servants of Solʹo·mon were three hundred and ninety-two.
61 And these were the ones going up from Tel-meʹlah, Tel-harʹsha, Cheʹrub, Adʹdon and Imʹmer,+ and they were not able to tell the house of their fathers and their origin,* whether they were of Israel: 62 the sons of De·laʹiah, the sons of To·biʹah, the sons of Ne·koʹda,+ six hundred and forty-two. 63 And of the priests:+ the sons of Ha·baiʹah, the sons of Hakʹkoz,+ the sons of Bar·zilʹlai,+ who took a wife from the daughters of Bar·zilʹlai+ the Gilʹe·ad·ite and came to be called by their name. 64 These were the ones that looked for their register, to establish their genealogy publicly, and it was not found,+ so that they were barred as polluted from the priesthood.+ 65 Consequently the Tir·shaʹtha*+ said to them that they should not eat+ from the most holy things until the priest with Uʹrim+ and Thumʹmim+ stood up.
66 The entire congregation as one group was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,+ 67 apart from their men slaves+ and their slave girls, these being seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven;+ and they had two hundred and forty-five* male+ singers and female+ singers. [68 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five.]*+ 69 The camels were four hundred and thirty-five. The asses+ were six thousand seven hundred and twenty.+
70 And there was a part of the heads+ of the paternal+ houses that gave to the work.+ The Tir·shaʹtha+ himself gave to the treasure a thousand gold drachmas,* fifty bowls, five hundred and thirty priests’ robes.+ 71 And there were some of the heads of the paternal houses that gave to the treasure for the work twenty thousand gold drachmas and two thousand two hundred silver miʹnas.*+ 72 And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas and two thousand silver miʹnas and sixty-seven priests’ robes.
73 And the priests+ and the Levites and the gatekeepers and the singers+ and some of the people and the Nethʹi·nim+ and all Israel took up dwelling in their cities.+ When the seventh month arrived,+ the sons of Israel were then in their cities.+
8 And all the people proceeded to gather themselves as one man+ at the public square+ that was before the Water Gate.+ Then they said to Ezʹra+ the copyist to bring the book+ of the law of Moses,+ which Jehovah had commanded Israel.+ 2 Accordingly Ezʹra the priest+ brought the law before the congregation*+ of men as well as of women and of all intelligent enough to listen,+ on the first day of the seventh month.+ 3 And he continued to read+ aloud from it before the public square that is before the Water Gate, from daybreak+ till midday, in front of the men and the women and the other intelligent ones; and the ears+ of all the people were [attentive]+ to the book of the law. 4 And Ezʹra the copyist kept standing upon a wooden podium,*+ which they had made for the occasion;* and there were standing alongside him Mat·ti·thiʹah and Sheʹma and A·naiʹah and U·riʹah and Hil·kiʹah and Ma·a·seiʹah to his right hand, and at his left Pe·daiʹah and Mishʹa·el and Mal·chiʹjah+ and Haʹshum+ and Hash-badʹda·nah, Zech·a·riʹah [and] Me·shulʹlam.
5 And Ezʹra proceeded to open+ the book before the eyes of all the people, for he happened to be above all the people; and as he opened it all the people stood up.+ 6 Then Ezʹra blessed Jehovah+ the [true] God, the great One, at which all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!”+ with the lifting up of their hands.+ They then bowed low+ and prostrated themselves to Jehovah with [their] faces to the earth.+ 7 And Jeshʹu·a and Baʹni and She·re·biʹah,+ Jaʹmin, Akʹkub, Shabʹbe·thai, Ho·diʹah, Ma·a·seiʹah, Ke·liʹta, Az·a·riʹah, Joʹza·bad,+ Haʹnan, Pe·laʹiah,+ even the Levites, were explaining the law to the people,*+ while the people were in a standing position.+ 8 And they continued reading+ aloud from the book, from the law of the [true] God, it being expounded,* and there being a putting* of meaning [into it]; and they continued giving understanding in the reading.+
9 And Ne·he·miʹah,+ that is, the Tir·shaʹtha,+ and Ezʹra+ the priest, the copyist, and the Levites who were instructing the people proceeded to say to all the people: “This very day is holy to Jehovah YOUR God.+ Do not mourn or weep.”+ For all the people were weeping as they were hearing the words of the law.+ 10 And he went on to say to them: “Go, eat the fatty things and drink the sweet things, and send portions+ to the one for whom nothing has been prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord,* and do not feel hurt, for the joy of Jehovah is YOUR stronghold.” 11 And the Levites were ordering all the people to be silent, saying: “Keep quiet! for this day is holy; and do not feel hurt.” 12 So all the people went away to eat and drink and to send out portions+ and to carry on a great rejoicing,+ for they had understood the words that had been made known to them.+
13 And on the second day the heads of the fathers of all the people, the priests and the Levites, gathered themselves together to Ezʹra the copyist, even to gain insight into the words of the law.+ 14 Then they found written in the law that Jehovah had commanded by means of Moses+ that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths+ during the festival in the seventh month,+ 15 and that they should make proclamation+ and cause a call to pass throughout all their cities and throughout Jerusalem,+ saying: “Go out to the mountainous region+ and bring in olive+ leaves and the leaves of oil trees and myrtle leaves and palm leaves and the leaves of branchy trees to make booths, according to what is written.”
16 And the people proceeded to go out and bring [them] in and make booths for themselves, each one upon his own roof+ and in their courtyards and in the courtyards+ of the house of the [true] God and in the public square+ of the Water Gate+ and in the public square of the Gate of Eʹphra·im.+ 17 Thus all the congregation of those who had come back from the captivity made booths and took up dwelling in the booths; for the sons of Israel had not done that way from the days of Joshua* the son of Nun+ until that day, so that there came to be very great rejoicing.+ 18 And there was a reading aloud of the book of the law of the [true] God day by day,+ from the first day until the last day; and they went on holding the festival seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.+
9 And on the twenty-fourth day of this month+ the sons of Israel gathered themselves together with fasting+ and with sackcloth+ and dirt+ upon themselves. 2 And the seed of Israel proceeded to separate+ themselves from all the foreigners,*+ and to stand and make confession+ of their own sins+ and the errors of their fathers.+ 3 Then they rose up at their place+ and they read aloud from the book of the law+ of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day;+ and a fourth part they were making confession+ and bowing down to Jehovah their God.+
4 And Jeshʹu·a and Baʹni, Kadʹmi·el, Sheb·a·niʹah, Bunʹni, She·re·biʹah,+ Baʹni [and] Che·naʹni proceeded to rise on the platform+ of the Levites and cry out with a loud voice+ to Jehovah their God. 5 And the Levites Jeshʹu·a and Kadʹmi·el, Baʹni, Hash·ab·neiʹah, She·re·biʹah, Ho·diʹah, Sheb·a·niʹah [and] Peth·a·hiʹah went on to say: “Rise, bless+ Jehovah YOUR God from time indefinite to time indefinite.+ And let them bless your glorious name,+ which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
6 “You are Jehovah alone;+ you yourself have made the heavens,+ [even] the heaven of the heavens, and all their army,+ the earth+ and all that is upon it,+ the seas+ and all that is in them;+ and you are preserving all of them alive; and the army+ of the heavens are bowing down to you. 7 You are Jehovah the [true] God, who chose Aʹbram+ and brought him out of Ur of the Chal·deʹans+ and constituted his name Abraham.+ 8 And you found his heart faithful before you;+ so there was a contracting* of the covenant+ with him to give [him] the land of the Caʹnaan·ites, the Hitʹtites, the Amʹor·ites and the Perʹiz·zites and the Jebʹu·sites and the Girʹga·shites, to give [it] to his seed;+ and you proceeded to carry out your words, because you are righteous.+
9 “So you saw+ the affliction of our forefathers in Egypt, and their outcry at the Red Sea you heard.+ 10 Then you gave signs and miracles against Pharʹaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land,+ for you knew that they acted presumptuously+ against them; and you proceeded to make a name+ for yourself as at this day. 11 And the sea you split+ before them, so that they crossed over through the midst of the sea on the dry land;+ and their pursuers you hurled into the depths+ like a stone+ in the strong waters.+ 12 And by a pillar of cloud you led them by day,+ and by a pillar of fire by night,+ to light+ up for them the way in which they should go. 13 And upon Mount Siʹnai you came down+ and spoke with them out of heaven+ and went on to give them upright judicial decisions+ and laws of truth,+ good regulations+ and commandments.+ 14 And your holy sabbath+ you made known to them, and commandments and regulations and a law you commanded them by means of Moses your servant.+ 15 And bread from heaven you gave them for their hunger,+ and waters out of the crag you brought forth to them for their thirst,+ and you went on to say to them to enter+ and possess the land that you had lifted your hand [in an oath] to give to them.+
16 “And they themselves, even our forefathers, acted presumptuously+ and proceeded to harden their neck,+ and they did not listen to your commandments. 17 So they refused to listen,+ and they did not remember+ your wonderful acts that you performed with them, but they hardened their neck+ and appointed a head+ to return to their servitude in Egypt.* But you are a God* of acts of forgiveness,+ gracious+ and merciful,+ slow to anger+ and abundant+ in loving-kindness, and you did not leave them.+ 18 Yes, when they had made for themselves a molten statue of a calf+ and began to say, ‘This is your God* who led you up out of Egypt,’+ and they went on to commit great acts of disrespect, 19 you, even you, in your abundant mercy did not leave+ them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud itself did not depart from over them by day to lead them in the way,+ nor the pillar of fire by night to light up for them the way in which they should go.+ 20 And your good spirit+ you gave to make them prudent, and your manna you did not hold back from their mouth,+ and water you gave them for their thirst.+ 21 And for forty+ years you provided them with food in the wilderness. They lacked nothing.+ Their very garments did not wear out,+ and their feet themselves did not become swollen.+
22 “And you proceeded to give them kingdoms+ and peoples, and to apportion them piece by piece;+ so that they took possession of the land of Siʹhon,+ even the land of the king of Heshʹbon,+ and the land of Og+ the king of Baʹshan.+ 23 And their sons you made as many as the stars of the heavens.+ Then you brought them into the land+ that you had promised to their forefathers+ that [they] should enter to take possession. 24 So their sons+ came in and took the land in possession,+ and you proceeded to subdue+ before them the inhabitants of the land, the Caʹnaan·ites,+ and to give them into their hand, even their kings+ and the peoples of the land,+ to do with them according to their liking.+ 25 And they went capturing fortified cities+ and a fat soil+ and taking in possession houses full of all good things,+ cisterns hewn out,+ vineyards and olive groves+ and trees for food in abundance, and they began to eat and to be satisfied+ and to grow fat+ and to luxuriate in your great goodness.+
26 “However, they became disobedient+ and rebelled against you+ and kept casting your law behind their back,+ and your own prophets they killed,+ who bore witness against them to bring them back to you;+ and they went on committing acts of great disrespect.+ 27 For this you gave them into the hand of their adversaries,+ who kept causing them distress;+ but in the time of their distress they would cry out to you,+ and you yourself would hear from the very heavens;+ and in accord with your abundant mercy+ you would give them saviors+ who would save them out of the hand of their adversaries.+
28 “But as soon as they were at rest, they would again do what is bad before you,+ and you would leave them to the hand of their enemies, who would tread them down.+ Then they would return and call to you for aid,+ and you yourself would hear from the very heavens+ and deliver them in accord with your abundant mercy, time and again.+ 29 Although you would bear witness+ against them to bring them back to your law,+ they themselves even acted presumptuously+ and did not listen to your commandments; and against your own judicial decisions+ they sinned,+ which, if a man* will do, he must also live by means of them.*+ And they kept giving a stubborn shoulder,+ and their neck they hardened,+ and they did not listen.+ 30 But you were indulgent with them for many years+ and kept bearing witness+ against them by your spirit by means of your prophets, and they did not give ear.+ Finally you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.+ 31 And in your abundant mercy you did not make an extermination of them+ or leave+ them; for you are a God* gracious+ and merciful.+
32 “And now, O our God, the God* great,+ mighty+ and fear-inspiring,*+ keeping the covenant+ and loving-kindness,*+ do not let all the hardship that has found us,+ our kings,+ our princes+ and our priests+ and our prophets+ and our forefathers+ and all your people from the days of the kings of As·syrʹi·a down to this day,+ seem little before you.+ 33 And you are righteous+ as regards all that has come upon us, for faithfully+ is how you have acted, but we are the ones that have done wickedly.+ 34 As for our kings, our princes, our priests and our forefathers,+ they have not performed your law,+ nor paid attention to your commandments+ or to your testimonies* with which you bore witness+ against them. 35 And they themselves—during their* kingdom+ and amid your abundant good things+ that you gave to them and in the broad and fat land+ that you made available for them, they did not serve you+ and did not turn back from their bad practices.+ 36 Look! We are today slaves;+ and as for the land that you gave to our forefathers to eat its fruitage and its good things, look! we are slaves upon it,+ 37 and its produce is abounding+ for the kings+ that you have put over us because of our sins,+ and over our bodies they are ruling and over our domestic animals, according to their liking, and we are in great distress.*+
38 “So in view of all this we are contracting* a trustworthy arrangement,+ both in writing and attested by the seal+ of our princes,* our Levites [and] our priests.”+
10 Now attesting it by seal*+ there were:
Ne·he·miʹah+ the Tir·shaʹtha,+ the son of Hac·a·liʹah,+
And Zed·e·kiʹah, 2 Se·raiʹah,+ Az·a·riʹah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashʹhur, Am·a·riʹah, Mal·chiʹjah, 4 Hatʹtush, Sheb·a·niʹah, Malʹluch, 5 Haʹrim,+ Merʹe·moth, O·ba·diʹah, 6 Daniel,+ Ginʹne·thon, Barʹuch, 7 Me·shulʹlam, A·biʹjah, Mijʹa·min, 8 Ma·a·ziʹah, Bilʹgai [and] She·maiʹah, these being the priests.
9 Also the Levites: Jeshʹu·a+ the son of Az·a·niʹah, Binʹnu·i of the sons of Henʹa·dad,+ Kadʹmi·el 10 and their brothers Sheb·a·niʹah,+ Ho·diʹah, Ke·liʹta, Pe·laʹiah, Haʹnan, 11 Miʹca, Reʹhob, Hash·a·biʹah, 12 Zacʹcur, She·re·biʹah,+ Sheb·a·niʹah, 13 Ho·diʹah, Baʹni [and] Be·niʹnu.
14 The heads of the people: Paʹrosh, Paʹhath-moʹab,+ Eʹlam, Zatʹtu, Baʹni, 15 Bunʹni, Azʹgad, Beʹbai, 16 Ad·o·niʹjah,* Bigʹvai, Aʹdin, 17 Aʹter, Hez·e·kiʹah, Azʹzur, 18 Ho·diʹah, Haʹshum, Beʹzai, 19 Haʹriph,* Anʹa·thoth, Neʹbai, 20 Magʹpi·ash, Me·shulʹlam, Heʹzir, 21 Me·shezʹa·bel, Zaʹdok, Jadʹdu·a, 22 Pel·a·tiʹah, Haʹnan, A·naiʹah, 23 Ho·sheʹa, Han·a·niʹah, Hasʹshub, 24 Hal·loʹhesh, Pilʹha, Shoʹbek, 25 Reʹhum, Ha·shabʹnah, Ma·a·seiʹah, 26 and A·hiʹjah, Haʹnan, Aʹnan, 27 Malʹluch, Haʹrim, Baʹa·nah.
28 As for the rest of the people, the priests,+ the Levites,+ the gatekeepers,+ the singers,+ the Nethʹi·nim*+ and everyone separating himself from the peoples of the lands+ to the law+ of the [true] God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, everyone having knowledge [and] understanding,+ 29 they were adhering to their brothers,+ their majestic ones,+ and coming into [liability to] a curse+ and into an oath,+ to walk in the law of the [true] God, which had been given by the hand of Moses the servant of the [true] God,+ and to keep+ and to perform all the commandments of Jehovah our Lord+ and his judicial decisions and his regulations;+ 30 and that we should not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, and their daughters we should not take for our sons.+
31 As for the peoples of the land+ who were bringing in wares and every kind of cereal on the sabbath day to sell, we should take nothing from them on the sabbath+ or on a holy day,+ and we should forego the seventh year+ and the debt of every hand.+
32 Also, we imposed upon ourselves commandments to give, each of us, a third of a shekel* yearly for the service of the house of our God,+ 33 for the layer bread+ and the constant grain offering+ and the constant burnt offering of the sabbaths,+ the new moons,+ for the appointed feasts+ and for the holy+ things and for the sin offerings+ to make atonement for Israel and all the work of the house of our God.+
34 Also, the lots+ we cast concerning the supply* of the wood+ that the priests, the Levites and the people should bring to the house of our God, by the house of our forefathers, at the appointed times, year by year, to burn upon the altar of Jehovah our God,+ according to what is written in the law;+ 35 and to bring the first ripe fruits of our ground+ and the first ripe fruits of all the fruitage of every sort of tree,+ year by year, to the house of Jehovah; 36 and the firstborn+ of our sons and of our domestic animals,+ according to what is written in the law,+ and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks,+ to bring [them] to the house of our God, to the priests that were ministering in the house of our God.+ 37 Also, the firstfruits of our coarse meal+ and our contributions+ and the fruitage of every sort of tree,+ new wine+ and oil+ we should bring to the priests to the dining halls+ of the house of our God, also the tenth* from our soil to the Levites,+ as they, the Levites, are the ones receiving a tenth in all our agricultural cities.
38 And the priest, the son of Aaron, must prove to be with the Levites when the Levites receive a tenth; and the Levites themselves should offer up a tenth of the tenth to the house of our God+ to the dining halls+ of the supply house. 39 For it is to the dining halls that the sons of Israel and the sons of the Levites should bring the contribution+ of the grain, the new wine+ and the oil, and there is where the utensils of the sanctuary and the priests that were ministering,+ and the gatekeepers+ and the singers+ are; and we should not neglect the house of our God.+
11 Now the princes+ of the people had their dwelling in Jerusalem;+ but as for the rest of the people, they cast lots+ to bring in one out of every ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city,+ and the nine other parts in the other cities. 2 Moreover, the people blessed+ all the men who volunteered+ to dwell in Jerusalem.
3 And these are the heads of the jurisdictional district+ who dwelt in Jerusalem;+ but in the cities of Judah there dwelt, each one in his own possession, in their cities,+ Israel,+ the priests+ and the Levites,+ and the Nethʹi·nim*+ and the sons of the servants of Solʹo·mon.+
4 Also, in Jerusalem there dwelt some of the sons of Judah and some of the sons of Benjamin.+ Of the sons of Judah there were A·thaiʹah the son of Uz·ziʹah the son of Zech·a·riʹah the son of Am·a·riʹah the son of Sheph·a·tiʹah the son of Ma·halʹa·lel of the sons of Peʹrez;+ 5 and Ma·a·seiʹah the son of Barʹuch the son of Col·hoʹzeh the son of Ha·zaiʹah the son of A·daiʹah the son of Joiʹa·rib the son of Zech·a·riʹah the son of the She·laʹnite.* 6 All the sons of Peʹrez who were dwelling in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight, capable men.
7 And these were the sons of Benjamin:+ Salʹlu the son of Me·shulʹlam+ the son of Joʹed the son of Pe·daiʹah the son of Ko·laiʹah the son of Ma·a·seiʹah the son of Ithʹi·el the son of Je·shaʹiah; 8 and after him* Gab·baʹi [and] Sal·laʹi,* nine hundred and twenty-eight; 9 and Joel the son of Zichʹri, an overseer* over them, and Judah the son of Has·se·nuʹah over the city as second.
10 Of the priests: Je·daʹiah the son of Joiʹa·rib,+ Jaʹchin,+ 11 Se·raiʹah the son of Hil·kiʹah the son of Me·shulʹlam+ the son of Zaʹdok+ the son of Me·raʹioth the son of A·hiʹtub,+ a leader of the house of the [true] God; 12 and their brothers the doers of the work of the house,+ eight hundred and twenty-two; and A·daiʹah the son of Je·roʹham+ the son of Pel·a·liʹah the son of Amʹzi the son of Zech·a·riʹah the son of Pashʹhur+ the son of Mal·chiʹjah,+ 13 and his brothers, heads of paternal houses,+ two hundred and forty-two, and A·mashʹsai the son of Azʹar·el the son of Ahʹzai the son of Me·shilʹle·moth the son of Imʹmer, 14 and their brothers, mighty men of valor,+ a hundred and twenty-eight, and there was an overseer+ over them, Zabʹdi·el the son of the great ones.
15 And of the Levites:+ She·maiʹah the son of Hasʹshub the son of Az·riʹkam the son of Hash·a·biʹah+ the son of Bunʹni, 16 and Shabʹbe·thai+ and Joʹza·bad,+ of the heads of the Levites, over the outside business of the house of the [true] God; 17 and Mat·ta·niʹah+ himself, the son of Miʹcah the son of Zabʹdi the son of Aʹsaph,+ the conductor* of the praise [singing],+ did the lauding at prayer,+ and Bak·bu·kiʹah was second of his brothers, and Abʹda the son of Sham·muʹa the son of Gaʹlal+ the son of Je·duʹthun.+ 18 All the Levites in the holy+ city were two hundred and eighty-four.
19 And the gatekeepers+ were Akʹkub, Talʹmon+ and their brothers who were keeping guard in the gates,+ a hundred and seventy-two.
20 And the rest of Israel, of the priests [and] of the Levites, were in all the other cities of Judah, each one in his own hereditary possession.+ 21 And the Nethʹi·nim+ were dwelling in Oʹphel;+ and Ziʹha and Gishʹpa were over the Nethʹi·nim.
22 And the overseer+ of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzʹzi the son of Baʹni the son of Hash·a·biʹah the son of Mat·ta·niʹah+ the son of Miʹca+ of the sons of Aʹsaph,+ the singers,+ concerning the work of the house of the [true] God. 23 For there was a commandment of the king in behalf of them,+ and there was a fixed provision for the singers as each day required.+ 24 And Peth·a·hiʹah the son of Me·shezʹa·bel of the sons of Zeʹrah the son of Judah was at the side of the king for every matter of the people.
25 And as regards the settlements+ in their fields, there were some of the sons of Judah that dwelt in Kirʹi·ath-arʹba+ and its dependent towns* and in Diʹbon* and its dependent towns and in Je·kabʹze·el+ and its settlements, 26 and in Jeshʹu·a* and in Mo·laʹdah+ and in Beth-pelʹet+ 27 and in Haʹzar-shuʹal+ and in Beʹer-sheʹba+ and its dependent towns 28 and in Zikʹlag+ and in Me·coʹnah and its dependent towns 29 and in En-rimʹmon+ and in Zoʹrah+ and in Jarʹmuth,+ 30 Za·noʹah,+ A·dulʹlam+ and their settlements, Laʹchish+ and its fields, A·zeʹkah+ and its dependent towns. And they took up camping from Beʹer-sheʹba clear to the valley of Hinʹnom.*+
31 And the sons of Benjamin were from Geʹba,+ Michʹmash+ and Aiʹja+ and Bethʹel+ and its dependent towns, 32 Anʹa·thoth,+ Nob,+ A·na·niʹah, 33 Haʹzor, Raʹmah,+ Gitʹta·im,+ 34 Haʹdid, Ze·boʹim, Ne·balʹlat, 35 Lod+ and Oʹno,+ the valley of the craftsmen. 36 And of the Levites there were divisions of Judah for Benjamin.*
12 And these were the priests and the Levites that went up with Ze·rubʹba·bel+ the son of She·alʹti·el+ and Jeshʹu·a:+ Se·raiʹah, Jeremiah, Ezʹra, 2 Am·a·riʹah,+ Malʹluch, Hatʹtush, 3 Shec·a·niʹah, Reʹhum, Merʹe·moth, 4 Idʹdo, Ginʹne·thoi, A·biʹjah, 5 Mijʹa·min, Ma·a·diʹah, Bilʹgah, 6 She·maiʹah,+ and Joiʹa·rib, Je·daʹiah,+ 7 Salʹlu,* Aʹmok,+ Hil·kiʹah, Je·daʹiah.+ These were the heads of the priests and their brothers in the days of Jeshʹu·a.+
8 And the Levites were Jeshʹu·a,+ Binʹnu·i,+ Kadʹmi·el,+ She·re·biʹah,+ Judah, Mat·ta·niʹah,+ over the giving of thanks, he and his brothers. 9 And Bak·bu·kiʹah and Unʹni their brothers were opposite them for guard duties. 10 Jeshʹu·a himself became father to Joiʹa·kim,+ and Joiʹa·kim himself became father to E·liʹa·shib,+ and E·liʹa·shib to Joiʹa·da.+ 11 And Joiʹa·da himself became father to Jonʹa·than, and Jonʹa·than himself became father to Jadʹdu·a.+
12 And in the days of Joiʹa·kim there happened to be priests, the heads of the paternal+ houses: for Se·raiʹah,+ Me·raiʹah; for Jeremiah, Han·a·niʹah; 13 for Ezʹra,+ Me·shulʹlam; for Am·a·riʹah, Je·ho·haʹnan; 14 for Malʹlu·chi,* Jonʹa·than; for Sheb·a·niʹah,+ Joseph; 15 for Haʹrim,+ Adʹna; for Me·raʹioth, Helʹkai; 16 for Idʹdo, Zech·a·riʹah; for Ginʹne·thon, Me·shulʹlam; 17 for A·biʹjah,+ Zichʹri; for Mi·niʹa·min,* ——;* for Mo·a·diʹah, Pilʹtai; 18 for Bilʹgah,+ Sham·muʹa; for She·maiʹah, Je·honʹa·than; 19 and for Joiʹa·rib, Mat·teʹnai; for Je·daʹiah,+ Uzʹzi; 20 for Sal·laʹi, Kalʹlai; for Aʹmok, Eʹber; 21 for Hil·kiʹah, Hash·a·biʹah; for Je·daʹiah,+ Ne·thanʹel.
22 The Levites in the days of E·liʹa·shib,+ Joiʹa·da+ and Jo·haʹnan and Jadʹdu·a+ were recorded as heads of paternal houses, also the priests, down till the kingship of Da·riʹus the Persian.
23 The sons of Leʹvi as heads of the paternal houses+ were recorded in the book of the affairs of the times, even down till the days of Jo·haʹnan the son of E·liʹa·shib. 24 And the heads of the Levites were Hash·a·biʹah, She·re·biʹah+ and Jeshʹu·a* the son of Kadʹmi·el+ and their brothers opposite them to offer praise [and] give thanks according to the commandment+ of David the man of the [true] God, guard group corresponding with guard group. 25 Mat·ta·niʹah+ and Bak·bu·kiʹah, O·ba·diʹah, Me·shulʹlam, Talʹmon, Akʹkub+ were keeping guard as gatekeepers,+ a guard group by the stores of the gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiʹa·kim+ the son of Jeshʹu·a+ the son of Joʹza·dak+ and in the days of Ne·he·miʹah+ the governor and Ezʹra+ the priest, the copyist.+
27 And at the inauguration+ of the wall of Jerusalem they looked for the Levites, to bring them out of all their places to Jerusalem to carry on an inauguration and a rejoicing even with thanksgivings+ and with song,+ cymbals [and] stringed instruments+ and with harps.+ 28 And the sons of the singers proceeded to gather themselves even from the District,+ from all around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Ne·tophʹa·thites,+ 29 and from Beth-gilʹgal+ and from the fields of Geʹba+ and Azʹma·veth,+ for there were settlements+ that the singers had built for themselves all around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites proceeded to cleanse+ themselves and cleanse the people+ and the gates+ and the wall.+
31 Then I brought up the princes+ of Judah upon the wall. Further, I appointed two large thanksgiving choirs+ and processions, [and the one was walking]* to the right upon the wall to the Gate of the Ash-heaps.*+ 32 And Ho·shaiʹah and half of the princes of Judah began to walk behind them, 33 also Az·a·riʹah, Ezʹra and Me·shulʹlam, 34 Judah and Benjamin and She·maiʹah and Jeremiah; 35 also of the sons of the priests with the trumpets+ Zech·a·riʹah the son of Jonʹa·than the son of She·maiʹah the son of Mat·ta·niʹah the son of Mi·caiʹah the son of Zacʹcur+ the son of Aʹsaph,+ 36 and his brothers She·maiʹah and Azʹar·el, Milʹa·lai, Gilʹa·lai, Maʹai, Ne·thanʹel and Judah, Ha·naʹni, with the instruments+ of song of David the man of the [true] God; and Ezʹra+ the copyist before them. 37 And at the Fountain Gate+ and straight ahead of them they went up on the Stairway+ of the City of David+ by the ascent of the wall above the House of David and clear to the Water Gate+ to the east.
38 And the other thanksgiving choir+ was walking in front, and I after it, also half of the people, upon the wall up over the Tower of the Bake Ovens+ and on to the Broad Wall,+ 39 and up over the Gate of Eʹphra·im+ and on to the Gate of the Old [City]+ and clear to the Fish Gate+ and the Tower of Ha·nanʹel+ and the Tower of Meʹah+ and on to the Sheep Gate;+ and they came to a stand at the Gate of the Guard.
40 At length the two thanksgiving choirs+ came to a stand at the house+ of the [true] God, also I and half of the deputy rulers with me,+ 41 and the priests E·liʹa·kim, Ma·a·seiʹah, Mi·niʹa·min,* Mi·caiʹah, Eli·o·eʹnai, Zech·a·riʹah, Han·a·niʹah with the trumpets,+ 42 and Ma·a·seiʹah and She·maiʹah, and El·e·aʹzar and Uzʹzi and Je·ho·haʹnan and Mal·chiʹjah and Eʹlam and Eʹzer. And the singers with Iz·ra·hiʹah the overseer kept making themselves heard.+
43 And they proceeded to sacrifice on that day great sacrifices+ and to rejoice,+ for the [true] God himself caused them to rejoice with great joy.+ And also the women+ and the children+ themselves rejoiced, so that the rejoicing of Jerusalem could be heard far away.+
44 Further, there were appointed on that day men over the halls+ for the stores,+ for the contributions,+ for the firstfruits+ and for the tenths,*+ to gather into them out of* the fields of the cities the portions [called for by] the law+ for the priests and the Levites;+ for the rejoicing of Judah was because of the priests and of the Levites+ who were in attendance. 45 And they began taking care of the obligation+ of their God and the obligation of the purification,+ also the singers+ and the gatekeepers,+ according to the commandment of David [and] Solʹo·mon his son. 46 For in the days of David and Aʹsaph in bygone time there were heads of the singers+ and the song of praise and thanksgivings to God.+ 47 And all Israel during the days of Ze·rubʹba·bel+ and during the days of Ne·he·miʹah+ were giving the portions of the singers+ and of the gatekeepers+ according to the daily need* and were sanctifying [them] to the Levites;+ and the Levites were sanctifying [them] to the sons of Aaron.
13 On that day there was a reading+ from the book+ of Moses in the ears of the people; and there was found written in it that the Amʹmon·ite+ and the Moʹab·ite+ should not come into the congregation* of the [true] God to time indefinite,+ 2 for they had not met the sons of Israel with bread+ and with water,+ but went hiring against them Baʹlaam+ to call down evil upon them.+ However, our God changed the malediction into a benediction.+ 3 So it came about that, as soon as they heard the law,+ they began to separate+ all the mixed company from Israel.
4 Now before this, E·liʹa·shib+ the priest in charge of a dining hall+ of the house of our God was a relative of To·biʹah;+ 5 and he proceeded to make for him a large dining hall,+ where previously they were regularly putting the grain offering,+ the frankincense and the utensils and the tenth* of the grain, the new wine+ and the oil,+ to which the Levites+ and the singers and the gatekeepers are entitled,* and the contribution for the priests.
6 And during all this [time] I did not happen to be in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second+ year of Ar·ta·xerxʹes+ the king of Babylon* I came to the king, and sometime later* I asked leave of absence from the king.+ 7 Then I came to Jerusalem and got to notice the badness that E·liʹa·shib+ had committed for To·biʹah+ by making for him a hall in the courtyard of the house+ of the [true] God. 8 And it seemed very bad to me.+ So I threw+ all the furniture of To·biʹah’s house outside the dining hall. 9 After that I said [the word] and they cleansed+ the dining halls;+ and I proceeded to put back there the utensils+ of the house of the [true] God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.+
10 And I got to find out that the very portions+ of the Levites had not been given [them], so that the Levites and the singers doing the work went running off, each one to his own field.+ 11 And I began to find fault+ with the deputy rulers+ and say: “Why has the house of the [true] God been neglected?”+ Consequently I collected them together and stationed them at their standing place. 12 And all Judah, for their part, brought in the tenth+ of the grain+ and of the new wine+ and of the oil+ to the stores.+ 13 Then I put Shel·e·miʹah the priest and Zaʹdok the copyist and Pe·daiʹah of the Levites in charge* of the stores; and under their control there was Haʹnan the son of Zacʹcur the son of Mat·ta·niʹah,+ for they were considered faithful;+ and upon them it devolved to do the distributing+ to their brothers.
14 Do remember me,+ O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe+ out my acts of loving-kindness* that I have performed in connection with the house+ of my God and the guardianship of it.
15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the sabbath+ and bringing in grain heaps and loading+ [them] upon asses,+ and also wine, grapes and figs+ and every sort of burden, and bringing [them] into Jerusalem on the sabbath day;+ and I proceeded to bear witness [against them] on the day of their selling provisions. 16 And the Tyrʹi·ans+ themselves dwelt in [the city],* bringing in fish and every sort of merchandise+ and making sales on the sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem. 17 So I began to find fault with the nobles+ of Judah and say to them: “What is this bad thing that YOU are doing, even profaning the sabbath day? 18 Was it not this way that YOUR forefathers did,+ so that our God brought upon us all this calamity,+ and also upon this city? Yet YOU are adding to the burning anger against Israel by profaning the sabbath.”+
19 And it came about that, as soon as the gates* of Jerusalem had grown shadowy before the sabbath, I immediately said [the word] and the doors began to be closed.+ I said further that they should not open them until after the sabbath; and some of my own attendants I stationed at the gates that no burden might come in on the sabbath day.+ 20 Consequently the traders and the sellers of every sort of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once and a second time. 21 Then I proceeded to bear witness+ against them and say to them: “Why are YOU spending the night in front of the wall? If YOU do it again, a hand I shall lay on YOU.”+ From that time on they did not come on the sabbath.
22 And I went on to say to the Levites+ that they should be regularly purifying+ themselves and coming in, keeping guard of the gates+ to sanctify*+ the sabbath day. This, also, do remember+ to my account, O my God, and do feel sorry for me according to the abundance of your loving-kindness.+
23 Also, in those days I saw the Jews that had given a dwelling+ to Ashʹdod·ite,+ Amʹmon·ite [and] Moʹab·ite+ wives. 24 And as for their sons, half were speaking Ashʹdod·ite, and there were none of them knowing how to speak Jewish,+ but in the tongue of the different peoples. 25 And I began to find fault with them and call down evil upon them+ and strike some men of them+ and pull out their hair and make them swear by God:+ “YOU should not give YOUR daughters to their sons, and YOU should not accept any of their daughters for YOUR sons or yourselves.+ 26 Was it not because of these that Solʹo·mon the king of Israel sinned?+ And among the many nations there proved to be no king like him;+ and loved of his God he happened to be,+ so that God constituted him king over all Israel. Even him the foreign wives caused to sin.+ 27 And is it not something unheard of for YOU to commit all this great badness in acting unfaithfully against our God by giving a dwelling to foreign wives?”+
28 And one of the sons of Joiʹa·da+ the son of E·liʹa·shib+ the high priest was a son-in-law of San·balʹlat+ the Horʹo·nite.+ So I chased him away from me.+
29 Do remember them, O my God, on account of the defilement+ of the priesthood and the covenant*+ of the priesthood* and of the Levites.+
30 And I purified+ them from everything foreign and proceeded to assign duties to the priests and to the Levites, each one in his own work,+ 31 even for the supply* of the wood+ at appointed times and for the first ripe fruits.
Do remember me,+ O my God, for good.+
Meaning “Jah Comforts; Jah Is Comfort.” Heb., Nechem·yahʹ.
In LXX this is chapter 11 of Second Esdras (2 Ezra).
“Chislev.” The postexilic name of the ninth Jewish lunar month, which falls within November and December. See App 8B.
Or, “fortress.”
“The God of.” Heb., ʼElo·hehʹ, followed by the qualifying expression “the heavens.” See 2Ch 36:23 ftn.
“The God.” The title ʼEl preceded by the Heb. definite article ha, “the,” but followed by the qualifications “great and fear-inspiring.” See App 1G.
Or, “loyal love.”
One of 134 scribal changes from YHWH to ʼAdho·naiʹ. See App 1B.
“Nisan.” The first of two occurrences of this postexilic name of the first Jewish lunar month, which falls within March and April. See Es 3:7.
That is, the Euphrates.
“The park.” Heb., hap·par·desʹ; Gr., pa·ra·deiʹsou; Syr., par·dai·saʼ.
Or, “the Fortress,” located to the northwest of the rebuilt temple.
Or, “an earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
Lit., “the Dragon Fountain,” MVg; by a correction of M in harmony with LXX, “the Fountain of the Fig Trees.” Probably the same as the Well of En-rogel.
“The Gate of the Ash-heaps.” Usually called the Dung Gate as in LXXVg.
Lit., “Tower of the Hundred.”
“Their masters [or, lord].” Heb., ʼadho·neh·hemʹ, pl. of ʼa·dhohnʹ, possibly to denote excellence.
Meaning “Governor of Moab.”
About 445 m (1460 ft).
“The Dung Gate,” LXXVg.
“Shallum,” Sy and some Heb. mss.
Or, “the Pool of Shelah.”
Or, “the Gibborim.” Heb., hag·Gib·bo·rimʹ.
“Jesus,” LXX.
“Him,” M.
“And the Nethinim (temple slaves).” Lit., “And the given ones.” Heb., wehan·Nethi·nimʹ; Gr., Na·thi·nimʹ; Vgc(Lat.), Na·thi·naeʹi. Compare Nu 3:9 ftn.
Lit., “the Gate of the [Sun]rising.”
Lit., “son.”
Or, “the Gate of Hammiphkad.”
In the margin of M opposite this vs is written the Heb. expression meaning “half of the book,” indicating that this is the middle vs of the 685 Heb. vss of the combined books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and that in M the two were one book.
In M this is 3:33.
M begins chapter 4 here.
“Me,” by a slight correction; M, “him.”
“They are coming up,” LXX; M omits.
One of 134 scribal changes from YHWH to ʼAdho·naiʹ. See App 1B.
“The [true] God.” The definite article ha, “the,” precedes the title ʼElo·himʹ for emphasis. See App 1F.
Or, “the shofar.”
Lit., “work.”
“In his right hand,” by a correction; M is obscure. Lit., “the waters.”
“Giving as security,” by a slight correction of M. Compare vs 3.
“I,” MmarginLXXSyVg; M, “he.”
Or, “one percent,” that is, monthly.
“The congregation.” Heb., haq·qa·halʹ; Gr., ek·kle·siʹa.
Or, “So be it!” Heb., ʼa·menʹ; Gr., a·menʹ; Lat., aʹmen. See Ro 1:25.
“Their governor,” LXX; SyVg and one Heb. ms omit “their.”
“Daily,” Vg; M, “after.” Probably, “after (at) the rate of.”
A shekel weighed 11.4 g (0.367 oz t). See App 8A.
“And Geshem.” Heb., weGhash·muʹ.
“Strengthen,” imperative, M; LXXSyVg, “I strengthened.”
“The temple.” Heb., ha·heh·khalʹ; Lat., temʹpli. See Mt 23:16 ftn.
“Elul.” The postexilic name of the sixth Jewish lunar month, which falls within August and September.
Lit., “owners (lords) of an oath.”
Or, “a man of truth.”
“I,” MmarginLXXSyVg; M, “he.” Compare 5:9 ftn.
“Station,” MLXX; Vg and one Heb. ms, “I stationed.”
Lit., “wide on both sides,” that is, spacious.
“Jurisdictional district.” Lat., pro·vinʹci·ae.
“Babylon,” LXXVg; MSy, “Babel.”
“Jesus,” LXX.
“Seraiah” in Ezr 2:2.
“Reelaiah” in Ezr 2:2.
“Mispar” in Ezr 2:2.
“Rehum” in Ezr 2:2.
Or, “The temple slaves.” Lit., “The given ones.” Compare Nu 3:9 ftn.
“Siaha” in Ezr 2:44.
“Nephusim” in Ezr 2:50.
“Bazluth” in Ezr 2:52.
“Peruda” in Ezr 2:55.
“Ami” in Ezr 2:57.
Lit., “seed.”
The Persian title for a governor of a jurisdictional district.
“Two hundred” in Ezr 2:65.
LXXVgc and some Heb. mss add the bracketed portion in agreement with Ezr 2:66.
A drachma was generally equated with the Persian gold daric that weighed 8.4 g (0.27 oz t). Not the drachma of the Greek Scriptures. See App 8A.
A mina weighed 570 g (18.35 oz t). Not the mina of the Greek Scriptures.
“The congregation of.” Heb., haq·qa·halʹ; Gr., ek·kle·siʹas.
“Upon a wooden podium.” Heb., ʽal-migh·dal-ʽetsʹ; Gr., e·piʹ beʹma·tos xy·liʹnou.
Lit., “word; saying; thing.”
Or, “instructing the people in the law.”
Or, “interpreted.” Heb., mepho·rashʹ; Lat., di·stincʹte.
“There being a putting.” In Heb. this is a verb in the infinitive absolute, indefinite as to time and impersonal.
“To our Lord.” Heb., la·ʼAdho·nehʹnu.
“Joshua.” Heb., Ye·shuʹaʽ; LXX, “Jesus.” Compare Jos 1:1 ftn, “Joshua.”
Lit., “sons of a foreign (country).”
“There was a contracting.” In Heb. this is a verb in the infinitive absolute, indefinite as to time and impersonal.
“In Egypt,” LXX and some Heb. mss; M, “in their rebellion.”
“A God.” Heb., ʼElohʹah, sing. of ʼElo·himʹ.
“Your God.” Heb., ʼelo·heyʹkha, pl. to denote excellence, because the demonstrative pronoun zeh, “this,” and the verb he·ʽel·khaʹ, “led you,” are sing., showing that “God” is sing.; Gr., hoi the·oiʹ, “gods”; Lat., Deʹus tuʹus, “your God.” Compare Ex 32:4 ftn, “God.”
Or, “an earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
Or, “live in them.”
“God.” Heb., ʼEl.
Or, “the [true] God.” The title ʼEl preceded by the Heb. definite article ha, “the,” but followed by the qualifications “great, mighty and fear-inspiring.” See App 1G.
“And fear-inspiring (reverend).” Heb., wehan·noh·raʼʹ.
Or, “loyal love.”
Or, “reminders; exhortations.”
“Their,” MVg; LXXSy and two Heb. mss, “your.”
MLXX end chapter 9 here.
Lit., “cutting.”
Lit., “and upon what was sealed of our princes.”
Lit., “And upon the ones sealed.”
“Adonikam” in Ezr 2:13.
“Jorah” in Ezr 2:18.
Or, “the temple slaves.” Lit., “the given ones.” Compare Nu 3:9 ftn.
A shekel weighed 11.4 g (0.367 oz t). See App 8A.
Or, “offering of.” Heb., qur·banʹ. See “corban” in Mr 7:11.
Or, “tithe.”
See 10:28 ftn.
“Shelanite,” by a correction of the vowel points; M, “Shilonite.” Compare Nu 26:20.
“And his brothers,” LXXL.
Possibly, “and his brothers, mighty men of valor,” by a correction of M. Compare vs 14a.
Lit., “head.” Heb., roʼsh.
Lit., “and her daughters.”
Probably the same as “Dimonah” in Jos 15:22.
“Jesus,” LXX.
“Valley of Hinnom.” Heb., gehʼ-Hin·nomʹ; Lat., valʹlem Enʹnom. See App 4C.
“For Judah and for Benjamin,” LXXL.
Probably the same as “Sallai” in vs 20.
“Malluch,” LXX.
“Mijamin” in vs 5.
M evidently omits a name here.
“Jesu,” LXX.
Inserted to agree with vs 38.
“The Gate of the Ash-heaps.” Usually called the Dung Gate as in LXXVg.
“Mijamin” in 10:7.
Or, “tithes.”
Or, “according to.”
Lit., “a thing of a day on its day.”
“Into the congregation of.” Heb., biq·halʹ; Gr., ek·kle·siʹai; Lat., ec·cleʹsi·am.
Or, “tithe.”
Lit., “the oil, the commandment of the Levites and the singers and the gatekeepers.”
“Babylon,” LXXVg; MSy, “Babel.”
Lit., “and at the end of days.”
“Then I put . . . in charge,” LXXLSy.
Or, “acts of loyal love.”
Lit., “it,” fem., referring to Jerusalem.
Nehemiah completes the evidence that the literal city of Jerusalem had 12 gates, even as the heavenly holy city described by John the apostle has 12 gates—three facing each of the four directions—as recorded in Re 21:12, 13. Earthly Jerusalem’s 12 gates are listed in counterclockwise order from where Nehemiah started his inspection tour. SOUTHERN SECTION: Valley Gate (2:13), Gate of the Ash-heaps (2:13) and Fountain Gate (2:14); EASTERN SECTION: Water Gate (3:26), Horse Gate (3:28) and Inspection Gate (3:31); NORTHERN SECTION: Gate of the Guard (12:39), Sheep Gate (3:32) and Fish Gate (3:3); WESTERN SECTION: Gate of the Old [City] (3:6), Gate of Ephraim (12:39) and Corner Gate (2Ch 25:23; Zec 14:10).
“To sanctify (hold sacred; treat as holy).” Heb., leqad·deshʹ; Gr., ha·gi·aʹzein; Lat., sanc·ti·fi·canʹdum.
“And the covenant of.” Heb., u·verithʹ; Gr., di·a·theʹkes.
“Priesthood,” M; LXXLSy and one Heb. ms, “priests.”
“Even for the supply [or, offering] of.” Heb., u·lequr·banʹ. See “corban” in Mr 7:11.