For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach statutes and judgments in Israel.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, perfect peace, and now:

since you have been sent by the king, and by his seven counselors to ask about Judah and Jerusalem, according to the Law of your God in your hand;

And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are Beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, shall ask of you, it shall be done exactly,

And whoever will not do the Law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it is to death, or to exile, or to confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

And now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the women, and such as have been born of them, according to the counsel of the Lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. And let it be done according to the Law.

Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our sons like their sons. And, lo, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage, to be slaves, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage. And there is no power for our hand, for other men have our lands and vineyards.

For many in Judah were sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

And all the people gathered themselves as one man into the street before the water gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.

And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

And he read in it before the street in front of the Water Gate from the morning until noon, in front of the men and the women, and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people listened to the Book of the Law.

And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the Law. And the people were in their place.

And they read in the Book of the Law of God, clearly. And they gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

And Nehemiah, the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to Jehovah your God. Do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law.

And on the second day the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the Law.

And they found written in the Law which Jehovah had commanded by Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month,

Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read in the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth was an assembly, according to the Law.

And they stood up in their place, and read in the Book of the Law of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day. And another fourth part they confessed and worshiped Jehovah their God.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against You, and cast Your Law behind their backs. And they killed Your prophets who testified against them to turn them to You, and they worked great blasphemies.

and testified against them that You might bring them again to Your Law. But they acted proudly and did not listen to Your commandments, but sinned against Your judgments (which if a man do, he shall live in them), and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

And our kings, our rulers, our priests, and our fathers, have not kept Your Law, nor listened to Your commandments and Your words with which You testified against them.

And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple-slaves, and all those who had separated from the people of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters (everyone who had knowledge, and who had understanding),

were holding fast to their brothers, their honored ones. And they entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God's Law which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to be careful to do all the commandments of Jehovah our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes.

And we cast the lots among the priests, and the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring into the house of our God, according to the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is written in the Law

and to bring the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God;

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.

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

And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me.

And the drinking was according to the law, no one compelling, for so the king had commanded every chief of his house that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

And the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for so was the king's manner toward all who knew law and judgment;

What shall we do with Queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the command of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?

And when the turn of each young woman had come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after she had been purified twelve months, according to the law of the women (for so the days of their anointing were done, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with the perfumes of the women).

In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were angry and tried to lay a hand on King Ahasuerus.

And he scorned to lay hands only on Mordecai, for they had revealed to him the people of Mordecai. And Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, the people of Mordecai.

And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping and wailing. And many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

And the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his, execution, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter so that he may live. But I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.

Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.

And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, the keepers of the door who tried to lay a hand on King Ahasuerus.

And they hanged Haman on the wooden gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. And the king's wrath lay down.

The Jews gathered themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, in order to lay hand on any who sought their harm. And no man could withstand them, for the fear of them fell on all people.

they killed the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the spoil.

For the Jews in Shushan gathered themselves on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men at Shushan. But they did not lay their hands on the spoil.

But the rest of the Jews in the king's provinces gathered themselves and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their foes. But they did not lay their hands on the spoil.

And Jehovah said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay your hand upon him. And Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah.

Lo, let that night be barren; let no joyful voice come in it.

to set on high those who are low, so that those who mourn may be lifted up to safety;

Does the wild ass bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?

And now, please look on me; for if I lie, it is before your face.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I rise? But the night is long, and I am full of tossing to and fro until the dawning of the day.

If I speak of strength, lo, He is mighty! And if of judgment, who shall set me a time?

there is no mediator between us, who might lay his hand on us both.

You shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. Yea, many shall seek your favor.

Lo, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.

Please lay down a pledge for me with Yourself; who is he who will strike hands with me?

Turn to me and be amazed, and lay your hand on your mouth.

They lie down together in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

Please receive the Law from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart.

Then you shall lay up gold like dust, and among the rock of the torrents of Ophir.

They are lifted up for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are gathered in like all others, and are cut off like the heads of the ears of grain.

Lo, these are the edges of His ways; but what a whisper of a word we hear of Him! And the thunder of His power who can understand?

The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered. He opens his eyes, and he is not.

My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.

My bones are pierced in me in the night; and my gnawings never lie down.

Lo, all these things God does two or three times with a man,

should I lie against my right? My wound cannot be cured; I am without rebellion.

Behold, I am vile! What shall I answer You? I will lay my hand on my mouth.

Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

Lay your hand on him, think of the battle; you will never do it again.

But his delight is only in the Law of Jehovah; and in His Law he meditates day and night.

O sons of men, how long will you turn My glory into shame? Will you love vanity and seek after a lie? Selah.

I will lie down, both in peace and in sleep. For You alone, Jehovah, make me dwell in safety.

let the enemy persecute my soul and take it; yea, let him trample down my life on the earth and lay my honor in the dust. Selah.

for lo, the wicked bend their bow; they make ready their arrow on the string, so that they may secretly shoot at the upright in heart.

The Law of Jehovah is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is sure, making the simple wise.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

The Law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; and I looked for him, but he could not be found.

And those who seek my life lay snares for me; and those who seek my hurt speak sly things, and utter deceits all the day long.

Blessed is the man who makes Jehovah his trust and does not turn to the proud, nor to those who turn aside to a lie.

Then I said, Lo, I come, in the volume of the Book it is written of Me;

I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your Law is within My heart.

I have preached righteousness in the great congregation; lo, I have not kept back My lips, O Jehovah, You know.

For, lo, the kings were gathered; they passed by together.

Lo, I would wander far off; I would lodge in the desert. Selah.

My soul is among lions; I lie among those on fire, the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.

Surely the sons of men are vanity; the sons of men are a lie; they go up in the scales; they are altogether lighter than vanity.

When you lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of a dove are covered with silver, and its pinions with the shimmer of gold.

To Him who rides on the heavens of heavens of old; lo, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.

For lo, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all who go lusting away from You.

An instruction of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; bow down your ears to the words of my mouth.

For He set up a testimony in Jacob, and ordered a Law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their sons;

They did not keep the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His Law.

O do not remember against us our former sins; let Your tender mercies meet us quickly; for we are brought very low.

For lo, Your enemies roar; and those who hate You have lifted up their head.

Even the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young, Your altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God.

free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom You remember no more; and by Your hand they are cut off.

If his children forsake My Law, and do not walk in My judgments;

Once I have sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David.