The Book of NEHEMIAH.

CHAPTER I.

THE words of Nehemiah the son of
Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the
month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as
I was in Shushan the palace,

art not sick? this is nothing else but
sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore
afraid,

2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 And said unto the king, Lete the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are sumed with fire?

con

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant
that are left of the captivity there in the ƒ Pr. 3. 6.
province ares in great affliction and re-
proach the wall of Jerusalem also is
broken down, and the gates thereof are
burned with fire.

Phi. 4. 6.
g Ps. 137.1..3.
La. 1.7.
3. 61.
5. 1.

5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldst send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

h 2 Ki. 25. 10. 6 And the king said unto me, (the Is. 64.10,11.queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.*

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth' covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments;

8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, Ift ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

CHAPTER II.

AND it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

B. C. 446.

a chap. 10. 1.
Pr. 15. 13.

2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou

c1 Ki. 1. 31.
Da. 2. 4.

chap. 1. 3. e2 Ch. 21. 20.

28.27.

32.33.

wife.

i Da. 9. 4, &c.
k chap. 5. 14.
13.6.

1 Ex. 20. 6.

7 Moreover, I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over, till I come 1Ki.8.28,29. into Judah;

2 Ch. 6. 40.

n Ps. 34. 15.

o Ps. 32. 5.

8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the houser that I shall enter into. And the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

chap. 3. 7. 1 Jno. 1. 9. a Ps. 106. 6.

p

9 Then I came to the governors beletters. Now the king had sent captains yond the river, and gave them the king's of the army and horsemen with me.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved" them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

r verse 18.
Ezr. 5. 5.

w Ezr. 8. 32.

9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring Ps. 147. 2. them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

10 Now these are thy servants, and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

Is. 11. 12.
56.8.
Je. 12. 15.
50. 19, 20.
y Ps. 51. 18.
122.6.

i1 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cup

bearer.

De. 28. 15. Le.26.33, &c. De.4.25,&c. 28. 64. u Ps. 112. 10. Eze.25.6..8. v De. 30. 4.

De. 9. 29.
Da. 9.15,&c.
2 Ch. 26. 9.

a

b Ps. 86. 6.

Is. 26. 8. He. 13. 18. d chap. 1. 3.

e

chap. 2. 1. fchap. 3. 15. Ezr. 7. 1.

2 Sa. 15. 23. Je.31.38..40. i chap. 1. 11.

11 Sow I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

13 And I went out by night, by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which wered broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

Malice of Sanballat, &c.

NEHEMIAH, III.

Rebuilding of the wall. thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung a chap. 2. 13. gate."

17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the B.C. 445. distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build La. 2. 2,8,9. chiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part 14 But the dung gate repaired Malup the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

of Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

18 Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we, his servants, will arise and build: but yem have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work" of their Lord.

6 Moreover, the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the throne the governor on this side the river.

8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they "fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.

And next unto them repaired Rephaiah, the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.

10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah, the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush, the son of Hashabniah.

11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.

c chap. 1. 3.
Ps. 44. 13.
79.4,12.
Je. 24.9.

15 But the gate of the fountain repairEze.5.14,15. ed Shallun the son of Col-hozeh, the

22.4.

ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloahs by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.

12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

d verse 8.

e chap. 2. 14.

2 Sa. 2. 7.
Ezr. 6. 22.
Jno. 9. 7.

CHAPTER III.

THEN Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the towers of Hananeel.

2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho." And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.

3 But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth, the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshe-yor, Zaccai. Zabeel. And next unto them repaired u Ezr. 2. 34. Zadok the son of Baana.

16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the poolk that was made, and unto the house of the mighty.

17 And after him repaired the Levites, Ps.102.13,14 Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him Ec. 7. 18. repaired Hashabial, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.

m Ezr. 4. 3.

n Is. 56. 5.

18 After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.

o chap. 12.10.

r1 Sa. 23. 1,

&c. Jno. 5. 2.

h Ps. 80. 6.

chap. 6. 6.
2 Ki. 20. 20.

Is. 7.3.

22.11.

chap. 12.39. Je. 31. 38. Zec. 14. 10. t2 Ch. 26. 9. Bat his

hand.

2 Ch. 33. 14.
Zep. 1. 10.
w chap.12.28.
Je. 5. 4, 5.
1 Co. 1. 26.
1Ti. 6.17,18.
y Ju. 5. 23.

z verse 19.

a Je. 32. 2.
37.21.
b chap. 2. 8.

Ezr.2.43, &c.
8 or, which

dwelt in
Ophel, re-
paired un-
to.
Sor, the
tower.

42 Ch. 27.3.
e chap.8.1,3.
12.37.

nor, left.
chap. 12.38.

g 2 Ki. 11. 16.
Je. 31. 40.
0 second
measure.

13 The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built chap. 2. 13. it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks

19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turningt of the wall.

20 After him Baruch the son of y Zabbai, earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning of the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

21 After him repaired Meremoth, the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib, even to the end of the house of Eliashib.

22 And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain."

23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub, over against their house. After him repaired Azariah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, by his house.

24 After him repaired Binnui, the son of Henadad, another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner.

25 Palal, the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah, the son of Parosh.

in Opheld unto the place over against 26 Moreover, the Nethinims & dwelt the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.

27 After them, the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.

28 From above the horses gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.

29 After them repaired Zadok, the son of Immer, over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah, the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.

30 After him repaired Hananiah, the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, over against his chamber.

31 After him repaired Malchiah, the goldsmith's son, unto the place of the

NEHEMIAH, IV.

B. C. 445.

Plot of Sanballat, &c.

hundredth part of the money, and of the
corn,
the wine, and the oil, that ye exact
of them.

NEHEMIAH, VII.

B. C. 445.

12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth note this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have noth eaten the bread of the governor.

15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and win beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16 Yea, also, I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

17 Moreover, there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread? of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

t

CHAPTER VI.

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat," and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein, (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates,)

2 That Sanballat and Geshem" sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought to do me mischief.

Completion of the wall.

phets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and a 2 Ki. 23.2,3. now shall it be reported to the king acEzr. 10. 5. cording to these words. Come now thereJe. 34. 8, 9. fore, and let us take counsel together. Mat. 10. 14.

Ac. 13. 51. 18.6. empty, or, void.

8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the

De. 27. 15,

work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God,d strengthen my hands.

10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple; and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the nights will they come to slay thee.

11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

12 And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and a I answered them after the same manner.

5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto

me in like manner, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand;

6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and 7 Gashmu sated it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

7 And thou hast also appointed pro

1 Sa. 30. 6.

Ps. 71. 1.

e2 Ki. 23. 3.
fchap. 13. 6.
Job 24. 16.
1 Co. 9.4,15.
i Ps. 11. 1.

112. 6, 8. Lu. 13. 31..

33.

Ac. 20. 24.

21. 13.

Pr. 16. 6.
2 Co. 11. 9.
verse 9.

12. 13.

m Eze. 13. 17,

&c.'

13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin," and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.

16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

17 Moreover, in those days, the nobles of Judah y sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

CHAPTER VII.

Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters, and the singers, and the Levites were appointed,

2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared' God above many :

3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.

4 Now the city was large and great; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

5 And my God put

into mine heart

Return of the captives,

to gather together the nobles, and the
rulers, and the people, that they might
be reckoned by genealogy: and I found
a register of the genealogy of them a1 Ch. 9. 1, sand nine hundred and thirty.
which came up at the first, and found
written therein,

&c.

NEHEMIAH, VII.

B. C. 445.

39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah," of the house of Jeshua, nine 61 Ch. 24. 7, hundred seventy and three.

&c.

I verse 12.

63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai," which took one of the m chap.13.29. daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

Le. 4. 3.

64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted," put from the priesthood.

65 And the x Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

66 The whole congregation together