Nehemiah 7

• 1. After the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
• 2. I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
• 3. I said to them, "Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And while the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at their regular posts and some in front of their own homes."
• 4. At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small. And only a few houses were scattered throughout the city.
• 5. So my God gave me the idea to call together all the leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:
• 6. "Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity to Jerusalem and to the other towns of Judah. They had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.
• 7. Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of men of Israel who returned from exile:
• 8. The family of Parosh.................... 2,172
• 9. The family of Shephatiah.................. 372
• 10. The family of Arah...................... 652
• 11. The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)......... 2,818
• 12. The family of Elam..................... 1,254
• 13. The family of Zattu....................... 845
• 14. The family of Zaccai...................... 760
• 15. The family of Bani..................... 648
• 16. The family of Bebai...................... 628
• 17. The family of Azgad.................... 2,322
• 18. The family of Adonikam.................. 667
• 19. The family of Bigvai.................... 2,067
• 20. The family of Adin...................... 655
• 21. The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)................. 98
• 22. The family of Hashum.................... 328
• 23. The family of Bezai...................... 324
• 24. The family of Jorah.................... 112
• 25. The family of Gibbar.................... 95
• 26. The peoples of Bethlehem and Netophah......................... 188
• 27. The people of Anathoth.................... 128
• 28. The people of Beth-azmaveth............... 42
• 29. The peoples of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth................... 743
• 30. The peoples of Ramah and Geba............. 621
• 31. The people of Micmash.................... 122
• 32. The peoples of Bethel and Ai................ 123
• 33. The people of Nebo........................ 52
• 34. The citizens of Elam...................... 1,254
• 35. The citizens of Harim...................... 320
• 36. The citizens of Jericho..................... 345
• 37. The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono.............................. 721
• 38. The citizens of Senaah.................... 3,930
• 39. "These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)...... 973
• 40. The family of Immer.......... 1,052
• 41. The family of Pashhur......... 1,247
• 42. The family of Harim.......... 1,017
• 43. "These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah )...... 74
• 44. The singers of the family of Asaph...148
• 45. The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai.............. 138
• 46. "The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
• 47. Keros, Siaha, Padon,
• 48. Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
• 49. Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
• 50. Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
• 51. Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
• 52. Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
• 53. Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
• 54. Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
• 55. Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
• 56. Neziah, and Hatipha.
• 57. "The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda,
• 58. Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
• 59. Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.
• 60. "In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.
• 61. "Another group returned to Jerusalem at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel.
• 62. This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda--a total of 642 people.
• 63. "Three families of priests--Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai--also returned to Jerusalem. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.)
• 64. But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests.
• 65. The governor would not even let them eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until there was a priest who could consult the LORD about the matter by means of sacred lots.
• 66. "So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,
• 67. in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.
• 68. They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,
• 69. 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
• 70. "Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests.
• 71. The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work.
• 72. The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
• 73. "So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants, along with some of the people--that is to say, all Israel--settled in their own towns." Now in midautumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns,

Nehemiah 8

• 1. all the people assembled together as one person at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey. 1
• 2. So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the scroll of the law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.
• 3. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people paid close attention to the Book of the Law.
• 4. Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
• 5. Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.
• 6. Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, "Amen! Amen!" as they lifted their hands toward heaven. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
• 7. Now the Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah--instructed the people who were standing there.
• 8. They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.
• 9. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, "Don't weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God." All the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the law.
• 10. And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"
• 11. And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, "Hush! Don't weep! For this is a sacred day."
• 12. So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them.
• 13. On October 9 the family leaders and the priests and Levites met with Ezra to go over the law in greater detail.
• 14. As they studied the law, they discovered that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that month.
• 15. He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and especially in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and fig trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as it was prescribed in the law.
• 16. So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.
• 17. So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters for the seven days of the festival, and everyone was filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated this way since the days of Joshua son of Nun.
• 18. Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on October 15 they held a solemn assembly, as the law of Moses required.

Nehemiah 9

• 1. On October 31 the people returned for another observance. This time they fasted and dressed in sackcloth and sprinkled dust on their heads.
• 2. Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.
• 3. The Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them for about three hours. Then for three more hours they took turns confessing their sins and worshiping the LORD their God.
• 4. Some of the Levites were standing on the stairs, crying out to the LORD their God. Their names were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani.
• 5. Then the leaders of the Levites--Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah--called out to the people: "Stand up and praise the LORD your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!" Then they continued, "Praise his glorious name! It is far greater than we can think or say.
• 6. You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve and give life to everything, and all the angels of heaven worship you.
• 7. "You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham.
• 8. When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.
• 9. "You saw the sufferings and sorrows of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cries from beside the Red Sea.
• 10. You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his servants, and all his people, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians were treating them. You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten.
• 11. You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land! And then you hurled their enemies into the depths of the sea. They sank like stones beneath the mighty waters.
• 12. You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.
• 13. "You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and laws and commands that were true.
• 14. You instructed them concerning the laws of your holy Sabbath. And you commanded them, through Moses your servant, to obey all your commands, laws, and instructions.
• 15. "You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.
• 16. But our ancestors were a proud and stubborn lot, and they refused to obey your commands.
• 17. "They refused to listen and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and full of unfailing love and mercy. You did not abandon them,
• 18. even though they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, 'This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!' They sinned and committed terrible blasphemies.
• 19. But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night.
• 20. You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them bread from heaven or water for their thirst.
• 21. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing in all that time. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!
• 22. "Then you helped our ancestors conquer great kingdoms and many nations, and you placed your people in every corner of the land. They completely took over the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan.
• 23. You made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and brought them into the land you had promised to their ancestors.
• 24. They went in and took possession of the land. You subdued whole nations before them. Even the kings and the Canaanites, who inhabited the land, were powerless! Your people could deal with them as they pleased.
• 25. Our ancestors captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took over houses full of good things, with cisterns already dug and vineyards and olive groves and orchards in abundance. So they ate until they were full and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in all your blessings.
• 26. "But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They threw away your law, they killed the prophets who encouraged them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies.
• 27. So you handed them over to their enemies. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In great mercy, you sent them deliverers who rescued them from their enemies.
• 28. "But when all was going well, your people turned to sin again, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them repeatedly!
• 29. You warned them to return to your law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen.
• 30. In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who, through the prophets, warned them about their sins. But still they wouldn't listen! So once again you allowed the pagan inhabitants of the land to conquer them.
• 31. But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!
• 32. "And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered be as nothing to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and princes and priests and prophets and ancestors from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.
• 33. Every time you punished us you were being just. We have sinned greatly, and you gave us only what we deserved.
• 34. Our kings, princes, priests, and ancestors did not obey your law or listen to your commands and solemn warnings.
• 35. Even while they had their own kingdom, they did not serve you even though you showered your goodness on them. You gave them a large, fertile land, but they refused to turn from their wickedness.
• 36. "So now today we are slaves here in the land of plenty that you gave to our ancestors! We are slaves among all this abundance!
• 37. The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our cattle. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery.
• 38. "Yet in spite of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing. On this sealed document are the names of our princes and Levites and priests."

New Living Translation: 146 of 324 days.