And for the villages, with their fields, some of the sons of Judah lived at Kirjath-arba, and in its villages, and at Dibon, and in its villages, and at Jekabzeel, and its villages,

and at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,

and at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in its villages,

and at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in its villages,

and at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,

Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, at Lachish, and the fields of it, at Azekah, and in its villages. And they lived from Beer-sheba to the valley of Hinnom.

And the sons of Benjamin from Geba lived at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and their villages,

at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

from Iddo, Zechariah; from Ginnethon, Meshullam;

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub, were guarding the gates, the guard at the thresholds of the gates.

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, and with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, harps and with lyres.

And the sons of the singers gathered themselves, both out of the plain country around Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathi;

and from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth (for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.)

And at the Fountain Gate, across from them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even to the Water Gate eastward.

And at that time some were chosen over the rooms for the treasuries, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather to them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the Law for the priests and Levites. For Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who waited.

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people. And in it was found written that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever,

And it happened when they had heard the Law, they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I came to the king. And after some days I was given permission to leave the king.

And it grieved me very much. And I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices of it.

And men of Tyre lived in it, who brought fish and all kinds of goods, and sold on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.

And I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and defile the Sabbath day?

Did not your fathers do this, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel by defiling the Sabbath.

And it happened when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I set some of my servants at the gates, so that there should be no burden brought in on the Sabbath day.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin.

and for the wood offering, at chosen times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!