Through My Bible Yr 02 – August 01

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – August 01

Nehemiah 12

Through My Bible – August 01

Nehemiah 12 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Legitimate Servants for the Temple

1 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua:

        Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,
3         Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
5         Mijamin, Ma’adiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7         Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.
        These were the heads of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.

8         These are the Levites:

        Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah,
        Mattaniah (he and his relatives were in charge of songs of thanksgiving),
9         and Bakbukiah and Unni (their relatives were stationed opposite them for the services).

The Succession of Priests

10         Now Jeshua was the father of Joiakim,
        and Joiakim was the father of Eliashib,
        and Eliashib was the father of Joiada,
11         and Joiada was the father of Jonathan,
        and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests who were the heads of the families were as follows:

        the head of Seraiah’s family was Meraiah
        of Jeremiah’s: Hananiah
13         of Ezra’s: Meshullam
        of Amariah’s: Jehohanan
14         of Malluk’s: Jonathan
        of Shebaniah’s: Joseph
15         of Harim’s: Adna
        of Meraioth’s: Helkai
16         of Iddo’s: Zechariah
        of Ginnethon’s: Meshullam
17         of Abijah’s: Zikri
        of Miniamin’s, of Moadiah’s: Piltai
18         of Bilgah’s: Shammua
        of Shemaiah’s: Jehonathan
19         and of Joiarib’s: Mattenai
        of Jedaiah’s: Uzzi
20         of Sallai’s: Kallai
        of Amok’s: Eber
21         of Hilkiah’s: Hashabiah
        of Jedaiah’s: Nethanel.

22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded by the heads of families, [1] as were the priests, until the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The descendants of Levi who were heads of families were recorded in the book of the chronicles, down to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

24 The heads of the Levites were as follows:

Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel and his relatives, who stood opposite them to praise and to give thanks according to the command of David the man of God, one division corresponding to another.

25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms at the gates. 26 These men served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe.

The Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

27 Now for the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites had been invited from all their places, in order to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyful dedication with both thanksgiving hymns and with songs using cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 The singers had been gathered both from the district around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the countryside of Geba and Azmaveth, because the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 The priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

31 I brought the officers of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs and two groups for the procession.

One group proceeded south on top of the west wall toward the Dung Gate. 32 Behind them went Hoshaiah and half of the officers of Judah, 33 also Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 34 Judah and Benjamin, and Shemaiah and Jeremiah, 35 as well as some of the priests with trumpets, namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his relatives Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Ma’ai, Nethanel, and Judah, and Hanani with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led them. 37 From the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps to the City of David, by the ascent to the wall which was above David’s house and over the Water Gate on the east. [2]

38 The second thanksgiving choir was assigned to go in the opposite direction. Both I and half of the people were behind it on top of the wall. They went over the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 and over the Ephraim Gate (that is, over the Old Gate), and over the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, and up to the Sheep Gate, and they stood at the Guard’s Gate.

40 The two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, as did I and half of the officials with me, 41 as well as the priests: Eliakim, Ma’aseiah, Miniamin, Mikaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with trumpets, 42 and Ma’aseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, and Malkijah, and Elam, and Ezer. Then the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 That day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard a long way away.

44 That day men were appointed as supervisors over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, in order to gather the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites from the fields [3] of the towns, because Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who carried out their duties. 45 They and the singers and the gatekeepers continued the service of their God and the service of purification, according to the command of David and his son Solomon, 46 because formerly in the days of David and Asaph, Asaph was the head of the singers and of songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel continued to give the required portions for the singers and the gatekeepers daily. They would set apart that portion which was for the Levites, and the Levites would set apart that portion which was for the descendants of Aaron.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:22 Literally the heads of fathers
  2. Nehemiah 12:37 The precise meaning of this part of the route is uncertain.
  3. Nehemiah 12:44 The Hebrew text has on the basis of the fields.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 31

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 31

Nehemiah 11

Through My Bible – July 31

Nehemiah 11 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

New Residents for Jerusalem

1 The people’s officials lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to choose one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in their own cities. 2 The people blessed all those who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

3 This is a listing of the heads of the province who lived in Jerusalem. (Meanwhile, in the cities of Judah, each man lived on his own property, including laymen from Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. 4 But some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin also lived in Jerusalem.)

From the descendants of Judah:

        Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez.
5         Ma’aseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Kol Kozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.
6         All the descendants of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem were 468 able-bodied men.

7 These are the descendants of Benjamin:

        Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Ma’aseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 8 and after him Gabbai and Sallai: 928 in all.
9         Joel son of Zikri was their overseer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second in command over the city.

10 From the priests:

        Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, ruler of the house of God, 12 and their relatives who were doing the work of the house: 822.
        Also Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13 and his relatives, heads of families: 242.
        Also Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and their relatives, very capable men: 128.
        Their overseer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.

15 From the Levites:

        Shemaiah, who was the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni.
16         Also Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were supervisors over the outside work of the house of God. They were from the heads of the Levites.
17         Also Mattaniah, who was the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, leader of the praise [1] and thanksgiving for the prayer.
        Also Bakbukiah, second in rank among his relatives, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
18         All the Levites in the holy city numbered 284.

19 These are the gatekeepers:

        Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives who guarded the gates numbered 172.

20         The rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites were in all the cities of Judah, each man in his own inheritance.
21         The temple servants were dwelling in the Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were supervisors over the temple servants.
22         The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, from the descendants of Asaph, who were the singers for the service of the house of God, 23 for they were under a royal command—an order concerning the singers’ daily duty.
24         Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, from the descendants of Zerah the son of Judah, served as the hand of the king for every matter concerning the people.

25 This is the information about the villages with their fields:

Some of the descendants of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, and in Jekabze’el and its settlements, 26 and in Jeshua, in Moladah, and in Beth Pelet, 27 and in Hazar Shual, and in Beersheba and its settlements, 28 and in Ziklag, and in Mekonah and in its settlements, 29 and in En Rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah and Adullam and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its settlements. So they settled from Beersheba to the Hinnom Valley.

31 Some of the descendants of Benjamin were from Geba, Mikmash, Aijah, and Bethel and its settlements, 32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, and Ono, and the Valley of the Craftsmen. 36 Some of the Levite divisions of Judah were assigned to Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 11:17 The Latin and some Greek manuscripts read leader of the praise rather than the Hebrew leader to begin.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 30

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 30

Nehemiah 10

Through My Bible – July 30

Nehemiah 10 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

The Solemn Agreement [1]

1 So in all this we are making a solemn agreement and putting it in writing and attaching the seals of our officials, Levites, and priests.

These were the men who placed their seals on it:

Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah,
Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Ma’aziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah.
These are the priests.

9 The Levites were:

Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel.
10 Their relatives were Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

14 The heads of the people were:

Parosh, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Ma’aseiah,
26 and Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluk, Harim, Ba’anah.

28 Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and every person who had separated himself from the peoples of the lands for the sake of the Law of God, with their wives, their sons, and their daughters—all the people who have knowledge and understanding— 29 are making a commitment with their brothers, that is, with the important people, and they are placing themselves under a curse and under an oath to walk in the Law of God that was given through Moses the servant of God, an oath to keep the law and to obey all the commands of the Lord our God and his judgments and his statutes.

The Terms of the Agreement

30 We promise to keep these points:

We will not give our daughters in marriage to the peoples of the land, and we will not take their daughters for marriage to our sons.

31 We will not buy anything from the peoples of the land who are bringing goods and all kinds of grain to sell on the Sabbath day or on a holy day.

We will leave the land fallow during the seventh year, and we will forgive every loan.

32 We will each assume the responsibility to keep the commands to give a third of a shekel per year for the service of the house of our God, 33 for the Bread of the Presence, for the regular daily grain offerings, the continual burnt offerings, the Sabbath offerings, the New Moon offerings, for the appointed festivals and holy offerings, and for sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

34 We—the priests, the Levites, and the people—have cast lots to determine our turns for each fathers’ house [2] to bring the wood offering to the house of our God, at the appointed times each year, to be burned upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

35 We pledge to bring the firstfruits of our land and the firstfruits of every kind of fruit tree to the house of our God for ourselves. 36 We also will bring the firstborn of our sons and our animals, as is written in the Law, and we will bring the firstborn of our cattle and flocks to the house of our God for the priests who serve in the house of our God, 37 and we will bring the first of our dough and our contributions and the fruit of every tree. We will bring new wine and olive oil to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God, and we will bring the tithe from our land to the Levites. It is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work. 38 A priest, a descendant of Aaron, will be with the Levites when the Levites collect the tithes. The Levites will bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the chambers of the treasury, 39 because the Israelites and the sons of Levi are to bring the contribution from the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are kept, where the priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers serve.

In this way we will not abandon the house of our God.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 10:1 Nehemiah 10:1 is 9:38 in the Hebrew Old Testament. All the subsequent verse numbers of chapter 10 are one number higher in the English text than in the Hebrew text.
  2. Nehemiah 10:34 The societal units of Israel were called fathers’ houses. They could also be called ancestral clans.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 29

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 29

Nehemiah 9:22-37

Through My Bible – July 29

Nehemiah 9:22-37 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Nehemiah 9

22 You gave them kingdoms and peoples,

and you divided their whole territory among them.

They took possession of the land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon,

and also the land of Og, the king of Bashan.

23 You made their children as numerous as the stars of heaven.

You brought them to the land that you had told their ancestors to enter and possess.

24 Their children came and possessed the land,

and you subdued the Canaanite inhabitants of the land before them.

You gave their kings and the peoples of the land into their hand

to do with them as they pleased.

25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land.

They possessed houses full of all kinds of good things,

hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive orchards,

and fruit trees in abundance.

They ate and were satisfied.

They became fat and delighted in your great goodness.

26 But they rebelled and revolted against you and rejected your Law.

They killed your prophets, who had testified against them

so that they would return to you.

They also committed great blasphemies.

27 So you delivered them into the hand of their oppressors,

who made them suffer.

But when they cried to you at the time of their distress,

you heard from heaven,

and according to your great compassion, you gave them deliverers,

who saved them from the hand of their oppressors.

28 However, as soon as they had rest, they returned to doing evil before you.

So you abandoned them into the hand of their enemies,

and they ruled over them.

Then they turned and cried out to you.

You heard from heaven,

and you rescued them many times, according to your great compassion.

29 You testified against them to lead them back to your law,

but they acted arrogantly and did not listen to your commands.

They sinned against your judgments

by which a man will live when he obeys them.

They turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked, and would not listen.

30 You were patient with them for many years,

and you testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets.

But they would not listen,

so you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

31 Nevertheless, in your great compassion you did not put an end to them.

You did not abandon them,

because you are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 So now, you our God, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God,

who keeps the covenant of mercy,

do not regard as trivial all the hardships that have found us,

our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets,

our ancestors, and all your people,

from the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.

33 You are righteous in regard to everything that has come upon us,

because you have acted faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.

34 Our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors did not follow your law.

They did not pay attention to your commands

or to your testimony that you gave against them.

35 Although they were in their own kingdom,

and they were enjoying your great goodness that you gave to them,

and they were enjoying the spacious and fertile land

that you placed before them,

they still did not serve you,

and they did not repent of their evil deeds.

36 As a result, we are slaves today.

We are slaves in the land that you gave to our ancestors

so that they could eat its fruit and its good things.

37 It is yielding abundant produce to kings

whom you placed over us because of our sins,

and they are ruling our bodies and our livestock as they please,

while we are in great distress.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 28

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 28

Nehemiah 9:1-21

Through My Bible – July 28

Nehemiah 9:1-21 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Nehemiah 9

Worship and the Reading of the Law

1 On the twenty-fourth day of this same month, the Israelites gathered together. They were fasting and wearing sackcloth, and they had dirt on their faces. [1] 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and confessed their sins and the guilt of their ancestors. 3 They stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and for another quarter they confessed their sins and worshipped the Lord their God.

4 Then Jeshua and Bani, [2] Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani stood on the stairs for the Levites and cried out in a loud voice to the Lord their God. 5 The Levites Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said,

“Stand up! Bless the Lord your God,
        who is from eternity to eternity.
May they bless your glorious Name,
        which is more exalted than all other blessing and praise.
6 You are the Lord—you alone.

        You made the heavens—
        the highest heavens and their entire army,
        the earth and everything that is on it,
        the seas and all that is in them.
        You sustain life in all of them,
        and the army of heaven worships you.
7 You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram.
        You brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans,
        and you gave him the name Abraham.
8 You found his heart to be faithful before you.
        You made the covenant with him
        to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites,
        the Hittites, the Amorites and the Perizzites,
        and the Jebusites and the Girgashites. [3]
        You kept your word, because you are righteous.
9 You saw the oppression of our ancestors in Egypt.
        You heard their cry at the Red Sea.
10 You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
        against all his officials,
        and against all the people of his land,
        because you knew that they were acting arrogantly against Israel.
        You made a name for yourself, as it remains to this day.
11 You split the sea in front of them,
        and they passed through the middle of it on dry ground.
        You threw their pursuers into the depths like a stone into mighty waters.
12 With a pillar of cloud you led them by day
        and with a pillar of fire by night,
        which lit up for them the way they were to travel.
13 You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven.
        You gave them upright judgments and true laws,
        good statutes and commandments.
14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath.
        You gave them commandments, statutes,
        and the Law, by the hand of your servant Moses.
15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger,
        and you made water come out of a rock for their thirst.
        Then you told them to go and take possession of the land
        that you swore to give them.
16 But they and our ancestors acted arrogantly.
        They became stiff-necked and would not listen to your commands.
17 So they refused to listen,
        and they did not remember your wonders that you did for them.
        They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader
        in order to return to their slavery in Egypt.
        But you are a God who is forgiving, merciful, and compassionate,
        slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
        So you did not abandon them.
18 However, they made a cast metal calf for themselves and said,
        “This is your god who brought you up from Egypt,”
        and they committed great blasphemies.
19 But in your abundant compassion, you did not abandon them in the wilderness.
        By day the pillar of cloud did not depart from above them
        or stop leading them on their way.
        By night the pillar of fire did not stop lighting the way that they should go.
20 You gave them your good Spirit to give them insight.
        So you did not withhold your manna from their mouth,
        and you gave them water for their thirst.
21 You sustained them for forty years in the wilderness.
        They did not lack anything.
        Their clothing did not wear out,
        and their feet did not swell.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 9:1 All signs of mourning
  2. Nehemiah 9:4 Some emend to Binnui on the basis of parallel passages. There are many spelling variants of the names in these lists.
  3. Nehemiah 9:8 The Hebrew text divides these peoples into groups as indicated by the occurrences of the ands in the translation above. It is uncertain whether these groupings have any special significance, but the translation preserves them.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 27

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 27

Nehemiah 8

Through My Bible – July 27

Nehemiah 8 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Ezra Reads the Law of Moses

1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their cities, [1] all the people gathered together at the public square that is in front of the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the congregation, both men and women and all who were able to understand what they heard. 3 From dawn until midday in front of the public square in front of the Water Gate, he read from the scroll, while facing the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that was made for the occasion. Beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Ma’aseiah on his right, and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 All the people could see Ezra as he opened the scroll, because he was elevated above all the people. As he opened the scroll, all the people stood. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” while they lifted up their hands and then knelt and bowed down with their faces to the ground.

7 Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Ma’aseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the rest of the Levites helped the people understand the Law, while the people remained standing in their places. 8 So they read from the Book of the Law of God clearly and interpreted it, and the people understood what was read. [2]

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who helped the people understand, said to all the people, “Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or cry!” because all the people were crying as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said to them, “Go, eat rich food and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, because today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

11 Then the Levites silenced all the people, saying, “Hush! Today is holy. Do not grieve.”

12 All the people went to eat and drink and to send portions to others and to celebrate with great joy, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.

Ezra Leads the Study of the Law of Moses

13 Now on the second day, the heads of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the Israelites should dwell in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim this and make this announcement in all their cities and in Jerusalem: “Go out to the mountains and bring branches from olive trees, wild olive trees, myrtle bushes, date palms, and leafy trees to make shelters, as it is written.”

16 So the people went out and brought branches and made shelters for themselves. Each man made a shelter on his roof. They also made shelters in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the square by the Water Gate, and in the square by the Ephraim Gate. 17 The entire congregation that had returned from the captivity made shelters and stayed in the shelters. From the days of Joshua [3] son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated in this way, because there was very great joy. 18 Ezra also read from the Book of the Law of God every day of the festival, from the first day to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly according to the ordinance.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 8:1 The preceding words are part of 7:73.
  2. Nehemiah 8:8 Or understood the Scriptures. Miqra, what is read, is the Hebrew name for the Old Testament Scriptures.
  3. Nehemiah 8:17 In Nehemiah this name is consistently spelled Jeshua, but the translation has retained the usual spelling for the famous Joshua.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 26

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 26

Nehemiah 7

Through My Bible – July 26

Nehemiah 7 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Gatekeepers Are Appointed for the City

1 When the wall had been built and I had installed the doors, and when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I placed my brother Hanani along with Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem, because he was a trustworthy man and feared God more than many. 3 I [1] said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem should not be left open until the heat of the day, but while the guards are still on duty, they are to shut the doors and secure them. Appoint guards from the residents of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their houses.”

Repopulating the City

4 Now the city was wide open and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses were being built. 5 So my God placed into my heart a plan to gather the nobles, the officials, and the people so they could be enrolled by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who were the first to come up from Babylon. I found this written in it:

6 These are the people [2] of the province who went up from the captivity of the exiles, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had exiled. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each man to his city. 7 These were the people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Ra’amiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Ba’anah. [3]

This was the number of men from the people of Israel: [4]

8 the male descendants [5] of Parosh: 2,172
9 the male descendants of Shephatiah: 372
10 the male descendants of Arah: 652
11 the male descendants of Pahath Moab through the descendants of Jeshua and Joab: 2,818
12 the male descendants of Elam: 1,254
13 the male descendants of Zattu: 845
14 the male descendants of Zakkai: 760
15 the male descendants of Binnui: 648
16 the male descendants of Bebai: 628
17 the male descendants of Azgad: 2,322
18 the male descendants of Adonikam: 667
19 the male descendants of Bigvai: 2,067
20 the male descendants of Adin: 655
21 the male descendants of Ater through Hezekiah: 98
22 the male descendants of Hashum: 328
23 the male descendants of Bezai: 324
24 the male descendants of Hariph: 112
25 the citizens [6] of Gibeon: 95
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah: 188
27 the men of Anathoth: 128
28 the men of Beth Azmaveth: 42
29 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Be’eroth: 743
30 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621
31 the men of Mikmash: 122
32 the men of Bethel and Ai: 123
33 the men of the other Nebo: 52
34 the citizens of the other Elam: 1,254
35 the citizens of Harim: 320
36 the citizens of Jericho: 345
37 the citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721
38 the citizens of Sena’ah: 3,930
39 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah through the house of Jeshua: 973
40 the descendants of Immer: 1,052
41 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247
42 the descendants of Harim: 1,017

43 The Levites:
        the descendants of Jeshua through Kadmiel through the descendants of Hodaviah: 74
44         the singers from the descendants of Asaph: 148
45         the gatekeepers from the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 138.

46 The temple servants:
        the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha,
        the descendants of Tabbaoth, 47 the descendants of Keros,
        the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon,
48         the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, [7]
        the descendants of Shalmai, [8] 49 the descendants of Hanan,
        the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar,
50         the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin,
        the descendants of Nekoda, 51 the descendants of Gazzam,
        the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah,
52         the descendants of Besai, [9] the descendants of Meunim,
        the descendants of Nephisim, [10] 53 the descendants of Bakbuk,
        the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur,
54         the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida,
        the descendants of Harsha, 55 the descendants of Barkos,
        the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah,
56         the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.

57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
        the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth,
        the descendants of Perida, 58 the descendents of Ja’alah,
        the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,
59         the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil,
        the descendants of Pokereth Hazzebaim, the descendants of Amon.

60 The total of the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants was 392.

61 The following are the people who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. They were not to prove their ancestry or descent—whether they were from Israel:

62 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the descendants of Nekoda: 642,
63 and from the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai, that is, from a man who married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and so was called by their name.

64 These people searched for their genealogical records, but they could not find them, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 65 The governor told them that they should not eat from the most holy sacrifices until a priest would arise who could serve with Urim and Thummim.

66 The entire assembly together totaled 42,360, 67 not counting their male slaves and their female slaves, who numbered 7,337. They also had 245 [11] male and female singers. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, [12] 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the heads of the families gave support for the work.
The governor gave to the treasury:
    gold darics: 1,000 [13]
    bowls: 50
    garments for the priests: 530.
71 Some of the heads of the families gave this to the treasury for the work:
    gold darics: 20,000
    silver minas: 2,200. [14]
72 What the rest of the people gave was this:
    gold darics: 20,000
    silver minas: 2,000
    and garments for the priests: 67.

73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, and the temple servants, that is, all Israel, settled in their cities.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:3 I is the reading in the margin of the Hebrew text. It is supported by ancient versions. The main Hebrew reading is he.
  2. Nehemiah 7:6 Literally sons
  3. Nehemiah 7:7 A number of the names in this list vary in form from the names in the parallel list in Ezra 2.
  4. Nehemiah 7:7 In this list and the parallel list in Ezra there are many variants of names and numbers. The translation notes only some of the more important variants.
  5. Nehemiah 7:8 Literally sons
  6. Nehemiah 7:25 Literally sons
  7. Nehemiah 7:48 At this point this list is missing two names that are present in Ezra 2:45-46: Akkub and Hagab.
  8. Nehemiah 7:48 Variant Shamlai
  9. Nehemiah 7:52 At this point the list in Nehemiah is missing a name present in Ezra 2:50: Asnah.
  10. Nehemiah 7:52 Many of the names in these lists, including Nephusim, have variant spellings. The most common variant is between i and u, which look very much alike in some phases of Hebrew script.
  11. Nehemiah 7:67 The corresponding number in Ezra 2:65 is 200.
  12. Nehemiah 7:68 Many Hebrew manuscripts do not have the reference to horses and mules. Perhaps the repetition of the number 245 led the Hebrew copyist to accidently skip these words.
  13. Nehemiah 7:70 A daric is a unit of weight that appears in post-exilic books. It is a Persian term, equal to the Greek drachma, about a third of an ounce. It is also the name of a Persian gold coin.
  14. Nehemiah 7:71 Estimates of the weight of a mina very widely, from twenty to thirty-five ounces.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 25

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 25

Nehemiah 6

Through My Bible – July 25

Nehemiah 6 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

The Plot to Kill Nehemiah

1 When it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and there was no breach left in it (although at that time I had not installed doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me: “Come, let’s meet together in Kephirim [1] in the Plain of Ono.” (However, they were planning to harm me.)

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am working on an important project, and I am not able to come down. Why should the project stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 They sent messages like this to me four times, and I answered them that same way each time.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me with a message like this for a fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is rumored among the nations, and Gashmu [2] also says that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you will be their king. 7 You have also set up prophets to make a proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘A king is in Judah.’ Now reports like these will be heard by the king. So now come, let us consult with one another.”

8 So I sent a reply to him: “These things that you are saying have not been done, since you are simply making them up.”

9 So all of them were trying to intimidate us, thinking, “Their hands will grow weary of the work, and it will not be finished.”

So now, strengthen my hands!

10 Then I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. (He was restricted.) He said, “Let’s meet at the house of God in the middle of the temple. Let’s close the doors of the temple, since they are coming to kill you—at night they are coming to kill you.”

11 I said, “Should a man like me flee? Should someone like me go to the temple to save my life? I won’t go!” 12 I realized that God had not sent him, but he had spoken the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired—to make me afraid so that I would do this and sin. Then they would have given me a bad reputation, so that they could discredit me.

14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who were trying to intimidate me. [3]

The Wall Is Completed Despite Opposition

15 So the wall was finished in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul. 16 As all our enemies heard about it, all the nations that were around us became afraid and lost their confidence. They knew that this work had been accomplished by our God.

17 Furthermore, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and letters from Tobiah were coming to them, 18 because many in Judah were bound to him by oath because he was the son-in-law of Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 They were also talking about his good deeds in my presence, and they were reporting my words to him. Tobiah was sending letters to try to intimidate me.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 6:2 Or in one of the villages
  2. Nehemiah 6:6 A variant of Geshem
  3. Nehemiah 6:14 Nehemiah frequently interjects prayers into the narration. To make it easier to recognize them, they receive extra indentation.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 24

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 24

Nehemiah 5

Through My Bible – July 24

Nehemiah 5 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

The Work Is Threatened by Internal Dissension

1 Now there was a great outcry by the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. 2 There were those who were saying, “We and our sons and our daughters are many! We need to acquire grain so that we can eat and stay alive.” 3 There were others who were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and houses so that we can acquire grain during the famine.” 4 There were others who were saying, “We borrowed money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen, and our children are as good as their children, we must subject our sons and our daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we have no power to prevent it, since our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 It infuriated me when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 My heart guided me, and I accused the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “Each of you is loaning money at interest to his brother Israelite.”

I called for a large meeting to deal with them. 8 I said to them, “As much as possible, we have bought back our fellow Judeans who have been sold to the Gentiles, and yet, you sell your countrymen so that they can be resold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say.

9 So I said, “What you are doing is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the ridicule from the Gentiles, who are our enemies? 10 In addition, I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. I urge you. Let’s abandon the practice of charging this interest. 11 I urge you. Today give them back their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, their homes, and the money they were charged as interest, also the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil for which you have been charging them.”

12 They said, “We will give it back, and we will not seek anything else from them. In this way we will do what you say.”

So I called the priests and made them swear to act according to this promise. 13 I also shook out the folds of my garment and said, “In this way may God shake out from his home and from his property every man who does not keep this promise. May he be shaken out and emptied in this way.”

The entire assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people kept this promise.

14 In addition, from the day that he appointed me to be the governor of the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years—I and my brothers did not eat the governor’s food allowance.

15 However, the previous governors who served before me had placed a heavy burden on the people. They took food and wine from them—valued at forty silver shekels. [1] Even the lower officials lorded over the people. But because of the fear of God, I did not do this. 16 In addition, I dedicated myself to the work on this wall (although we had acquired no land), and all of my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, at my table there were one hundred fifty Judeans and officials, and others who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Whatever was prepared for each day was at my expense: one ox, six choice sheep, and some birds, and every ten days plenty of every kind of wine. But even with this, I still did not requisition the governor’s food allowance, because the required service weighed heavily on this people.

19 Remember me, my God, for good, considering all that I have done for this people.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:15 The translation of this verse is uncertain. Other interpretations are and forty shekels in addition or forty shekels per day.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 23

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 23

Nehemiah 4

Through My Bible – July 23

Nehemiah 4 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Opposition and Threats to the Building [1]

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, it infuriated him, and he became very angry. He ridiculed the Jews 2 and said in front of his allies [2] and the army of Samaria, “What are those pathetic Jews doing? Will they restore [3] it by themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in one day? Will they refurbish the stones that came from the piles of rubble that have been burned?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him. He said, “Whatever they are building, if even a fox climbed on it, it would break apart the wall made from their stones.”

4 Listen, O our God, because we are an object of contempt. Turn their ridicule back on their own heads. Hand them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover over their guilt, and may their sin not be blotted out before you, because they have provoked your anger in the presence of the builders. [4]

6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was completed, up to half its height, because the people were determined to do it.

7 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the repair of Jerusalem’s walls had progressed and the breaches had begun to be filled, they were infuriated. 8 So all of them conspired to come to attack Jerusalem and to throw it into confusion. 9 However, we prayed to our God, and because of the enemies, we posted a guard over the builders day and night.

10 Then the people of Judah said, “The strength of those bearing the burden is failing. There is so much rubble. We will not be able to build the wall!”

11 Then our adversaries said, “They will not know about it or realize what we are doing, until we come among them and kill them and bring the work to a halt.”

12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they repeatedly told us, “No matter which way you turn, they will be upon us.” [5] 13 So I stationed people behind the wall at the lowest places, at its open spots. I stationed the people by clans with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 Then I looked and got up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and fearsome. So fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

15 When our enemies heard that their plan was known to us and that God had frustrated their strategy, all of us returned to the wall, each man to his own work. 16 From that day on, half of the young men who were serving under me were doing the work, and half of them were holding shields, spears, and bows and wearing armor. The officers were stationed behind the whole house of Judah. 17 The people who were building the wall and those who were carrying the materials for building were doing their work with one hand, while the other hand held a weapon. 18 As they built, the builders were armed, each man with his sword on his hip. The man who sounded the ram’s horn was next to me.

19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “There is a lot of work, and it is spread out, and we are separated along the wall—all the people are far away from each other. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, gather with us at that spot. Our God will fight for us.”

21 So we continued to work with half of the people holding spears, from the crack of dawn until the stars came out. 22 Also at that time I said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night in Jerusalem. They will serve as a guard for us at night, and in the daytime they will work.”

23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who were behind me—none of us took off our clothes. Each man had his weapon in his hand, even when getting a drink of water. [6]

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 4:1 Nehemiah 4:1-6 is 3:33-38 in the Hebrew Bible. Nehemiah 4:7-23 is 4:1-17 in the Hebrew Bible.
  2. Nehemiah 4:2 Literally brothers
  3. Nehemiah 4:2 Here the Hebrew word azav, which usually means abandon, seems to mean restore.
  4. Nehemiah 4:5 -5 Nehemiah frequently interjects prayers into the narration, often without introduction. These prayers are marked by extra indentation.
  5. Nehemiah 4:12 The Hebrew of the text is difficult. It seems to mean that Jews from the countryside were encouraging those in Jerusalem to abandon the city. By emending the text, some read from all around they will attack us.
  6. Nehemiah 4:23 The Hebrew has this cryptic statement: a man, his weapon, the waters. Some suggest emending waters to in his right hand. The words in his hand are not in the Hebrew text.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 22

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 22

Nehemiah 3

Through My Bible – July 22

Nehemiah 3 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Leaders of the Work Crews Who Rebuilt Jerusalem’s Wall

1 The high priest Eliashib and his fellow priests began to work, and they rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and installed its doors. They rebuilt the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of Hananel.

2 Next to him the men of Jericho rebuilt the wall. [1]
Next to them Zakkur son of Imri rebuilt the wall.
3 The citizens of Sena’ah [2] rebuilt the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and hung its doors with their bolts and their bars.
4 Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the wall.
Next to him Meshullam the son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, repaired the wall.
Next to him Zadok son of Ba’ana repaired the wall.
5 Next to him the men of Tekoa repaired the wall. However, their important people would not humble themselves in service to their lord. [3]
6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate. They laid its beams and installed its doors with their bolts and their bars.
7 Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite repaired the wall with the men from Gibeon and Mizpah, who lived under the jurisdiction of the governor of Trans-Euphrates.
8 Next to them Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall.
Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired the wall. (However, they abandoned the part of Jerusalem that had been enclosed by the Broad Wall. [4])
9 Next to him Rephaiah son of Hur, administrator of half of the district of Jerusalem, repaired the wall.
10 Next to him Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired the wall opposite his house.
Next to him Hattush son of Hashabeneiah repaired the wall.
11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath Moab repaired a second section of the wall, including the Tower of the Ovens.
12 Next to them Shallum son of Hallohesh, administrator of half of the district of Jerusalem—he and his daughters—repaired the wall.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and installed its doors with their bolts and their bars, and they repaired fifteen hundred feet [5] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
14 Also, Malkijah son of Recab, administrator of the district of Beth Hakkerem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and installed its doors with their bolts and their bars.
15 Also, Shallun son of Kol Hozeh, administrator of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and roofed it and installed its doors with their bolts and their bars. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah [6] for the King’s Garden, as far as the steps that go down from the City of David.
16 Beyond him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, administrator [7] of half the district of Beth Zur, repaired the wall up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the Artificial Pool and as far as the House of the Warriors.
17 Beyond him the Levites repaired the wall: Rehum son of Bani and next to him Hashabiah, administrator of half of the district of Keilah, repaired the wall for his district.
18 Beyond them their relatives repaired the wall: Binnui [8] son of Henadad, administrator of half the district of Keilah.
19 Next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, mayor [9] of Mizpah, repaired a second section of the wall opposite the Ascent of the Armory at the Angle.
20 Beyond him Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired a second section of the wall from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib.
21 Beyond him Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired a second section of the wall from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of Eliashib’s house.
22 And beyond him, the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired the wall.
23 Beyond them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired the wall opposite their house.
Beyond them Azariah the son of Ma’aseiah, the son of Ananiah, repaired the wall beside his house.
24 Beyond him Binnui son of Henadad repaired a second section of the wall from the house of Azariah to the Angle, that is, to the Corner. [10]
25 Palal son of Uzai repaired the wall from opposite the Angle and the tower that projects from the king’s upper house, which belongs to the Courtyard of the Guard.
Beyond him Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants who were living on the Ophel Hill repaired the wall as far as the Water Gate toward the east and the Projecting Tower.
27 Beyond them the men of Tekoa repaired a second length of the wall from opposite the large Projecting Tower to the Ophel Wall.
28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired the wall. Each man repaired the part opposite his own house.
29 Beyond them Zadok son of Immer repaired the wall opposite his own house.
And beyond him Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired the wall.
30 Beyond him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired a second section of the wall. After him Meshullam son of Berekiah repaired the wall opposite his chamber.
31 Beyond him Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall up to the building of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate and to the Upper Room at the Corner.
32 Between the Upper Room at the Corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired the wall.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 3:2 The Hebrew of the list in verses 2-32 alternates between plural and singular pronouns and verbs, sometimes referring to the leader, sometimes to the group working under him. The EHV uses whichever forms sound natural in English with the nearest antecedent. The EHV also adds a direct object to the verb when English usage requires an object.
  2. Nehemiah 3:3 Sena’ah is a town not a person, so sons is translated citizens.
  3. Nehemiah 3:5 Or Lord. It is not clear whether this refers to Nehemiah the governor or to God.
  4. Nehemiah 3:8 The Hebrew verb azav usually means abandon. The part of Jerusalem on the Western Hill, which had been enclosed by the Broad Wall, was not included in the reconstruction. If we take azav in the rare meaning rebuild, and we translate they rebuilt Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall, this would not change the meaning, since it would mean that they rebuilt up to, but not including, the Broad Wall.
  5. Nehemiah 3:13 Hebrew one thousand cubits
  6. Nehemiah 3:15 That is, the Pool of Siloam
  7. Nehemiah 3:16 Or official
  8. Nehemiah 3:18 Binnui is the reading of some Hebrew manuscripts and the Greek and Syriac versions. The variant Bavvi is supported by most Hebrew manuscripts. The lists of names in Ezra and Nehemiah contain many variant spellings. The translation notes do not list all of them.
  9. Nehemiah 3:19 Or official, but in English the chief official of a city is called the mayor.
  10. Nehemiah 3:24 Or and to the Corner. It is not certain whether the Angle and the Corner are two places or one.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 21

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 21

Nehemiah 2

Through My Bible – July 21

Nehemiah 2 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Nehemiah Receives a Commission From Artaxerxes

1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, [1] wine was being served to the king, and I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why do you look sad, since you are not sick? This must be sadness in your heart.”

Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad when the city, the place of my ancestors’ tombs, lies in ruins, and its gates have been consumed by fire?”

4 Then the king said to me, “What do you want?”

So I prayed to the God of Heaven, 5 and I said to the king, “If it seems good to the king, and if you look upon your servant with favor, then send me to Judah, to the city where my ancestors’ tombs are, and let me rebuild it.”

6 The king said to me, while the queen was sitting next to him, “How long will your journey be and when will you return?”

The king was pleased to send me, so I gave him a definite time. 7 I also said to the king, “If it seems good to the king, please give me letters for the governors of Trans-Euphrates, [2] so that they will grant me safe passage through that province until I come to Judah, 8 also a letter to Asaph, superintendent of the king’s forest, so that he will give me lumber to lay beams for the gates of the citadel of the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” The king gave them to me, because the good hand of my God was upon me.

9 Then I came to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, and I gave them the king’s letters. The king had sent army officers and cavalry with me.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official [3] heard about this, they were very upset that a man had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Wall

11 So I arrived at Jerusalem and was there for three days. 12 At that time I got up in the middle of the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what God had placed into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. 13 At night I went out through the Valley Gate and went toward the vicinity of the Jackal Well [4] and the Dung Gate. I began inspecting the walls of Jerusalem, which had been breached, and its gates, which had been consumed by fire. 14 Then I crossed over to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no place for the animal that I was riding to get through. 15 So I kept going up the valley and inspecting the wall during the night. Then I turned around and went back the same way and came in through the Valley Gate.

16 The officials did not know where I had gone and what I was doing. I had not yet told the Jews—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the rest of the people who would be doing the work. 17 So I said to them, “You see the very bad situation we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned. Come, let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be disgraced.” 18 Then I told them that the hand of my God had been good to me, and I also told them the words the king had said to me.

They said, “Let’s get up and rebuild!” Then they encouraged each other for this good work.

19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they ridiculed us and held us in contempt. They said, “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I responded to them by saying, “The God of Heaven will make us successful. We, his servants, will rise up and rebuild. But you have no portion or right or heritage in Jerusalem.”

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:1 Hebrew Artachshasta. The EHV uses the names of the Persian kings that have become the standard English names. These names derive from the Greek versions of the names rather than directly from the Hebrew or Persian forms of the names.
  2. Nehemiah 2:7 That is, the territory west of the Euphrates River, Syria-Palestine
  3. Nehemiah 2:10 Literally servant. The Hebrew term here refers to a government official of secondary rank.
  4. Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent Well or Dragon Well




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 20

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 20

Nehemiah 1

Through My Bible – July 20

Nehemiah 1 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Heading

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah.

The Problem

In the month of Kislev of the twentieth year, I was in Susa, the citadel. [1] 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, [2] came to me with men from Judah. I asked them about the remnant of the Jews, who had survived the captivity and had escaped from it, and about Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “The survivors from the captivity who are there in the province are in great misery and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned.”

4 When I heard about these things, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of Heaven. [3] 5 I said:

Please, Lord, the God of Heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God, who preserves the covenant and faithfulness for those who love him and keep his commands: 6 Let your ear be attentive and your eyes be open as you hear the prayer of your servant today, which I am now praying before you day and night, concerning the Israelites, who are your servants. I am also confessing the sins of the people of Israel that we committed against you. I and my father’s house have also sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you, and we have not kept the commands, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances that you commanded Moses your servant.

8 Please remember the command you gave to Moses your servant when you said, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. 9 But when you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, even if you have been scattered to the end of heaven, from there I will gather them, and I will bring them to the place where I have chosen to make my name dwell.” [4] 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed with your great power and your mighty hand.

11 Please, my Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayers of your servants who are delighted to revere your name. Make your servant successful today, and give him mercy in this man’s presence.

I was cupbearer [5] to the king.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 1:1 Or fortress. The term often designates royal cities of the Persian Empire.
  2. Nehemiah 1:2 In Nehemiah brother can mean brother, relative, or associate.
  3. Nehemiah 1:4 The God of Heaven is a common name for the Lord in the books from the time of the Exile.
  4. Nehemiah 1:9 See Deuteronomy 30:1-5.
  5. Nehemiah 1:11 Cupbearer is a high, cabinet-level office, with responsibility for the king’s safety.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 19

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 19

Ezra 9 – 10

Through My Bible – July 19

Ezra 9 – 10 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

The Sin of Intermarriage

Ezra 9

1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, who live according to their detestable practices—the practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2 They have taken wives from their daughters for themselves and for their sons. They have thereby mixed the holy seed with the peoples of the lands, and the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

3 Then when I heard about this situation, I tore my clothing and my robe, and I pulled out some of the hair on my head and my beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, was gathered around me as I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. 5 At the time of the evening sacrifice, I arose from my self-humiliation, and with my clothing and my robe torn, I got down on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God.

Ezra’s Prayer

6 I said:

My God, I am ashamed and too embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God, because our sinful deeds [1] have risen above our heads, and our guilt is so great that it reaches to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until today, we have been extremely guilty. Because of our sinful deeds, we, our kings, and our priests have been turned over to the kings of the lands—by sword, by captivity, by plunder, and today by humiliation.

8 Now, for a short time, mercy has been shown to us from the Lord our God, in order to leave us a remnant that has escaped and to give us a stake in his Holy Place, so that our God may give light to our eyes and give us a little relief in our slavery, 9 because we are slaves. However, even in our slavery our God has not abandoned us but has extended favor to us before the kings of Persia in order to give us relief, to raise up the house of our God and to restore its ruins, and to give us a protective wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

10 Now, what can we say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments, 11 which you commanded through your servants the prophets when you said, “The land which you are entering to possess is a land polluted with the filth of the peoples of the lands and with their detestable practices that fill it from end to end with their impurity. 12 So now, do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters as wives for your sons. Never seek their welfare or their prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.”

13 After everything that has come upon us because of our evil acts and our extreme guilt, nevertheless you, our God, have punished us less than we deserved and have given us a remnant that has escaped like this. 14 Should we break your commandments again by intermarrying with the peoples who commit these detestable practices? Wouldn’t you remain angry with us until you completely destroyed us and left us without a survivor or a remnant that has escaped?

15 Lord, God of Israel, it is because you are righteous that we are left with a remnant today. Here we are before you in our guilt, but no one can stand before you because of this.

Confession Leads to a New Covenant

Ezra 10

1 Now as Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and throwing himself down in front of the house of God, a very large crowd from Israel gathered to him, including men, women, and children. The people also wept bitterly.

2 Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel from the descendants of Elam responded to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign wives from the peoples of the land. However, now there is hope for Israel in this matter. 3 So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all our wives and the children born to them, according to the advice of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the law. 4 Get up, because the matter is your concern, and we are with you. Be strong and take action.”

5 Then Ezra got up and required the officials among the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to take an oath that they would deal with this matter. So they took an oath.

6 Then Ezra got up and left the front of the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib and spent the night there. [2] He did not eat any food or drink any water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

7 Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to gather in Jerusalem. 8 According to the decision of the officials and the elders, anyone who would not come within three days would forfeit all his property, and he would be banished from the community of the exiles.

Investigating the Intermarriages

9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within three days. (It was in the ninth month, [3] on the twentieth day of the month.) All the people were sitting in the public square in front of the house of God, trembling [4] because of the situation and as a result of the rains.

10 Ezra the priest arose and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives, thereby adding to the guilt of Israel. 11 So now, give praise to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will—separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives.”

12 The entire assembly answered in a loud voice, “It is so! We must do as you have said. 13 However, there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We can’t stand around outdoors, and the business will take more than a day or two, since we have rebelled greatly in this matter. 14 Let our officers represent the entire assembly, and let everyone in our cities who has married foreign wives come at appointed times. The elders from every city and its judges should come with them, until the fierce anger of our God concerning this matter has been turned away from us.” 15 (Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.)

16 So the exiles acted according to this decision. Ezra the priest and men who were the leading fathers of the fathers’ houses [5] were selected, all of them identified by name. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter. 17 On the first day of the first month, they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign wives.

The Report of the Investigation

18 From the descendants of the priests who had married foreign wives,
these men were identified:

From the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers they were Ma’aseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 They pledged to send away their wives and to offer guilt offerings: a ram from the flock for their guilt.
20 From the descendants of Immer they were Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 From the descendants of Harim they were Ma’aseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 From the descendants of Pashhur they were Elioenai, Ma’aseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 From the Levites they identified Jozabad and Shimei and Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 From the singers: Eliashib.
    From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 From the laypeople of Israel:
    From the descendants of Parosh they were Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, [6] and Benaiah.
26 From the descendants of Elam they were Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 From the descendants of Zattu they were Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 From the descendants of Bebai they were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 From the descendants of Bani they were Meshullam, Malluk, and Adaiah, Jashub and Sheal and Jeremoth.
30 From the descendants of Pahath Moab they were Adna and Kelal,
Benaiah, Ma’aseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui and Manasseh, 31 and from the citizens of Harim they were Eliezer, Isshijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Simeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluk, and Shemariah.
33 From the descendants of Hashum they were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 From the descendants of Bani they were Ma’adai, Amram, and Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhu, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Ja’asai, 38 and Bani and Binnui, Shimei, [7] 39 and Shelemiah and Nathan and Adaiah, 40 Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. [8]
43 From the citizens of Nebo they were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these had taken foreign wives and had children with them.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 9:6 The Hebrew uses two different words for guilt in this prayer. One is rendered sinful deeds.
  2. Ezra 10:6 The translation follows the Greek. The Hebrew reads and went there.
  3. Ezra 10:9 November/December, the start of the cold, rainy season
  4. Ezra 10:9 Or shivering
  5. Ezra 10:16 Fathers and fathers’ houses were common terms for the leaders of units of society in Israel.
  6. Ezra 10:25 The Greek Old Testament reads Hashabiah in place of the second Malkijah.
  7. Ezra 10:38 In the Greek Old Testament, verse 38 begins a new section: and from the sons of Binnui they were Shimei. . ..
  8. Ezra 10:42 In these lists, the word and is distributed in an irregular pattern throughout. It is uncertain if this has significance for distinguishing and marking groups within the larger group.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 18

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 18

Ezra 8

Through My Bible – July 18

Ezra 8 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

The List of Family Heads Who Returned With Ezra

1 These are the heads of their families who went up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes, listed according to their registration in the genealogy:

2 from the descendants of Phinehas: Gershom,
    from the descendants of Ithamar: Daniel,
    from the descendants of David: Hattush 3 from the sons of Shekaniah, [1]
    from the descendants of Parosh: Zechariah, also registered with him in the genealogy were 150 males,
4     from the descendants of Pahath Moab: Elihoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him were 200 males,
5     from the descendants of Zattu: [2] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him were 300 males,
6     and from the descendants of Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him were 50 males,
7     and from the descendants of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him were 70 males,
8     and from the descendants of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him were 80 males,
9     from the descendants of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him were 218 males,
10 and from the descendants of Bani: [3] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him were 160 males,
11 and from the descendants of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him were 28 males,
12 and from the descendants of Azgad: Jonathan son of Hakkatan, and with him were 110 males,
13 and from the descendants of Adonikam—they were the last descendants [4]—these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them were 60 males,
14 and from the descendants of Bigvai: Uthai and Zakkur, [5] and with him were 70 males.

The Journey to Jerusalem

15 So I gathered them together at the canal [6] that runs to Ahava, and we camped there three days. I looked over the people and the priests who were there, but I did not find any Levites among them. 16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers. 17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader serving in the place called Kasiphia, and I gave them a message to speak to Iddo and his brothers, the temple servants in the place called Kasiphia, so that they would bring us ministers for the house of our God.

18 So, since the good hand of our God was resting upon us, they brought us the following people: Sherebiah, a discerning man from the descendants of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, along with his sons and his brothers, [7] eighteen men; 19 also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari and his brothers and their sons, twenty men; 20 and from the temple servants whom David and the leaders appointed to the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were registered by name.

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the Ahava Canal in order to humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey—for us, for our children, and for all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and cavalry to help protect us against enemies on the journey, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God rests upon all who seek him, for their good, but his power and anger are against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and we sought help from our God concerning this, and he granted our request.

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests to be with Sherebiah and Hashabiah and ten of their brothers with them. 25 I weighed out for them the silver and the gold and the vessels—the special contribution for the house of our God, which had been contributed by the king and his advisors and officials and by all the Israelites who were present there.

26 I weighed out and placed into their hands six hundred fifty talents [8] of silver, silver vessels worth one hundred talents, one hundred talents of gold, 27 and twenty gold bowls worth one thousand darics, [9] and two finely polished bronze vessels, as precious as gold.

28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of our fathers. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them again in front of the leaders of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the families [10] of Israel in Jerusalem, before placing them into the storerooms of the House of the Lord.”

30 So the priests and the Levites received the full weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels in order to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

31 Then, on the twelfth day of the first month, we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of enemies and from ambushes on the way. 32 We arrived in Jerusalem and stayed there three days.

Ezra Begins His Mission

33 Then on the fourth day, in the house of our God we weighed out the silver and gold and the vessels before handing them over to Meremoth son of Uriah the priest. Also with him was Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them were Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, the Levites. 34 Everything was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded at that time.

35 The exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve goats for a sin offering—all offered as a burnt offering to the Lord.

36 They also delivered the king’s laws to the king’s satraps [11] and the governors of Trans-Euphrates, and they supported the people and the house of God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 8:3 It is uncertain if this phrase completes the previous verse, or if it is a new group with no personal name specified.
  2. Ezra 8:5 Zattu is supplied from the Greek text.
  3. Ezra 8:10 Bani is supplied from the Greek.
  4. Ezra 8:13 Or those who came later
  5. Ezra 8:14 The translation follows the Hebrew reading from the margin and some ancient versions. The main Hebrew reading is Zabud.
  6. Ezra 8:15 Literally river. Many of the “rivers of Babylon” were actually canals that ran off the Tigris and Euphrates.
  7. Ezra 8:18 In this list brothers may have the wider meaning of relatives or colleagues.
  8. Ezra 8:26 A talent is about seventy-five pounds.
  9. Ezra 8:27 A daric is a unit of weight that appears in post-exilic books. It is a Persian term, equal to the Greek drachma, about a third of an ounce. It is also the name of the standard Persian gold coin.
  10. Ezra 8:29 Literally the officials of the fathers
  11. Ezra 8:36 Satraps were the rulers of large provinces or groups of smaller provinces within the Persian Empire.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 17

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 17

Ezra 7

Through My Bible – July 17

Ezra 7 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Ezra and His Mission

1 After these things, [1] during the reign of King Artaxerxes 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 of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 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 high priest— 6 this Ezra came up from Babylon.

Now he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to them. The king granted him his entire request, because the hand of the Lord his God was resting upon him. 7 Some of the Israelites and some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8 Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month (it was during the king’s seventh year). 9 On the first day of the first month, he began the ascent from Babylon. On the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem. The good hand of his God was resting upon him, 10 because Ezra had set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to obey it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Authorization for Ezra’s Mission

11 This is a copy of the document that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, who was a scribe of the words of the commands of the Lord and of his statutes for Israel:

12 From Artaxerxes, King of Kings.

To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, etc. [2]

Here is the message:

13 A decree has been issued by me that anyone from among the people of Israel who is living in my kingdom who is willing to go to Jerusalem with you, including its priests and Levites, may go. 14 Since you are being sent from the king and his seven advisors to look after Judah and Jerusalem on the basis of the Law of your God, which is in your possession, 15 you may take along the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have voluntarily contributed to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 and you may also take along all the silver and gold that you collect throughout the province of Babylon as voluntary contributions from the people and the priests, which they are freely giving to the house of their God that is in Jerusalem.

17 Therefore, you are to be careful to use this money to purchase bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain offerings and drink offerings that go with them. You are to offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. 18 Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, you may do according to the will of your God. 19 Also the vessels that have been given to you for the service of the house of your God, you are to deliver to the God of Jerusalem. 20 As for the rest of the needs of the house of your God which you are responsible to pay, you may pay for them from the royal treasury.

21 From me—I, King Artaxerxes—a decree is issued to all the treasurers who are in the Trans-Euphrates region: Everything that Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, asks from you is to be done exactly as specified. 22 Give him up to one hundred talents of silver, [3] up to six hundred bushels of wheat, up to six hundred gallons of wine, up to six hundred gallons of olive oil, and salt without limit— 23 everything that is decreed by the God of Heaven shall be done correctly for the house of the God of Heaven. Why should there be anger against the kingdom of the king and his sons?

24 We are informing you concerning all of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and other servants of this house of God—taxes, tribute, and revenue shall not be imposed on them.

25 Now you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges who will judge all the people in the Trans-Euphrates region who know the laws of your God. If anyone does not know them, you will inform him about God’s laws. 26 Severe judgment will be imposed on everyone who does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, whether death or banishment or fine or imprisonment.

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of my fathers, who put this desire into the heart of the king—to glorify the House of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem! 28 He extended favor to me before the king, his advisors, and all of the king’s powerful officers. I was encouraged, since the hand of the Lord my God was resting on me. So I gathered the leaders of Israel to go up with me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:1 About sixty years later in 458 bc
  2. Ezra 7:12 The translation attempts to reproduce some of the stiff, formulaic character of these bureaucratic letters.
  3. Ezra 7:22 One hundred talents is about seventy-five hundred pounds. The other units of measurement are one hundred cors of wheat and one hundred baths of wine and oil.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 16

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 16

Ezra 5 – 6

Through My Bible – July 16

Ezra 5 – 6 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Completion of the Second Temple

Ezra 5

1 Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah grandson [1] of Iddo, prophesied to the Judeans who were in Judah [2] and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak began to build the house of the God who is in Jerusalem. [3] The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

3 At that time, Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, together with Shethar Bozenai and their associates, came up to them and said this to them: “Who gave you an order to construct this building and to finish this project?” 4 They [4] also said this to them: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?”

5 However, the eye of their God was on the Judean elders, and the officials did not make them stop until the report could go to Darius, and they could respond on the basis of a document concerning this matter.

6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar Bozenai and his associates, officials who are in Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. 7 They sent him a report, and this is what was written in it:

To King Darius.

All peace.

8 We want the King to know that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It was being built with large stones, and beams were being laid in the walls. This work was being done thoroughly and was progressing in their hands.

9 Then we questioned those elders, and we said this to them, “Who gave you an order to build this house and to finish this structure?” 10 We also asked them for their names, in order to inform you so that we could write the names of the men who were their leaders.

11 Now this was what they replied to us: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago. A great king of Israel built it and finished it. 12 However, because our ancestors angered the God of Heaven, [5] he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean. As a result, he destroyed this house and exiled the people to Babylon. 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 14 Also the gold and silver vessels of the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon—King Cyrus brought them out of the temple in Babylon, and they were given to a certain Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15 Moreover, he said to him, ‘Take these vessels. Go deposit them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.’ 16 Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. So from then until now, it has been under construction but has not been completed.”

17 Now if it seems good to the King, an investigation may be conducted in the royal archives there in Babylon to see whether it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build that house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the King send us his decision in this matter.

Ezra 6

1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and they searched the archives which were deposited there at the treasury office in Babylon. 2 A scroll was located in Ecbatana, in the citadel that is in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree regarding the house of God in Jerusalem.

That house is to be rebuilt at the place where sacrifices were sacrificed, and its foundations are to be laid. [6] Its height: ninety feet. Its width: ninety feet. [7] 4 Build with three layers of large stone and one layer of wood. [8] The cost will be paid by the royal treasury. 5 Also the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned, and each vessel is to be taken to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You are to deposit them in the house of God.

6 Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their associates, officials who are in Trans-Euphrates: You are to keep away from there. 7 Leave the work on that house of God alone. Let the governor of the Judeans and the elders of the Judeans rebuild that house of God on its site. 8 Furthermore, a decree is issued from me concerning what you should do together with the elders of these Judeans in order to rebuild that temple of God: The complete cost will be paid to these men from the royal treasury, out of the taxes of the Trans-Euphrates area, so that the builders will not have to stop. 9 Whatever they need—bulls, rams, or lambs for burnt offerings to the God of Heaven, wheat, salt, wine, olive oil, according to the request of the priests in Jerusalem—is to be given to them daily without neglect, 10 so that they may offer offerings to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 Furthermore, a decree is issued from me that if any person tries to change this edict, a beam will be pulled out of his house and he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made a pile of rubble.

12 May the God who caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who take action to change my decree, in order to destroy that house of God that is in Jerusalem.

I, Darius, have issued a decree. Let it be carried out exactly.

13 Then Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their associates—because King Darius had sent his decree—did exactly what it said. 14 So the elders of the Judeans continued to build and prosper throughout the prophetic ministry of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah grandson of Iddo. They finished building the temple by the decree of the God of Israel and by the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia. 15 This house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, during the sixth year [9] of the reign of King Darius.

16 The Israelites—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—dedicated this house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God, they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, as well as twelve male goats for sin offerings for all Israel, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They appointed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their assigned groups for the service of the God who is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

The Passover Is Celebrated

19 The exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 Because the priests and the Levites together had purified themselves, all of them were ceremonially pure. The Levites slaughtered the Passover for all of the exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21 The Israelites who had returned from the exile ate the Passover lambs, together with every person who had separated himself from the impurity of the nations of the land in order to join them, in order to seek the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread joyfully, because the Lord had made them joyful, since he had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to encourage them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 5:1 Literally son. According to Zechariah 1:1, Zechariah was the son of Berekiah and the grandson of Iddo.
  2. Ezra 5:1 Judah, which was a tribal name, now becomes the name of a Persian province or sub-province. It is also known as Yehud, the Aramaic form of the name.
  3. Ezra 5:2 Or the house of God in Jerusalem
  4. Ezra 5:4 The translation follows a variant supported by the Greek and Syriac. The Aramaic text has we.
  5. Ezra 5:12 The God of Heaven is a common name for the Lord in the books from the time of the Exile.
  6. Ezra 6:3 Or and burnt offerings were offered
  7. Ezra 6:3 The dimensions are different than those of Solomon’s temple in 1 Kings 6.
  8. Ezra 6:4 The translation follows the Greek. The Aramaic reads new wood.
  9. Ezra 6:15 That is, 515 bc




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 15

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 15

Ezra 4

Through My Bible – July 15

Ezra 4 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Opposition to the Construction of the Second Temple

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families. They said to them, “Let us build with you, because, like you, we seek your God, and we have been sacrificing to him [1] since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, “We will not permit you to join us in building a house for our God, because we ourselves will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land kept discouraging [2] the people of Judah and kept trying to make them too frightened to build. 5 They kept bribing officials [3] against them to try to frustrate their plans. They did this throughout all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 During the reign of Xerxes, [4] at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 Then in Artaxerxes’ days, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabe’el, and the rest of his associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. A document was written in Aramaic and translated. [5] What follows is the Aramaic version. [6]

8 Rehum the head of the council and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

9 Heading: Rehum the head of the council with Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates: the judges, the rulers, the officials, the administrators, people from Uruk and Babylon, people from Susa (that is, the Elamites), [7] 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and glorious Ashurbanipal exiled and settled in the city of Samaria and the rest of the province called Trans-Euphrates. [8]

11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent to him.)

To King Artaxerxes.

From your servants, men of the Trans-Euphrates.

Message:

12 The King should know that the Judeans who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. Soon they will have completed the walls, and they are now repairing the foundations.

13 Now let it be known to the King that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are completed, then taxes, tribute, and revenue will not be paid, and kings certainly will be harmed.

14 Now because we are duty-bound by an oath to the King [9] and do not wish to see the King dishonored, for that reason we are sending this letter to inform the King, 15 so that a search may be made in the book containing the memoranda of your predecessors. In this book of memoranda you will discover and come to know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, producing rebellions within it from days of old. For this reason that city was destroyed. 16 We are informing the King that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, then, because of that, you will retain possession of no portion of the Trans-Euphrates.

17 The king sent a reply:

To Rehum the head of the council, Shimshai the secretary, and the rest of their associates, who live in Samaria and the rest of the province called Trans-Euphrates.

Peace.

Message:

18 The document that you sent to us was translated and read in my presence. 19 So a decree was issued by me. They searched and found that from ancient days that city has risen up against kings, and rebellion and insurrection have been made in it. 20 Powerful kings were over Jerusalem, and they ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute, and revenue were paid to them. 21 Therefore, issue a decree to stop these men, and this city shall not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. 22 Moreover, continue to be diligent. Do not neglect to do this. Why should damage increase to harm kings?

23 Then, when a copy of Artaxerxes’ document was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the secretary, and their associates, they immediately went to the Judeans in Jerusalem, and they stopped them with armed force. 24 In this way, the work on the house of God in Jerusalem was stopped. Also, it had previously been stopped until the second year [10] of the reign of King Darius of Persia. [11]

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:2 The translation follows the marginal Hebrew reading, which is supported by a Dead Sea Scroll and the ancient versions. The main Hebrew reading is have not been sacrificing.
  2. Ezra 4:4 Literally causing the hands to droop for
  3. Ezra 4:5 Or hiring lobbyists
  4. Ezra 4:6 The EHV uses the names of the Persian kings that have become the standard English names. These names derive from the Greek versions of the names rather than directly from the Hebrew or Persian forms of the names.
  5. Ezra 4:7 Presumably translated into Persian for the king. See verse 18.
  6. Ezra 4:7 E zra 4:7–6:18 is in Aramaic, as is Ezra 7:12–26. The letters are written in a kind of formal, stylized, bureaucratic Aramaic.
  7. Ezra 4:9 It is unclear which of these terms refer to offices and which refer to ethnic groups. Some translations understand all of them to be names of ethnic groups: Dinaites and Apharsathkites, Tarpelites, Persians, Urukites, Babylonians, Susanites, Dahavites, Elamites. If some of the words are names of office-holders, it is not clear in all cases which specific offices are referred to.
  8. Ezra 4:10 That is, the territory west of the Euphrates River, Syria-Palestine
  9. Ezra 4:14 Literally we eat the salt of the palace
  10. Ezra 4:24 That is, 520 bc
  11. Ezra 4:24 The hostile letter to the later King Artaxerxes illustrates the method that had been used to stop the work earlier, during the reign of Darius.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 14

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 14

Ezra 3

Through My Bible – July 14

Ezra 3 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Beginning the Construction of the Second Temple

1 When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites were living in their own cities, the people gathered together in Jerusalem.

2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak with his fellow priests along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his colleagues [1] arose and built the altar of the God of Israel in order to offer burnt offerings upon it, as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God. 3 They set the altar on its foundations, although they were in terror of the peoples of the lands. They offered burnt offerings to the Lord upon it—burnt offerings in the evening and in the morning.

4 They observed the Festival of Shelters, [2] according to the written directions, and they offered the daily burnt offerings in the number specified for each day of the festival. 5 After this, they offered the regular burnt offerings, those for the new moons, those for all the appointed assemblies of the Lord, and the offerings for everyone who was bringing a voluntary contribution to offer to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings, although the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not yet been laid.

7 They gave money to the stonemasons and craftsmen, and they gave food, drink, and olive oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians to pay them for bringing cedar logs from Lebanon to the seaport at Joppa, according to the authorization that had been given to them by Cyrus king of Persia.

8 In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, along with the rest of their colleagues, the priests and the Levites, and everyone who returned from the captivity to Jerusalem began the work.

They appointed Levites who were twenty years old and older to supervise the work on the house for the Lord. 9 Jeshua together with his sons and brothers and Kadmiel with his sons (they were descendants of Judah [3]) assumed supervision over those working on the house for God. (The Levites who were descendants of Henadad, along with their sons and brothers, also supervised.)

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests, dressed in their robes, stood by with trumpets, and the Levites, the descendants of Asaph, stood by with cymbals to praise the Lord as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 They sang antiphonally to praise and thank the Lord:

Truly, he is good, because his mercy toward Israel endures forever.

All the people shouted loud praise to the Lord when the foundation of the House of the Lord was laid. 12 However, when many of the older priests, Levites, and heads of families, who had seen the first house, saw this house being founded, they wept loudly, although many also raised their voices in a shout of joy. 13 The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful cry from the sound of the people weeping, because the people were shouting loudly, and the sound could be heard far away.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 3:2 Literally brothers
  2. Ezra 3:4 Traditionally Tabernacles
  3. Ezra 3:9 Also called Hodaviah (Ezra 2:40; Nehemiah 7:43). The exact relationship of these groups of people is unclear.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 13

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 13

Ezra 1 – 2

Through My Bible – July 13

Ezra 1 – 2 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

The Decree of Cyrus

Ezra 1

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord given through the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia. Cyrus circulated a proclamation throughout his kingdom and recorded it in a written document.

2 This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me. He has appointed me to build a house [1] for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 From all his people, whoever among you is willing (may the Lord his God be with him) is permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah. He may build the House of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Any of the exiles who have survived, in any place where they are living as resident aliens, may receive support from the people of that place: silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with their voluntary contributions for the House of the God who is in Jerusalem.

Preparations for the Return

5 Then the heads of the families [2] of Judah and Benjamin, the priests, and the Levites arose—everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the House of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem. 6 All of their neighbors supported them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all kinds of voluntary contributions.

7 King Cyrus also brought out the vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put into the house of his gods. 8 Now Cyrus king of Persia entrusted them to the treasurer Mithredath, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the leader [3] of Judah.

9 This is a tally of several different kinds of vessels:

gold dishes 30
silver dishes 1,000
pans [4] 29
10 gold bowls 30
silver bowls of other kinds 410
other articles 1,000

11 The total number of all of the gold and silver vessels was 5,400.

Sheshbazzar brought these things up to Jerusalem along with the exiles who went up to Jerusalem.

The List of Those Who Returned

Ezra 2

1 Now these are the people [5] of the province who went up from the captivity of the exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had exiled to Babylon. 2 The people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, [6] Nehemiah, Seraiah, Re’elaiah, [7] Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Ba’anah returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each man to his own city.

This is the tally of the men from the people of Israel: [8]

3 the male descendants [9] of Parosh: 2,172
4 the male descendants of Shephatiah: 372
5 the male descendants of Arah: 775
6 the male descendants of Pahath Moab through the descendants of Jeshua and Joab: 2,812
7 the male descendants of Elam: 1,254
8 the male descendants of Zattu: 945
9 the male descendants of Zakkai: 760
10 the male descendants of Bani: 642
11 the male descendants of Bebai: 623
12 the male descendants of Azgad: 1,222
13 the male descendants of Adonikam: 666
14 the male descendants of Bigvai: 2,056
15 the male descendants of Adin: 454
16 the male descendants of Ater through Hezekiah: 98
17 the male descendants of Bezai: 323
18 the male descendants of Jorah: 112
19 the male descendants of Hashum: 223
20 the male descendants of Gibbar: 95
21 the citizens [10] of Bethlehem: 123
22 the men of Netophah: 56
23 the men of Anathoth: 128
24 the citizens of Azmaveth: 42
25 the citizens of Kiriath Arim, [11] Kephirah, and Be’eroth: 743
26 the citizens of Ramah and Geba: 621
27 the men of Mikmash: 122
28 the men of Bethel and Ai: 223
29 the citizens of Nebo: 52
30 the citizens of Magbish: 156
31 the citizens of the other Elam: 1,254
32 the citizens of Harim: 320
33 the citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725
34 the citizens of Jericho: 345
35 the citizens of Sena’ah: 3,630
36 The priests:the descendants [12] of Jedaiah through the house of Jeshua: 973
37 the descendants of Immer: 1,052
38 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247
39 the descendants of Harim: 1,017
40 The Levites:the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel through the descendants of Hodaviah: 74
41 The singers:the descendants of Asaph: 128
42 The descendants of the gatekeepers:the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater,the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub,the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, in total: 139

43 The temple servants:
        the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha,
        the descendants of Tabbaoth, 44 the descendants of Keros,
        the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon,
45         the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah,
        the descendants of Akkub, 46 the descendants of Hagab,
        the descendants of Shamlai, [13] the descendants of Hanan,
47         the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar,
        the descendants of Reaiah, 48 the descendants of Rezin,
        the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam,
49         the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah,
        the descendants of Besai, 50 the descendants of Asnah,
        the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephusim, [14]
51         the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha,
        the descendants of Harhur, 52 the descendants of Bazluth,
        the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,
53         the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera,
        the descendants of Temah, 54 the descendants of Neziah,
        the descendants of Hatipha.

55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
        the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth,
        the descendants of Peruda, 56 the descendants of Ja’alah,
        the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,
57         the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil,
        the descendants of Pokereth Hazzebaim, the descendants of Ami.
58 The total of the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants was 392.

59 The following are the people who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. They were not able to prove their ancestry or descent—whether they were from Israel:

60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah,
the descendants of Nekoda: 652,
61 from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai, through a man who married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and so they were called by his family name.

62 These people searched for their genealogical records, but they could not find them, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 63 The governor told them that they should not eat from the most holy sacrifices until a priest would arise who could serve with Urim and Thummim.

64 The entire assembly together numbered 42,360, 65 not counting their male slaves and their female slaves, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers. 66 Their horses numbered 736, their mules 245, 67 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

68 So when the heads of the families came to the House of the Lord in Jerusalem, they gave voluntary contributions for God’s house in order to construct it on its site. 69 On the basis of their wealth, they gave the following amounts to the treasury to support the work: 61,000 gold darics, [15] 5,000 silver minas, [16] and 100 garments for the priests.

70 The priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the temple servants, and some of the people settled in Jerusalem and its towns, [17] and all the rest of Israel settled in their towns.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 1:2 In the historical books the temple in Jerusalem is frequently called a house (bayit) rather than a temple (hekal).
  2. Ezra 1:5 Literally the heads of the fathers or the leading fathers
  3. Ezra 1:8 The title leader (nasi) does not necessarily refer to a prince, the son of a king. Sheshbazzar is, however, traditionally called a prince because the line of the Messiah is traced through him.
  4. Ezra 1:9 The precise identification of some of these objects is uncertain. For example, the term translated pans may mean knives.
  5. Ezra 2:1 Literally sons. This term sons may include male descendants of multiple generations.
  6. Ezra 2:2 Also known as Joshua
  7. Ezra 2:2 The stop mark ′ indicates that the double vowel should be pronounced as two syllables, re-el, not as one syllable, reel.
  8. Ezra 2:2 In this list and the similar list in Nehemiah, there are many variants of names and numbers. The translation provides footnotes only for some of the more important variants.
  9. Ezra 2:3 Literally sons
  10. Ezra 2:21 Literally sons
  11. Ezra 2:25 Variant of Kiriath Jearim
  12. Ezra 2:36 Literally sons
  13. Ezra 2:46 Variant Shalmai
  14. Ezra 2:50 Many of the names in these lists, including Meinim and Nephisim, have variant spellings. The most common variant is between i and u, which look alike in some phases of Hebrew.
  15. Ezra 2:69 A daric is a unit of weight that appears in post-exilic books. It is a Persian term, equal to the Greek drachma, perhaps a third of an ounce. It is also the name for the standard gold coin of the Persian Empire.
  16. Ezra 2:69 A mina weighed about 1¼ pounds.
  17. Ezra 2:70 The word Jerusalem is not in the Hebrew text, but it is present in the Greek Old Testament. The first group of cities, therefore, refers to Jerusalem and its environs, and the second group of cities to the more distant cities and towns of Judah and Benjamin.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 12

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 12

Philemon

Through My Bible – July 12

Philemon (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Greeting

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon, our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love and faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. 6 I pray that this fellowship of your faith may become active in understanding every good thing that belongs to us [1] in Christ. 7 For I have received great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

Appeal on Behalf of Onesimus

8 For that reason, even though I have plenty of boldness in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 I am appealing to you, instead, on the basis of love, just as I, Paul, am an old man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I am appealing to you on behalf of my child Onesimus. [2] I became his father while I was in chains. 11 There was a time when he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you. Welcome him. [3] 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might serve me in your place while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your kindness would not be the result of compulsion, but of willingness. 15 Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while: so that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a dear brother. He certainly is dear to me, but he is even more of a dear brother to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, have written this with my own hand: I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 Yes, brother, I am asking for a favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 Just one more thing: Prepare a guest room for me, because I am hoping to be given back to you in answer to your prayers.

Closing Words

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends his greetings to you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your [4] spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Philemon 1:6 Some witnesses to the text read you. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
  2. Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful. See the play on words in verse 11.
  3. Philemon 1:12 Some witnesses to the text omit Welcome him.
  4. Philemon 1:25 Your is plural.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 11

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 11

Colossians 3:18 – 4:18

Through My Bible – July 11

Colossians 3:18 – 4:18 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Colossians 3

Household Duties

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not treat them harshly.

20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, so that they do not become discouraged.

22 Slaves, obey your human masters [1] in everything, not just when they are watching you, like people-pleasers, but with a sincere heart, out of respect for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, keep working at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for people, 24 because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Keep serving the Lord Christ! 25 Indeed, the one who does what is wrong will be repaid for what he did wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Colossians 4

1 Masters, show justice and fairness to your slaves, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Exhortations

2 Be persistent in prayer, and as you pray, be alert and thankful. 3 At the same time, pray for us too, that God might open a door for our message, so that we can tell the mystery about Christ, for which I am in prison. 4 Pray that I may make it known clearly, as it is necessary for me to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom in the way you act toward those on the outside, making the most of your opportunity. [2] 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you are to answer each person.

Final Greetings

7 Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you everything about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very reason, that you may know how we are, [3] and that he may comfort your hearts. 9 I am sending him along with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is going on here.

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You received instructions about him. If he comes to you, welcome him. 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also greets you. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are circumcised, [4] and who have been a source of comfort to me. 12 Epaphras greets you. He is one of you and is a servant of Christ. [5] He is always struggling in prayer for you, praying that you may stand complete and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 Indeed, I can testify about him that he has worked very hard in your place, in the place of those in Laodicea, and in the place of those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved doctor, greets you, as does Demas.

15 Greet the brothers in Laodicea. Greet Nympha and the church at her [6] house. 16 When this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans. And make sure that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus, “See to it that you fulfill the ministry that you received in the Lord.”

18 This greeting is written by me, Paul, with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen. [7]

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 3:22 Literally masters according to the flesh
  2. Colossians 4:5 Or redeeming the time
  3. Colossians 4:8 Some witnesses to the text read so that he may know how you are.
  4. Colossians 4:11 These were Jewish believers.
  5. Colossians 4:12 Some witnesses to the text add Jesus.
  6. Colossians 4:15 Some witnesses to the text read his.
  7. Colossians 4:18 Some witnesses to the text omit Amen.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 10

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 10

Colossians 3:1-17

Through My Bible – July 10

Colossians 3:1-17 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Colossians 3

1 Therefore, because you were raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your [1] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

The New Creation

5 So put to death whatever is worldly in you: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 It is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. [2] 7 You too once walked in these things, when you were living in them.

8 But now, you too are to rid yourselves of all of these: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to each other since you have put off the old self with its practices, 10 and put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in knowledge, according to the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but rather Christ is all and is in all.

List of Virtues

12 Therefore, as God’s elect, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against anyone else. Forgive, just as Christ [3] forgave you. 14 And, in addition to all these things, put on love, which ties things together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, to which you were also called, in one body. And be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ [4] dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. [5] 17 And everything you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 3:4 Some witnesses to the text read our.
  2. Colossians 3:6 A few witnesses to the text omit on the sons of disobedience.
  3. Colossians 3:13 Some witnesses to the text read the Lord.
  4. Colossians 3:16 A few witnesses to the text read God.
  5. Colossians 3:16 Some witnesses to the text read the Lord.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 09

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 09

Colossians 2:8-23

Through My Bible – July 09

Colossians 2:8-23 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Colossians 2

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, which are in accord with human tradition, namely, the basic principles of the world, but not in accord with Christ. 9 For all the fullness of God’s being dwells bodily in Christ. 10 And you have been brought to fullness in him. Christ is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in him, with a circumcision not done by human hands, in the putting off of the body of flesh, [1] in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when you were buried with Christ in baptism. And in baptism you were also raised with him through the faith worked by the God who raised Christ from the dead.

13 Even when you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ by forgiving us all our trespasses. 14 God erased the record of our debt brought against us by his legal demands. This record stood against us, but he took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 After disarming the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them by triumphing over them in Christ.

Paul Addresses the False Teaching

16 Therefore, do not let anyone judge you in regard to food or drink, or in regard to a festival or a New Moon or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were coming, but the body belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who enjoys false humility and the worship of angels tell you that you are disqualified from the prize. This person goes into detail about what he has seen. [2] He is puffed up for no reason by the attitude of his sinful flesh. 19 He does not hold on to the head, from whom the whole body grows with the growth that comes from God as it is supported and held together by its sinews and ligaments.

Human Traditions Do Not Restrain the Flesh

20 If you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, why do you submit to its rules, as if you were still living in the world? 21 “Do not touch!” “Do not taste!” “Do not handle!” 22 All of these rules end in destruction when they are used, because they are in accord with human commands and teachings. 23 While such rules have the appearance of wisdom with self-chosen religion, which consists of humiliation and severe treatment of the body, they have no value at all in checking the self-indulgence of the sinful flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:11 Some witnesses to the text read the body of the sins of the flesh.
  2. Colossians 2:18 Some witnesses to the text read has not seen.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 08

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 08

Colossians 1:24 – 2:7

Through My Bible – July 08

Colossians 1:24 – 2:7 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Colossians 1

Paul’s Service in Preaching the Gospel

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church. 25 I became a minister of the church for your benefit when God gave me the task of fully proclaiming the word of God, 26 namely, the mystery that was hidden for past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to his saints. 27 God wanted to make known to them what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles—this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 We proclaim him as we admonish and teach everyone with all wisdom, so that we might present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 This is the goal I am laboring to reach, striving with his strength, which is powerfully at work in me.

Colossians 2

1 Indeed, I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those in Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen me personally. 2 I am doing this so that their hearts may be encouraged as they are brought together in love, and into all the wealth of assurance that understanding brings, into the knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ. [1] 3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in him.

4 I say this so that no one deceives you with persuasive speech that sounds reasonable. 5 For though I am absent bodily, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your orderliness and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

The Fullness That Is Ours in Christ

6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, 7 by being rooted and built up in him, and strengthened in the faith just as you were taught, while you overflow in faith [2] with thanksgiving.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:2 A few witnesses to the text read mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.
  2. Colossians 2:7 A few witnesses to the text omit in faith. A few read in him.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 07

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 07

Colossians 1:15-23

Through My Bible – July 07

Colossians 1:15-23 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Colossians 1

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, 16 for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and unseen, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and all things hold together in him.

18 He is also the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in all things he might have the highest rank. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself (whether things on earth or in heaven) by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Reconciled Through Christ’s Death

21 At one time, you were alienated from God and hostile in your thinking as expressed through your evil deeds. 22 But now Christ reconciled you in his body of flesh through death, in order to present you holy, blameless, and faultless before him— 23 if you continue steadfast and firm in faith, without being moved away from the hope of the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a minister.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 06

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 06

Colossians 1:1-14

Through My Bible – July 06

Colossians 1:1-14 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Colossians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the holy and faithful brothers [1] in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father. [2]

Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints 5 because of the hope that is stored up for you in heaven. You have already heard about this in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that is present with you now. The gospel is bearing fruit and growing in the entire world, just as it also has been doing among you from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth. 7 You learned this from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your [3] behalf. 8 He is the one who told us about your love in the Spirit. [4]

9 For this reason, from the day we heard about your love, we also have not stopped praying for you. We keep asking that you would be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 so that you might live in a way that is worthy of the Lord. Our goal is that you please him by bearing fruit in every kind of good work and by growing in the knowledge of God, 11 as you are being strengthened with all power because of his glorious might working in you. Then you will have complete endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who qualified us [5] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

What the Father Did Through Christ

13 The Father rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, [6] the forgiveness of sins.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:2 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female.
  2. Colossians 1:2 Some witnesses to the text add and our Lord Jesus Christ. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
  3. Colossians 1:7 Some witnesses to the text read our.
  4. Colossians 1:8 Or about the love the Spirit worked in you
  5. Colossians 1:12 Some witnesses to the text read you.
  6. Colossians 1:14 A few witnesses to the text add through his blood.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 05

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 05

Ezekiel 47:13 – 48:35

Through My Bible – July 05

Ezekiel 47:13 – 48:35 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Ezekiel 47

The Divisions of the Land

13 This is what the Lord God says.

These are the boundaries you are to use to divide the land as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel.

(Joseph is to have two portions.)

14 You will assign equal portions of the land that I swore with uplifted hand to give to your fathers. This is how the land will be allotted to you as an inheritance.

15 These are to be the boundaries of the land:

On the north side, the boundary goes from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo Hamath to Zedad, [1] 16 Beruthah, and Sibraim, which is on the border between the territories of Damascus and Hamath, as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will be from the sea to Hazar Enon, on the border of Damascus to the north, which also is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

18 On the east side, the border will run from Hazar Enon between Hauran and Damascus. Between Gilead and the land of Israel, the Jordan is the border as far as the Eastern Sea. [2] The border then will run to Tamar. [3] This is the east side.

19 On the south side, in the Negev, the border will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Stream of Egypt to the Great Sea. This is the southern boundary in the Negev.

20 On the west side, the Great Sea is the border until a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This is the west side.

21 In this way you are to divide this land for yourselves, for the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who have settled among you and who have fathered children among you. They are to be treated like someone who is native-born among the sons of Israel. With you they are to receive allotments as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe an alien has settled, there you are to give him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.

The New Holy Land
The Northern Tribes

Ezekiel 48

1 These are the names of the tribes.

The northern border runs east to west along the road between Hethlon, Lebo Hamath, and Hazar Enon, which forms the northern border of the territory of Damascus with the territory of Hamath. [4] South of that line there will be one portion for Dan.
2 South of [5] the boundary of Dan, from the east side to the west side of the land, there is to be one portion for Asher.
3 South of the boundary of Asher, from the east side to the west side, there is to be one portion for Naphtali.
4 South of the boundary of Naphtali, from the east side to the west side, there is to be one portion for Manasseh.
5 South of the boundary of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, there is to be one portion for Ephraim.
6 South of the boundary of Ephraim, from the east side to the west side, there is to be one portion for Reuben.
7 South of the boundary of Reuben, from the east side to the west side, there is to be one portion for Judah.

The Central Holy Area

8 South of the boundary of Judah, from the east side to the west side, will be the special contribution you are to devote to special use. Its north-to-south width is twenty-five thousand cubits, [6] and its east-to-west length is equal to one of the tribal portions from the eastern side of the land to the western side. [7] The sanctuary will be in the midst of it. [8]

The Place for the Temple

9 The contribution you are to devote to the Lord is to be twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand cubits wide. [9] 10 The holy contribution for the priests will be this: a rectangular area measuring twenty-five thousand cubits long on the north side, ten thousand cubits wide on the west, ten thousand cubits wide on the east, and twenty-five thousand cubits long on the south. The sanctuary of the Lord will be in the middle. 11 It will be for the priests, whoever has been consecrated from the sons of Zadok, who guarded the ministry for me, and who did not go astray when the other sons of Israel went astray, as also the Levites went astray. 12 It will be a special offering for them from the holy contribution of the land, a most holy district, beside the territory of the Levites.

The Place for the Levites

13 The Levites are to have a rectangular allotment parallel to the territory of the priests. Twenty-five thousand cubits is its length, and its width is ten thousand cubits. Its whole length is twenty-five thousand cubits, and its width is ten thousand cubits. 14 They must not sell any part of it nor exchange any of it. No one can transfer these firstfruits of the land, because they are holy, belonging to the Lord.

The City

15 The area five thousand cubits [10] wide that remains along the south edge of the square of twenty-five thousand cubits is common land for the city, for living space and for open land. The city is to be in its center, between the two halves. 16 These are the city’s dimensions: a square measuring four thousand five hundred cubits on the north side, and four thousand five hundred cubits on the south side, and four thousand five hundred cubits on the east side, and four thousand five hundred cubits on the west side. 17 The open land belonging to the city will measure two hundred fifty cubits on the north side, and two hundred fifty cubits on the south, and two hundred fifty cubits on the east, and two hundred fifty cubits on the west.

18 The remaining area that runs lengthwise along the south side of the holy contribution will be ten thousand cubits east-to-west on the east side of the city, and ten thousand cubits east-to-west on the west side of the city. It shall be next to the holy contribution, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. 19 The workers of the city who cultivate it will be from all the tribes of Israel.

20 The entire holy contribution will be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits, a square. Set apart this holy contribution, which includes the property of the city.

The Territory of the Prince

21 What remains of the holy contribution will belong to the prince. It lies on both sides of the holy contribution and the property of the city, extending from the eastern north-to-south boundary of the special contribution (which is twenty-five thousand cubits long) to the eastern border of the land, and on the west side, it will extend from the western north-to-south boundary of the special contribution (which is twenty-five thousand cubits long) to the western border of the land. The two portions belonging to the prince run parallel to the tribal portions. The holy contribution and the temple sanctuary will be between the two halves of the prince’s area. 22 The area consisting of the property of the Levites and the property of the city is between the two tracts that will belong to the prince. The area between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin will belong to the prince.

The Southern Tribes

23 As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side of the land to the west side is one portion for Benjamin.
24 South of the boundary of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, is one portion for Simeon.
25 South of the boundary of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, is one portion for Issachar.
26 South of the boundary of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, is one portion for Zebulun.
27 South of the boundary of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, is one portion for Gad.
28 South of the boundary of Gad on the southern side, the border will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribah Kadesh, to the Stream of Egypt, and to the Great Sea.

29 This is the land that you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord God.

The City Once More

30 These are the outside boundaries of the city.

The north side is four thousand five hundred cubits long. 31 The gates of the city are named after the tribes of Israel. Three gates are located on the north: one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, and one gate of Levi.

32 On the east side, which is four thousand five hundred cubits long, there are three gates: one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, and one gate of Dan.

33 On the south side, which is four thousand five hundred cubits long, there are three gates: one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, and one gate of Zebulun.

34 On the west side, which is four thousand five hundred cubits long, their gates are three: one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, and one gate of Naphtali.

35 The perimeter of the city is eighteen thousand cubits, [11] and the name of the city from that day on is “The Lord Is There.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:15 The word order follows the Greek text.
  2. Ezekiel 47:18 The Dead Sea
  3. Ezekiel 47:18 The Greek text reads to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar (implying a Hebrew reading Tamar). The Hebrew text reads to the eastern sea you shall measure (Hebrew tamad). In Hebrew script r and d are sometimes indistinguishable.
  4. Ezekiel 48:1 The geographic details of this border are uncertain. It seems to lie considerably farther north than the tribal boundaries in the book of Joshua.
  5. Ezekiel 48:2 Literally next to
  6. Ezekiel 48:8 A little more than 8 miles
  7. Ezekiel 48:8 In the center of the holy area is a square 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits. East and west of this square is land for the prince.
  8. Ezekiel 48:8 Most interpreters believe that the sanctuary is not in the middle of the whole square, but in the middle of the priests’ portion of the square. See verse 10.
  9. Ezekiel 48:9 A little more than 8 miles by 3 miles in size, this portion is located along the north edge of the square.
  10. Ezekiel 48:15 A little more than 1½ miles
  11. Ezekiel 48:35 About 6 miles




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 04

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 04

Ezekiel 47:1-12

Through My Bible – July 04

Ezekiel 47:1-12 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Ezekiel 47

Life-Giving Water in the New Creation

1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw that water was flowing out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.

2 He brought me out through the north gate that led into the inner courtyard and led me around on the outside of the temple to the outer gateway on the east side, and I saw that water was trickling out from its south side. 3 As the man went out toward the east, he had a measuring line in his hand. He measured off a thousand cubits, [1] and then he led me through the water. The water was ankle-deep. 4 Then he measured off another thousand cubits and led me through the water. The water was knee-deep. He measured a thousand more and led me through water that was now waist-deep. 5 He measured a thousand more, but now it was a river that I was not able to cross, because the water had risen so much that one would have to swim across it. It was a river that could not be forded.

6 Then he asked me, “Have you noticed anything, son of man?” and he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I returned there, I noticed that on the banks of the river there were a large number of trees, on both sides.

8 Then he said to me, “These waters are flowing out to the eastern part of the land. They go down to the Arabah and go into the sea, [2] into the sea whose waters are unusable, [3] and then the waters of the sea are made fresh. [4] 9 Every living creature that swarms can live wherever the stream flows. There will be a large number of fish because these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea have been made fresh, so every living creature can live everywhere the river goes. 10 There will be fishermen standing beside it from En Gedi to En Eglaim, and there will be places for them to spread their nets to dry. There will be all kinds of fish there, like the fish of the Great Sea [5]—so very many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not be made fresh. They will be left to provide salt. 12 Beside the river, on both its banks, every kind of tree will grow for providing food. Their leaves will never wither, and their fruit will never fail. Every month they will bear fruit because their waters flow out from the sanctuary. Its fruit will provide food, and its leaves will be for healing.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:3 About 1,750 feet
  2. Ezekiel 47:8 That is, the Dead Sea
  3. Ezekiel 47:8 The meaning of the phrase translated into the sea whose waters are unusable is uncertain. The Hebrew seems to read to the sea [the waters] which had been brought out.
  4. Ezekiel 47:8 Literally are healed
  5. Ezekiel 47:10 The Mediterranean Sea




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.



Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 03

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – July 03

Ezekiel 45 – 46

Through My Bible – July 03

Ezekiel 45 – 46 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

Property for the Lord,
for the Priests, and for the Prince

Ezekiel 45

1 When you cast lots to divide the land as an inheritance, you are to devote a contribution to the Lord, a holy area of the land. Its length is to be twenty-five thousand cubits and its width twenty thousand cubits. [1] Its entire area will be holy.

2 Within this area, a square five hundred by five hundred cubits [2] is to be set aside for the sanctuary. There is also to be an open area of fifty cubits all around it.

3 From this measured area, you are to measure off a separate area which has a length of twenty-five thousand cubits and a width of ten thousand cubits. The sanctuary, the most holy place, will be in it. 4 It is to be a holy area of the land. [3] It will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who draw near to serve the Lord. It will be a place for their houses, as well as a holy place for the sanctuary.

5 Also an area twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand cubits wide will be set aside for the Levites, the servants of the temple, as their possession, to provide them with cities to live in. [4] [5]

6 As the city’s property, you are to assign an area five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand cubits long [6] along one side of the holy contribution. [7] It will belong to the whole house of Israel.

7 For the prince, an area is to be set aside on both sides of the holy contribution and of the area for the city. It will run alongside the holy contribution and alongside the city’s property. On the west side of the city, it will extend west along the tribal boundaries to the western boundary of the land, and on the east side, it will extend eastward in the same way. 8 This land is to be the prince’s property in Israel, so that my princes will no longer oppress my people but will allot the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

9 This is what the Lord God says. You have done enough, you princes of Israel! Remove violence and mayhem, and practice justice and righteousness. Remove the burden from my people that you caused by evicting them from their land, declares the Lord God.

10 You must have honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath. [8] 11 The ephah and the bath are to follow one uniform standard. The bath will hold one tenth of a homer, and the ephah will hold one tenth of a homer. The standard is to be based on the homer. 12 The shekel is to be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels will be the weight of your mina. [9]

Offerings and Festivals

13 This is the special contribution you should dedicate: Take one sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and take one sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley. [10] 14 The prescribed portion of oil (the bath is the standard measure for the oil) is one tenth of a bath from each kor. [11] Ten baths make a kor, and ten baths are a homer.

15 Furthermore, one sheep shall be given from every flock, that is, from every two hundred sheep that comprise a flock from the well-watered land of Israel. These are for the grain offerings, the burnt offerings, and the fellowship offerings, to make atonement for them, declares the Lord God. 16 All the people of the land are to contribute to this offering for the prince in Israel.

17 The prince then is responsible for the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the drink offerings on the festivals, on the New Moons, and on the Sabbaths, that is, on all the appointed festivals for the house of Israel. He himself will provide the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the fellowship offering, to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.

18 This is what the Lord God says. In the first month, on the first day of the month, you are to take a young bull without blemish and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorpost of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the post of the gate of the inner courtyard. 20 You are to do so also on the seventh day of the month, for the sake of anyone who sins inadvertently or in ignorance, and so you shall make atonement for the temple.

21 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall hold the Passover. During the festival, consisting of a week of seven days, unleavened bread must be eaten. 22 On that day the prince is to provide, on behalf of himself and all the people of the land, a bull for a sin offering. 23 On the seven days of the festival he is to provide a burnt offering for the Lord: seven bulls and seven rams without blemish for each day of the seven days, as well as a male goat for a sin offering for each day. 24 As a grain offering he is to provide an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, and a hin of oil for each ephah.

25 In the seventh month, at the festival starting on the fifteenth day of the month, he is to provide for seven days according to these same instructions, in regard to the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil.

Other Festivals and the Prince

Ezekiel 46

1 This is what the Lord God says.

The gate into the inner courtyard which faces east must remain closed on the six work days, but on the Sabbath day it is to be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it is to be opened. 2 The prince is to enter through the vestibule of the gateway at the outer, eastern end of the gatehouse and stand by the gatepost, and the priests are to offer his burnt offering and fellowship offerings. He is to prostrate himself on the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be closed until evening. 3 The people of the land are to prostrate themselves before the Lord at the entrance to that gate on Sabbaths and New Moons.

4 The burnt offering that the prince is to offer to the Lord on the day of the Sabbath is to consist of six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish. 5 The grain offering is to be an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs the grain offering is to be as much as he can afford, with a hin of oil per ephah. 6 On the day of the New Moon, he is to offer a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram. They are to be without blemish. 7 He is to provide an ephah for the bull and an ephah for the ram as a grain offering, and for the lambs as much as he can afford, with a hin of oil per ephah.

8 When the prince enters, he is to come in through the vestibule of the gateway, and he is to go out by the same way. 9 When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals, anyone who enters through the north gate in order to prostrate himself must go out through the south gate, and anyone who enters through the south gate must go out through the north gate. No one may return through the same gate through which he entered. He definitely must leave by going straight ahead to the opposite gate. 10 The prince is to be in their midst. When they enter, he shall enter, and when they leave, both he and they shall leave.

11 At the pilgrimage festivals and the appointed festivals, the grain offering is to be an ephah for a bull and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs it is to be as much as he can afford, with a hin of oil per ephah. 12 When the prince makes a voluntary offering to the Lord, either as a burnt offering or fellowship offering, the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He is to offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings just as he does on the day of the Sabbath. When he goes out, the gate is to be closed after he leaves. 13 You are to provide a yearling lamb without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord every day. Every morning you are to provide it. 14 You are to provide a grain offering with it every morning: one sixth of an ephah and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour. It is a grain offering for the Lord. These are lasting statutes to be performed daily. 15 In this way they will offer the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a daily burnt offering.

Inheritance of the Prince’s Property

16 This is what the Lord God says.

If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons, it is the son’s inheritance and will also belong to his sons. It is to be their property by inheritance. 17 But if the prince gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to him only until the year of liberty, [12] when it must revert to the prince. It is his inheritance alone and must remain with his sons. 18 The prince may not take any of the inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property. From his own property he is to give an inheritance to his sons, so that my people will not be scattered—not a single man from his property.

The Kitchens for Sacrifices

19 Then he took me through the entrance into the holy rooms for the priests that were located on the north side of the temple, beside the north gatehouse. Looking toward the west, I saw that there was a special place at the back of the temple area. [13] 20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests are to boil the restitution offering and the sin offering, and where they will bake the grain offerings in order not to bring them out to the outer courtyard and transmit holiness to the people.”

21 Then he brought me out to the outer courtyard and led me past the four corners of the courtyard. I saw there was a court at each corner of the courtyard [14]— a court in each corner of the courtyard. [15] 22 In the four corners of the courtyard were enclosed [16] courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide [17]—the same measurement for each of the four of them. [18] 23 A stone structure went all around the inside of all four of the rooms, and hearths for boiling were constructed beneath the structure all the way around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister in the temple are to boil the sacrifices of the people.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 45:1 This area is somewhat more than eight miles by six miles. A Hebrew variant says that the district is 10,000 cubits wide. The Greek text says that it is 20,000 cubits wide. Which measurement is correct depends on whether the area being measured here is the whole district for both priests and Levites or only the portion for the priests. The context seems to refer to the whole district for the clergy, which was 20,000 cubits wide.
  2. Ezekiel 45:2 About 875 feet by 875 feet—smaller than today’s Temple Mount
  3. Ezekiel 45:4 This area is a band extending across the top 40% of the special area for the Lord.
  4. Ezekiel 45:5 The translation follows the Greek text. The Hebrew reads they will have as their possession twenty rooms.
  5. Ezekiel 45:5 This area covers the 40% of the special area that lies south of the area for the priests and the temple.
  6. Ezekiel 45:6 About 1.6 miles by 8.3 miles
  7. Ezekiel 45:6 Along the south side
  8. Ezekiel 45:10 An ephah is a measure of volume used for solids. A bath is a measure of volume for liquids. In this section, since ancient measurements are compared to other ancient measurements, the ancient measurements are retained rather than converting to modern measurements, which is the EHV’s usual practice. The value of many of these measurements is uncertain. An ephah is equal to about 20 quarts or 2⁄3 of a bushel. A bath is about 6 gallons. A homer is 10 ephahs or 10 baths, that is, 6 bushels or 60 gallons. A hin is about 1⁄6 of a bath, that is, 1 gallon. A shekel is about 4⁄10 ounce. A mina is about 1½ pounds or 24 ounces.
  9. Ezekiel 45:12 It is not apparent why such an unusual method is used to obtain the weight 60 shekels.
  10. Ezekiel 45:13 About 1.6%
  11. Ezekiel 45:14 About 1%
  12. Ezekiel 46:17 That is, the jubilee year
  13. Ezekiel 46:19 The meaning of this verse is uncertain. Apparently Ezekiel was led through or alongside feature Q so that he could see feature T on the diagram. For clarity, the translation provides some details that are not explicitly stated in the text.
  14. Ezekiel 46:21 Feature U on the diagram
  15. Ezekiel 46:21 Many translations omit the repetition of the final words. The double phrase is the equivalent of each and every.
  16. Ezekiel 46:22 The meaning of this word is uncertain.
  17. Ezekiel 46:22 About 70 feet by 52 feet
  18. Ezekiel 46:22 The last word in the Hebrew text of verse 22 is marked for omission by delete marks written in the Hebrew text. The translation omits this word.




The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.