and Hanani, one of my brethren, came with certain men of Judah, and I asked them how the Jews did that were delivered and escaped from the captivity, and how it went at Jerusalem.

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments and do them: though ye were cast out unto the uttermost part of heaven, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you from thence, even unto the place that I have chosen for my name to dwell there.'

And I rode by night unto the valley port before the Dragon well, and to the Dung port, and considered the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down, and the ports thereof consumed with the fire.

Yet builded we the wall, and joined it whole together, unto the half height. And the people were well minded to labour.

But when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that they had begun to stop up the gaps, they were very wroth;

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."

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.

For the old captains that were before me, had been chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, and forty sicles of silver: yea and their servants had oppressed the people. But so did not I, and that because of the fear of God.

Moreover there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, which came unto me, from among the Heathen that are about us.

And when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the others of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall, and that there were no more gaps therein - howbeit at the same time had I not hanged the doors upon the gates -

Notwithstanding, I sent messengers unto them, saying, "I have a great business to do, I cannot come down. The work should stand still, if I were negligent, and came down to you."

For they were all minded to make us afraid and thought, "They shall withdraw their hands from the work, that they shall not labour." Howbeit I strengthened my hand the more.

And when all our enemies heard thereof, all the Heathen that were about us were afraid, and their courage failed them: for they perceived, that this work came of God.

And at the same time were there many of the chiefs of Judah, whose letters went unto Tobiah, and from Tobiah unto them.

For there were many in Judah that were sworn unto him, for he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Johanan had the daughter of Meshullam the son of Barachiah.

Now when we had builded the wall I hanged on the doors; and the porters, singers and Levites were appointed.

and I said unto them, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they are yet standing in the watch, the doors shall be shut and barred." And there were certain citizens of Jerusalem appointed to be watchmen every one in his watch, and about his house.

As for the city, it was large of room, and great, but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

The children of Parosh were two thousand, a hundred, and two and seventy;

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were all together three hundred and two and ninety.

And these went up also, Telmelah, Telharsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.

These sought the register of their generation, and when they found it not, they were put from the priesthood.

Beside their servants and maidens, of whom there were seven thousand, three hundred and seven and thirty. And they had two hundred and seven and forty singing men and women,

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 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.

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 on the next day were gathered together the chief fathers among all the people and the priests and Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, that he should teach them the words of the law.

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity, made booths, and dwelt therein. For since the time of Jeshua the son of Nun unto this day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great gladness.

and showed tokens and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they were presumptuous and cruel against them; and so madest thou thee a name as it is this day.

and gavest them bread from heaven when they were hungry, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock when they were thirsty: and promised them, that they should go in, and take possession of the land, over which thou hadst lift up thine hand for to give them.

But our fathers were proud, and hard necked, so that they followed not thy commandments,

and refused to hear, and were not mindful of the wonders that thou didst for them: but became obstinate and heady insomuch that they turned back to their bondage in their disobedience. But thou, my God, forgavest, and wast gracious, merciful, patient, and of great goodness, and forsookest them not.

And thou gavest them thy good spirit to inform them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water when they were thirsty.

And they won their strong cities, and a fat land, and took possession of houses that were full of all manner goods, wells digged out, vineyards, olive gardens, and many fruitful trees: and they ate and were filled, and became fat, and lived in wealth through thy great goodness.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets, which exhorted them so earnestly, that they should convert unto thee, and did great blasphemies.

and testified unto them, that they should turn again unto thy law. Notwithstanding, they were proud, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned in thy laws, which a man should do and live in them, and turned the shoulder away, and were stiff-necked, and would not hear.

These sealers were: Nehemiah, that is Hathirsatha, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,

Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah: these were priests.

The Levites were: Jeshua the son of Azariah, Binnui among the children of Henadad and Kadmiel.

The heads of the people were: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

namely to the shewbread, to the daily meat offering, to the daily burnt offering of the Sabbaths, of the new moons and feast days, and to the things that were sanctified, and to the sin offerings, to reconcile Israel withal, and to all the business in the house of our God.

And the people thanked all the men that were willingly to dwell at Jerusalem.

All the children of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred and eight and threescore valiant men.

and his brethren that performed the work in the house, of whom there were eight hundred twenty two. And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,

and his brethren, chief among the fathers: of whom there were two hundred and two and forty. And Amahsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer:

and his brethren were valiant men, of whom there were a hundred and eight and twenty. And their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.

All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and four and fourscore.

And the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the ports, were a hundred and two and seventy.

As for the residue of Israel, the priests, and Levites: they were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

The overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem, was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. Of the children of Asaph, there were singers about the business in the house of God:

and their villages, throughout all their regions. And the children of Judah that were without in the towns of their land, dwelt some at Kiriatharba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof;

Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the heads among the priests and their brethren in the time of Jeshua.

The Levites were these: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, over the office of thanksgiving, they and their brethren:

Bakbukiah and Unni, and their brethren, were about them in the watches.

And in the time of Joiakim were these the chief fathers among the priests: under Seraiah was Meraiah; under Jeremiah was Hananiah;

And in the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, were the chief fathers among the Levites and the priests written under the reign of Darius the Persian.

The children of Levi the principal fathers were written in the Chronicles, until the time of Jonathan the son of Eliashib.

And these were the chief among the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, and their brethren over against them, to give praise and thanks, according as David the man of God had ordained it, one watch over against another.

Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were porters in the watch at the thresholds of the gates.

These were in the time of Joiakim the son of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and in the time of Nehemiah the captain and of the priest Ezra the scribe.

And in the dedication of the wall at Jerusalem, were the Levites sought out of all their places, that they might be brought to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication and gladness, with thanksgivings, with singing, with cymbals, Psalteries, and harps.

And the same day were there great sacrifices offered, and they rejoiced: for God had given them great gladness, so that both the wives and children were joyful, and the mirth of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

At the same time were there men appointed over the treasure chests - wherein were the Heave offerings, the firstlings and the tithes - that they should gather them out of the fields about the cities, to distribute them unto the priests and Levites according to the law: for Judah was glad of the priests, and Levites,

for in the time of David and Asaph, were the chief singers founded, and the songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

In the time of Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah, did all Israel give portions unto the singers and porters, every day his portion, and they gave things hallowed unto the Levites, and the Levites gave things that were sanctified, unto the children of Aaron.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites were not given them, for the which cause the Levites and singers were fled, everyone, to his land for to work.

And I made treasurers over the treasure, even Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah, and under their hand Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

And I said unto the Levites which were clean, that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the Sabbath day. Think upon me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to thy great mercy!

Thus cleansed I them from all such as were outlandish, and appointed the courses of the priests and Levites, every one to his office,