The men that sealed the covenant. Before CHRIST 445 4 See Ezra 2. 3, &c. ch. 7.8, &c. e Ezra 2. 36, -43. & 10. 11, 12, CHAP. XI. 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. 9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; Parosh, 10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singErasers, the Nethinims, and all they that had 19 ch.13.3. separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; 12, 14. ch. 5. 119. 106 29 They clave to their brethren, their g Dent. 29 nobles, and entered into a curse, and 12, 13. P. into an oath, to walk in God's law, ba Kings 23. Which was given †by Moses the servant 3 2 Chron. of God, and to observe and do all the Heb. by the commandments of the LORD our Lord, hand of. and his judgments and his statutes; 34. 31. 1 Exod. 34. 16. Deut. 7. 30 And that we would not give our 3 Ezra 9. daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons: 12, 14. k Exod. 20. 10. Lev. 23. 12. ch. 13. 15, &c. 31 * And if the people of the land bring 3 Deut. 5 ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and 1 Exod. 3. that we would leave the 'seventh year, and the "exaction of † every debt. 13, 11. Lev. 25-4 in Deut. 15 1.2. ch.5. 12. + Heb. every band. n Lov. 24 5 2-4 o See Numb. 25 & 29 32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God; kc. aChron. 33 For "the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. ་ 34 And we cast the lots among the 1331 priests, the Levites, and the people, "for Tuai. 40. 16. the wood offering, to bring it into the Those who dwelt at Jerusalem. Before CHRIST 445 h1 Chron. 9. 10, &c. NEHEMIAH. the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni. 6 All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men. 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. 8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight. 9 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin. 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God. 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, 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, 14 And their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: Or, the on and their overseer was Zabdiel, || the son of one of the great men. of Haggedolim. + Heb. were 11 Chron. over. 26. 29. k ver. 1. 15 Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God. 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. 18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four. 19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept +Ileb. at the the gates, were an hundred seventy and two. gates. 1 See ch. 3. 26. Or, the tower. 20 ¶ And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. 21' But the Nethinims dwelt in || Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims. 22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the | Before CHRIST The inhabitants of other cities. son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, 445the singers were over the business of the house of God. 6. 8, 9. & 7. 23 For it was the king's command- m See Ezra ment concerning them, that || a certain 20, &c. portion should be for the singers, due for every day toure ordinance. 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of " Zerah the son Gen. 38. of Judah, was ° at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people. 30, Zarah. o 1 Chron. 18. 17. & 23 28. 15. 25 And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in the vil- Josh. 14 lages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof, 26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet, 27 And at Hazar-shual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof, 28 And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof, 29 And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom. 31 The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and ¡Or, of Geba. Aija, and Beth-el, and in their villages, 32 And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, The succession of high priests. CHAP. XII. brethren, were over against them in the cir. 536 watches. Before CHRIST 10 ¶ And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, 11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. 12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin; of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel. 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. 23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the fi fchronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 10 1 Chron. 23 & 25. & 26. h Ezra 3. 11. 1 Or, treasuries, or, assembler i ch. 8. 9. k Ezra 7. 6, 11. 445 1 Deut. 20, 5. Ps. 30. title. 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. 25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates. 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. 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 Cro. with gladness, both with thanksgivings, 12 and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. 25.6. 13. & 7.6. m 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; 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. Before The dedication of the wall. 30 And the priests and the Levites pu- CHRIST rified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall. 445 n See ver. 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: 32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and 3. 13 half of the princes of Judah, 33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, o Ch. 2. 13. 2, 8. 35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the p Numb. 18. son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph: 36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the mu- 1 Chron. sical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them. 23.5. ch. 2. 14. & 3.15 sch. 3. 15 ch. 3. 26. & 8. 1, 3, 16. 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. 38 "And the other company of them u See ver. that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the x ch. 3. 11. tower of the furnaces even unto the y ch.3.8. broad wall; 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the 1 Numb. 18. porters, every day his portion: 'and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron. 21, 24. ! That is, set apart. k Numb. 18. 26. a Deut. 31. 11, 12. 2 Kings 23. 2. ch. 8. 3,8. 34. 6. 3. Isai. Heb. there was read. + Heb. ears. b Deut. 23. 3,4. certain abuses. cir. 434 10 ¶ And I perceived that the por- CHRIST tions of the Levites had 'not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, 1 Mal. 3. 8. that did the work, were fled every one to mhis field. 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. m Numb. 35.2. n ver. 17, 25Prov. 28. 4. o ch. 10. 50. + Heb. standing. Or, store houses. 2 Chron. 31. Heb. et their hand. 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe p ch. 10. 38, of the corn and the new wine and the oil 39.12.44 unto the treasuries. 13 And I made treasurers over the 9 ch. 12.44treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Za- 12. dok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: 1 Upon the reading of the law separation is for they were counted 'faithful, and their made from the mixed multitude. 4 Nehe-office was to distribute unto their bremiah at his return causeth the chambers to be thren. cleansed. 10 He reformeth the offices in the house of God. 15 The violation of the sabbath, 23 and the marriages with strange c Numb. 22. c wives. N CHAP. XIII. 14 'Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of On that day + they read in the book my God, and for the || offices thereof. 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; 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but S. Josh. 24. hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: "howbeit our God 11. & 24. 10. turned the curse into a blessing. + Heb. being 12.44. 4 ¶ And before this, Eliashib the priest, set over ch having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: 5 And he had prepared for him a great fch. 12.44 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. 15 In those days saw I in Judah some 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also 18 'Did not your fathers thus, and did Jer. 17. 22, not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark be- Lev. 23. fore 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 a at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Ahasuerus royal feasts. Before CHRIST ESTHER, I Vashti, sent for, refuseth to come. O my God, concerning this also, and | him king over all Israel: * nevertheless me, cir. 434- spare me according to the || greatness of even him did outlandish women cause Or, multi- thy mercy. to sin. inde. cir. 434 23 In those days also saw I Jews + Heb. had that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: made to dwell with them. 4 Eara 92 discerned not + Heb. of + Heb. they to speak. people and people. e ver. 11. Prov. 28. 4. Or, reviled them. 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. 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 eb. 10. 29, 30, not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. f Ezra 10. 5 g 1 Kings 11. 1, &c. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel hi Kings 3 sin by these things? yet among many 1212 Chron. nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made i 2 Sam. 12. 24 Before CHRIST cir. 521. a Ezra 4.6. Dan. 9. 1. b ch. 8. 9. THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 1 Ahasuerus maketh royal feasts. 10 Vashti, OW days of 8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. 9 Also Vashti queen made a feast Now it came to pass in tha hasuerus for the women in the royal house which which reigned, bfrom India even unto Dan. 6. 1. Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces :) Or, violet. Ezek. 23. 41. 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he fmade 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: 4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. 5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; 6 Where were white, green, and ||blue, See ch.7.8. hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen Ames && and purple to silver rings and pillars of 64 marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement || of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. 1 Or, of porphyre, and marble, and alabaster, and stone of Mae colour. + Heb. wine belonged to king Ahasuerus. s ver. 14, 22. Before CHRIST eir. 519. 28. 10 ¶ On the seventh day, when the h2 Sam. 13. heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Har-i ch. 7. 9. bona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven || chamberlains that r served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people 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 his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. 13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the "seven princes of Persia and Media, "which 2 Kings 25. saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) 15 +What shall we do unto the queen 7 And they gave them drink in vessels Vashti according to law, because she hath of gold, (the vessels being diverse one not performed the commandment of the from another,) and † royal wine in abun-king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? cording to dance, according to the state of the of the king + Heb. ac the hand of the king king. 16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen 19. + Heb. What to do. |