Nehemiah 8-10 - Prayer Tents

8all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey.H5971H622H259H376H7339H6440H4325H8179H559H5830H5608H935H5612H8451H4872H3068H6680H3478 2So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.H5830H3548H935H8451H6440H6951H376H802H8085H995H259H3117H7637H2320 3He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.H7121H6440H7339H6440H4325H8179H216H4276H3117H582H802H995H241H5971H5612H8451 4Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.H5830H5608H5975H4026H6086H6213H1697H681H5975H4993H8087H6043H223H2518H4641H3225H8040H6305H4332H4441H2828H2806H2148H4918 5Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.H5830H6605H5612H5869H5971H5971H6605H5971H5975 6Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, "Amen! Amen!" as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.H5830H1288H3068H1419H430H5971H6030H543H543H4607H3027H6915H7812H3068H639H776 7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places.H3442H1137H8274H3226H6126H7678H1941H4641H7042H5838H3107H2605H6411H3881H5971H995H8451H5971H5977 8They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.H7121H5612H8451H430H6567H7760H7922H995H4744 9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, "Don't mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God." For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.H5166H8660H5830H3548H5608H3881H995H5971H559H5971H3117H6918H3068H430H56H1058H5971H1058H8085H1697H8451 10And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"H559H3212H398H4924H8354H4477H7971H4490H3559H3117H6918H113H6087H2304H3068H4581 11And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, "Hush! Don't weep! For this is a sacred day."H3881H2814H5971H559H2013H3117H6918H6087 12So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them.H5971H3212H398H8354H7971H4490H6213H1419H8057H995H1697H3045

The Festival of Shelters

13On October 9 the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail.H8145H3117H622H7218H1H5971H3548H3881H5830H5608H7919H1697H8451 14As they studied the Law, they discovered that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that month.H4672H3789H8451H3068H6680H3027H4872H1121H3478H3427H5521H2282H7637H2320 15He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law.H8085H5674H6963H5892H3389H559H3318H2022H935H2132H5929H8081H6086H5929H1918H5929H8558H5929H5929H5687H6086H6213H5521H3789 16So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.H5971H3318H935H6213H5521H376H1406H2691H2691H1004H430H7339H4325H8179H7339H8179H669 17So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun.H6951H7725H7628H6213H5521H3427H5521H3117H3442H1121H5126H3117H1121H3478H6213H3966H1419H8057 18Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, as was required by law.H3117H3117H7223H3117H314H3117H7121H5612H8451H430H6213H2282H7651H3117H8066H3117H6116H4941

The People Confess Their Sins

9On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.H6242H702H3117H2320H1121H3478H622H6685H8242H127 2Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.H2233H3478H914H1121H5236H5975H3034H2403H5771H1 3They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God.H6965H5977H7121H5612H8451H3068H430H7243H3117H7243H3034H7812H3068H430 4The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the LORD their God with loud voices.H6965H4608H3881H3442H1137H6934H7645H1138H8274H1137H3662H2199H1419H6963H3068H430 5Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: "Stand up and praise the LORD your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!" Then they prayed: "May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!H3881H3442H6934H1137H2813H8274H1941H7645H6611H559H6965H1288H3068H430H5769H5769H1288H3519H8034H7311H1293H8416 6"You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.H3068H6213H8064H8064H8064H6635H776H3220H2421H6635H8064H7812 7"You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham.H3068H430H977H87H3318H218H3778H7760H8034H85 8When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.H4672H3824H539H6440H3772H1285H5414H776H3669H2850H567H6522H2983H1622H5414H2233H6965H1697H6662 9"You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cries from beside the Red Sea.H7200H6040H1H4714H8085H2201H5488H3220 10You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his officials, and all his people, for you knew how arrogantly they were treating our ancestors. You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten.H5414H226H4159H6547H5650H5971H776H3045H2102H6213H8034H3117 11You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land! And then you hurled their enemies into the depths of the sea. They sank like stones beneath the mighty waters.H1234H3220H6440H5674H8432H3220H3004H7291H7993H4688H68H5794H4325 12You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.H5148H3119H6051H5982H3915H5982H784H215H1870H3212 13"You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and decrees and commands that were good.H3381H2022H5514H1696H8064H5414H3477H4941H571H8451H2896H2706H4687 14You instructed them concerning your holy Sabbath. And you commanded them, through Moses your servant, to obey all your commands, decrees, and instructions.H3045H6944H7676H6680H4687H2706H8451H3027H4872H5650 15"You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.H5414H3899H8064H7458H3318H4325H5553H6772H559H935H3423H776H3027H5375H5414 16"But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands.H1H2102H7185H6203H8085H4687 17They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,H3985H8085H2142H6381H6213H7185H6203H4805H5414H7218H7725H5659H433H5547H2587H7349H750H639H7227H2617H5800 18even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, 'This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!' They committed terrible blasphemies.H6213H4541H5695H559H430H5927H4714H6213H1419H5007 19"But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night.H7227H7356H5800H4057H5982H6051H5493H3119H5148H1870H5982H784H3915H215H1870H3212 20You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.H5414H2896H7307H7919H4513H4478H6310H5414H4325H6772 21For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!H705H8141H3557H4057H2637H8008H1086H7272H1216 22"Then you helped our ancestors conquer kingdoms and nations, and you placed your people in every corner of the land. They took over the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan.H5414H4467H5971H2505H6285H3423H776H5511H776H4428H2809H776H5747H4428H1316 23You made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and brought them into the land you had promised to their ancestors.H1121H7235H3556H8064H935H776H559H1H935H3423 24"They went in and took possession of the land. You subdued whole nations before them. Even the Canaanites, who inhabited the land, were powerless! Your people could deal with these nations and their kings as they pleased.H1121H935H3423H776H3665H6440H3427H776H3669H5414H3027H4428H5971H776H6213H7522 25Our ancestors captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took over houses full of good things, with cisterns already dug and vineyards and olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate until they were full and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in all your blessings.H3920H1219H5892H8082H127H3423H1004H4392H2898H953H2672H3754H2132H3978H6086H7230H398H7646H8080H5727H1419H2898 26"But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies.H4784H4775H7993H8451H310H1458H2026H5030H5749H7725H6213H1419H5007 27So you handed them over to their enemies, who made them suffer. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies.H5414H3027H6862H6887H6256H6869H6817H8085H8064H7227H7356H5414H3467H3467H3027H6862 28"But as soon as they were at peace, your people again committed evil in your sight, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people turned and cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them many times!H5117H6213H7451H7725H6440H5800H3027H341H7287H7725H2199H8085H8064H7227H6256H5337H7356 29"You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen.H5749H7725H8451H2102H8085H4687H2398H4941H120H6213H2421H5414H5637H3802H7185H6203H8085 30In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn't listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.H7227H8141H4900H5749H7307H3027H5030H238H5414H3027H5971H776 31But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!H7227H7356H6213H3617H5800H2587H7349H410 32"And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and leaders and priests and prophets and ancestors—all of your people—from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.H430H1419H1368H3372H410H8104H1285H2617H8513H4591H6440H4672H4428H8269H3548H5030H1H5971H3117H4428H804H3117 33Every time you punished us you were being just. We have sinned greatly, and you gave us only what we deserved.H6662H935H6213H571H7561 34Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your Law or listen to the warnings in your commands and laws.H4428H8269H3548H1H6213H8451H7181H4687H5715H5749 35Even while they had their own kingdom, they did not serve you, though you showered your goodness on them. You gave them a large, fertile land, but they refused to turn from their wickedness.H5647H4438H7227H2898H5414H7342H8082H776H5414H6440H7725H7451H4611 36"So now today we are slaves in the land of plenty that you gave our ancestors for their enjoyment! We are slaves here in this good land.H5650H3117H776H5414H1H398H6529H2898H5650 37The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our livestock. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery."H7235H8393H4428H5414H2403H4910H1472H929H7522H1419H6869

The People Agree to Obey

38The people responded, "In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing. On this sealed document are the names of our leaders and Levites and priests."H3772H548H3789H8269H3881H3548H2856

10The document was ratified and sealed with the following names: The governor: Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah.H2856H5166H8660H1121H2446H6667 2The following priests: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,H8304H5838H3414 3Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,H6583H568H4441 4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,H2407H7645H4409 5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,H2766H4822H5662 6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,H1840H1599H1263 7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,H4918H29H4326 8Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.H4590H1084H8098H3548 9The following Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the family of Henadad, Kadmiel,H3881H3442H1121H245H1131H1121H2582H6934 10and their fellow Levites: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,H251H7645H1941H7042H6411H2605 11Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,H4316H7340H2811 12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,H2139H8274H7645 13Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.H1941H1137H1148 14The following leaders: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,H7218H5971H6551H6355H5867H2240H1137 15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,H1138H5803H893 16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,H138H902H5720 17Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,H333H2396H5809 18Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,H1941H2828H1209 19Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,H2756H6068H5109 20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,H4047H4918H2387 21Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,H4898H6659H3037 22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,H6410H2605H6043 23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,H1954H2608H2815 24Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,H3873H6401H7733 25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,H7348H2812H4641 26Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,H281H2605H6052 27Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.H4409H2766H1196

The Vow of the People

28Then the rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the Law of God, together with their wives, sons, daughters, and all who were old enough to understand—H7605H5971H3548H3881H7778H7891H5411H914H5971H776H8451H430H802H1121H1323H3045H995 29joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as issued by his servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the LORD our Lord.H2388H251H117H935H423H7621H3212H430H8451H5414H3027H4872H5650H430H8104H6213H4687H3068H113H4941H2706 30"We promise not to let our daughters marry the pagan people of the land, and not to let our sons marry their daughters.H5414H1323H5971H776H3947H1323H1121 31"We also promise that if the people of the land should bring any merchandise or grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will refuse to buy it. Every seventh year we will let our land rest, and we will cancel all debts owed to us.H5971H776H935H4728H7668H7676H3117H4376H3947H7676H6944H3117H5203H7637H8141H4853H3027 32"In addition, we promise to obey the command to pay the annual Temple tax of one-eighth of an ounce of silver for the care of the Temple of our God.H5975H4687H5414H8141H7992H8255H5656H1004H430 33This will provide for the Bread of the Presence; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, the new moon celebrations, and the annual festivals; for the holy offerings; and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel. It will provide for everything necessary for the work of the Temple of our God.H4635H3899H8548H4503H8548H5930H7676H2320H4150H6944H2403H3722H3478H4399H1004H430 34"We have cast sacred lots to determine when—at regular times each year—the families of the priests, Levites, and the common people should bring wood to God's Temple to be burned on the altar of the LORD our God, as is written in the Law.H5307H1486H3548H3881H5971H6086H7133H935H1004H430H1004H1H6256H2163H8141H8141H1197H4196H3068H430H3789H8451 35"We promise to bring the first part of every harvest to the LORD's Temple year after year—whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees.H935H1061H127H1061H6529H6086H8141H8141H1004H3068 36We agree to give God our oldest sons and the firstborn of all our herds and flocks, as prescribed in the Law. We will present them to the priests who minister in the Temple of our God.H1060H1121H929H3789H8451H1062H1241H6629H935H1004H430H3548H8334H1004H430 37We will store the produce in the storerooms of the Temple of our God. We will bring the best of our flour and other grain offerings, the best of our fruit, and the best of our new wine and olive oil. And we promise to bring to the Levites a tenth of everything our land produces, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns.H935H7225H6182H8641H6529H6086H8492H3323H3548H3957H1004H430H4643H127H3881H3881H6237H5892H5656 38"A priest—a descendant of Aaron—will be with the Levites as they receive these tithes. And a tenth of all that is collected as tithes will be delivered by the Levites to the Temple of our God and placed in the storerooms.H3548H1121H175H3881H3881H6237H3881H5927H4643H4643H1004H430H3957H214H1004 39The people and the Levites must bring these offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms and place them in the sacred containers near the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers."We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God."H1121H3478H1121H3878H935H8641H1715H8492H3323H3957H3627H4720H3548H8334H7778H7891H5800H1004H430