And the vessels that were given to you for the service of the house of your God you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

Blessed be Yahweh the God of our ancestors, who put this in the heart of the king to glorify the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem

Guard and look after [them] until you weigh [them] before the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the {families} of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chamber of the house of Yahweh."

So the priests and Levites took over the weighed silver, gold, and the vessels to bring to Jerusalem for the house of our God.

On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the river of Ahava to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushing on the way.

We came to Jerusalem and remained there three days.

For we are slaves and in our bondage our God did not forsake us, and he has extended to us loyal love in the presence of the kings of Persia, to give to us deliverance [and] to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem.

And they sent a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to all the {returned exiles} to assemble in Jerusalem.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the public square of the house of God trembling because of this matter and from the rains.

and one of my brothers, Hanani, came with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped the captivity and about Jerusalem.

They replied to me, "The survivors in the province who have survived the captivity are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned in the fire."

I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days.

I got up during the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anybody what my God put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. No animal [was] with me except the animal that I was riding on.

I went out during the night at the gate of the valley by the Dragon spring and to the Dung Gate. And I examined the walls in Jerusalem and its gates that had been destroyed by the fire.

Then I said to them, "You see the misery that we are in, that Jerusalem is ruined and its gates burned by the fire. Come, build the walls of Jerusalem and we shall no longer be a disgrace."

Then I answered and said to them, "The God of the heavens himself will let us succeed, and we his servants shall arise and build. But for you there is no share, right, or memorial in Jerusalem."

{Next to him} Uzziel son of Harhaiah (goldsmiths) repaired. {Next to him} Hananiah son of the perfume-makers repaired. They restored Jerusalem up to the Broad Wall.

{Next to them} Rephaiah son of Hur, commander of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired.

{Next to him} Shallum son of Hallohesh, commander of half of the district of Jerusalem, repaired with his daughters.

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem were going forward and the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.

So all of them plotted together to come fight against Jerusalem and to make trouble for it.

At the time I also said to the people, "Let each man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they will be a guard for us in the night and work in the day."

You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, saying, '[There is] a king in Judah.' And now it will be proclaimed to the king according to these words. Now, come and we will plan together."

I gave command over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.

I said to them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house."

These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city.

and that they should proclaim and give voice in all of their cities in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hill and bring olive tree branches, olive oil wood branches, myrtle shrub branches, palm tree branches, and other leafy tree branches to make booths, as it is written."

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 willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

These are the heads of the province who lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah each one lived on his property in their cities: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants.

And [some] from the descendants of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez;

All of the descendants of Perez who were living in Jerusalem [were] four hundred and sixty-eight able-bodied men.

The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem [was] Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, from the descendants of Asaph, the singers over the work of the house of God.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all of their places in order to bring them to Jerusalem to do the dedication with joy, thanksgivings, song and cymbals, stringed instruments and lyres.

The {singers} were gathered from the circuit all around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathite,

from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem.

They offered on that day great sacrifices and rejoiced because God brought great joy to them. And the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

During all of this, I was not in Jerusalem because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. At the end of [some] days I asked permission from the king [to leave].

So I came to Jerusalem. And I came to learn of the wrong that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by making him a room in the courtyard of the house of God.

In those days I saw in Judah [people] treading the wine press on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps [of grain] and loading them on donkeys along with wine, grapes and figs, and every kind of burden and bringing [it all] to Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath. And I warned them at that time against selling food.

Tyrian men who lived in [Jerusalem] brought fish and every kind of merchandise and sold [it] on the Sabbath to the descendants of Judah and in Jerusalem.

So when it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut and said that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I appointed some of my young men over the gates [to prevent] any {goods} being brought in on the day of the Sabbath.

So the merchants and the sellers of merchandise spent the night outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

who was deported from Jerusalem with the exiles who were deported with Jeconiah the king of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported.

Do good in your favor toward Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Because your temple [is] above Jerusalem, kings will bring tribute to you.

O God, [the] nations have entered your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have reduced Jerusalem to ruins.

They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was none to bury [them].

so that [they may] make known in Zion the name of Yahweh, and his praise in Jerusalem,

in the courts of the house of Yahweh, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise Yah!

Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem--

Jerusalem that is built as a city that is joined together,

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be at ease.

[As] mountains [are] round about Jerusalem, so Yahweh [is] round about his people, from now until forever.

May Yahweh bless you from Zion, that you may see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life,

Blessed [be] Yahweh from Zion, who dwells [in] Jerusalem. Praise Yah!

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget.

Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if do not I exalt Jerusalem above my highest joy.

Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, the ones who said, "Lay [it] bare! Lay [it] bare to its foundation!"

Yahweh [is] building Jerusalem; he gathers [the] scattered ones of Israel.

Laud Yahweh, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,

The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

I, the Teacher, [was] king over Israel in Jerusalem.

{I said to myself}, "Look! I have become great and have increased [in] wisdom more than anyone who {has preceded} me over Jerusalem. {I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge}."

I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children [born in my] house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who [was] before me in Jerusalem.

Thus, {I accomplished far more} than anyone who [was] before me in Jerusalem--indeed, my wisdom stood by me.

I [am] black but beautiful, {O maidens of Jerusalem}, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

I adjure you, {O maidens of Jerusalem}, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

I adjure you, {O maidens of Jerusalem}, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

He made its column of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple; its interior is inlaid [with] leather by {the maidens of Jerusalem}.

I adjure you, {O maidens of Jerusalem}, if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? [Tell him] that I am {lovesick}!

{His mouth} [is] sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This [is] my beloved; this [is] my friend, {O young women of Jerusalem}.

You [are] beautiful, my beloved, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, {overwhelming as an army with banners}.

I adjure you, {O maidens of Jerusalem}, do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

many peoples shall come. And they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob, and may he teach us part of his ways, and let us walk in his paths." For instruction shall go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

For look, the Lord Yahweh of hosts [is] removing {every source of support} from Jerusalem and from Judah: all of [the] supplies of bread and all of [the] supplies of water,

For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen because their speech and their deeds [are] against Yahweh, defying the eyes of his glory.

And this shall happen: He who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone written for life in Jerusalem,

when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the blood of Jerusalem from her midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.

And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.

This happened in the days of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah. Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up [to] Jerusalem for warfare against it, but he was not able to fight against it.

And he will become like a sanctuary and a stumbling-stone, and like a stumbling-rock for the two houses of Israel, like a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols --and their images were {greater than those of} Jerusalem and Samaria--

shall I not do to Jerusalem and its idols what I have done to Samaria and her idols?"

And this shall happen: when the Lord has finished all his work against {Mount Zion} and Jerusalem, "I will punish the {arrogance} of the king of Assyria and {his haughtiness}."

{This day} {taking a stand} at Nob, he will shake his fist [at] the mountain of the daughter of Zion, [at] the hill of Jerusalem.

And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall.

and I will clothe him [with] your tunic, and I will bind your sash firmly about him, and I will put your authority into his hand, and he shall be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

And the full moon will be ashamed and the sun will be ashamed, for Yahweh of hosts will rule on {Mount Zion} and in Jerusalem, and before his elders [in] glory.

And this shall happen: on that day, a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria will come, and those who were scattered in the land of Egypt, and they will bow down to Yahweh on the {holy mountain} at Jerusalem.

Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, men of mockery, rulers of these people in Jerusalem:

For people will live in Zion; in Jerusalem, you will surely not weep. Surely he will be gracious to you; when he hears the sound of your cry, he will answer you.

Like birds flying [overhead], so Yahweh of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver [it]; he will pass over and rescue [it].

And his rock will pass over because of terror, and his officers will be terrified because of [the] flag," {declares} Yahweh, who has a fire in Zion and has a furnace in Jerusalem.

Look [on] Zion, the city of our appointed festivals! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed settlement, a tent {that is not moved}. No one will ever pull out its tent pegs, and none of its ropes will be torn in two.

And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah, with a large army, and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on [the] highway of [the] field of [the] washer.

And if you say to me, 'We trust in Yahweh our God,' [was it] not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed? And he said to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall bow down in the {presence} of this altar.'"

Who [are there] among all the gods of these countries who have saved their land from my hand, that Yahweh should save Jerusalem from my hand?" '"