water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and 'commandedst1 them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst 'lifted up thine 16 hand to give them. But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their 'neck', and hearkened not *17 to thy commandments, and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their neck, land in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and full of compassion', slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy!, and forsook18 est them not. Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great (19 provocations; yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they

20 should go. °Thou gavest also thy

good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for 21 their thirst. Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and 'peoples, which thou didst 'allot after their portions! : so they possessed the land of Sihon, leven the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of 23 Bashan. "Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in 24 to possess it. So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the 'peoples' of the land, that they might do with them as they 25 would. And they took 'fenced' cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns

The Sept. has, and appointed a captain to return to their bondage in Egypt. See Num. xiv. 4.

2 Heb. a God of forgivenesses.

thewn out', vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy 26 great goodness. Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their 'back', and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought (27 great provocations. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries', who 'distressed' them and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the (28 hand of their 'adversaries'. But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them : yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver 29 them according to thy mercies; and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgements, (which if a man do, he shall live in them,) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, 30 and would not hear. Yet many years didst thou 'bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peo31 ples of the lands. Nevertheless 'in' thy manifold mercies' thou didst not Imake a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and 32 merciful God. Now therefore, our

God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the 'travail seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of 33 Assyria unto this day. Howbeit thou art just in all that is 'come upon us;

3 Or, and didst \distribute them into levery corner

Heb. they gave a stubborn shoulder.

for thou hast 'dealt truly, but we 34 have done wickedly: neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou 35 didst testify against them. For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked 36 works. Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that thou gavest un our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, 37 behold, we are servants in it. And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have Ipower over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are 38 in great distress. And yet for all this we make a 'sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, 'our' Levites, and our priests, seal unto it. 101 Now those that sealed were, Nehe

miah the Tirshatha, the son of Haca2 liah, and 'Zedekiah'; °Seraiah, Azariah, 3 Jeremiah; Pashhur, Amariah, Mal4 chijah; Hattush, Shebaniah, Mal5 luch; Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah; 6,7°Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch; Meshul8 lam, Abijah, Mijamin; Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. 9 And the Levites: namely, Jeshua

the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons 10 of Henadad, Kadmiel; and their

brethren, Shebaniah, 'Hodiah', Kelita, 11 Pelaiah, Hanan; Mica, Rehob, Hash12 abiah; Zaccur, Sherebiah, Sheb13 aniah; Hodiah', Bani, Beninu. 14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh,

Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu', Bani; 15, 16 °Bunni, Azgad, Bebai; Adonijah, 17 Bigvai, Adin; "Ater, 'Hezekiah', 'Az18, 19 zur; Hodiah', Hashum, Bezai; "Ha20 riph, Anathoth, "Nobai; Magpiash, 21 Meshullam, Hezir; Meshezabel', 22 Zadok, Jaddua; Pelatiah, Hanan, 23 Anaiah; Hoshea, Hananiah, 'Has24 shub; Hallohesh, 'Pilha', Shobek; 25, 26 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah; and 27 'Ahiah', Hanan, Anan; Malluch, (28 Harim, Baanah. And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinim, and all they that had separated

1[Ch. x. 1 in Heb.]

2 Or, because of 3 Or, faithful\

themselves from the peoples! of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one that had knowledge and 29 understanding; they clave to their brethren, their nobles, and 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 observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judge30 ments and his statutes; and that we would not give our daughters unto the peoples of the land, nor take (31 their daughters for our sons: and if the 'peoples' of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy of them on the sabbath, or on a holy day: and that we would 'forgo' the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. 32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the (33 house of our God; °for the shewbread, and for the continual 'meal' offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the (34) work of the house of our God.

And

we cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, laccording to our 'fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, 35 as it is written in the law: and to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all 'manner of' trees, year by year, unto 36 the house of the LORD: also the firstborn 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, unto the priests that minister in 37 the house of our God: and that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our heave offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, "the wine and 'the' oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites; for they1, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities 38 of our tillage. And the priest the son

7 See Deut. xv. 1, 2.

8 Or, Icoarse mealī "Or, the vintage

Levites, and the

of Aaron shall be with the when the Levites take tithes Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. (39 °For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the 'heave offering of the corn, of 1the wine, and of the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God. 11(1 And the princes of the people

dwelt in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other 2 cities. And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered them3 selves to dwell 'in' Jerusalem. °2Now these are the 'chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim', and the children of Solomon's servants. And in 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 5 children of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zecha6 riah, the son of the Shilonite'. All the sons of Perez that dwelt 'in' Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of 8 Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah'. And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight. And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Hassenuah was 10 second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, (11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, (12 the ruler of the house of God, and their brethren that did the work of the

1 Or, the vintage 2 See Chr. ix. 2, &c.

18

house, eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of 'Pashhur', 13 the son of 'Malchijah', and his brethren, 'chiefs' of 'fathers' houses, two hundred forty and two: and 'Amashsail the son of Azarel', the son of 'Ahzai', the son of Meshillemoth, the 14 son of Immer, and their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of "Hagged15 olim. And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of 'Hasshub', the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, 16 the son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house 17 of God; and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the 'chief' to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four. 19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept watch at the gates, were an hundred (20 seventy and two. And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one 21 in his inheritance. But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpal were over the Nethinim'. (22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the 23 business of the house of God. For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, 'and' a Isettled provision for the singers, 'as 24 every day 'required'. And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel', of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters (25 concerning the people. And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kiriath'arba and the towns thereof, and lin Dibon and the towns thereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages 26 thereof; and in Jeshua, and in' Heb. daughters.

(27 Moladah, and Beth-'pelet'; and 'in' Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and 28 the towns thereof; and 'in' Ziklag, and in Meconah and in the towns! 29 thereof; and in En-rimmon, and 'in (30 Zorah', and 'in' Jarmuth; °Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns thereof. So they lencamped from Beer-sheba unto the 31) valley of Hinnom. The children of Benjamin also dwelt from Geba 'onward, at Michmash and Aija, and 'at' (32 Beth-el and the towns thereof; at 33 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah; Hazor, 34 Ramah, Gittaim; °Hadid, Zeboim, Ne35 ballat; Lod, and Ono, the valley 36) of craftsmen. And of the Levites, Icertain courses' in Judah were joined to' Benjamin.

121

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: 2 Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra; Amariah, 3 Malluch, Hattush; °Shecaniah, Re4 hum, Meremoth; °Iddo, 'Ginnethoi', 5 Abijah; Mijamin', Maadiah, Bilgah; 6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah; 7°Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These

were the 'chiefs' of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua. 8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was Over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unno', their brethren, were over against them in 10 'wards'. And Jeshua begat Joiakim,

and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and 11 Eliashib begat Joiada, and Joiada

begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat 12 Jaddua. And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' houses of Seraiah, Meraiah; of 13 Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra, Me

shullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluchi', Jonathan; of Sheba15 niah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of 16 Meraioth, Helkai; of Iddo, Zecha17 riah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moa18 diah, Piltai; of Bilgah, Shammua; 19 of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, 22 Nethanel'. The Levites in the days

of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded heads of 'fathers' houses: also the priests,

in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The sons of Levi, 'heads' of 'fathers' houses, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days (24 of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And the chiefs' of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward against ward. 25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the 26 storehouses of the gates. °These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe.

27

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, (28 psalteries, and with harps. And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from the 29 villages of 'the Netophathites'; also from Beth'-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages 30 round about Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and 'they' purified the people, (31 and the gates, and the wall. Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks

and went in procession; whereof one went on the right hand upon 32 the wall toward the dung gate: and

after them went Hoshaiah, and half 33 of the princes of Judah, oand Azariah, 34 Ezra, and Meshullam, Judah, and

Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jere(35 miah, and certain of the priests' sons

with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of 36 Asaph; and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai,

INethanel', and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe 'was' 37 before them: and by the fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto 38 the water gate eastward. And the other company of them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, 'with the half of the people, upon the wall, 'above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad (39 wall; and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and 'byl the fish gate, and the tower of 'Hananel', and the tower of "Hammeah', even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guardi. 40 °So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with 41 me: and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trump42 ets; and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jez43) rahiah their overseer. And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and' the Iwomen also and the children rejoiced so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

# And on that day' were 'men' appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, laccording to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that 45) waited. And they kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, and so did the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon 46 his son. For in the days of David and Asaph of old 'there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise 47 and thanksgiving unto God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave

the portions of the singers and the porters, las every day required': and they sanctified for the Levites; and the Levites sanctified for the 'sons! of Aaron.

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the 'assembly' 2 of God for ever; because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, 'to curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into 3 a blessing. And it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the

:

chambers of the house of our God, (5 'being allied unto Tobiah, had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment' to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the heave offerings 'for the priests. 6) But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem for in the two and thirti eth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went unto the king, and after certain days asked I leave of the 7 king: and I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the 8 house of God. And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the 9 chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal 10 offerings and the frankincense. And

I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; Iso that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every 11 one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken ? And I gathered them together, and set (12 them in their place. Then brought

5 Another reading is, there were chiefs. 6 Heb. chamber.

-