Levites, and the

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

11(1

And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other 2 cities. And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered them3 selves to dwell in Jerusalem. °2Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim', and the children of Solo4 mon's servants. And 'in' Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of 'Mahalalel', of the 5 children of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zecha6 riah, the son of the Shilonite!. All the sons of Perez that dwelt 'in' Jerusalem were four hundred threescore 7 and eight valiant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of 8 Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah'. And

after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hun9 dred twenty and eight. And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Hassenuah was 10 second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,

1 Or, the Ivintage

2 See 1 Chr. ix. 2, &c.

house, eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of 'Pashhur', 13 the son of 'Malchijah', °and his brethren, chiefs of 'fathers' houses", two hundred forty and two: and 'Amashsail the son of Azarel', the son of Ahzai', the son of Meshillemoth, the 14 son of Immer, and their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of "Hagged15 olim'. And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub', the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, 16 the son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs' of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house 17 of God; and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four. 19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept 'watch at the gates, were an hundred (20 seventy and two. And the residue of

18

Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one 21 in his inheritance. But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and ¡Gishpal were over the Nethinim'. (22 °The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the 23 business of the house of God. °For there was la commandment from the king concerning them, 'and' a Isettled provision' for the singers, 'as' 24 every day required. And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel', of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters (25 concerning the people. And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kiriath1arba and the towns thereof, and lin' Dibon and the towns thereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages 26 thereof; and in Jeshua, and in 5 Heb. daughters.

..

(27 Moladah, and Beth-'pelet1';

and 'in' Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and 28 the towns thereof; and 'in' Ziklag, and in Meconah and in the towns 29 thereof; and 'in' En-rimmon, and 'in (30 Zorah', and 'in' Jarmuth; °Zanoah,

Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns thereof. So they lencamped from Beer-sheba unto the 31) valley of Hinnom. The children of Benjamin also dwelt from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and 'at' (32 Beth-el and the towns thereof; at 33 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah; Hazor, 34 Ramah, Gittaim; °Hadid, Zeboim, Ne35 ballat; Lod, and Ono, 2the valley 36) of craftsmen. And of the Levites, 'certain courses' in Judah were joined to' Benjamin.

121

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: 2 Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra; Amariah, 3 Malluch, Hattush; Shecaniah, Re4 hum, Meremoth; °Iddo, 'Ginnethoi', 5 Abijah; Mijamin', Maadiah, Bilgah ; 6 °Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah; 7 °Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs' of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua. 8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unno', their brethren, were over against them in 10 Iwards'. And Jeshua begat Joiakim,

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

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

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

VERSION OF 1611.-at.. phelet; 27 at

at

the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward against ward. 25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the 26 storehouses of the gates. °These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe.

27

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

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

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

Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jere(35 miah, and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of 36 Asaph; and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarell, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai,

Nethanel', and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe 'was 37 before them: and by the fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto 38 the water gate eastward. And the other company of them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, 'with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad (39 wall; and above the gate of Ephra

im, and by the old gate, and 'by' the fish gate, and the tower of 'Hananel', and the tower of "Hammeah', even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guardi. 40 °So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with 41 me: and the priests, Eliakim, Maa

seiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trump42 ets; and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jez43) rahiah their overseer. And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the Iwomen also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

44

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

3 Heb. of the law. 4 Heb. stood.

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

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

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

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

And

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

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

. prison; 43 Also.. wives; 44 at.. time.. holy things unto.. them unto. . children. should; 3 Now; 4 And.. having the overwas commanded to be.. of; 6 came..

all Judah the tithe of the corn and the wine and the oil unto the treas13 uries. And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their business! was to 14 distribute unto their brethren.

15

°Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my 1good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the lobservances thereof.

In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses therewith'; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they 16 sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought 'in' fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of 17 Judah, and in Jerusalem. °Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the 18 sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel 19 by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the 'doors should be shut, and 'commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I lover' the gates, that there should no burden be 20 brought in on the sabbath day.

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem 21 once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye

1 Heb. kindnesses.

2 Or, heaps of corni 3 Heb. before.

Did

contended with them, and 'cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for 26 your sons, or for yourselves. not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did 'strangel 27 women cause to sin. °Shall we then

hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to 'trespass' against our God in 28 marrying strange women'? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: there29 fore I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and (30 of the Levites. °Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed wards for the priests and for the Levites, every one in his 31 'work'; and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

11 Now it came to pass in the days of 1Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and 2 twenty provinces :) that in those days,

when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in 3 Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: when he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and (5 fourscore days. And when these days were fulfilled', the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's pal6) ace; there were hangings of white 'cloth, of green, and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches! were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and white, and yellow, and black 7 marble. And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the 8 bounty of the king. And the drinking was according to the law; none Icould compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according 9 to every man's pleasure. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to 10 king Ahasuerus. "On the seventh

day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that 'ministered' in the presence of Ahasuerus the 11 king, to bring Vashti the queen be

fore the king with the crown royal, to shew the 'peoples' and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. 12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in 13 him. Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward' all (14 that knew law and judgement; and the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and sat first in 15 the kingdom:) °What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not 'done the 'bidding of the king Ahasuerus by 16 the chamberlains? And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the 'peoples' that are in all the provinces 17 of the king Ahasuerus. For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, (18) but she came not. And this day shall the princesses of Persia and Media which have heard of the deed of the queen say the like unto all the king's princes. So shall there 19 arise much contempt and wrath. it please the king, let there go 'forth' a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, 10that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto 20 another that is better than she. And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout

If

? Or, eunuchs (and so in ver. 12, &c.) 8 Or, Itell it 9 Or, lenoughl 10 Heb. that it pass not away. 11 Heb. unto her companion.