"You alone are Yahweh. You alone have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all of their army, the earth and all that is in it, the waters and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the army of the heavens worship you.

“They refused to listen and obey,
And did not remember Your wondrous acts which You had performed among them;
So they stiffened their necks and [in their rebellion] appointed a leader in order to return them to slavery in Egypt.
But You are a God of forgiveness,
Gracious and merciful and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not abandon them.

And they will take inaccessible cities, and a fat land, and they will inherit houses full of all good, and wells hewed out, vineyards and olive trees, and the tree of food for abundance: and they will eat and be filled, and be fat, and will live delicately in thy great goodness.

And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

"And now our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps [his] covenant and loyal love, do not belittle in your presence all of the hardship that is found in us, our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all of our people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

"Because of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our descendants of Levi, and our priests hereby set their seals upon it."

These were the descendants of Levi: Azaniah's son Jeshua, Binnui from the descendants of Henadad, Kadmiel,

The rest of the people, the priests, the descendants of Levi, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple Servants, and everyone who had separated themselves from the nations of the surrounding lands for the Law of God their wives, their sons, their daughters, and all who had knowledge and understanding

We the priests, the descendants of Levi, and the people cast lots to determine when to bring the wood offering into the Temple of our God, just as our ancestors' families were appointed annually to maintain the altar fire of the LORD our God, as recorded in the Law.

We will bring a loaf from our first batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God. We will also bring the firstfruits of our grain offerings, of every fruit tree, and of the new wine and 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.

"And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, will be with the descendants of Levi when the descendants of Levi receive tithes, and the descendants of Levi will bring the tithe of the tithes into the store rooms of the Temple of our God.

For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

Now the commanders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the remainder of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, the [other] nine's place [was in] the [other] cities.

And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

These are the leaders of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem. Some lived in the towns of Judah each on their property in their respective towns that is, the Israelis, the priests, the descendants of Levi, the Temple Servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants.

From the descendants of Levi:

Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni, and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the descendants of Levi who oversaw the exterior work of the Temple of God,

All of the descendants of Levi in the holy city numbered 284.

The rest of Israel the priests and the descendants of Levi lived in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property,

The overseer of the descendants of Levi at Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. Singers from the descendants of Asaph oversaw the work of the Temple of God.

These are the priests and descendants of Levi who had returned with Shealtiel's son Zerubbabel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

The descendants of Levi included Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

When Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were serving, the descendants of Levi were recorded as heads of their ancestors' houses, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian.

The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

The leaders of the descendants of Levi were: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Kadmiel's son Jeshua, along with their associates who served opposite them to give praise and thanks, division by division, according to the commands given by David the man of God.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they invited the descendants of Levi to come from wherever they lived to Jerusalem so they could celebrate the dedication with joy, thanksgiving, and songs, accompanied by cymbals, lyres, and harps.

The priests and the descendants of Levi purified themselves, and also purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Also at that time men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, so those portions required by the Law could be gathered from the fields adjacent to the towns to benefit the priests and descendants of Levi, for the people of Judah rejoiced over the priests and the descendants of Levi who were serving.

All Israel in the time of Zerubbabel and in the time of Nehemiah gave allotments to each of the singers and gate keepers on a daily basis, setting them apart to benefit the descendants of Levi. And the descendants of Levi set them apart to benefit the descendants of Aaron.

had prepared a great chamber for him, in the place where they used to place the grain offerings, incense, and vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that was mandated for the descendants of Levi, the singers, the gate keepers, and the priests' offerings.

I also learned that the allotments for the descendants of Levi had not been distributed. As a result, the descendants of Levi and singers who were responsible for the service had each left to go back to their fields.

I appointed over the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the descendants of Levi; and next to them Zaccur's son Hanan, the grandson of Mattaniah, because they had been considered faithful. Their duties were to distribute to their associates.

And then I told two Levites that they must purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Remember this also, my God, and take pity on me according to the greatness of your loyal love.

Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the descendants of Levi.

I purified them from everything foreign, arranged duties for the priests and the descendants of Levi, each to his task,

And the king will love Esther above all the women, and she will receive favor and mercy before him above all the virgins; and he will set the crown of the kingdom upon her head, and he will cause her to reign instead of Vashti.

And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people, in all the provinces of your kingdom. And their laws are different from all people, neither do they keep the king's laws. And it is not for the king's gain to allow them to live.

All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

Then Mordecai told [them] to reply to Esther: "Do not think that your life will be saved [in] the palace of the king more than all the Jews.

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

And the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their life, and had rest from their enemies; and they slew of them that hated them seventy-five thousand (but they laid not their hand on the prey),

This explains why the rural Jews who live in villages observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a time of rejoicing and feasting. It is a holiday when they send gifts to one another.

These days are remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim will not lose their significance in Jewish life and their memory will not fade from their descendants.

saying:

Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will leave this life.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.
Praise the name of Yahweh.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?

Isn’t your piety your confidence,
and the integrity of your life your hope?

how much more to those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth?

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

"Loyal love [should come] for the afflicted [from] his friend, even if he forsakes the fear of Shaddai.

Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

If thou wouldest live a pure and godly life; should he not wake up unto thee immediately, and give thee the beauty of righteousness again?

Surely this is the joy of his way of life;
yet others will sprout from the dust.

Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

I would still live in terror of all my pains.
I know You will not acquit me.

My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Can you live only as long as a human being? Or live the years of a mortal man?

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

Are not the days of my life small in number? Let your eyes be turned away from me, so that I may have a little pleasure,

Should men give ear unto thee only? Thou wilt laugh other men to scorn; and shall nobody mock thee again?

If you have any iniquity, throw it far away. Don't let evil live in your residence.

And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and all refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope shall be the breathing out of life.

Or speak to the earth [with its many forms of life], and it will teach you;
And let the fish of the sea declare [this truth] to you.

“Who among all these does not recognize [in all these things that good and evil are randomly scattered throughout nature and human life]
That the hand of the Lord has done this,

In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?

Wisdom is found with the elderly,
and understanding comes with long life.

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of divers miseries.

For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.

He will live in devastated towns, in abandoned houses that are about to become heaps of rubble.

His branch is cut off before its time, and his leaf is no longer green.

His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.

My friends laugh me to scorn, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

He has no children or descendants among his people,
no survivor where he used to live.

People who live west of him are appalled at his fate; those who live east of him are seized with terror.

How long will you make my life bitter, crushing me with words?

Lo, ten times have ye reproved me: are ye not ashamed, for to laugh me to scorn?

“Those who live [temporarily] in my house and my maids consider me a stranger;
I am a foreigner in their sight.

All of my best friends despise me,
and those I love have turned against me.

Suffer me a little, that I may speak also, and then laugh my words to scorn, if ye will.

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Their children grow up while they're alive, and they live to see their grandchildren.

They live out their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.

Others die with a bitter soul, never having tasted the good life.

You ask, "Where is the noble person's house?' and "Where are the tents where the wicked live?'

Will it please the Almighty if you are innocent, or does he profit if your life is blameless?

The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.