Thematic Bible: The jews of the exile
Thematic Bible
Repentance » Instances of » The jews of the exile » After hearing the law expounded by ezra
Now when the seventh month drew nigh, and the children of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered themselves together as one man upon the street before the Watergate, and said unto Ezra the scribe that he should fetch the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and of all that could understand it, upon the first day of the seventh month. And read therein in the street that is before the Watergate, from the morning until the noon day before men and women, and such as could understand it: and the ears of all the people were inclined unto the book of the law. read more.
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a high pulpit of wood, which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Ananiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his righthand: and on his left hand stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book before all the people, for he stood above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra praised the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with their hands up, and bowed themselves, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to give heed unto the law, and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly, so that men understood the thing that was read. And Nehemiah - which is Hathirsatha - and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to take heed, said unto all the people, "This day is holy unto the LORD your God: be not ye sorry therefore, and weep not." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Therefore said he unto them, "Go your way, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part unto them also that have not prepared themselves: for this day is holy unto our LORD. Be not ye sorry therefore: for the joy of the LORD is your strength." And the Levites stilled all the people, and said, "Hold your peace, for the day is holy: vex not ye yourselves." And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, and to send part unto others, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a high pulpit of wood, which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Ananiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his righthand: and on his left hand stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book before all the people, for he stood above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra praised the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with their hands up, and bowed themselves, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to give heed unto the law, and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly, so that men understood the thing that was read. And Nehemiah - which is Hathirsatha - and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to take heed, said unto all the people, "This day is holy unto the LORD your God: be not ye sorry therefore, and weep not." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Therefore said he unto them, "Go your way, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part unto them also that have not prepared themselves: for this day is holy unto our LORD. Be not ye sorry therefore: for the joy of the LORD is your strength." And the Levites stilled all the people, and said, "Hold your peace, for the day is holy: vex not ye yourselves." And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, and to send part unto others, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
In the four and twentieth day of this month came the children of Israel together with fasting, and sackcloth, and earth upon them, and separated the seed of Israel from all the strange children and stood and acknowledged their sins, and the wickedness of their fathers, and they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God four times on the day; and they acknowledged, and worshipped the LORD their God four times on the day.
Repentance » Instances of » The jews of the exile » Because of their oppressive usury
And there arose a great complaint of the people, and of their wives, against their brethren the Jews. For there were some that said, "Our sons and daughters and we are too many, let us take corn for them to eat, that we may live." Some said, "Let us set our lands, vineyards, and houses, to pledge, and take up corn in the dearth." read more.
But some said, "Let us borrow money of the king's tribute for our lands and vineyards. Now are our brethrens' bodies as our own bodies and their children as our children: else should we subdue our sons and daughters into bondage, and some of our daughters are subdued already, and no strength is there in our hands, and other men shall have our lands and vineyards." But when I heard their complaint and such words, it displeased me sore, and I advised so in my mind, that I rebuked the councilors and the rulers, and said unto them, "Will ye require usury one of another?" And I brought a great congregation against them, and said unto them, "We, after our ability, have bought our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Heathen. And will ye sell your brethren, whom we have bought unto us?" Then held they their peace, and could find nothing to answer. Also I said, "It is not good, that ye do. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of God because of the rebuke of the Heathen our enemies? I and my brethren, and my servants have lent them money and corn: but as for usury, let us leave it. Therefore this same day see that ye restore them their lands again, their vineyards, oil gardens, and houses, and the hundredth part of the money of the corn, wine, and oil, that ye have won of them." Then said they, "We will restore them again and will require nothing of them and will do as thou hast spoken." And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so. And I shook my lap, and said, "God shake out every man after the same manner from his house and labour, that maintaineth not this word: even thus be he shaken out, and void." And all the congregation said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did so.
But some said, "Let us borrow money of the king's tribute for our lands and vineyards. Now are our brethrens' bodies as our own bodies and their children as our children: else should we subdue our sons and daughters into bondage, and some of our daughters are subdued already, and no strength is there in our hands, and other men shall have our lands and vineyards." But when I heard their complaint and such words, it displeased me sore, and I advised so in my mind, that I rebuked the councilors and the rulers, and said unto them, "Will ye require usury one of another?" And I brought a great congregation against them, and said unto them, "We, after our ability, have bought our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Heathen. And will ye sell your brethren, whom we have bought unto us?" Then held they their peace, and could find nothing to answer. Also I said, "It is not good, that ye do. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of God because of the rebuke of the Heathen our enemies? I and my brethren, and my servants have lent them money and corn: but as for usury, let us leave it. Therefore this same day see that ye restore them their lands again, their vineyards, oil gardens, and houses, and the hundredth part of the money of the corn, wine, and oil, that ye have won of them." Then said they, "We will restore them again and will require nothing of them and will do as thou hast spoken." And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so. And I shook my lap, and said, "God shake out every man after the same manner from his house and labour, that maintaineth not this word: even thus be he shaken out, and void." And all the congregation said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did so.
Repentance » Instances of » The jews of the exile » At the dedication of the second temple
And the children of Israel which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the Heathen in the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate