September 29 – Nehemiah 11-13, Psalm 126

Daily Bible Reading

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Nehemiah Chapters 11-13

The Leaders in Jerusalem
Neh 11:1  And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
Neh 11:2  And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
Neh 11:3  Now these are the chief 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 Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants.
Neh 11:4  And at 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 Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez;
Neh 11:5  And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.
Neh 11:6  All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men.
Neh 11:7  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 Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.
Neh 11:8  And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.
Neh 11:9  And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city.
Neh 11:10  Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.
Neh 11:11  Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God.
Neh 11:12  And their brethren that did the work of the house were 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 Pashur, the son of Malchiah,
Neh 11:13  And his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
Neh 11:14  And their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.
Neh 11:15  Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
Neh 11:16  And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.
Neh 11:17  And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal 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.
Neh 11:18  All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.
Neh 11:19  Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.
Neh 11:20  And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
Neh 11:21  But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.
Neh 11:22  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 Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.
Neh 11:23  For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
Neh 11:24  And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.

Villages Outside Jerusalem
Neh 11:25  And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjatharba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof,
Neh 11:26  And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Bethphelet,
Neh 11:27  And at Hazarshual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof,
Neh 11:28  And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,
Neh 11:29  And at Enrimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,
Neh 11:30  Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom.
Neh 11:31  The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages,
Neh 11:32  And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
Neh 11:33  Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
Neh 11:34  Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
Neh 11:35  Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
Neh 11:36  And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

Priests and Levites
Neh 12:1  Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
Neh 12:2  Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
Neh 12:3  Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
Neh 12:4  Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
Neh 12:5  Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
Neh 12:6  Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Neh 12:7  Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
Neh 12:8  Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
Neh 12:9  Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
Neh 12:10  And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,
Neh 12:11  And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
Neh 12:12  And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
Neh 12:13  Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
Neh 12:14  Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
Neh 12:15  Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
Neh 12:16  Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
Neh 12:17  Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
Neh 12:18  Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
Neh 12:19  And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
Neh 12:20  Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
Neh 12:21  Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
Neh 12:22  The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
Neh 12:23  The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
Neh 12:24  And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.
Neh 12:25  Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
Neh 12:26  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.

Dedication of the Wall
Neh 12:27  And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
Neh 12:28  And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;
Neh 12:29  Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
Neh 12:30  And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
Neh 12:31  Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
Neh 12:32  And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
Neh 12:33  And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
Neh 12:34  Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
Neh 12:35  And certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:
Neh 12:36  And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
Neh 12:37  And at the fountain gate, which was over against 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 the water gate eastward.
Neh 12:38  And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;
Neh 12:39  And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.
Neh 12:40  So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
Neh 12:41  And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
Neh 12:42  And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
Neh 12:43  Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

Service at the Temple
Neh 12:44  And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
Neh 12:45  And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
Neh 12:46  For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
Neh 12:47  And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms
Neh 13:1  On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
Neh 13:2  Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
Neh 13:3  Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Neh 13:4  And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
Neh 13:5  And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
Neh 13:6  But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
Neh 13:7  And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
Neh 13:8  And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
Neh 13:9  Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
Neh 13:10  And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
Neh 13:11  Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
Neh 13:12  Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
Neh 13:13  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 office was to distribute unto their brethren.
Neh 13:14  Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.
Neh 13:15  In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; 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 sold victuals.
Neh 13:16  There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Neh 13:17  Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
Neh 13:18  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 by profaning the sabbath.
Neh 13:19  And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
Neh 13:20  So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
Neh 13:21  Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
Neh 13:22  And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
Neh 13:23  In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
Neh 13:24  And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.
Neh 13:25  And I 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 unto your sons, or for yourselves.
Neh 13:26  Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
Neh 13:27  Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
Neh 13:28  And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
Neh 13:29  Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
Neh 13:30  Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
Neh 13:31  And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Psalm Chapter 126

Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord
Psa 126:1  A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Psa 126:2  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psa 126:3  The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
Psa 126:4  Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
Psa 126:5  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Psa 126:6  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

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