Nechemyah 10-13

Orthodox Jewish Bible

10 ^(10:2) Now those that sealed were, Nechemyah the tirshata ben Chachalyah, and Tzedekyah,

^2 (3) Serayah, Azaryah, Yirmeyah,

^3 (4) Pashchur, Amaryah, Malkiyah,

^4 (5) Chattush, Shevanyah, Maluch,

^5 (6) Charim, Meremot, Ovadyah,

^6 (7) Daniel, Ginton, Baruch,

^7 (8) Meshullam, Aviyah, Miyamin,

^8 (9) Ma’azyah, Bilgai, Shemayah; these were the kohanim.

^9 (10) And the Levi’im; both Yeshua ben Azanyah, Binnui of the Bnei Chenadad, Kadmiel;

^10 (11) And their brethren, Shevanyah, Hodiyah, Kelita, Pelayah, Chanan,

^11 (12) Micha, Rechov, Chashavyah,

^12 (13) Zakkur, Sherevyah, Shevanyah,

^13 (14) Hodiyah, Bani, and Beninu.

^14 (15) The chief of the people: Parosh, Pachat-Moav, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

^15 (16) Bunni, Azgad, Bevai,

^16 (17) Adoniyah, Bigvai, Adin,

^17 (18) Ater, Chizkiyah, Azzur,

^18 (19) Hodiyah, Chashum, Betzai,

^19 (20) Chariph, Anatot, Neivai,

^20 (21) Magpiash, Meshullam, Chezir,

^21 (22) Meshezav’el, Tzadok, Yaddua,

^22 (23) Pelatyah, Chanan, Anayah,

^23 (24) Hoshea, Chananyah, Chashuv,

^24 (25) Halochesh, Pilcha, Shovek,

^25 (26) Rechum, Chashavnah, Ma’aseiyah,

^26 (27) And Achiyah, Chanan, Anan,

^27 (28) Maluch, Charim, Ba’anah.

^28 (29) And the rest of the people, the Kohanim, the Levi’im, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Netinim, and all they that had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands unto the Torat HaElohim, their wives, their banim, and their banot, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

^29 (30) They were the machazikim (the ones joining) with their brethren, their nobles, and bound themselves with a curse, and into an oath, to walk in Torat HaElohim, which was given by Moshe Eved HaElohim, and to be shomer to do all the mitzvot of Hashem Adoneinu, and His mishpatim and His chukkot;

^30 (31) And that we would not give our banot unto the peoples of the land, not take their banot for our banim;

^31 (32) And if the people of the land bring merchandise or any grain on Shabbos or on Yom Kodesh to sell, that we would not buy it of them on Shabbos, or on Yom Kodesh; and that we would every Shanah HaShevi’it [Ex 23:11] forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.

^32 (33) Also we will assume on us mitzvot, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the Avodat Beis Eloheinu [Mt 17:24];

^33 (34) For the Lechem HaMa’arekhet, and for the Minchat HaTamid, and for the Olat HaTamid, of the Shabbatot, of the Chodashim, for the Mo’adim, and for the Kodashim, and for the Chatta’ot to make kapporah for Yisroel, and for all the work of the Beis Eloheinu.

^34 (35) And we cast the goralot among the Kohanim, the Levi’im, and the people, for the korban of the wood, to bring it into the Beis Eloheinu, after the batim of Avoteinu, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the Mizbe’ach of Hashem Eloheinu, as it is written in the Torah [Lv 6:12-13];

^35 (36) And to bring the bikkurei admateinu, and the bikkurei kol pri kol etz, year by year, unto Beis Hashem;

^36 (37) Also the bechorot baneinu, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Torah, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the Beis Eloheinu, unto the Kohanim that minister in the Beis Eloheinu;

^37 (38) And that we should bring the reshit arisoteinu, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of tirosh and of oil, unto the Kohanim, to the storerooms of the Beis Eloheinu; and the ma’aser of our land unto the Levi’im, that the same Levi’im might collect me’a’serim in all the cities of avodateinu.

^38 (39) And the Kohen Ben Aharon shall be with the Levi’im, when the Levi’im receive tithes; and the Levi’im shall bring up the ma’aser hama’aser unto the Beis Eloheinu, to the storerooms, into the Beis HaOtzar.

^39 (40) For the Bnei Yisroel and the Bnei Levi shall bring the terumah of the grain, of the tirosh, and the oil, unto the storerooms, where are Keli HaMikdash, and the Kohanim that minister, and the gatekeepers, and the singers; and we will not forsake the Beis Eloheinu.

11 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Yerushalayim; the rest of the people also cast goralot, to bring one of ten to dwell in Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

² And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Yerushalayim.

³ Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Yerushalayim, but in the towns of Yehudah dwelt every one in his possession in their towns—Yisroel, the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and the Netinim, and the Bnei Avdei Sh’lomo.

⁴ And at Yerushalayim dwelt certain of the Bnei Yehudah, and of the Bnei Binyamin. Of the Bnei Yehudah; Atayah ben Uziyah, ben Zecharyah, ben Amaryah, ben Shephatyah, ben Mahalal’el, of the children of Peretz;

⁵ And Ma’aseiyah ben Baruch, ben Colchozeh, ben Chazayah, ben Adayah, ben Yoyariv, ben Zecharyah, ben Shelah.

⁶ All the Bnei Peretz that dwelt at Yerushalayim were four hundred threescore and eight anshei chayil.

⁷ And these are the Bnei Binyamin: Sallu ben Meshullam, ben Yoed, ben Pedayah, ben Kolayah, ben Ma’aseiyah, ben Itiel, ben Yeshayah.

⁸ And after him Gabai, Sallai, 928.

⁹ And Yoel ben Zichri was their pakid (overseer), and Yehudah ben Hasnuah was second over the Ir.

¹⁰ Of the Kohanim; Yedayah ben Yoyariv, Yachin,

¹¹ Serayah ben Chilkiyah ben Meshullam ben Tzadok ben Merayot ben Achituv the Nagid Bais HaElohim.

¹² And their brethren that did the work of the Beis {HaMikdash] were eight hundred twenty and two; and Adayah ben Yerocham, ben Pelalyah, ben Amtzi, ben Zecharyah, ben Pashchur, ben Malkiyah.

¹³ And his brethren, chief of the avot, two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai ben Azare’el ben Achzai ben Meshillemot ben Immer,

¹⁴ And their brethren, gibborei chayil, one hundred twenty and eight; and their overseer was Zavdiel ben HaGedolim.

¹⁵ Also of the Levi’im; Shemayah ben Chashuv ben Azrikam ben Chashavyah ben Bunni;

¹⁶ And Shabtai and Yozavad, of the chief of the Levi’im, had the oversight of the outside work of the Beis HaElohim.

¹⁷ And Matanyah ben Micha ben Zavdi ben Asaph was the Rosh leading techillah in tefillah, and Bakbukyah the second among his brethren, and Avda ben Shammua ben Galal ben Yedutun.

¹⁸ All the Levi’im in the Ir HaKodesh were two hundred fourscore and four.

¹⁹ Moreover the gatekeepers, Akuv, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were one hundred seventy and two.

²⁰ And the rest of Yisroel, of the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, were in all the cities of Yehudah, every one in his nachalah.

²¹ But the Netinim dwelt in Ophel, and Tzicha and Gishpa were over the Netinim.

²² The overseer also of the Levi’im at Yerushalayim was Uzzi ben Bani, ben Chashavyah ben Matanyah ben Micha. Of the Bnei Asaph, the singers were responsible for the Beis HaElohim.

²³ For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a regulation be for the singers, over their daily actities.

²⁴ And Petachyah ben Mesheizav’el, of the Bnei Zerach ben Yehudah, was the king’s deputy in all matters concerning the people.

²⁵ And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Yehudah dwelt at Kiryat-Arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Divon, and in the villages thereof, and at Yekabze’el, and in the villages thereof,

²⁶ And at Yeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beit-Pelet,

²⁷ And at Chatzar Shual, and at Beer Sheva, and in the villages thereof,

²⁸ And at Tziklag, and at Mechonah, and in the villages thereof,

²⁹ And at En-Rimmon, and at Tzorah, and at Yarmut,

³⁰ Zanoach, Adulam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from BeerSheva unto the valley of Gehinnom.

³¹ The children also of Binyamin from Geva dwelt at Michmas, and Ayah, and Beit-El, and in their villages.

³² And at Anatot, Nov, Ananyah,

³³ Chatzor, Ramah, Gittayim,

³⁴ Chadid, Tzvo’im, Nevalat,

³⁵ Lud, and Ono, the Gey-HaCharashim.

³⁶ And of the Levi’im were divisions in Yehudah and in Binyamin.

12 Now these are the Kohanim and the Levi’im that went up with Zerubavel ben Sh’altiel, and Yeshua; Serayah, Yirmeyah, Ezra,

² Amaryah, Maluch, Chattush,

³ Shechanyah, Rechum, Meremot,

⁴ Iddo, Gintoi, Achiyah,

⁵ Miyamin, Ma’adiyah, Bilgah,

⁶ Shemayah, and Yoyariv, Yedayah,

⁷ Sallu, Amok, Chilkiyah, Yedayah. These were the chief of the Kohanim and of their brethren in the days of Yeshua.

⁸ Moreover the Levi’im; Yeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherevyah, Yehudah, and Matanyah, which was over the huyedot, he and his brethren.

⁹ Also Bakbukyah and Unni, their brethren, were opposite them in the mishmarot (services).

¹⁰ And Yeshua fathered Yoyakim, Yoyakim also fathered Elyashiv, and Elyashiv fathered Yoyada,

¹¹ And Yoyada fathered Yonatan, and Yonatan fathered Yaddua.

¹² And in the days of Yoyakim these were Kohanim rashei haAvot; of Serayah, Merayah; of Yirmeyah, Chananyah;

¹³ Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amaryah, Yehochanan;

¹⁴ Of Melichu, Yonatan; of Shevanyah, Yosef;

¹⁵ Of Charim, Adna; of Merayot, Chelkai;

¹⁶ Of Iddo, Zecharyah; of Ginton, Meshullam;

¹⁷ Of Achiyah, Zichri; of Minyamin, of Moadyah, Piltai;

¹⁸ Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemayah, Yehonatan;

¹⁹ And of Yoyariv, Matnai; of Yedayah, Uzzi;

²⁰ Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Ever;

²¹ Of Chilkiyah, Chashavyah; of Yedayah, Netanel.

²² The Levi’im in the days of Elyashiv, Yoyada, and Yochanan, and Yaddua, were recorded rashei haAvot; also the kohanim, to the reign of Daryavesh the Persian.

²³ The Bnei Levi, the rashei haAvot, were written in the Sefer Divrei Hayamim, even until the days of Yochanan ben Elyashiv.

²⁴ And the chiefs of the Levi’im: Chashavyah, Sherevyah, and Yeshua ben Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the mitzvat Dovid Ish HaElohim, choir opposite choir.

²⁵ Matanyah, and Bakbukyah, Ovadyah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akuv, were gatekeepers keeping the storerooms of the gates.

²⁶ These were in the days of Yoyakim ben Yeshua ben Yotzadak, and in the days of Nechemyah the governor, and of Ezra HaKohen HaSofer.

²⁷ And at the dedication of the Chomat Yerushalayim they sought the Levi’im from all their places, to bring them to Yerushalayim, to keep the dedication with simchah, both with todot, and with singing, with cymbals, nevalim, and with kinorot.

²⁸ And Bnei HaMishorerim gathered themselves together, both out of the region around Yerushalayim, and from the villages of Netophati;

²⁹ Also from the Bais Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geva and Azmavet; for the singers had built villages around Yerushalayim.

³⁰ Kohanim and Levi’im made themselves tahor, and made the people tahor, the gates, and the chomah.

³¹ Then I brought up the sarim of Yehudah upon the chomah, and appointed two great choirs to give thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the Dung Gate;

³² And after them went Hoshayah, and half of the sarim of Yehudah,

³³ And Azaryah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

³⁴ Yehudah, Binyamin, Shemayah, and Yirmeyah,

³⁵ And certain of the banim of kohanim with trumpets; namely Zecharyah ben Yonatan ben Shemayah ben Matanyah ben Michayah ben Zaccur ben Asaph;

³⁶ And his brethren, Shemayah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Ma’ai, Netanel, and Yehudah, Chanani, with the musical instruments of Dovid the Ish HaElohim, and Ezra the Sofer before them.

³⁷ And at the Fountain Gate they went up by the steps of Ir Dovid, at the going up of the wall, above the Bais Dovid, even the Water Gate eastward.

³⁸ The other company of them that gave thanks went opposite them, I after them, and half the people upon the wall, from beyond the Migdal of the Ovens even unto the Broad Wall;

³⁹ And from above the Ephrayim Gate, and above the Old Gate, and above the Fish Gate, and the Migdal of Chanane’el, and the Migdal of the Hundred, even unto the Sheep Gate; and they stood still in the Prison Gate.

⁴⁰ So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the Beis HaElohim, and I, and the half of the officials with me;

⁴¹ And the Kohanim: Elyakim, Ma’aseiyah, Minyamin, Michayah, Elyoeinai, Zecharyah, and Chananyah, with trumpets;

⁴² And Ma’aseiyah, Shemayah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Yehochanan, Malchiyah, Eilam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Yizrachyah their overseer.

⁴³ Also that day they offered zevakhim gedolim, and rejoiced, for HaElohim had made them rejoice with great joy; the wives also and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Yerushalayim was heard even afar off.

⁴⁴ And at that time were some appointed over the storerooms for the Otzarot, for terumot, for the reshit, and for ma’aserot (tithes), to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions required by the Torah for the Kohanim and Levi’im: for Yehudah rejoiced for the Kohanim and for the Levi’im stationed [in Beis Hashem].

⁴⁵ They performed the Mishmeret Eloheihem and the Mishmeret HaTahorah according to the commandment of Dovid, and of Sh’lomo bno.

⁴⁶ For in the days of Dovid and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and shir tehillah and hodot unto Elohim.

⁴⁷ And kol Yisroel in the days of Zerubavel, and in the days of Nechemyah, gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, every day its portion; and they set aside as kodesh the portion for the Levi’im; and the Levi’im set aside as kodesh the portion for the Bnei Aharon. [T.N. See "days of Yeshua" Neh 12:7, Kohen Gadol ca. 560-490 B.C.E. resurrected from the national death in Golus and namesake of Moshiach Zech 6:11-12]

13 On that day they read in the Sefer Moshe in the ears of HaAm; and therein was found written, that the Ammoni and the Moavi should not come into the Kehal HaElohim forever,

² Because they met not the Bnei Yisroel with lechem and with mayim, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them; howbeit Eloheinu turned the kelalah into a brocha.

³ Now it came to pass, when they had heard the Torah, that they separated from Yisroel all the foreign descent.

⁴ And before this, Elyashiv the Kohen, having the oversight of the storeroom of the Beis Eloheinu, was allied unto Toviyah;

⁵ And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the minchah, the levonah, and the vessels, and the ma’aser of the grain, the tirosh, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levi’im, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the terumat hakohanim.

⁶ But in all this time was not I at Yerushalayim; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta Melech Bavel came I unto HaMelech, and after certain days obtained I leave of HaMelech;

⁷ And I came to Yerushalayim, and understood of the evil that Elyashiv did for Toviyah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the Beis HaElohim.

⁸ And it grieved me much; therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Toviyah out of the chamber.

⁹ Then I commanded, and they made tahor the chambers, and there brought I again the vessels of the Beis HaElohim, with the minchah and the levonah.

¹⁰ And I perceived that the portions of the Levi’im had not been given them, for the Levi’im and the singers, that did the work, had gone back every one to his sadeh.

¹¹ Then contended I with the officials, and said, Why is the Beis HaElohim forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

¹² Then brought all Yehudah the ma’asar of the grain and the tirosh and the oil unto the Otzarot.

¹³ And I made over the Otzarot Shelemyah the Kohen, and Tzadok the Sofer, and of the Levi’im, Pedayah; and next to them was Chanan ben Zakkur, ben Matanyah; for they were considered ne’emanim, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

¹⁴ Remember me, O Elohai, concerning this, and wipe not out my faithful deeds that I have done for the Beis Elohai, and for the offices thereof.

¹⁵ In those days saw I in Yehudah some treading winepresses on Shabbos, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; as also yayin, grapes, and figs, and all manner of massa (burdens), which they brought into Yerushalayim on Shabbos; and I warned them against selling food on Shabbos.

¹⁶ There dwelt men of Tzor also therein, which brought dag (fish), and all manner of merchandise, and sold on Shabbos unto the Bnei Yehudah, and in Yerushalayim.

¹⁷ Then I contended with the nobles of Yehudah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, being Mechallel Shabbos (desecrator of Shabbos)?

¹⁸ Did not your avot thus, and did not Eloheinu bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Yisroel by committing Chillul Shabbos (desecration of Shabbos).

¹⁹ And it came to pass, that when the gates of Yerushalayim began to be dark before Shabbos, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after Shabbos, and some of my own men set I at the gates, that there should no massa (burden) be brought in on Shabbos.

²⁰ Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise lodged outside Yerushalayim.

²¹ Then I warned 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 Shabbos.

²² And I commanded the Levi’im that they should make themselves tahor, and that they should come and be shomer over the gates, to set apart as kodesh Shabbos. Remember me, O Elohai, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.

²³ In those days also saw I Yehudim that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moav,

²⁴ And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of the Yehudim, 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 Elohim, saying, Ye shall not give your banot unto their banim, nor take their banot unto your banim, or for yourselves.

²⁶ Did not Sh’lomo Melech Yisroel sin by these things? Yet among many Goyim was there no melech like him, who was beloved of Elohav, and Elohim made him melech over kol Yisroel. Nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.

²⁷ Shall we then pay heed unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against Eloheinu in marrying strange wives?

²⁸ And one of the Bnei Yoyada ben Elyashiv, the Kohen HaGadol, was son-inlaw to Sanvalat the Choroni; therefore I drove him away from me.

²⁹ Remember them, O Elohai, because they have defiled the kehunah, and the brit (covenant) of the kehunah, and of the Levi’im.

³⁰ Thus I cleansed them from all that is foreign, and had them attend again to the duties of the Kohanim and the Levi’im, every one in his appointed work;

³¹ And for the korban of wood, at times appointed, and for the bikkurim. Remember me, O Elohai, for good.