Change Translation
- Recent Translations
-
CURRENT TRANSLATIONAudio Available
- All Translations
-
CURRENT TRANSLATIONAudio Available
Nehemiah 7; Nehemiah 8
Viewing Multiple Passages
Share
Settings
Nehemiah 7
1
The gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites were assigned their duties after the wall had been rebuilt and I had hung the doors.
2
I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a trustworthy man, and he feared God more than most people do.
3
I told them, "The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened at the hottest time of the day. While the [gatekeepers] are still standing there, they should shut the doors and bar them. Order some of the men in Jerusalem to stand guard, some at their posts and others in front of their homes."
4
The city was large and wide-open. Few people were in it, and no houses were being built.
5
Then my God put the idea into my head that I should gather the nobles, leaders, and people so that they could check their genealogy. I found the book with the genealogy of those who came back the first time. I found the following written in it:
6
These were the people in the province. They were the ones who left the place where the exiles had been taken captive. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities.
7
They went with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the number of Israelite men from the people in exile:
8
the descendants of Parosh 2,172
9
of Shephatiah 372
10
of Arah 652
11
of Pahath Moab, that is, of Jeshua and Joab 2,818
12
of Elam 1,254
13
of Zattu 845
14
of Zaccai 760
15
of Binnui 648
16
of Bebai 628
17
of Azgad 2,322
18
of Adonikam 667
19
of Bigvai 2,067
20
of Adin 655
21
of Ater, that is, Hezekiah 98
22
of Hashum 328
23
of Bezai 324
24
of Hariph 112
25
of Gibeon 95
26
the people of Bethlehem and Netophah 188
27
of Anathoth 128
28
of Beth Azmaveth 42
29
of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth 743
30
of Ramah and Geba 621
31
of Michmas 122
32
of Bethel and Ai 123
33
of the other Nebo 52
34
of the other Elam 1,254
35
of Harim 320
36
of Jericho 345
37
of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 721
38
of Senaah 3,930
39
These priests returned from exile: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) 973
40
of Immer 1,052
41
of Pashhur 1,247
42
of Harim 1,017
43
These Levites returned from exile: the descendants of Jeshua, that is, of Kadmiel [and] of Hodeiah 74
44
These singers returned from exile: the descendants of Asaph 148
45
These gatekeepers returned from exile: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 138
46
These temple servants returned from exile: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
47
Keros, Sia, Padon,
48
Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
49
Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50
Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51
Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52
Besai, Meunim, Nephusheshim,
53
Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54
Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha,
55
Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56
Neziah, and Hatipha.
57
These descendants of Solomon's servants returned from exile: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
58
Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
59
Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Amon.
60
The temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants totaled 392.
61
The following people came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they couldn't prove they were Israelites on the basis of their father's family or their genealogy:
62
the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda. These people totaled 642.
63
These priests [couldn't prove they were Israelites]: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai from Gilead and took that [family] name).
64
These people searched for their [family] names in the genealogical records, but their names couldn't be found there. For this reason they were considered contaminated and couldn't be priests.
65
The governor told them not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim [to settle the problem].
66
The whole assembly totaled 42,360.
67
In addition to the male and female servants who numbered 7,337, they also had 245 male and female singers.
68
They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
69
435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
70
Some of the heads of the families contributed to this work. The governor contributed the following to the treasury: nearly 18 pounds of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 robes for the priests.
71
Some of the heads of the families contributed to the treasury for this work: 337 pounds of gold and 3,215 pounds of silver.
72
The rest of the people contributed 337 pounds of gold, 2,923 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
73
The priests, Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and the rest of Israel settled in their own cities. When the seventh month came, the people of Israel were in their own cities.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Nehemiah 8
1
[When the seventh month came,] all the people gathered together in the courtyard in front of Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of Moses' Teachings, which the Lord had commanded Israel [to follow].
2
Then Ezra the priest brought the Teachings in front of the assembly. This included men, women, and any [children] who could understand what they heard. This took place on the first day of the seventh month.
3
From daybreak until noon, he read from it in the courtyard in front of Water Gate to the men, women, and [children] who could understand it. All the people listened to the Book of Moses' Teachings.
4
Ezra the scribe stood on a raised wooden platform made for this occasion. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right. Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam stood beside him on his left.
5
Ezra, standing higher than all the other people, opened the book in front of all the people. As he opened it, all the people stood up.
6
Ezra thanked the LORD, the great God. All the people responded, "Amen! Amen!" as they raised their hands and then bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped the LORD.
7
The Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah--explained the Teachings to the people while they were standing there.
8
They read the Book of God's Teachings clearly and explained the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.
9
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people told them, "This is a holy day for the LORD your God. Don't mourn or cry." All the people were crying as they listened to the reading of God's Teachings.
10
Then he told them, "Go, eat rich foods, drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who cannot provide for themselves. Today is a holy day for the Lord. Don't be sad because the joy you have in the LORD is your strength."
11
So the Levites calmed all the people by saying, "Listen. Today is a holy day. Don't be sad."
12
Then all the people went to eat and drink and to send portions. They had a big, joyful celebration because they understood the words that had been explained to them.
13
On the second day the leaders of the families of all the people, including the priests and the Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to study the words of God's Teachings.
14
They found written in the Teachings that the LORD had given an order through Moses that the people of Israel should live in booths during a festival in the seventh month.
15
They should announce this command and send this message throughout all their cities and Jerusalem: "Go to the mountains, and get branches--olive and wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other thick-leaved branches--to make booths as it is written."
16
So the people went to get branches to make booths for themselves. Some made booths on their roofs, others in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's temple, in the open area by Water Gate, or in the open area at Ephraim Gate.
17
The whole assembly that had come back from exile made booths and lived in them. From the time of Jeshua (son of Nun) to that day, the people of Israel had not done this. There was a big, joyful celebration.
18
Day by day, from the first day of the festival to the last day, Ezra continued to read from the Book of God's Teachings. The people celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, they had a closing festival assembly in accordance with the regulations.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.