Nehemiah

Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,

1Here are the men who put their seal on the paper. First was Nehemiah the governor, the leader of the land. He was the son of Hachaliah. Next was Zidkijah.

Note"Sealed" means they pressed their own mark into soft clay or wax on the paper. It was their way of signing their name.

2Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

2Then Seraiah, Azariah, and Jeremiah.

3Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,

3Then Pashur, Amariah, and Malchijah.

4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

4Then Hattush, Shebaniah, and Malluch.

5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

5Then Harim, Meremoth, and Obadiah.

6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

6Then Daniel, Ginnethon, and Baruch.

7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

7Then Meshullam, Abijah, and Mijamin.

8Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.

8Then Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. All these men were priests. Priests led the worship at God's house.

9And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;

9Next came the Levites. They were the men who helped the priests. Their names were Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the family of Henadad, and Kadmiel.

10And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

10With them were their fellow workers. They were Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, and Hanan.

11Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,

11Then Micha, Rehob, and Hashabiah.

12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

12Then Zaccur, Sherebiah, and Shebaniah.

13Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.

13Then Hodijah, Bani, and Beninu.

14The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,

14Next came the leaders of the people. They were Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, and Bani.

15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

15Then Bunni, Azgad, and Bebai.

16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

16Then Adonijah, Bigvai, and Adin.

17Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,

17Then Ater, Hizkijah, and Azzur.

18Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,

18Then Hodijah, Hashum, and Bezai.

19Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

19Then Hariph, Anathoth, and Nebai.

20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

20Then Magpiash, Meshullam, and Hezir.

21Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,

21Then Meshezabeel, Zadok, and Jaddua.

22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

22Then Pelatiah, Hanan, and Anaiah.

23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,

23Then Hoshea, Hananiah, and Hashub.

24Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,

24Then Hallohesh, Pileha, and Shobek.

25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

25Then Rehum, Hashabnah, and Maaseiah.

26And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

26Then Ahijah, Hanan, and Anan.

27Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

27Then Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

28And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had 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;

28The rest of the people joined in too. This meant the priests and the Levites who helped them. It meant the gatekeepers who guarded the doors. It meant the singers and the temple servants. It meant everyone who had left the ways of the people around them to follow God's law. Their wives came, and their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand.

29They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

29They all stood with their leaders and made a strong promise. They asked God to punish them if they broke it. They promised to live by God's law. God had given that law through Moses, his servant. They promised to obey all the LORD's rules and commands with care.

30And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:

30They promised not to let their daughters marry the people around them. They also promised not to take those people's daughters for their sons.

31And if the people of the land bring 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 that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

31Sometimes the people around them brought goods or food to sell. If they did that on the Sabbath, the rest day, no one would buy. That was true on any holy day too. Every seventh year they would let the fields rest. In that year they would also cancel every debt owed to them.

Note"Ware" means things for sale, and "victuals" means food. Both are old English words.

32Also 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;

32They made a rule for themselves about money. Each year every person would give a small silver coin for the work at God's house.

NoteThe coin was a third of a shekel, a small weight of silver.

33For 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.

33The money paid for the special bread set out before God. It paid for the daily grain gifts and the daily burnt gifts. It paid for the gifts on the Sabbath days, the new moon days, and the feast days. It paid for the holy gifts and the gifts that covered the people's sin. It paid for all the work at God's house.

NoteThe KJV says "meat offering," but in old English "meat" meant any food. This gift was grain, not animal meat.

34And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:

34The priests, the Levites, and the people drew lots to decide something. Each family learned which time of year to bring firewood. They brought it to God's house every year. The wood was burned on the altar of the LORD their God. That is what the law said to do.

35And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:

35They also promised to bring the first crops from their fields. They would bring the first fruit from every kind of tree. They would do this every year at the LORD's house.

36Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:

36They promised to bring their first sons to God's house too. They also brought the first young animals from their herds and flocks. The law said to do this. They gave them to the priests who served at God's house.

37And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

37They promised to bring the first of their dough and their other gifts. They would bring fruit from every kind of tree, and new wine and oil. All of it went to the priests, into the storerooms at God's house. A tenth of what their fields grew went to the Levites. The Levites would collect it in every town where the people farmed.

38And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.

38A priest from Aaron's family would go with the Levites. He was there when the Levites collected that tenth part. Then the Levites brought a tenth of what they got to God's house. It went into the storerooms where the treasure was kept.

39For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

39The people of Israel and the Levites would bring their gifts there. They brought grain, new wine, and oil to those storerooms. That is where the holy dishes and tools were kept. The serving priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers stayed there too. The people said, "We will not neglect the house of our God."