WEBVTT 00:00:00.879 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.099 in a year. Today's reading is from the book of 00:00:09.099 --> 00:00:13.699 Nehemiah, chapters 3 through 5. Chapter 3 Then 00:00:13.699 --> 00:00:16.460 Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren 00:00:16.460 --> 00:00:19.940 the priests and built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated 00:00:19.940 --> 00:00:23.000 it and hung its doors. They built as far as the 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:25.820 Tower of the Hundred and consecrated it, then 00:00:25.820 --> 00:00:29.000 as far as the Tower of Hananel. Next Eliashib 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.000 the men of Jericho built. And next to them, Zakur, 00:00:32.020 --> 00:00:35.479 the son of Imri, built. Also the sons of Hasena 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:38.560 built the fish gate. They laid its beams and 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.759 hung its doors with its bolts and bars. And next 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:45.020 to them, Meramat, the son of Urija, the son of 00:00:45.020 --> 00:00:48.399 Koz, made repairs. Next to them, Mishulam, the 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:51.439 son of Berakiah, the son of Mishizabel, made 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:54.700 repairs. Next to them, Zadok, the son of Bana, 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:57.899 made repairs. Next to them, the Tikhwaites made 00:00:57.899 --> 00:01:00.840 repairs, but their nobles did not put their shoulders 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:03.700 to the work of their lord. Moreover, Jehoiada 00:01:03.700 --> 00:01:07.040 the son of Passaea and Mishulam the son of Besudeia 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.000 repaired the old gate. They laid its beams and 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:13.060 hung its doors with its bolts and bars. And next 00:01:13.060 --> 00:01:16.700 to them, Melatia the Gibeonite, Jadon the Mironotite, 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:20.200 the men of Gibeon and Mispa repaired the residence 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:22.299 of the governor of the region beyond the river. 00:01:22.500 --> 00:01:26.219 Next to him, Uziel the son of Haraia. One of 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:29.400 the goldsmiths made repairs. Also next to him, 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:32.239 Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs. 00:01:32.579 --> 00:01:35.120 And they fortified Jerusalem as far as the broad 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:38.060 wall. And next to them, Rephiah, the son of Hur, 00:01:38.180 --> 00:01:40.959 leader of half the district of Jerusalem, made 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:44.040 repairs. Next to them, Jediah, the son of Harumah, 00:01:44.099 --> 00:01:46.799 made repairs in front of his house. And next 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:49.739 to him, Hattush, the son of Hashabniah, made 00:01:49.739 --> 00:01:53.280 repairs. Malkijah, the son of Harim, and Hashub, 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.609 the son of Pahat Moab. repaired another section, 00:01:56.769 --> 00:01:59.409 as well as the tower of the ovens. And next to 00:01:59.409 --> 00:02:03.010 him was Shalom, the son of Halohesh, leader of 00:02:03.010 --> 00:02:05.609 half the district of Jerusalem. He and his daughters 00:02:05.609 --> 00:02:09.210 made repairs. Hanun and the inhabitants of Zenoa 00:02:09.210 --> 00:02:11.870 repaired the valley gate. They built it, hung 00:02:11.870 --> 00:02:14.830 its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired 00:02:14.830 --> 00:02:17.490 a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the refuge 00:02:17.490 --> 00:02:20.830 gate. Malkijah, the son of Rekab, leader of the 00:02:20.830 --> 00:02:23.590 district of Beit Hakaram, repaired the refuge 00:02:23.590 --> 00:02:26.599 gate. He built it and hung its doors with its 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:29.319 bolts and bars. Shaloun, the son of Kolhose, 00:02:29.539 --> 00:02:32.159 leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired the 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:34.919 fountain gate. He built it, covered it, hung 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:37.759 its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:40.280 the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king's 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:42.879 garden, as far as the stairs that go down from 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:45.900 the city of David. After him, Nehemiah, the son 00:02:45.900 --> 00:02:48.879 of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beit 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:52.319 Zur, made repairs as far as the place in front 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:54.849 of the tombs of David. to the man -made pool, 00:02:55.050 --> 00:02:57.789 and as far as the house of the mighty. After 00:02:57.789 --> 00:03:00.569 him, the Levites, under Rehum, the son of Bani, 00:03:00.729 --> 00:03:04.090 made repairs. Next to him, Hashabiah, leader 00:03:04.090 --> 00:03:06.770 of half the district of Keilah, made repairs 00:03:06.770 --> 00:03:09.210 for his district. After him, their brethren, 00:03:09.330 --> 00:03:12.870 under Bavai, the son of Hinnadad, leader of the 00:03:12.870 --> 00:03:15.409 other half of the district of Keilah, made repairs. 00:03:15.729 --> 00:03:18.770 And next to him, Ezer, the son of Jeshua, the 00:03:18.770 --> 00:03:21.370 leader of Mizpah, repaired another section in 00:03:21.370 --> 00:03:24.219 front of the ascent to the armory. at the buttress. 00:03:24.580 --> 00:03:28.240 After him Baruch the son of Zebei carefully repaired 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:30.819 the other section from the buttress to the door 00:03:30.819 --> 00:03:33.639 of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:36.520 him Merimoth the son of Orisha the son of Koz 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:39.319 repaired another section from the door of the 00:03:39.319 --> 00:03:41.780 house of Eliashib to the end of the house of 00:03:41.780 --> 00:03:44.840 Eliashib. And after him the priests the men of 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:48.139 the plain made repairs. After him, Benjamin and 00:03:48.139 --> 00:03:51.460 Heshub made repairs opposite their house. After 00:03:51.460 --> 00:03:54.780 them, Azariah the son of Massiah the son of Ananiah 00:03:54.780 --> 00:03:58.199 made repairs by his house. After him, Binwi the 00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:01.159 son of Hinnadad repaired another section from 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:03.719 the house of Azariah to the buttress, even as 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:07.159 far as the corner. Palal the son of Uzziah made 00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:09.520 repairs opposite the buttress and on the tower 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.400 which projects from the king's upper house that 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.580 was by the court of the prison. After him, Pediah 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:19.160 the son of Parosh, made repairs. Moreover, the 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:22.160 Nethinim, who dwelt in Ophel, made repairs as 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:24.259 far as the place in front of the water gate, 00:04:24.500 --> 00:04:27.060 toward the east, and on the projecting tower. 00:04:27.300 --> 00:04:29.939 After them, the Tikhwites repaired another section, 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:32.579 next to the great projecting tower, and as far 00:04:32.579 --> 00:04:34.959 as the wall of Ophel. Beyond the horse gate, 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.860 the priests made repairs, each in front of his 00:04:37.860 --> 00:04:40.980 own house. After them, Zadok, the son of Emer, 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:44.000 made repairs in front of his own house. After 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:47.259 him, Shemaiah, the son of Shecaniah, the keeper 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:51.040 of the east gate, made repairs. After him, Hananiah, 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:54.360 the son of Shilemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:57.920 of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him, 00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:00.579 Mishulam, the son of Berechiah, made repairs 00:05:00.579 --> 00:05:03.639 in front of his dwelling. After him, Malkijah, 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:06.740 one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as 00:05:06.740 --> 00:05:08.980 the house of the Nethanim and of the merchants, 00:05:09.220 --> 00:05:11.980 in front of the Mifkad gate, and as far as the 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:14.360 upper room at the corner. And between the upper 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:16.720 room at the corner, as far as the Sheep gate, 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:19.879 the goldsmith and the merchants made repairs. 00:05:22.180 --> 00:05:25.920 Chapter 4 But it so happened, when Sambalat heard 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:28.379 that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was 00:05:28.379 --> 00:05:30.759 furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:33.350 And he spoke before his brethren, and the army 00:05:33.350 --> 00:05:36.009 of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews 00:05:36.009 --> 00:05:38.750 doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they 00:05:38.750 --> 00:05:41.170 offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a 00:05:41.170 --> 00:05:44.009 day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps 00:05:44.009 --> 00:05:47.189 of rubbish, stones that are burned? Now Tobiah 00:05:47.189 --> 00:05:49.850 the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, Whatever 00:05:49.850 --> 00:05:53.209 they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will 00:05:53.209 --> 00:05:56.339 break down their stone wall. Hear, O our God, 00:05:56.540 --> 00:05:59.600 for we are despised. Turn their reproach on their 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.100 own heads and give them as plunder to a land 00:06:02.100 --> 00:06:04.860 of captivity. Do not cover their iniquity and 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:07.120 do not let their sin be blotted out from before 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:09.899 you, for they have provoked you to anger before 00:06:09.899 --> 00:06:13.319 the builders. So we built the wall, and the entire 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:15.959 wall was joined together up to half its height, 00:06:16.100 --> 00:06:19.079 for the people had a mind to work. Now it happened 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:22.269 when Sambalat Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, 00:06:22.370 --> 00:06:25.230 and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem 00:06:25.230 --> 00:06:27.449 were being restored and the gaps were beginning 00:06:27.449 --> 00:06:30.389 to be closed, that they became very angry, and 00:06:30.389 --> 00:06:32.550 all of them conspired together to come and attack 00:06:32.550 --> 00:06:35.189 Jerusalem and create confusion. Nevertheless, 00:06:35.550 --> 00:06:38.189 we made our prayer to our God, and because of 00:06:38.189 --> 00:06:40.750 them we set a watch against them day and night. 00:06:41.029 --> 00:06:43.370 Then Judah said, The strength of the laborers 00:06:43.370 --> 00:06:45.910 is failing, and there is so much rubbish that 00:06:45.910 --> 00:06:48.959 we are not able to build the wall. and our adversaries 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:51.759 said they will neither know nor see anything 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:54.459 till we come into their midst and kill them and 00:06:54.459 --> 00:06:57.560 cause the work to cease so it was when the jews 00:06:57.560 --> 00:07:00.100 who dwelt near them came that they told us ten 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:03.139 times from whatever place you turn they will 00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:06.240 be upon us therefore i positioned men behind 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:09.040 the lower parts of the wall at the openings and 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:10.839 i set the people according to their families 00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:13.439 with their swords their spears and their bows 00:07:14.009 --> 00:07:16.310 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles, 00:07:16.370 --> 00:07:18.430 to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, 00:07:18.629 --> 00:07:21.550 Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord great 00:07:21.550 --> 00:07:24.069 and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your 00:07:24.069 --> 00:07:26.910 sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 00:07:27.250 --> 00:07:29.709 And it happened when our enemies heard that it 00:07:29.709 --> 00:07:32.290 was known to us and that God had brought their 00:07:32.290 --> 00:07:34.910 plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the 00:07:34.910 --> 00:07:38.009 wall, everyone to his work. So it was from that 00:07:38.009 --> 00:07:41.600 time on. that half of my servants worked at construction 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.279 while the other half held the spears, the shields, 00:07:44.459 --> 00:07:47.019 the bows, and wore armor. And the leaders were 00:07:47.019 --> 00:07:49.879 behind all the house of Judah. Those who built 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.699 on the wall and those who carried burdens loaded 00:07:52.699 --> 00:07:55.680 themselves so that with one hand they worked 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:58.180 at construction and with the other held a weapon. 00:07:58.420 --> 00:08:01.040 Every one of the builders had his sword girded 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.019 at his side as he built, and the one who sounded 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:06.639 the trumpet was beside me. Then I said to the 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:08.819 nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:11.839 The work is great and extensive, and we are separated 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:14.560 far from one another on the wall. Wherever you 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:17.060 hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:20.579 Our God will fight for us. So we labored in the 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:23.040 work, and half of the men held the spears from 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:25.800 daybreak until the stars appeared. At the same 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:28.339 time, I also said to the people, Let each man 00:08:28.339 --> 00:08:31.360 and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.960 they may be our guard by night and a working 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:37.970 party by day. So neither I, my brethren, my servants, 00:08:38.110 --> 00:08:40.850 nor the men of the guard who followed me, took 00:08:40.850 --> 00:08:44.149 off our clothes, except that everyone took them 00:08:44.149 --> 00:08:50.669 off for washing. And there was a great outcry 00:08:50.669 --> 00:08:52.830 of the people and their wives against their Jewish 00:08:52.830 --> 00:08:55.830 brethren. For there were those who said, We, 00:08:56.009 --> 00:08:58.690 our sons and our daughters, are many. Therefore, 00:08:58.850 --> 00:09:02.179 let us get grain that we may eat and live. There 00:09:02.179 --> 00:09:04.500 were also some who said, We have mortgaged our 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:06.960 lands and vineyards and houses, that we might 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.379 buy grain because of the famine. There were also 00:09:09.379 --> 00:09:11.600 those who said, We have borrowed money for the 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:14.340 king's tax on our lands and vineyards. Yet now 00:09:14.340 --> 00:09:17.059 our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:19.559 children as their children, and indeed we are 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:21.820 forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, 00:09:21.980 --> 00:09:24.980 and some of our daughters have been brought into 00:09:24.980 --> 00:09:27.840 slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, 00:09:28.110 --> 00:09:31.070 For other men have our lands and vineyards. And 00:09:31.070 --> 00:09:33.169 I became very angry when I heard their outcry 00:09:33.169 --> 00:09:36.669 and these words. After a serious thought, I rebuked 00:09:36.669 --> 00:09:39.129 the nobles and rulers and said to them, Each 00:09:39.129 --> 00:09:42.009 of you is exacting usury from his brother. So 00:09:42.009 --> 00:09:44.289 I called a great assembly against them. And I 00:09:44.289 --> 00:09:46.750 said to them, According to our ability, we have 00:09:46.750 --> 00:09:49.629 redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to 00:09:49.629 --> 00:09:52.490 the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your 00:09:52.490 --> 00:09:55.899 brethren? Or should they be sold to us? Then 00:09:55.899 --> 00:09:57.980 they were silenced and found nothing to say. 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:00.600 Then I said, What you are doing is not good. 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:03.559 Should you not walk in the fear of our God because 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:05.740 of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:09.259 I also with my brethren and my servants am lending 00:10:09.259 --> 00:10:12.220 them money and grain. Please let us stop this 00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:15.399 usury. Restore now to them, even this day, their 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:18.279 lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.320 their houses, also a hundredth of the money and 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:24.100 the grain, the new wine and the oil that you 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:26.710 have charged them. So they said, We will restore 00:10:26.710 --> 00:10:29.289 it and will require nothing from them. We will 00:10:29.289 --> 00:10:31.950 do as you say. Then I called the priests and 00:10:31.950 --> 00:10:34.370 required an oath from them that they would do 00:10:34.370 --> 00:10:36.970 according to this promise. Then I shook out the 00:10:36.970 --> 00:10:40.110 fold of my garment and said, So may God shake 00:10:40.110 --> 00:10:42.809 out each man from his house and from his property 00:10:42.809 --> 00:10:45.750 who does not perform this promise. Even thus 00:10:45.750 --> 00:10:48.870 may he be shaken out and emptied. And all the 00:10:48.870 --> 00:10:52.129 assembly said, Amen, and praised the Lord. Then 00:10:52.129 --> 00:10:55.090 the people did according to this promise. Moreover, 00:10:55.389 --> 00:10:57.710 from the time that I was appointed to be their 00:10:57.710 --> 00:11:00.350 governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth 00:11:00.350 --> 00:11:03.730 year until the thirty -second year of King Artaxerxes, 00:11:03.889 --> 00:11:07.330 twelve years, neither I nor my brethren ate the 00:11:07.330 --> 00:11:10.110 governor's provisions. But the former governors 00:11:10.110 --> 00:11:12.710 who were before me laid burdens on the people, 00:11:12.850 --> 00:11:15.610 and took from them bread and wine, besides forty 00:11:15.610 --> 00:11:18.789 shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore 00:11:18.789 --> 00:11:21.809 rule over the people, but I did not do so, because 00:11:21.809 --> 00:11:24.820 of the fear of God. Indeed, I also continued 00:11:24.820 --> 00:11:27.840 the work on this wall, and we did not buy any 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:30.779 land. All my servants were gathered there for 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.740 the work. And at my table were one hundred and 00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:36.980 fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came 00:11:36.980 --> 00:11:40.480 to us from the nations around us. Now that which 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:43.299 was prepared daily was one ox and six choice 00:11:43.299 --> 00:11:46.860 sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once 00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:49.799 every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. 00:11:50.220 --> 00:11:53.059 Yet in spite of this, I did not demand the governor's 00:11:53.059 --> 00:11:55.639 provisions, because the bondage was heavy on 00:11:55.639 --> 00:11:58.840 this people. Remember me, my God, for good, according 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:06.799 to all that I have done for this people. I hope 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:08.659 you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did, 00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:10.759 and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow 00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:13.259 to continue on our journey. God bless you and 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:13.940 have a great day.