The building again set forward. Before CHRIST (Ps. 119, 46. Mat. 10, 32. 10. CHAPTER VI. 3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, "governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, 'Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? k 1 Darius's decree. that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and Before CHRIST 519. Psal. 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God bl. 40,7 at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place 4 Then said we unto them after this manner, where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations What are the names of the men that make this build-thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof three- Isn. 60, 12. ing? score cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of chapter 5,R. the king's house: P 5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders 7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was writ- 8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the 'great God, which is builded with † great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. 9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? 10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. 5 And also let the golden and silver ' vessels of the fch. 5, 14. house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored and brought again unto the * 7,8. temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. 6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be yeh P. 76, 10 far from thence; 7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews, and the elders of the Jews, build this house of God in his place. 8 Moreover, † I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: that, of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. k 11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We 9 And that which they have need of, both young are the servants of the " God of heaven and earth, § bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings Luke 12, and build the house that was builded these many of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, 2 Rom. 10,9 years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and according to the appointment of the priests which are 1 Lev. 2. I Heb. 4, 14. set up. at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day with12 But after that our fathers had provoked the out fail; y 2 Chr. 36, God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the 11 Kings & Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the pecple away into Babylon. 29. & 12, 40. 10 That they may offer sacrifices of † sweet sa- ↑ Chaid. {vours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life. 5, 21. of the king, and of his sons. 14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of} the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cy the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they chap. 1,7 were delivered unto one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place. 29. Neh. 1,6 11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall 1 Tim. 2,1 alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be † hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. f Chald. destroyed, or, blotted oni, Cor. 5, 17. Day. 2,5 5, 29. îTM 132, q Ps. 14. r Prov. 20, 13 I Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to s Ps. 119,6 that which Darius the king had sent, so they did 12 Kings speedily. 17, 34, 35. Esth. 6, 11 15. u 2 Chr. 14 7. 14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they Job 5, 12, prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo: and they " builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the com- derret, mandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. ↑ Chald. ch. 1, 1. & & 7, 1. 4,7.& 5,13 515. x 1 Kings 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year 1. of the reign of Darius the king. y John 2, to 26 chap Num. 7 16 And the children of Israel, the priests and the 20 Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, 21 Chr. 23 kept the dedication of this house of God with joy, 17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and, for a sin-offering for all Israel,, 16. h1 Kings Artaxerxes' commission to him. 15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king Before and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God CHRIST of Israel, whose "habitation is in Jerusalem; EZRA. Before twelve he-goats, according to the number of the CHRIST tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, a1 cbr. 24, which is at 'Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. 1 Kings 18, 31. 4. 1 Chr.23, f Ps. 48, 4. u 2 Chr. & 16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find 2 & 29. 6. in all the province of Babylon, with the free-willoffering of the people, and of the priests, offering will19 And the children of the captivity kept the pass-ingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: over upon the fourteenth day of the first month. 17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money, 20 For the priests and the Levites were purified bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings, and y ch. 6, 2 g Num. 3,6. together, all of them were pure, and killed the pass-their drink-offerings, and offer them upon the altar b Ex. 12,26. over for all the children of the captivity, and for their of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 12 Cbr. 20, brethren the priests, and for themselves. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, ' to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. 19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 24. 1 Cor. 5, 7. k Heb. 7, 27. 1 Ps. 93, 5. m ch. 9, 11. m 21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had ' separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, 22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven Ps. 21,6 days with joy for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the pch. 5, 6. house of God, the God of Israel. ⚫ 1 Cor. 5,3. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house. 21 And 1, even I, Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the seribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it NOW after these things, in the reign of Artaxer- be done speedily, xes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3 The son of Amariah, the son ofa Azariah, the son of Meraioth, e 4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: 6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD Luke 10, 25. his God upon him. Jer. 2, 8. Mat. 22, $5. Mark 12, 28. 1 Cor. 1, 20. 12 Chr. 18, Zech. 2, 6, k cb. 2, 42. m Ex. 12, 2. h 7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. k 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, 1 Psal. 34,7. Which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For upon the first day of the first month began Prov. 3, 6. he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Mat. 25, 2. Israel statutes and judgments. Acts 1, 1. Titus 1, 16. 11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the 1.58,11 king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, Tim. 3, 2. even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. Ezek. 26, 12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. 14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God? Dan. 2,47. which is in thy hand; 24 Also we certify you, that, touching any of the gallons, priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or 27. ministers of this house of God; it shall not be lawfu' to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, Ex. 18, 21, that is in thy hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as "know the laws of thy God; and Mal. 27, teach ye them that know them not. 271 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which Lam. 1, 17 hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem; g chap. 1,3 28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the Ps. 138,3 king and his counsellors, and before all the king's Phil. 4, 18 mighty princes. And I was "strengthened as the i hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathcred together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. CHAPTER VIII. 2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush: 1 Chr. 3, 3 Of the sons of Shechaniab, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned, by genealogy, of the males a hundred and fifty. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elilioenai the {son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. (Gen. 17, 10. Ex. 13, 15. Gal. 3, 28. g Neh. 10, 14. Those who returned with Ezra: Betore CHRIST cir. 45' h Neb. 10, I ch. 10, 15. chap. 2, 4. CHAPTER IX. 5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. 6 Of the sons also of "Adin; Ebed the son of 'Jonathan, and with him fifty males. 7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; 'Zebadiah the 1 ch. 10, 20. son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. 9 Of the sons of Joab; " Obadiah the son of Jeliel, Neh. 10,5. and with him two hundred and eighteen males. mchap. 2,6. • ch.2, 11. p ch.2, 12. Ps. 107, 1. Acts 16, 13. m 10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and threescore males. 11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. 12 And of the sons of " Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males. 13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males. 14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males. 15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days and I'viewed the people and the priests, and Prov. 27, found there none of the sons of Levi. r Jer. 50 4, 5. 23. He mourneth for the people, &c. 27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; Before and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. m CHRIST cir. 457. 1 Deut. 33, & 28 And I said unto them, Ye are 'hely unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also: and the silver and the gold are a free-will-offering unto the LORD God Lev. 5, of your fathers: 29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. 30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, unto the house of our God. 33 Now on the fourth day was the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Neb. 8, 7 Noadiah the son of Birnui, Levites; 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan,the weight was written at that time. 5,1,2 and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshul1 chap. 7, 7. lam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, Rev. 111. men of understanding. 34 By number and by weight of every one: and all 35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a sin-offering: all t this was a burnt-offering unto the LORD. 36 And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river; and they † furthered the people, and the house of God. CHAPTER IX. Ezra prayeth unto God with confession of sins. NOW when these things were done, the princes sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; 20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the the priests, and the Levites, have not separated Mat. 23, 2 ap. 2, 13 princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, themselves from the people of the lands, doing accord- 21. two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of theming to their abominations, eren of the Canaanites, the Ex. 33, 16 were expressed by name. Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, e Deut. 7, 2, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken of their daughters for d Mal. 2, 11 themselves, and for their sons; so that the holy seed e1 Cor. 7 have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath (Isa. 9, 13. been chief in this trespass. 3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment Gen 37 and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonished. h Ps. 143, 4 33. 4 Then were assembled unto me every one that i John 11, trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried Isa. 66, 2 away; and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice. Ex. 33. 39 5 And at the 'evening sacrifice I arose up from my m 1 King heaviness; and having rent my garment and my man- 8,54. tle, I fell upon my knees, and "spread out my hands Rom. 6, unto the LORD my God, n 21 Fev 3, 17. 6 And said, O my God! I am ashamed and blush o P.. 28, 4. to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities Daniel 3, & are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. pent.10. A:8, 20. 2 Chr. 28, B Jonah 1.2 7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a Rev. 125 8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant_to Or, pin, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that Eccl. 3, 5, escape, our 'a God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 13. Isa. 22, 23. r Ps. 34, 5, & 104, 23. Those who married strange wives. Before CHRIST 457. bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of ¡Ileb. caus puss. Or, co municated, chap. 7, 26. John 9, 22. Jude 19. 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that 9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not had been carried away. forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathunto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give usered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three 6, 1.&7, 12. a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and todays: it was the "ninth month, and the twentieth day u Isa. 5, 2. repair the desolations thereof, and to give us "a wall of the month; and all the people sat in the street 。 Neh. 2, 3. in Judah and in Jerusalem. of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the † great rain. s P's. 135, 23. t ch. 1, 1. & 32. Lam. 3, y Deut. 7,3. z Ex. 23, 32. a Deut. 23, 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. a 12 Now, therefore, give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave 17. & 112, it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 6. b Ps. 103, 1, 2. 13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations, wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day; behold, we are before thee in our trespasses; for we cannot Rom. 3, stand before thee because of this. Ezra mourning, assembleth the people. TOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down Hosea 14,2 before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men, and women, and children: for the people wept very sore. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have "taken strange Neb. 13, wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 15 1 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jaha- y Gen. 7, 1. ziah the son of Tikvah, were employed about this Exod 25, 2 matter; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite Rom. 12,2 helped them. 16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. Mat. 19, 8. 17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month. 18 And among the sous of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives; namely, of the Mal. 2, 7 sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. 20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Ze- e Lev. 5, 16 badiah. 21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and deh. 2, 56, Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. f ech. 2, 30. f ch. 2, 38. 23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and g ch.2, 40. Kelaiah (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 of the singers also; Eliashib and of the porters Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. h ch. 2. 42. The for service of the temple, 25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; these not. Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and i chap. 2, 2 Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaíah. Nehemiah's prayer: Before CHRIST 450. CHAPTER I....II. Uel, He cometh to Jerusalem. Before 456. 26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zecha- Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. riah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. 34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and CHRIST 27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jerimoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Ham ch.2, 11. naniah, Zabbai, and Athiai. k chap. 2, 7. 1 chap. 2, 8. & 3, 11. n ch. 2, 15. o chan. 2,6. & &, 4. p ch. 2, 32, 39. qch 2, 19. cir. 440. a Ezra 10,9. chap. 2, 1. 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 44 All these had taken " strange wives: and some 33 of the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattathah, { of them had wives by whom they had children. ¶ The BOOK of NEHEMIAH. CHAPTER I. Nehemiah mourneth, fasteth, and prayeth. HE words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the inonth Chisleu, in b Ezra 7, the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them. concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. e chap. 7, 1. & 5, 3. d 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are Ezra left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt Kings with fire. elsa. 33, 19. 25. 10. 4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, 5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and ob11 Kings, serve his commandments; b1 Cor. 12, 26. 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, P and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have Luke 18,1. sinned. p Prov. 23, 13. 4 Ps. 51, 4. 25. Joe! 2, 13. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, 13. and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that Ezra 5,17 thou wouldest' send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that " I may build it. 6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me ; and I set him a time. 7 Moreover, I said unto the king, If it please the king, let Pletters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over, till I come into Judah ; 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for r Isa. 43, 26. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou the gates of the palace which appertained to the Deut. 4, commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trans-house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house 17, 18. gress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, s Ezra 7,€. 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my command- according to the good hand of my God upon me. Deut. 10, ments, and do them; though there were of you" cast 9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, Num. 22, 3, out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I and gave them the king's letters. (Now the king had ch 13, 28. gather them from thence, and will bring them unto sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.) the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the 10 Now these are thy servants, and thy people, servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and them exceedingly that there was come a man to seck Ex6, by thy strong hand. the welfare of the children of Israel. 11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three y Prov. 27, days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. Rom. 12,11, a s. 119, l'rov. 10, 4. |