Nehemiah 11-13 - Prayer Tents

Nehemiah 11

The People Occupy Jerusalem

11The leaders of the people were living in Jerusalem, the holy city. A tenth of the people from the other towns of Judah and Benjamin were chosen by sacred lots to live there, too, while the rest stayed where they were.H8269H5971H3427H3389H7605H5971H5307H1486H935H259H6235H3427H3389H6944H5892H8672H3027H58922And the people commended everyone who volunteered to resettle in Jerusalem.H5971H1288H582H5068H3427H33893Here is a list of the names of the provincial officials who came to live in Jerusalem. (Most of the people, priests, Levites, Temple servants, and descendants of Solomon's servants continued to live in their own homes in the various towns of Judah,H7218H4082H3427H3389H5892H3063H3427H376H272H5892H3478H3548H3881H5411H1121H8010H56504but some of the people from Judah and Benjamin resettled in Jerusalem.) From the tribe of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the family of Perez.H3389H3427H1121H3063H1121H1144H1121H3063H6265H1121H5818H1121H2148H1121H568H1121H8203H1121H4111H1121H65575Also Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, of the family of Shelah

.H4641H1121H1263H1121H3626H1121H2382H1121H5718H1121H3114H1121H2148H1121H80236There were 468 descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem—all outstanding men.H1121H6557H3427H3389H702H3967H8346H8083H2428H5827From the tribe of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah.H1121H1144H5543H1121H4918H1121H3133H1121H6305H1121H6964H1121H4641H1121H384H1121H34708After him were Gabbai and Sallai and a total of 928 relatives.H310H1373H5543H8672H3967H6242H80839Their chief officer was Joel son of Zicri, who was assisted by Judah son of Hassenuah, second-in-command over the city.H3100H1121H2147H6496H3063H1121H5574H4932H589210From the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib; Jakin;H3548H3048H1121H3114H319911and Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the supervisor of the Temple of God.H8304H1121H2518H1121H4918H1121H6659H1121H4812H1121H285H5057H1004H43012Also 822 of their associates, who worked at the Temple. Also Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah,H251H6213H4399H1004H8083H3967H6242H8147H5718H1121H3395H1121H6421H1121H557H1121H2148H1121H6583H1121H444113along with 242 of his associates, who were heads of their families. Also Amashsai son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer,H251H7218H1H8147H3967H705H8147H6023H1121H5832H1121H273H1121H4919H1121H56414and 128 of his

outstanding associates. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.H251H1368H2428H3967H6242H8083H6496H2068H1121H141915From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni.H3881H8098H1121H2815H1121H5840H1121H2811H1121H113816Also Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were in charge of the work outside the Temple of God.H7678H3107H7218H3881H2435H4399H1004H43017Also Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph, who led in thanksgiving and prayer. Also Bakbukiah, who was Mattaniah's assistant, and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.H4983H1121H4316H1121H2067H1121H623H7218H8462H3034H8605H1229H4932H251H5653H1121H8051H1121H1559H1121H303818In all, there were 284 Levites in the holy city.H3881H6944H5892H3967H8084H70219From the gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and 172 of their associates, who guarded the gates.H7778H6126H2929H251H8104H8179H3967H7657H814720The other priests, Levites, and the rest of the Israelites lived wherever their family inheritance was located in any of the towns of Judah.H7605H3478H3548H3881H5892H3063H376H515921The Temple servants, however, whose leaders were Ziha and Gishpa, all lived on the hill of Ophel.H5411H3427H6077H6727H1658H541122The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, a descendant of Asaph, whose family served as singers at God's Temple.H6496H3881H3389H5813H1121H1137H1121H2811H1121H4983H1121H4316H1121H623H7891H5048H4399H1004H43023Their daily responsibilities were carried out according to the terms of a royal command.H4428H4687H548H7891H1697H311724Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, was the royal adviser in all matters of public administration.H6611H1121H4898H1121H2226H1121H3063H4428H3027H1697H597125As for the surrounding villages with their open fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba with its settlements, Dibon with its settlements, and Jekabzeel with its villages.H2691H7704H1121H3063H3427H7153H2691H1769H1323H3343H132326They also lived in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth-pelet,H3442H4137H104627Hazar-shual, Beersheba with its settlements,H2705H884H132328Ziklag, and Meconah with its settlements.H6860H4368H132329They also lived in En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth,H5884H6881H341230Zanoah, and Adullam with their surrounding villages. They also lived in Lachish with its nearby fields and Azekah with its surrounding villages. So the people of Judah were living all the way from Beersheba in the south to the valley of Hinnom.H2182H5725H2691H3923H7704H5825H1323H2583H884H1516H201131Some of the people of Benjamin lived at Geba, Micmash, Aija, and Bethel with its settlements.H1121H1144H1387H4363H5857H1008H132332They also lived in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,H6068H5011H605533Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,H2674H7414H166434Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,H2307H6650H504135Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Craftsmen

.H3850H207H1516H2791H279836Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were sent to live with the tribe of Benjamin.H3881H4256H3063H1144

Nehemiah 12

A History of the Priests and Levites

12Here is the list of the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the high priest: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,H3548H3881H5927H2216H1121H7597H3442H8304H3414H58302Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,H568H4409H24073Shecaniah, Harim

, Meremoth,H7935H7348H48224Iddo, Ginnethon

, Abijah,H5714H1599H295Miniamin, Moadiah

, Bilgah,H4326H4573H10836Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,H8098H3114H30487Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua.H5543H5987H2518H3048H7218H3548H251H3117H34428The Levites who returned with them were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.H3881H3442H1131H6934H8274H3063H4983H1960H2519Their associates, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them during the service.H1229H6042H251H493110Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim. Joiakim was the father of Eliashib. Eliashib was the father of Joiada.H3442H3205H3113H3113H3205H475H475H3205H311111Joiada was the father of Johanan

. Johanan was the father of Jaddua.H3111H3205H3129H3129H3205H303712Now when Joiakim was high priest, the family leaders of the priests were as follows: Meraiah was leader of the family of Seraiah. Hananiah was leader of the family of Jeremiah.H3117H3113H3548H7218H1H8304H4811H3414H260813Meshullam was leader of the family of Ezra. Jehohanan was leader of the family of Amariah.H5830H4918H568H307614Jonathan was leader of the family of Malluch①. Joseph was leader of the family of Shecaniah②./ ①As in Greek version (see also 10.4; 12.2); Hebrew reads Malluchi. ②As in many Hebrew manuscripts, some Greek manuscripts, and Syriac version (see also 12.3); most Hebrew manuscripts read ShebaniahH4409H3129H7645H313015Adna was leader of the family of Harim. Helkai was leader of the family of Meremoth

.H2766H5733H4812H251716Zechariah was leader of the family of Iddo. Meshullam was leader of the family of Ginnethon.H5714H2148H1599H491817Zicri was leader of the family of Abijah. There was also a

leader of the family of Miniamin. Piltai was leader of the family of Moadiah.H29H2147H4509H4153H640818Shammua was leader of the family of Bilgah. Jehonathan was leader of the family of Shemaiah.H1083H8051H8098H308319Mattenai was leader of the family of Joiarib. Uzzi was leader of the family of Jedaiah.H3114H4982H3048H581320Kallai was leader of the family of Sallu

. Eber was leader of the family of Amok.H5543H7040H5987H567721Hashabiah was leader of the family of Hilkiah. Nethanel was leader of the family of Jedaiah.H2518H2811H3048H541722A record of the Levite families was kept during the years when Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua served as high priest. Another record of the priests was kept during the reign of Darius the Persian

.H3881H3117H475H3111H3110H3037H3789H7218H1H3548H4438H1867H654223A record of the heads of the Levite families was kept in The Book of History down to the days of Johanan, the grandson

of Eliashib.H1121H3878H7218H1H3789H5612H1697H3117H3110H1121H47524These were the family leaders of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui

, Kadmiel, and other associates, who stood opposite them during the ceremonies of praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as commanded by David, the man of God.H7218H3881H2811H8274H3442H1121H6934H251H1984H3034H4687H1732H376H430H4929H5980H492925This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the gatekeepers in charge of the storerooms at the gates.H4983H1229H5662H4918H2929H6126H7778H8104H4929H624H817926These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak

, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.H3117H3113H1121H3442H1121H3136H3117H5166H6346H5830H3548H5608

Dedication of Jerusalem’s Wall

27For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres.H2598H2346H3389H1245H3881H4725H935H3389H6213H2598H8057H8426H7892H4700H5035H365828The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.H1121H7891H622H3603H5439H3389H2691H520029They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem.H1004H1537H1019H7704H1387H5820H7891H1129H2691H5439H338930The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.H3548H3881H2891H2891H5971H8179H234631I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks. One of the choirs proceeded southward

along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate.H5927H8269H3063H2346H5975H8147H1419H8426H8418H3225H2346H830H817932Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,H310H3212H1955H2677H8269H306333along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,H5838H5830H491834Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.H3063H1144H8098H341435Then came some priests who played trumpets, including Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph.H3548H1121H2689H2148H1121H3129H1121H8098H1121H4983H1121H4320H1121H2139H1121H62336And Zechariah's colleagues were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They used the musical instruments prescribed by David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led this procession.H251H8098H5832H4450H1562H4597H5417H3063H2607H7892H3627H1732H376H430H5830H5608H644037At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the steps on the ascent of the city wall toward the City of David. They passed the house of David and then proceeded to the Water Gate on the east.H5869H8179H5927H4609H5892H1732H4608H2346H1004H1732H4325H8179H421738The second choir giving thanks went northward

around the other way to meet them. I followed them, together with the other half of the people, along the top of the wall past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,H8145H8426H1980H4136H310H2677H5971H2346H4026H8574H7342H234639then past the Ephraim Gate to the Old City Gate

, past the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and on to the Tower of the Hundred. Then we continued on to the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Guard Gate.H8179H669H3465H8179H1709H8179H4026H2606H4026H3968H6629H8179H5975H4307H817940The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me.H5975H8147H8426H1004H430H2677H546141We went together with the trumpet-playing priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah—H3548H471H4641H4509H4320H454H2148H2608H268942and the singers—Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director.H4641H8098H499H5813H3076H4441H5867H5829H7891H8085H3156H649643Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.H3117H2076H1419H2077H8055H430H8055H1419H8057H802H3206H8055H8057H3389H8085H7350

Provisions for Temple Worship

44On that day men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the offerings, the first part of the harvest, and the tithes. They were responsible to collect from the fields outside the towns the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites. For all the people of Judah took joy in the priests and Levites and their work.H3117H582H6485H5393H214H8641H7225H4643H3664H7704H5892H4521H8451H3548H3881H3063H8057H3548H3881H597545They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as commanded by David and his son Solomon, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers.H7891H7778H8104H4931H430H4931H2893H4687H1732H8010H112146The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph.H3117H1732H623H6924H7218H7891H7892H8416H3034H43047So now, in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel brought a daily supply of food for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Levites. The Levites, in turn, gave a portion of what they received to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.H3478H3117H2216H3117H5166H5414H4521H7891H7778H3117H1697H6942H3881H3881H6942H1121H175

Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah’s Various Reforms

13On that same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God

.H3117H7121H5612H4872H241H5971H4672H3789H5984H4125H935H6951H430H5704H57692For they had not provided the Israelites with food and water in the wilderness. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.H6923H1121H3478H3899H4325H7936H1109H7043H430H2015H7045H12933When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly.H8085H8451H914H3478H61544Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of Tobiah,H6440H475H3548H5414H3957H1004H430H7138H29005had converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah's disposal. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, the frankincense, various articles for the Temple, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil (which were prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers), as well as the offerings for the priests.H6213H1419H3957H6440H5414H4503H3828H3627H4643H1715H8492H3323H4687H3881H7891H7778H8641H35486I was not in Jerusalem at that time, for I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign

, though I later asked his permission to return.H3389H8147H7970H8141H783H4428H894H935H4428H7093H3117H7592H44287When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib's evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God.H935H3389H995H7451H475H6213H2900H6213H5393H2691H1004H4308I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah's belongings out of the room.H3415H3966H7993H1004H3627H2900H2351H39579Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God's Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.H559H2891H3957H7725H3627H1004H430H4503H382810I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields.H3045H4521H3881H5414H3881H7891H6213H4399H1272H376H770411I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, "Why has the Temple of God been neglected?" Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties.H7378H5461H559H1004H430H5800H6908H5975H597712And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms.H935H3063H4643H1715H8492H3323H21413I assigned supervisors for the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. And I appointed Hanan son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and it was their job to make honest distributions to their fellow Levites.H686H214H8018H3548H6659H5608H3881H6305H3027H2605H1121H2139H1121H4983H2803H539H2505H25114Remember this good deed, O my God, and do not forget all that I have faithfully done for the Temple of my God and its services.H2142H430H4229H2617H6213H1004H430H492915In those days I saw men of Judah treading out their winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in grain, loading it on donkeys, and bringing their wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce to Jerusalem to sell on the Sabbath. So I rebuked them for selling their produce on that day.H3117H7200H3063H1869H1660H7676H935H6194H6006H2543H3196H6025H8384H4853H935H3389H7676H3117H5749H3117H4376H671816Some men from Tyre, who lived in Jerusalem, were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise. They were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah—and in Jerusalem at that!H3427H6876H935H1709H1709H4377H4376H7676H1121H3063H338917So I confronted the nobles of Judah. "Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?" I asked.H7378H2715H3063H559H7451H1697H6213H2490H7676H311718"Wasn't it just this sort of thing that your ancestors did that caused our God to bring all this trouble upon us and our city? Now you are bringing even more wrath upon Israel by permitting the Sabbath to be desecrated in this way!"H6213H1H935H430H935H7451H5892H935H3254H2740H3478H2490H767619Then I commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be shut as darkness fell every Friday evening

, not to be opened until the Sabbath ended. I sent some of my own servants to guard the gates so that no merchandise could be brought in on the Sabbath day.H8179H3389H6751H6440H7676H559H1817H5462H559H6605H310H7676H5288H5975H8179H4853H935H7676H311720The merchants and tradesmen with a variety of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.H7402H4376H4465H3885H2351H3389H6471H814721But I spoke sharply to them and said, "What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!" And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath.H5749H559H3885H5048H2346H8138H7971H3027H6256H935H767622Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath. Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.H559H3881H2891H935H8104H8179H6942H7676H3117H2142H430H2347H7230H261723About the same time I realized that some of the men of Judah had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.H3117H7200H3064H3427H802H796H5984H412524Furthermore, half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of some other people and could not speak the language of Judah at all.H1121H1696H2677H797H5234H1696H3066H3956H5971H597125So I confronted them and called down curses on them. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear in the name of God that they would not let their children intermarry with the pagan people of the land.H7378H7043H5221H582H4803H7650H430H5414H1323H1121H5375H1323H112126"Wasn't this exactly what led King Solomon of Israel into sin?" I demanded. "There was no king from any nation who could compare to him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel. But even he was led into sin by his foreign wives.H8010H4428H3478H2398H7227H1471H4428H157H430H430H5414H4428H3478H1571H5237H802H239827How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?"H8085H6213H1419H7451H4603H430H3427H5237H80228One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, so I banished him from my presence.H1121H3111H1121H475H1419H3548H2860H5571H2772H127229Remember them, O my God, for they have defiled the priesthood and the solemn vows of the priests and Levites.H2142H430H1352H3550H1285H3550H388130So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.H2891H5236H5975H4931H3548H3881H376H439931I also made sure that the supply of wood for the altar and the first portions of the harvest were brought at the proper times. Remember this in my favor, O my God.H6086H7133H6256H2163H1061H2142H430H2896