NEHEMIAH

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17 Then faid I, Ye fee the Distress that we are in, how Jerufalem lieth waste, and the Gates thereof are burnt with Fire: come let us build up the Wall of Jerufalem, that we be no more a Reproach.

18 Then I told them of the Hand of my GoD which was good upon me; as alfo the King's Words that he had spoken unto me. And they faid, Let us rife up and build. So they strengthened their Hands for this good Work.

19 But when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Gefhem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to Scorn, and defpifed us, and faid, What is this Thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the King.

20 Then answered I them, and faid unto them, The GOD OF HEAVEN he will profper us; therefore we his Servants will arife and build: but you have no Portion, nor Right, nor Memorial in Jerufalem.

CHA P. III.

The Names and Order of them that builded the Wall.

CHA P. IV.

Į While the Enemies fcoff Nehemiah prayeth and continueth the Work. 7 Understanding the Wrath aud Secrets of the Enemy, he fetteth a Watch. 13 He armeth the Labourers, 19 And giveth military Precepts.

Ver. 1

UT it came to pafs, that when Sanballat heard

'BUT

that we builded the Wall, he was wroth, and took great Indignation, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he spake before his Brethren and the Army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they facrifice? will they make an End in a Day? will they revive the Stones out of the Heaps of the Rubbish, which are burnt?

3 Now Tobiah faid, Even that which they build, if a Fox go up, he fhall even break down their Stone-wall.

4 Hear, O OUR GOD, for we are defpifed: and turn their Reproach upon their own Head, and give them for a Prey in the Land of Captivity.

5 And cover not their Iniquity, and let not their Sin be Nnnn 2 blotted

blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to Anger before the Builders.

6 So built we the Wall; and all the Wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the People had a Mind to work.

7 But it came to pafs that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Afhdodites, heard that the Walls of Jerufalem were made up, and that the Breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth.

8 And confpired all of them together, to come and to fight against Jerufalem, and to hinder it.

9 Nevertheless, we made our PRAYER unto our God, and set a Watch against them Day and Night, because of them.

14 And I looked, and rofe up, and faid unto the Nobles, and to the Rulers, and to the reft of the People, Be not ye afraid of them: REMEMBER the LORD which is GREAT and TERRIBLE, and fight for your Brethren, your Sons and your Daughters, your Wives and your Houfes.

CHA P. V.

The Jews complain of their Debt, Mortgage, and Bondage. 6 Nehemiah rebuketh the Ufurers, and caufeth them to make a Covenant of Reftitution. 14 He forbeareth his own Allowance, and keepeth Hofpitality.

Ver. 1

AND

ND there was a great Cry of the People, and of their Wives against their Brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that faid, We, our Sons, and our Daughters are many: therefore we take up Corn for them, that we may eat and live.

3 Some alfo there were that faid, We have MORTGAGED our Lands, Vineyards, and Houses, that we might BUY CORN, because of the DEARTH.

4 There were also that faid, We have BORROWED MoNEY for the KING'S TRIBUTE, and that upon our LANDS and VINEYARDS.

5 Yet now our Flesh is as the Flesh of our Brethren, our Children as their Children: and lo, we bring into BONDAGE our Sons and our Daughters to be Servants, and fome of

our

our Daughters are brought unto Bondage already, neither is it in our POWER TO REDEEM THEM FOR OTHER MEN HAVE OUR LANDS and VINEYARDS.

6 And I was very angry when I heard their CRY, and these Words.

7 Then I confulted with my felf, and I rebuked the Nobles, and the Rulers, and faid unto them, You EXACT USURY, every one of his Brother. And I fet a great AsSEMBLY against them.

8 And I faid unto them, We after our Ability, have redeemed our Brethren the Jews, which were fold unto the Heathen; and will you even SELL your Brethren? or fhall they be fold unto us? then held they their Peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 Alfo I faid, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to WALK in the FEAR of our GOD, because of the Reproach of the Heathen our Enemies?

10 I likewife, and my Brethren, and my Servants, might exact of them Money and Corn: I pray you let us LEAVE OFF this USURY.

11 RESTORE, I pray you, to them even this Day, their LANDS, their VINEYARDS, their OLIVE YARDS, and their HOUSES, alfo the hundredth Part of the MONEY, and of the CORN, the WINE, and the OYL, that ye EXACT of them.

12 Then faid they, We will RESTORE them, and will require nothing of them; fo will we do as thou fayeft. Then I called the PRIESTS, and took an Oath of them, that they fhould do according to this Promife.

13 Alfo I fhook my Lap, and faid, So GOD fhake out every Man from his House and from his Labour, that performeth not this Promife, even thus be he fhaken out, and emptied. And all the Congregation faid, Amen, and PRAISED the LORD. And the People did according to this Promife.

14 Moreover, from the Time that I was appointed to be their GOVERNOR, that is twelve Years, I and my Brethren have not eaten the Bread of the Governor.

15 But the former Governors that had been before me, were chargeable unto the People, and had taken of them Bread and Wine, befides forty Shekels of Silver, yea even their SERVANTS bear RULE OVER the PEOPLE: but SO DID NOT I, because of the FEAR of GOD.

16 Yea, alfo I continued in the Work of this Wall, neither bought we any Land. 17 Moreover,

17 Moreover, there were at my Table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and Rulers, befides thofe that came unto us, from among the Heathen that are about us.

18 Now that which was prepared for me daily, was one Ox, and fix choice Sheep; alfo Fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten Days, Store of all forts of Wine: yet for all this required not I the Bread of the Governor, because the BONDAGE was heavy upon this PEOPLE.

19 THINK upon me, my GOD for GooD, according to all that I have done for this People.

I

CHAP. VI.

1 Sanballat practifeth by Craft, by Rumours, by hired Prophefies, to terrify Nehemiah. 15 The Work is finished to the Terror of the Enemies. 17 Secret Intelligence paleth between the Enemies, and the Nobles of Judah.

Ver. 10 Amaiah who was fhut up; and he faid, Let us meet together in the Houfe of GOD, within the Temple, and let us fhut the Doors of the Temple; for they will come to flay thee in the Night.

FTERWARD I came unto the Houfe of She

11 And I faid, Should SUCH A MAN as I FLEE? and who is there that being as I am, would go into the Temple to fave his Life? I will not go in.

12 And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this Prophecy against me, for Tobiah and Sanballat had HIRED him.

13 Therefore was he hired, that I fhould be AFRAID, and do fo, and SIN, and that they might have Matter for an evil Report, that they might REPROACH ME.

14 My GoD, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat, aecording to thefe their Works, and on the PROPHETESS Noadiah, and the rest of the PROPHETS, that would have put me in FEAR.

16 And it came to pafs, when all our Enemies heard thereof, and all the Heathen that were about us faw thefe Things, they were much caft down in their own Eyes: for they perceived that this Work was wrought of our GOD.

CHAP.

1 Nehemiah committetb the Charge of Jerufalem to Hanani and Hananiah. 5 A Register of the Genealogy of them which came at the first out of Babylon. 8 Of the People, 39 Of the Priests, 43 Of the Levites, 46 Of the Nethinims, 57 Of Solomon's Servants, 63 And of the Priefts which could not find their Pedigree. 66 The whole Number of them being 42360, their Subftance. 70 Their Oblatians.

CHAP. VIII.

The Religious Manner of reading and hearing the Law. They comfort the People. 13 The Forwardness of them to hear, and be inftructed. 16 They keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

Ver. 1 AND all the People gathered themselves together, and they fpake unto Ezra the Scribe, to bring the Book of the Law of Mofes, which the LORD had commanded to Ifrael.

ź And Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the Congregation.

3 And he read therein, from the Morning until Mid-day, before the Men and the Women, and thofe that could understand, and the Ears of all the People were attentive unto the Book of the LAW.

4 And Ezra ftood upon a Pulpit of Wood, which they had made for the Purpose.

5 And Ezra opened the Book, and all the People stood up: 6 And Ezra BLESSED the LORD the GREAT GOD: and all the People anfwered AMEN, Amen, with LIFTING up their Hands: and they BOWED their Heads, and WORSHIPPED the LORD with their Faces to the Ground.

7 Alfo Jefhua, and others, and the Levites caufed the People to understand the Law: and the People flood in their Place.

8 So they read in the Book, in the Law of GOD DISTINCTLY, and gave the SENSE, and caufed them to UNDERSTAND the Reading.

9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirfhatha, and Ezra the Prieft, the Scribe, and the Levites that taught the People, hid unto all the People, This Day is HOLY unto the LORD

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