The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy-four.
The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight.
The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two.
The governor told that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to minister with Urim and Thummim.
besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women.
Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priests’ garments.
So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place.
All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them. They did not turn from their wicked works.
“Behold, we are servants today, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good, behold, we are servants in it.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
The Levites: namely, Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
and that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, our wave offerings, the fruit of all kinds of trees, and the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
The priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes. The Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms, into the treasure house.
For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the rooms, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and the priests who minister, with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not forsake the house of our God.
The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.
Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.
Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of God’s house,
and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,
Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of God’s house;
All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.
Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two.
But the temple servants lived in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.
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 business of God’s house.
For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.
Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.
Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin’s territory.
Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were close to them according to their offices.
The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers close to them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.
Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates.
also from Beth Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.
The priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
and after them went Hoshaiah, with half of the princes of Judah,
On that day were men appointed over the rooms for the treasures, for the wave offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who waited.
They performed the duty of their God, and the duty of the purification, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, as every day required; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.
had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests.
Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.
I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field.
Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
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 distribute to their brothers.
Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.
I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was, and why it was.
Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai:
The king said, “What honor and dignity has been given to Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.”
Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.
All the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who did the king’s business helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar yearly,
For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.
Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.
“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn’t know, I searched out.
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me;
“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her I have guided from my mother’s womb);
if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
If they listen and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him.
He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.
So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.
I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil,
Serve Yahweh with gladness. Come before his presence with singing.
My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me.
when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
you offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions;
He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.
He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.
that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.












