Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 10:1 Those whose seals were on the document were the governor Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,

Nehemiah 10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

Nehemiah 10:3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,

Nehemiah 10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

Nehemiah 10:5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

Nehemiah 10:7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

Nehemiah 10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

Nehemiah 10:9 The Levites were Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

Nehemiah 10:10 and their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

Nehemiah 10:11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

Nehemiah 10:12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

Nehemiah 10:13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

Nehemiah 10:14 The heads of the people were Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

Nehemiah 10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

Nehemiah 10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

Nehemiah 10:17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

Nehemiah 10:18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

Nehemiah 10:19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

Nehemiah 10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

Nehemiah 10:21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

Nehemiah 10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

Nehemiah 10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

Nehemiah 10:24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

Nehemiah 10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

Nehemiah 10:26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

Nehemiah 10:27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

Nehemiah 10:28 The rest of the people — the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, everyone who is able to understand and who has separated themselves from the people of the landto obey the instruction of God —

Nehemiah 10:29 joins with their noble brothers and makes themselves strong with a sworn oath[1] to follow the instruction of God given through God’s servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commands, ordinances, and statutes of Yahweh, our Lord.

Nehemiah 10:30 We will not give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land and will not take their daughters as wives for our sons.

Nehemiah 10:31 When the people of the land bring merchandise or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or a sacred day. We will also leave the land uncultivated in the seventh year and cancel every debt.

Nehemiah 10:32 We will impose the following commands on ourselves: To give an eighth of an ounce of silver yearly for the service of the house of our God:

Nehemiah 10:33 the bread displayed before Yahveh, the continual[2]  tribute offering,[3] the continual ascending offering,[4] the Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed[5] festivals, the sacred things, the sin offerings to atone[6] for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

Nehemiah 10:34 We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our ancestral families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring the wood to our God’s house to burn[7] on the altar of Yahveh our God, as it is written in the instruction.

Nehemiah 10:35 We will bring the firstfruits of our land and every fruit tree to Yahveh’s house year by year.

Nehemiah 10:36 We will also bring the firstborn of our sons and our animals, as prescribed by the instruction, and will get the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister[8] in our God’s house.

Nehemiah 10:37 We will bring a loaf from our first[9] We will also bring a batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God. We will also bring the first of our grain offerings, every fruit tree, new wine, and fresh oil. A tenth of our land’s produce belongs to the Levites, for the Levites are to collect the one-tenth offering in all our agricultural towns.

Nehemiah 10:38 A priest from Aaron’s descendants is to accompany the Levites when they collect the tenth, and the Levites are to take a tenth of this offering to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God.

Nehemiah 10:39 For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and fresh oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the priests who minister are, along with the gatekeepers and singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.

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[1] אָלָה = oath. Nehemiah 10:29.

[2] תָּמִיד = continual(ly). Nehemiah 10:33.

[3] מִנְחָה = tribute (offering). Nehemiah 10:33; 13:5, 9.

[4] עֹלָה = ascending (offering). Nehemiah 10:33.

[5] מוֹעֵד = conference, appointed. Nehemiah 10:33.

[6] כָּפַר = atone, absolve. Nehemiah 10:33.

[7] בָּעַר = burn, consume. Nehemiah 10:34.

[8] שָׁרָת = minister. Nehemiah 10:36, 39.

[9]רֵאשִׁית = first Nehemiah 10:37; firstfruits 12:44.

links:

one percent
tithing the tithe

The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library

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