The Second Book
of Esdras the Prophet
or the book of
Nehemiah
From the
Hebrew: Esdras means "help"
and Nehemiah means "Jehovah comforts"
Chapters 1-7 |
8-end
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Chapter 8
Now when the
seventh month drew nye, and the children of Israel were in their
cities, all the people gathered themselves together as one man upon
the street before the Watergate, and said unto Esdras the scribe,
that he should fetch the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord
commanded to Israel. And Esdras the priest brought the law before
the congregation both of men and women, and of all that could
understand it, upon the first day of the seventh month. And read
therein in the street that is before the Watergate, from the morning
until the noon day before the men and the women, and such as could
understand it: and the ears of all the people were inclined unto the
book of the law. And Esdras the scribe stood upon an high pulpit of
wood, which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stood
Mathathiah, Sema, Ananiah, Uriah, Helkiah, and Maaseiah, on his
right hand: and on his left hand stood Phadaiah, Misael, Melchiah,
Hasum, Hasebadanah, Zachary, and Mosolam.
And Esdras opened the book before all the people, for he stood
above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood
up. And Esdras praised the Lord the great God. And all the people
answered, Amen, Amen, with their hands up, and bowed themselves, and
worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And Jesua, and
Baani, and Serabiah, Jami, Acuba, Sebathai, Hodaiah, Maasiah, Celita,
Azariah, Jozabed, Hanan, Phalaiah, and the Levites, caused the
people to give heed unto the law, and the people stood in their
place. And they read in the book in the law of God distinctly and
plainly, so that men understood the thing that was read. And
Nehemiah ( which is Harthirsatha ) and Esdras the priest and scribe,
and the Levites that caused the people to take heed, said unto all
the people: this day is holy unto the Lord your God: be not ye sorry
therefore, and weep not. For all the people wept when they heard the
words of the law.
Therefore said he unto them: Go your way, and eat the fat, and
drink the sweet, and send part unto them also that have not prepared
themselves: for this day is holy unto our Lord: be not ye sorry
therefore: for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And the Levites
stilled all the people, and said: hold your peace, for the day is
holy, vex not yourselves. And all the people went their way to eat
and to drink, and to send part unto other, and to make great mirth,
because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
And on the next day were gathered together the chief of the
fathers among all the people and the priests and Levites, unto
Esdras the scribe, that he should teach them the words of the law.
And they found written in the law how that the Lord had commanded by
Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the
feast of the seventh month. And so they caused it be declared and
proclaimed in all their cities, and at Jerusalem, saying: go up unto
the mount and fetch Olive branches, and Pine branches, Myrtle
branches, Palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make
booths, as it is written.
And the people went up, and set them, and made them booths,
every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in
the courts of the house of God, and in the street by the Watergate,
and in the street by port Ephraim. And all the congregation of them
that were come again out of the captivity, made booths, and dwelt
therein. For since the time of Jesua the son of Nun unto this day,
had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great
gladness. And every day from the first day unto the last, read he in
the book of the law of God. And seven days held they the feast, and
on the eighth day the gathering together, according unto the manner.
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Chapter 9
In the four and
twenty of this month came the children of Israel together with
fasting, and sackclothes, and earth upon them, and separated the
seed of Israel from all the strange children and stood and
knowledged their sins, and the wickedness of their fathers, and
stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord
their God four times on the day, and they knowledged, and worshipped
the Lord their God four times on the day. And the Levites stood on
high, namely Jesua, and Bani, Cadmiel, Sabaniah, Buni, Sarebiah,
Bani, and Chanani, and cried loud unto the Lord their God. And the
Levites, Jeshua, and Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabniah, Serebiah, Hodjah,
Sebaniah, and Pathahiah, said: Stand up praise the Lord your God
forever: and let thanks be given unto the name of thy glory, which
exceedeth all thanksgiving and praise. Lord, thou alone hast made
heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, with all their host, the
earth and all that is therein, the sea and all that is therein: thou
givest life unto all, and the host of heaven bow themselves unto
thee. Thou art the Lord the God, that hast chosen Abram, and
broughtest him out of Ur in Chaldea, and called him Abraham and
foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with
him to give unto his seed the land of the Cananites, Hethites,
Amorites, Pheresites, Jebusites, and Gergasites, and hast made good
thy words: for thou art righteous and hast considered the misery of
our fathers in Egypt, and heard their complaint by the reed sea, and
showed tokens and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and
on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they
presumptuous and cruel against them, and so madest thou thee a name
as it is this day. And the reed sea didst thou divide insunder
before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea dry
shoed: and their persecutors threw thou into the deep as a stone, in
that mighty waters, and leddest them on the day by a cloudy pillar;
and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way
wherein they should go.
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest unto them
from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, true laws good
commandments and statutes, and declared unto them thy holy Sabbath,
and commandedst them precepts, ordinances, and laws, by Moses thy
servant: and gavest them bread from heaven when they were hungry,
and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock when they were
thirsty: and promised them, that they should go in, and take
possession of the land, over which thou hadst lift up thine hand for
to give them.
But our fathers were proud, and hard necked, so they followed
not the commandments, and refused to hear, and were not mindful of
the wonders that thou didst for them: but became obstinate and heady
in so much that they turned back to their bondage in their
disobedience. But thou my God forgavest, and was gracious, merciful,
patient, and of great goodness, and forsook them not. And though
they made a molten calf, ( and said: This is thy God, that brought
thee out of the land of Egypt ) and did great blasphemies, yet
forsookest them not in the wilderness, according to thy great mercy.
And the cloudy pillar departed not from them on the day time to lead
them the way, neither the pillar of fire in the night season, to
show them light in the way that they went.
And thou gavest them thy good spirit to enform them, and
withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water
when they were thirsty. Forty years long madest thou provision for
them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing: their clothes
waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. And thou gavest them
kingdoms and nations, and partest them according to their portions,
so that they possessed the land of Sehon king of Hesebon, and the
land of Og king of Basan. And their children multiplied thou as the
stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land whereof thou
hadst spoken unto their fathers, that they should go in to it, and
have it in possession.
And the children went in, and possessed the land, and thou
subdued before them the inhabitantors of the land, even the
Cananites, and gavest them into their hand, and their kings and the
people of the land, that they might do with them what they would.
And they won their strong cities, and a fat land, and took
possession of houses that were full of all manner goods, wells
digged out, vineyards, olivegardens, and many fruitful trees: and
they ate and were filled, and became fat, and lived in wealth
through thy great goodness. Nevertheless they were disobedient, and
rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew
thy prophets, which exhorted them so earnestly, that they should
convert unto thee, and did great blasphemes. Therefore gavest thou
them over in to the hand of their enemies that vexed them.
And in the time of their trouble they cried unto thee, and
thou heardest them from heaven and through thy great mercy thou
gavest them saviours, which helped them out of the hand of their
enemies. But when they came to rest, they turned back again to do
evil before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their
enemies, so that they had the dominion over them. So they converted,
and cried unto thee, and thou heardest them from heaven; and many
times hast thou delivered them according to thy great mercy, and
testified unto them, that they should turn again unto thy law.
Notwithstanding they were proud, and hearkened not unto thy
commandments, but sinned in thy laws, ( which a man should do and
live in them ) and turned the shoulder away, and were stiffnecked,
and would not hear. And many years didst thou forbear them, and
testified unto them through thy spirit, even by the office of thy
prophets, and yet would they not hear. Therefore gavest thou them
into the hand of the nations in the lands. But for thy great mercies
sake thou hast not utterly consumed them, neither forsaken them: for
thou art a gracious and merciful God.
Now our God, thou great God, mighty and terrible, thou that
keepest covenant and mercy, regard not a little all the travail that
hath happened unto us, and our kings, princes, priests, prophets,
fathers and all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assur
unto this day. Thou art righteous in all that thou hast brought upon
us: for thou hast done right. As for us, we have been ungodly, and
our kings, princes, priests, and fathers have not done after thy
law, nor regarded thy commandments, and thy earnest exhortations
wherewith thou hast exhorted them, and have not served thee in their
kingdom, and in thy great goods that thou gavest them, and in the
large and plenteous land which thou gavest them, and have not
converted from their wicked works. Behold, therefore are we in
bondage this day: yee even in the land that thou gavest unto our
fathers, to enjoy the fruits and goods thereof, behold, there are we
bondsmen. And great is the increase of it unto the kings, whom thou
hast set over us because of our sins, and they have dominion over
our bodies, and cattle, and we are in great trouble. And in all of
this we make a sure covenant, and write it, and let our princes,
Levites, and priests seal it.
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Chapter 10
These sealers
were: Nehemiah, ( that is ) Hathirsatha, the son of Hachaliah, and
Zedekiah, Saraiah, Asariah, Jeremy, Phashur, Amariah, Malchiah,
Hatus, Sebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Merimoth, Obadiah, Daniel Jenthon,
Baruch, Mosolam, Abiah, Miamin, Maasiah, Belgai and Semeiah: these
were the priests. The Levites were: Jesua the son of Azariah, Benui
among the children of Henadad and Cadmiel. And their brethren:
Sechaniah, Hodiah, Celita, Phalaiah, Hanan, Micha, Rehob, Hasabiah,
Sachur, Serebiah, Sabaniah, Hodiah, Bani and Baninu. The heads of
the people were: Phares, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zathua, Bani, Boni,
Asgad, Bebai, Adoniah, Begoai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Asur, Hodiah,
Hasum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magphias, Mosolam, Hesir,
Mesesabel, Zadoc, Jaddua, Phalatia, Hanan, Anaiah, Hosea, Hananiah,
Hasub, Halohes, Phaleha, Sobek, Rehum, Hasabnah, Maasiah, Ahiah,
Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
And the other people, the priests, the Levites, Porters,
singers, Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from
the people in the lands unto the law of God, with their wives sons,
and daughters, as many as could understand it, and their lords that
had rule of them, received it for their brethren.
And they came to sware, and to bind themselves with an oath to
walk in Gods law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, that
they would observe and do according unto all the commandments of the
Lord our God: and that we would not give our daughters unto the
people of the land, neither to take their daughters for our sons.
And if the people of the land brought ware on the sabbath, and all
manner of vitals to sell, that we would not take it of them on the
sabbath and on the holy days. And that we would let the seventh year
be free concerning all manner of charge.
And we decreed a statute upon ourselves, to give yearly the
third part of a sickle to the ministration in the house of our God,
namely to the showbread, to the daily meatoffering, to the daily
burntoffering of the sabbaths, of the new moons and feast days, and
to the things that were sanctified, and to the sinofferings, to
reconcile Israel with all, and to all the business in the house of
our God.
And we cast the lot among the priests, Levites and the people,
for offering of the wood to be brought unto the house of our God
from year to year, after the houses of our fathers that it might be
burnt at times appointed, upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it
is written in the law: and yearly to bring the firstlings of our
fruits of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord: and
the firstlings of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in
the law: and the firstlings of our oxen and of our sheep, that we
should bring all this to the house of our God: and we should bring
the firstlings of our dough, and our heaveofferings, and the fruits
of all manner of trees, of wine also and of oil, unto the priests to
the chests the house of our God. And the tithes of our land unto the
Levites, that they might have the tithes in all the cities of our
ministration.
And the priest the son of Aaron shall with the Levites have
also of the tithes of the Levites, so that the Levites shall bring
up the tithes of their tithes unto the house of our God to the chest
in the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children
of Levi shall bring up the heaveofferings of the corn, wine, and the
oil unto the chests. And there shall be the vessels of the
sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and
singers, that we forsake not the house of our God.
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Chapter 11
And the rulers of the people
dwelt at Jerusalem. But the other people cast lots therefore, so
that among ten one part went to Jerusalem into the holy city to
dwell, and nine parts in the cities. And the people thanked all the
men that were willingly to dwell at Jerusalem.
These are the heads of the land that dwelt in Jerusalem and
the cities of Judah. And every one dwelt in his possession, and in
their cities of Israel, the priests, Levites, the Nethinims, and the
children of Solomons servants. And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the
children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin.
Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Usiah, the son of
Zachary, the son of Amariah, the son of Saphatiah, the son of
Mahalaleel, of the children of Phares. And Maasiah the son of
Baruch, the son of Cal Hose, the son of Hasaia, the son of Adaia,
the son of Joiarib, the son of Zachary, the son of Siloni. All the
children of Phares that dwelt at Jerusalem, were four hundred and
eight and threescore valiant men.
These are the children of Ben Jamin: Sallu the son of Mesullam,
the son of Joeb, the son of Phadaiah, the son of Colaiah, the son of
Masiah, the son of Jthiel, the son of Jsaiah. And after him Abai,
Selar, nine hundred and eight and twenty. And Joel the son of Zechri
had the over sight of them: and Judah the son of Senuah over the
second part of the city.
Of the priests there dwelt: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.
Saraiah the son of Helkiah the son of Mosolam, the son of Zadoc, the
son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitob, was prince in the house of God:
and his brethren that performed the work in the house: of whom there
were *822. And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Plalaliel, the
son of Amazi, the son of Zachary, the son of Phashur, the son of
Melchiah, and his brethren, chief among the fathers: of whom there
were two hundred and two and forty. And Amashai the son of Asarael,
the son of Ahasai, the son of Mosolamoth, the son of Emer: and his
brethren were valiant men, of whom there were an hundred and eight
and twenty. And their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of *Hagdolim.
Of the Levites: Semeiah the son of Hasub, the son of Aserikam,
the son of Hasabiah, the son of Boni: and Sabathai and Josabad, of
the chief of the Levites, in the outward business of the house of
God. And Mathaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of
Asaph, which was the principal to begin the thanksgiving unto
prayer. And *bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the
son of Sammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jduthun. All the Levites
in the holy city were two hundred and four and fourscore. And the
porters, Acub, Talmon, and their brethren that keep the ports, were
an hundred and two and seventy. As for the residue of Israel, the
priests, and Levites, they were in all the cities of Judah, every
one in his inheritance.
And the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gaspha belonged
to the Nethinims. The overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem, was Usi
the son of Baani, the son of Hasabiah, the son of Mathaniah, the son
of Micha.
Of the children of Asaph, there were singers about the
business in the house of God: For it was the kings commandment
concerning them, that the singers should deal faithfully every day
as according was.
And Pathaiah the son of Mesesabel, of the children of Zarah
the son of Judah, next the king in all matters concerning the people
and their villages, throughout all their regions. And the children
of Judah that were without in the towns of their land, dwelt some at
Kariath Arbe, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the
villages thereof: and at Cabzeel, and in the villages thereof: And
at Jesua, Moladah, Bethphaiet, Hazersual, Bersabe, and in their
villages: And at Sikelag, and Moconah, and in their villages: And at
Enremon, Zarah, Jerimuth, Zonoah, Odollam, and in their villages: At
Lachis, and in the fields thereof: At Asekah, and in the villages
thereof: And dwelt from Bersabe unto the valley of Hennom.
The children of Benjamin of Gaba, dwelt at Machmas, and Aia,
Bethel, and in their villages. And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Hazor,
Ramah, Gethaim, Hadid, Zeboim, Nabalat, Lod, and Ono and in the
carpenters valley. And certain of the Levites that had portions in
Judah, dwelt in Ben Jamin.
*822 for some reason a numeral
is used here instead of a written number *Hagdolim for some reason
the KJV leaves out this name and only uses:"one of the great men".
RN *bakbukiah this is a small case "b" RN. Note in Apocalypse the
"choir"
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Chapter 12
These are the
priests and Levites that went up with Zorobabel the son of Salathiel,
and with Jesua: Seraiah, Jeremy, Esdras, Amariah, Meluch, Hatus,
Sechaniah, Rehum, Merimoth, Ado, Genthoi, Abiah, Miamin, Maadiah,
Belgah, Semaiah, and Joiarib, Jadaiah, Salu, Amok, Helkiah, Jadaiah.
These were the heads among the priests and their brethren in the
time of Jesua. The Levites were these: Jesua, Bennui, Cadmiel,
Sarabiah, Judah, and Mathaniah, over the office of thanksgiving,
they and their brethren: Also Bacbukiah and Uni, and their brethren,
were about them in the watches.
Jesua begat Joakim, Joakim begat Eliasib, and Eliasib begat
Joiada. Joiada begat Jonathan, Jonathan begat Jadua. And in the time
of Joakim were these the chief fathers among the priests: under
Saraiah, Maraiah; under Jeremy, Hananiah, under Esdras, Mosolam,
under Amariah, Jehoanan, under Milico, Jonathan, under Sebaniah,
Joseph, under Harim, Edna, under Maraioth, Helcai, under Adia,
Zachary, under Genthon, Mosolam, under Abia, Zechri, under Miniamin
and Moadia Peltai, under Belgah, Samua, under Semeiah, Jehonathan,
under Joiarib, Mathnai, under Jadaiah, Usi, under Selai, Kelai,
under Amok, Eber, under Helchiah, Hasabiah, under Jadaiah, Nathanael.
And in the time of Eliasib. Joiada, Johanan and Jadua, were
the chief fathers among the Levites, and the priests written under
the reign of Darius the Persian. The children of Levi the principal
fathers were written in the Chronicles, until the time of Jonathan
the son of Eliasib. And these were the chief among the Levites,
Hasabiah, Serebiah and Jesua the son of Cadmiel, and their brethren
over against them, to give praise and thanks, according as David the
man of God had ordained it, one watch over against another. Mathania,
Balbukiah, Obadiah, Mosolam, Talmon, and Abub were porters in the
watch at the thresholds of the gates. These were in the time of
Joiakim the son of Jesua the son of Josedec, and in the time of
Nehemiah the captain and of the priest Esdras the scribe.
And in the dedication of the wall at Jerusalem, were the
Levites sought out of all their places, that they might be brought
to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication and gladness, with
thanksgivings, with singing, with cymbals, Psalteries, and harps.
And the children of the singers gathered themselves together from
the plain country about Jerusalem, and from the villages of
Nethophathi and from the house of Galgal, and out of the fields of
Geba and Asmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages about
Jerusalem. And the priests and Levites purified themselves, and
cleansed the people, the gates and the wall.
And I caused the princes of Juda upon the wall, and appointed
two great choirs of thanksgiving, which went on the right hand of
the wall toward the Dunggate, and after them went Hosaiah, and half
of the princes of Juda, and Asaria, Esdras, Mosolam, Judah, Ben
Jamin, and Semeiah, and Jeremy: and certain of the priests children
with trumpets, namely Zachary the son of Jonathan, the son of
Semeiah, the son of Mathaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zecur,
the son of Asaph, and his brethren, Semeiah, and Asarael, Melalai,
Galalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Juda, Hanani, with the musical
instruments of David the man of God.
And Esdras the scribe before them, toward the Wellgate, and
they went up over against them upon the steps of the city of David
at the going up of the wall to the house of David, unto the
Watergate Eastward.
The other choir of thanksgiving went over against them, and I
after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, toward the
Furnacegate upward, until the broad wall, and to the port of
Ephraim, and to the Oldgate, and to the Fishgate, and to the tower
of Hananeel, and to the tower of Meah, until the Sheepgate. And in
the prison gate they stood still, and so stood the two choirs of
thanksgiving of the house of God, and I and the half of the rulers
with me, and the priests, namely Eliakim, Maasiah, Miniamin,
Michaiah, Elioenai, Zachary, and Hananiah, with trumpets, and
Maasiah, Semeiah, Eleasar, Ursi, Jehoanan, Melchiah, Elam, and Ser.
And the singers sang loud, and Jestahiah was the overseer.
And the same day were great sacrifices offered, and they
rejoiced: for God had given them great gladness, so that both the
wives and children were joyful, and the mirth of Jerusalem was heard
afar off.
At the same time were there men appointed over the treasure
chests (wherein were the Heaveofferings, the firstlings and the
tithes ) that they should gather them out of the fields about the
cities, to distribute them unto the priests and Levites according to
the law: for Judah was glad of the priests, and Levites, that they
stood and waited upon the office of their God, and the office of
purification. And the singers and porters stood after the
commandment of David and of Solomon his son: for in the time of
David and Asaph, were the chief singers founded, and the songs of
praise and thanksgiving unto God. In the time of Zorobabel, and
Nehemiah, did all Israel, give portions unto the singers and
porters, every day his portion, and they gave things hallowed unto
the Levites, and the Levites gave things that were sanctified, unto
the children of Aaron.
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Chapter 13
And what time as the book of
Moses was read in the ears of the people there was found written
therein, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should never come into
the congregation of God, because they met not the children of Israel
with bread and water, and hired Balaam against them, that he should
curse them: nevertheless our God turned the curse into a blessing.
Now when they heard the Law, they separated from Israel everyone
that had mixed himself therein. And before this had the Priest
Eliasib delivered the chest of the house of our God unto his kinsman
Tobiah: for he had made him a great chest, and there had they afore
time layed the meatofferings, frankincense, vessel, and the tithes
of corn, wine and oil ( according to the commandment given to the
Levites, singers and porters ) and the heaveofferings of the
priests.
But in all this was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and
thirtieth year of Arthaxerses king of Babilon, came I unto the king,
and after certain days obtained I license of the king to come to
Jerusalem. And I gat knowledge of the evil that Eliasib did unto
Tobiah, in that he made him a chest in the court of the house of
God, and it grieved me sore, and I cast forth all the vessels of the
house of Tobiah out of the chest, and commanded them to cleanse the
chest. And thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God,
the meatoffering and the incense.
And I perceived, that the portions of the Levites were not
given them, for the which cause the Levites and singers were fled,
everyone to his land for to work. Then reproved I the rulers, and
said: Why forsake we the house of God? But I gathered them together,
and set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithes of
corn and wine and oil unto the treasury. And I made treasurers over
the treasure, even Selemiah the priest, and Zadoc the scribe, and of
the Levites, Phedaiah, and under their hand Hanan the son of Zacur,
the son of Mathaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their
office was to distribute unto their brethren. Think upon me, O' my
God here in, and wipe not out my mercy, that I have showed on the
house of my God, and on the officers thereof.
At the same time saw I some treading wine presses on the
Sabbath and bringing in clusters, and asses ladened with wine,
grapes, figs, and bringing all manner of burdens unto Jerusalem,
upon the Sabbath day. And I rebuked them earnestly the same day that
they sold the vitals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which
brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto
the children of Judah and Jerusalem. Then reproved I the rulers in
Judah, and said unto them: What evil thing is this that ye do, and
break the Sabbath day? Did not our fathers even thus, and our God
brought all this plague upon us and upon this city? And ye make the
wrath more yet upon Israel, in that ye break the Sabbath.
And it fortuned, that when the porters of Jerusalem made
shadow before the Sabbath, I commanded to shut the gates, and
charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and
some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden
be brought in on the Sabbath day. Then remained the *chapmen and the
merchants once or twice over night without Jerusalem with all manner
of wares. Then reproved I them sore, and said unto them: Why tarry
ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once again, I will lay
hands upon you. From that time forth came they no more on the
Sabbath. And I said unto the Levites which were clean, to hallow the
Sabbath day. Think upon me ( O' my God ) concerning this also, and
spare me according to thy great of thy mercy.
And at the same time saw I Jews, that had married wives of
Asdod, Ammon, and of Moab: and their children spake half in the
speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews language, but by
the tongue mighty a man perceive every people. And I reproved them,
and cursed them, and smote certain men of them, and plucked them up,
and took an oath of them by God: Ye shall not give your daughters
unto their sons, neither shall ye take their daughters unto your
sons, or for yourselves. Did not Salomon the king of Israel sin
therein? and yet among many Heathen was there no king like him, and
he was dear unto his God, and God made him king over all Israel, and
yet nevertheless outlandish women caused him to sin? And shall we
then obey unto you, to do all this great evil, and to transgress
against our God, and marry strange wives?
And one of the children of Jehoiada, the son of Eliasib the
high priest, had made a contract with Sanabalat the Horonite: but I
chased him from me. O' my God, think thou upon them that are quite
of the priesthood, and have defiled the covenant of the priesthood
and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all such as were
outlandish, and appointed the courses of the priests and Levites,
every one to his office, and to offer the wood at times appointed,
and the firstfruits. Think thou upon me, ( O' my God ) for the best.
*chapmen =from the root "cheap man"
peddler, dealer.
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Chapters 1-7 |
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