Nehemiah 7-9

New International Version

7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,^(A) the musicians^(B) and the Levites^(C) were appointed. ²I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,^(D) along with Hananiah^(E) the commander of the citadel,^(F) because he was a man of integrity and feared^(G) God more than most people do. ³I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

The List of the Exiles Who Returned^(H)

⁴Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,^(I) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. ⁵So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

⁶These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles^(J) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, ⁷in company with Zerubbabel,^(K) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):

The list of the men of Israel:

⁸the descendants of Parosh	2,172
⁹of Shephatiah	372
¹⁰of Arah	652
¹¹of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)	2,818
¹²of Elam	1,254
¹³of Zattu	845
¹⁴of Zakkai	760
¹⁵of Binnui	648
¹⁶of Bebai	628
¹⁷of Azgad	2,322
¹⁸of Adonikam	667
¹⁹of Bigvai	2,067
²⁰of Adin^(L)	655
²¹of Ater (through Hezekiah)	98
²²of Hashum	328
²³of Bezai	324
²⁴of Hariph	112
²⁵of Gibeon	95

²⁶the men of Bethlehem and Netophah^(M)	188
²⁷of Anathoth^(N)	128
²⁸of Beth Azmaveth	42
²⁹of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah^(O) and Beeroth^(P)	743
³⁰of Ramah and Geba	621
³¹of Mikmash	122
³²of Bethel and Ai^(Q)	123
³³of the other Nebo	52
³⁴of the other Elam	1,254
³⁵of Harim	320
³⁶of Jericho^(R)	345
³⁷of Lod, Hadid and Ono^(S)	721
³⁸of Senaah	3,930

³⁹The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)	973
⁴⁰of Immer	1,052
⁴¹of Pashhur	1,247
⁴²of Harim	1,017

⁴³The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah)

⁴⁴The musicians:^(T)

the descendants of Asaph

148

⁴⁵The gatekeepers:^(U)

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai	138

⁴⁶The temple servants:^(V)

the descendants of

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

⁴⁷Keros, Sia, Padon,

⁴⁸Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,

⁴⁹Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

⁵⁰Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

⁵¹Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

⁵²Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,

⁵³Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

⁵⁴Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

⁵⁵Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

⁵⁶Neziah and Hatipha

⁵⁷The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of

Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,

⁵⁸Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,

⁵⁹Shephatiah, Hattil,

Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon

⁶⁰The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon^(W)

392

⁶¹The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

⁶²the descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda	642

⁶³And from among the priests:

the descendants of

Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

⁶⁴These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. ⁶⁵The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.^(X)

⁶⁶The whole company numbered 42,360, ⁶⁷besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. ⁶⁸There were 736 horses, 245 mules,^[a] ⁶⁹435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

⁷⁰Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics^[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. ⁷¹Some of the heads of the families^(Y) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics^[c] of gold and 2,200 minas^[d] of silver. ⁷²The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas^[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.^(Z)

⁷³The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,^(AA) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.^(AB)

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,^(AC) 8 ¹all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.^(AD) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,^(AE) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

²So on the first day of the seventh month^(AF) Ezra the priest brought the Law^(AG) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^(AH) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁴Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform^(AI) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁵Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing^(AJ) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands^(AK) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷The Levites^(AL)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^(AM) the people in the Law while the people were standing there. ⁸They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^[f] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

⁹Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites^(AN) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”^(AO) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing^(AP) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy^(AQ) of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

¹²Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,^(AR) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

¹³On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. ¹⁴They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters^(AS) during the festival of the seventh month ¹⁵and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.^[g]

¹⁶So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate^(AT) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.^(AU) ¹⁷The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.^(AV) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated^(AW) it like this. And their joy was very great.

¹⁸Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read^(AX) from the Book of the Law^(AY) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,^(AZ) there was an assembly.^(BA)

The Israelites Confess Their Sins

9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.^(BB) ²Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.^(BC) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.^(BD) ³They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. ⁴Standing on the stairs of the Levites^(BE) were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. ⁵And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God,^(BF) who is from everlasting to everlasting.^[h]”

“Blessed be your glorious name,^(BG) and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. ⁶You alone are the Lord.^(BH) You made the heavens,^(BI) even the highest heavens, and all their starry host,^(BJ) the earth^(BK) and all that is on it, the seas^(BL) and all that is in them.^(BM) You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven^(BN) worship you.

⁷“You are the Lord God, who chose Abram^(BO) and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans^(BP) and named him Abraham.^(BQ) ⁸You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites.^(BR) You have kept your promise^(BS) because you are righteous.^(BT)

⁹“You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt;^(BU) you heard their cry at the Red Sea.^[i]^(BV) ¹⁰You sent signs^(BW) and wonders^(BX) against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name^(BY) for yourself,^(BZ) which remains to this day. ¹¹You divided the sea before them,^(CA) so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths,^(CB) like a stone into mighty waters.^(CC) ¹²By day^(CD) you led^(CE) them with a pillar of cloud,^(CF) and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

¹³“You came down on Mount Sinai;^(CG) you spoke^(CH) to them from heaven.^(CI) You gave them regulations and laws that are just^(CJ) and right, and decrees and commands that are good.^(CK) ¹⁴You made known to them your holy Sabbath^(CL) and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. ¹⁵In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven^(CM) and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock;^(CN) you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand^(CO) to give them.^(CP)

¹⁶“But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked,^(CQ) and they did not obey your commands.^(CR) ¹⁷They refused to listen and failed to remember^(CS) the miracles^(CT) you performed among them. They became stiff-necked^(CU) and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery.^(CV) But you are a forgiving God,^(CW) gracious and compassionate,^(CX) slow to anger^(CY) and abounding in love.^(CZ) Therefore you did not desert them,^(DA) ¹⁸even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf^(DB) and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.^(DC)

¹⁹“Because of your great compassion you did not abandon^(DD) them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud^(DE) did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. ²⁰You gave your good Spirit^(DF) to instruct^(DG) them. You did not withhold your manna^(DH) from their mouths, and you gave them water^(DI) for their thirst. ²¹For forty years^(DJ) you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing,^(DK) their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.^(DL)

²²“You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon^[j]^(DM) king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.^(DN) ²³You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky,^(DO) and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess. ²⁴Their children went in and took possession of the land.^(DP) You subdued^(DQ) before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. ²⁵They captured fortified cities and fertile land;^(DR) they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things,^(DS) wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished;^(DT) they reveled in your great goodness.^(DU)

²⁶“But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law.^(DV) They killed^(DW) your prophets,^(DX) who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.^(DY) ²⁷So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies,^(DZ) who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion^(EA) you gave them deliverers,^(EB) who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

²⁸“But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.^(EC) Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion^(ED) you delivered them^(EE) time after time.

²⁹“You warned^(EF) them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant^(EG) and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’^(EH) Stubbornly they turned their backs^(EI) on you, became stiff-necked^(EJ) and refused to listen.^(EK) ³⁰For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets.^(EL) Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.^(EM) ³¹But in your great mercy you did not put an end^(EN) to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful^(EO) God.

³²“Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty^(EP) and awesome,^(EQ) who keeps his covenant of love,^(ER) do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship^(ES) that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. ³³In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous;^(ET) you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.^(EU) ³⁴Our kings,^(EV) our leaders, our priests and our ancestors^(EW) did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. ³⁵Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness^(EX) to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you^(EY) or turn from their evil ways.

³⁶“But see, we are slaves^(EZ) today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. ³⁷Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.^(FA)

The Agreement of the People

³⁸“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement,^(FB) putting it in writing,^(FC) and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”^[k]

Footnotes

Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
Nehemiah 8:8 Or God, translating it
Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.
Nehemiah 9:5 Or God for ever and ever
Nehemiah 9:9 Or the Sea of Reeds
Nehemiah 9:22 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts Sihon, that is, the country of the
Nehemiah 9:38 In Hebrew texts this verse (9:38) is numbered 10:1.

Revelation 18

New International Version

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.^(C) ²With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’^[a]^(D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,^(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.^(F)
³For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.^(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,^(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich^(I) from her excessive luxuries.”^(J)

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

⁴Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’^[b]^(K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;^(L)
⁵for her sins are piled up to heaven,^(M)
    and God has remembered^(N) her crimes.
⁶Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back^(O) double^(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.^(Q)
⁷Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.^(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;^[c]
    I will never mourn.’^(S)
⁸Therefore in one day^(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,^(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

⁹“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her^(V) and shared her luxury^(W) see the smoke of her burning,^(X) they will weep and mourn over her.^(Y) ¹⁰Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off^(Z) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AA)
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour^(AB) your doom has come!’

¹¹“The merchants^(AC) of the earth will weep and mourn^(AD) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore^(AE)— ¹²cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;^(AF) ¹³cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.^(AG)

¹⁴“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ ¹⁵The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her^(AH) will stand far off,^(AI) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn^(AJ) ¹⁶and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AK)
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!^(AL)
¹⁷In one hour^(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’^(AN)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,^(AO) will stand far off.^(AP) ¹⁸When they see the smoke of her burning,^(AQ) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city^(AR)?’^(AS) ¹⁹They will throw dust on their heads,^(AT) and with weeping and mourning^(AU) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AV)
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’^(AW)

²⁰“Rejoice over her, you heavens!^(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”^(AY)

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

²¹Then a mighty angel^(AZ) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,^(BA) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city^(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
²²The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.^(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.^(BD)
²³The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.^(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.^(BF)
    By your magic spell^(BG) all the nations were led astray.
²⁴In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,^(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”^(BI)