Let, I pray thee, thine ears be attentive and thine eyes open - to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant - -which, I, am praying before thee now, day and night, for the sons of Israel, thy servants, - -and making confession concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, which we have committed against thee, both I and the house of my father, have sinned.

Now, the city, was broad on both hands, and large, but, the people, were few in the midst thereof, - and the houses had not been built.

So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken, - on the first day of the seventh month;

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 and the rejoicing, both with thanksgiving and with music, cymbals, harps, and with lyres.

So the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, - both out of the circuit round about Jerusalem, and out of the villages of the Netophathites;

and, their children, were one-half speaking the language of Ashdod, and understood not how to speak the language of the Jews, - but after the tongue of both people.