Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 8:1 all the people gathered[1] at the square before the Water Gate. They asked the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the Instruction[2] of Moses that Yahveh had given Israel.

Nehemiah 8:2 On the first day of the seventh month, the priest Ezra brought the instruction before the congregation of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding.

Nehemiah 8:3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he cried out from it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the instruction.

Nehemiah 8:4 The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

Nehemiah 8:5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up.

Nehemiah 8:6 Ezra praised[3] Yahveh, the great God, and all the people raised their hands, answering,[4] “Amen, Amen!” Then they knelt low and worshiped Yahveh with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the instruction to the people as they stood in their places.

Nehemiah 8:8 They cried out from the book of the instruction of God, translating and putting[5] the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.

Nehemiah 8:9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to Yahveh your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the instruction.

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go and consume rich food, drink sweet drink, and send helpings to those who have nothing prepared since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve because the joy of Yahveh is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Don’t grieve.”

Nehemiah 8:12 All the people began to consume and drink, send helpings, and have a grand celebration because they had understood the words explained to them.

Nehemiah 8:13 On the second day, the family heads of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, gathered before the scribe Ezra to study the words of the instruction.

Nehemiah 8:14 They found written in the instruction how Yahveh had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in huts[6] during the festival of the seventh month.

Nehemiah 8:15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make huts, just as it is written.”

Nehemiah 8:16 The people went out, brought back branches, and made huts for themselves on each of their rooftops and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate, and the square by the Ephraim Gate.

Nehemiah 8:17 The whole congregation that had returned from exile made huts and lived in them. The Israelites had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua, son of Nun, until that day. And there was tremendous joy.

Nehemiah 8:18 Ezra cried out from the book of the instruction of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, according to the ordinance, there was an assembly.

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[1] אָסַף = gather. Nehemiah 8:1, 13; 9:1; 12:28.

[2] תּוֹרָה = instruction. Nehemiah 8:1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18; 9:3, 13, 14, 26, 29, 34; 10:28, 29, 34, 36; 12:44; 13:3.

[3] בָּרָךְ = empower, endorse, praise. Nehemiah 8:6; 9:5; 11:2.

[4] עָנָה = answer. Nehemiah 8:6.

[5] שׂוּם = place, put. Nehemiah 8:8; 9:7.

[6]  סֻכָּה = hut. Nehemiah 8:14, 15, 16, 17.

links:

joy of restoration
joy through understanding

The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library

Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah 7:1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

Nehemiah 7:2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, captain of the fortress, because he was a reliable[1] man who feared God more than most.

Nehemiah 7:3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”

Nehemiah 7:4 The city was large and spacious, but few people lived there, and no houses had been built yet.

Nehemiah 7:5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:

Nehemiah 7:6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his town.

Nehemiah 7:7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the Israelite men included

Nehemiah 7:8 Parosh’s descendants 2,172

Nehemiah 7:9 Shephatiah’s descendants 372

Nehemiah 7:10 Arah’s descendants 652

Nehemiah 7:11 Pahath-moab’s descendants: Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,818

Nehemiah 7:12 Elam’s descendants 1,254

Nehemiah 7:13 Zattu’s descendants 845

Nehemiah 7:14 Zaccai’s descendants 760

Nehemiah 7:15 Binnui’s descendants 648

Nehemiah 7:16 Bebai’s descendants 628

Nehemiah 7:17 Azgad’s descendants 2,322

Nehemiah 7:18 Adonikam’s descendants 667

Nehemiah 7:19 Bigvai’s descendants 2,067

Nehemiah 7:20 Adin’s descendants 655

Nehemiah 7:21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah 98

Nehemiah 7:22 Hashum’s descendants 328

Nehemiah 7:23 Bezai’s descendants 324

Nehemiah 7:24 Hariph’s descendants 112

Nehemiah 7:25 Gibeon’s descendants 95

Nehemiah 7:26 Bethlehem’s and Netophah’s men 188

Nehemiah 7:27 Anathoth’s men 128

Nehemiah 7:28 Beth-azmaveth’s men 42

Nehemiah 7:29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men 743

Nehemiah 7:30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men 621

Nehemiah 7:31 Michmas’s men 122

Nehemiah 7:32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 123

Nehemiah 7:33 the other Nebo’s men 52

Nehemiah 7:34 the other Elam’s people 1,254

Nehemiah 7:35 Harim’s people 320

Nehemiah 7:36 Jericho’s people 345

Nehemiah 7:37 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people 721

Nehemiah 7:38 Senaah’s people 3,930.

Nehemiah 7:39 The priests included Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua 973

Nehemiah 7:40 Immer’s descendants 1,052

Nehemiah 7:41 Pashhur’s descendants 1,247

Nehemiah 7:42 Harim’s descendants 1,017.

Nehemiah 7:43 The Levites included Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel, Hodevah’s descendants 74.

Nehemiah 7:44 The singers included Asaph’s descendants 148.

Nehemiah 7:45 The gatekeepers included Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants 138.

Nehemiah 7:46 The temple servants included Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, Tabbaoth’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:47 Keros’s descendants, Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants, Shalmai’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:49 Hanan’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:51 Gazzam’s descendants, Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants, Nephishesim’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:53 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:55 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.

Nehemiah 7:57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants included Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants, Perida’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:58 Jaala’s descendants, Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,

Nehemiah 7:59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.

Nehemiah 7:60 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 392.

Nehemiah 7:61 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families and their seed[2] were Israelite:

Nehemiah 7:62 Delaiah’s descendants, Tobiah’s descendants, and Nekoda’s descendants 642

Nehemiah 7:63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai — who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name.

Nehemiah 7:64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood.

Nehemiah 7:65 The governor ordered them not to consume the most sacred[3] things until there was a priest who could consult the Lights[4] and Darks.[5]

Nehemiah 7:66 The whole combined congregation numbered 42,360

Nehemiah 7:67 not including their 7,337 male and female[6] slaves, as well as their 245 male and female singers.

Nehemiah 7:68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

Nehemiah 7:69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Nehemiah 7:70 Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury.

Nehemiah 7:71 Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project.

Nehemiah 7:72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.

Nehemiah 7:73 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. When the seventh month came, and the Israelites had settled in their cities,

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[1] אֱמֶת = reliable, reliability. Nehemiah 7:2; 9:13, 33.

[2] זֶרָע = seed. Nehemiah 7:61; 9:2, 8.

[3] קֹדֶשׁ = sacred. Nehemiah 7:65; 9:14; 10:31, 33; 11:1, 18.

[4]אוּרִים = lights. Nehemiah 7:65.

[5] תֻּמִּים. = darks. Nehemiah 7:65.

[6] אָמָה = female slave. Nehemiah 7:67.

links:

it is the people
transition time

The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library

Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah 6:1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest[1] of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it– though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gates —

Nehemiah 6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley.” They were planning to harm me.

Nehemiah 6:3 So I sent agents[2] to them, saying, “I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

Nehemiah 6:4 Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.

Nehemiah 6:5 Sanballat’s boy, who had an open letter in his hand, sent me this same message a fifth time.

Nehemiah 6:6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations — and Geshem agrees — that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king

Nehemiah 6:7, and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to cry out on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.” The king will hear these rumors. So come, let’s confer together.

Nehemiah 6:8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your heart.”

Nehemiah 6:9 For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, “They will drop their hands from the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah 6:10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his home. He said: Let’s meet at the house of God, inside the temple. Let’s shut the temple doors because they’re coming to kill you. They’re coming to kill you tonight!

Nehemiah 6:11 But I said, “Should a man like me run?[3] How can someone like me enter the temple and stay alive? I will not go.”

Nehemiah 6:12 I noticed that God had not sent him because of the prophecy he had spoken against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

Nehemiah 6:13 He was hired so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation so that they could discredit me.

Nehemiah 6:14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, as well as the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.

Nehemiah 6:15 The wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.

Nehemiah 6:16 When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that our God had accomplished this task.

Nehemiah 6:17 During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.

Nehemiah 6:18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

Nehemiah 6:19 These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

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[1] יָתַר = survive, reserve, rest. Nehemiah 6:1.

[2] מַלְאָךְ = agent. Nehemiah 6:3.

[3] בָּרָח = run, run through, drive out. Nehemiah 6:11; 13:10, 28.

links:

faithfulness amid conflict
non-stop

The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah 5:1 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish fellow citizens.

Nehemiah 5:2 Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can consume it and stay alive.”

Nehemiah 5:3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.”

Nehemiah 5:4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

Nehemiah 5:5 We and our children are just like our fellow citizens and their children, yet notice[1] thatwe are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Nehemiah 5:6 I became furious when I heard their outcry and these complaints.

Nehemiah 5:7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So, I called a large assembly against them

Nehemiah 5:8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your countrymen, and we have to repurchase them.” They remained silent and could not say a word.

Nehemiah 5:9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?

Nehemiah 5:10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my boys, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest.

Nehemiah 5:11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil that you have been assessing them.”

Nehemiah 5:12 They responded: “We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So, I convened[2] the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this.

Nehemiah 5:13 I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and be hollow!”[3] The whole congregation[4] said, “Amen,” and they praised Yahveh. Then the people did as they had promised.

Nehemiah 5:14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah– from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years — I and my associates never consumed the food allotted to the governor.

Nehemiah 5:15 The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them food and wine as well as a pound of silver. Their boys also oppressed the people, but because of the fear of God, I didn’t do this.

Nehemiah 5:16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of this wall, and all my boys were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.

Nehemiah 5:17 At my table were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations.

Nehemiah 5:18 Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every ten days. But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

Nehemiah 5:19 Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.

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[1] הִנֵּה = notice. Nehemiah 5:5; 6:12; 9:36.

[2] קָרָא = invite, cry out, convene, name. Nehemiah 5:12; 6:7; 7:63; 8:3, 8, 18; 9:3; 13:1.

[3] רֵיק = hollow. Nehemiah 5:13.

[4] קָהָל = congregation. Nehemiah 5:13; 7:66; 8:2, 17; 13:1.

links:

exploitation
ending exploitation

The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library

Nehemiah 4

Nehemiah 4:1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He ridiculed the Jews

Nehemiah 4:2 before his colleagues and the efficient men of Samaria, and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they revive it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

Nehemiah 4:3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”

Nehemiah 4:4 Listen, our God, because we are despised. Make their insults return on their heads and let them be taken as plunder[1] to a land[2] of captivity.

Nehemiah 4:5 Do not cover their violation[3] or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered the builders.

Nehemiah 4:6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the heart to keep working.

Nehemiah 4:7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious.

Nehemiah 4:8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.

Nehemiah 4:9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.

Nehemiah 4:10 In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall.

Nehemiah 4:11 And our enemies said, “They won’t realize it until we’re among them and can kill them and stop[4] the work.”

Nehemiah 4:12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, “Everywhere you turn, they attack us.”

Nehemiah 4:13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by clans[5] with their swords, spears, and bows.

Nehemiah 4:14 After I inspected, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”

Nehemiah 4:15 When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his work on the wall.

Nehemiah 4:16 From that day on, half of my boys[6] did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The captains supported all the people of Judah,

Nehemiah 4:17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

Nehemiah 4:18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me.

Nehemiah 4:19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.

Nehemiah 4:20 Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

Nehemiah 4:21 So we continued the work, while half the men held spears from daybreak until the stars came out.

Nehemiah 4:22 At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his boy spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”

Nehemiah 4:23 And I, my brothers, my boys, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.

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[1] בִּזָּה = plunder. Nehemiah 4:4.

[2] אֶרֶץ = land. Nehemiah 4:4; 5:14; 8:6; 9:6, 8, 10, 15, 22, 23, 24, 30, 35, 36; 10:28, 30, 31.

[3] עָוֹן = violation. Nehemiah 4:5; 9:2.

[4] שָׁבַת = stop. Nehemiah 4:11; 6:3.

[5] מִשְׁפָּחָה = clan. Nehemiah 4:13.

[6] נָעַר = boy (young man, servant). Nehemiah 4:16, 22, 23; 5:10, 15, 16; 6:5; 13:19.

links:

when the challenges occur
working in spite of challenges

The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library