That Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

And I said unto the king, If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchers, that I may rebuild it.

Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may let me pass over till I come into Judah;

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is failing, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants worked in the work, and the other half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the armor; and the rulers supported all the house of Judah.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the food allowance of the governor.

And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;

Now these are the leaders of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt everyone in his own possession in their cities; Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants.

And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;

And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.

And the rest of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people.

And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kiriath-arba, and in its villages, and at Dibon, and in its villages, and at Jekabzeel, and in its villages,

And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

Then I brought up the leaders of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, of which one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the refuse gate:

And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the leaders of Judah,

Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe went before them.

And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the stores, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who ministered.

Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil unto the storehouse.

In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; and also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them about the day in which they sold provisions.

There dwelt men of Tyre also there, who brought fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the sabbath unto the people of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the sabbath day?

And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah, but according to the language of each people.