Day 210 of 730

¹Now it happened, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates;)

²that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to harm me.

³I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?"

⁴They sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them the same way.

⁵Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,

⁶in which was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.

⁷You have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together."

⁸Then I sent to him, saying, "There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart."

⁹For they all would have made us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done. But now, strengthen my hands."

¹⁰I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, "Let us meet together in God's house, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you; yes, in the night will they come to kill you."

¹¹I said, "Should such a man as I flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in."

¹²I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

¹³He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an unfavorable report, that they might taunt me.

¹⁴"Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear."

¹⁵So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.

¹⁶It happened, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations that were about us were afraid, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was worked of our God.

¹⁷Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

¹⁸For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife.

¹⁹Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

¹Now it happened, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

²that I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the castle, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.

³I said to them, "Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house."

⁴Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.

⁵My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written therein:

⁶These are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city;

⁷who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

⁸The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two.

⁹The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two.

¹⁰The children of Arah, six hundred fifty-two.

¹¹The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen.

¹²The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

¹³The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five.

¹⁴The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty.

¹⁵The children of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight.

¹⁶The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight.

¹⁷The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two.

¹⁸The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven.

¹⁹The children of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven.

²⁰The children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five.

²¹The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.

²²The children of Hashum, three hundred Twenty-eight.

²³The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four.

²⁴The children of Hariph, one hundred twelve.

²⁵The children of Gibeon, ninety-five.

²⁶The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight.

²⁷The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight.

²⁸The men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two.

²⁹The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three.

³⁰The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one.

³¹The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two.

³²The men of Bethel and Ai, a hundred twenty-three.

³³The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two.

³⁴The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

³⁵The children of Harim, three hundred twenty.

³⁶The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five.

³⁷The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one.

³⁸The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty.

³⁹The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three.

⁴⁰The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two.

⁴¹The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven.

⁴²The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen.

⁴³The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy-four.

⁴⁴The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred forty-eight.

⁴⁵The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight.

⁴⁶The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

⁴⁷the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

⁴⁸the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai,

⁴⁹the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,

⁵⁰the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,

⁵¹the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah.

⁵²The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim,

⁵³the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

⁵⁴the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

⁵⁵the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah,

⁵⁶the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

⁵⁷The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,

⁵⁸the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

⁵⁹the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Amon.

⁶⁰All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety-two.

⁶¹These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel:

⁶²The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two.

⁶³Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.

⁶⁴These searched for their genealogical records, but couldn't find them. Therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.

⁶⁵The governor said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁶The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,

⁶⁷besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women.

⁶⁸Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five;

⁶⁹their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty.

⁷⁰Some from among the heads of fathers' households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priests' garments.

⁷¹Some of the heads of fathers' households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred minas of silver.

⁷²That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests' garments.

⁷³So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities.

¹God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again.

²You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.

³You have shown your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.

⁴You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

⁵So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

⁶God has spoken from his sanctuary: "I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

⁷Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defense of my head. Judah is my scepter.

⁸Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my shoe on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia."

⁹Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?

¹⁰Haven't you, God, rejected us? You do not go out with our armies, God.

¹¹Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.

¹²Through God we shall do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.

¹Do not be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:

²for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.

³Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

⁵A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;

⁶for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool: he doesn't open his mouth in the gate.

⁸One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

⁹The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁰If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

¹²If you say, "Behold, we did not know this;" doesn't he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn't he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

¹³My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

¹⁴so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not lie in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place:

¹⁶for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;

¹⁸lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:

²⁰for there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.

²¹My son, fear the Lord and the king. Do not join those who are rebellious:

²²for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both-who knows?

²³These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;" peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him-

²⁵but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

²⁶An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

²⁷Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

²⁸Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

³⁰I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

³³a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;

³⁴so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.