Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Nehemiah, chapters 6 and 7. Chapter 6 Now it
happened when Sambalat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab,
and the rest of our enemies heard that I had
rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks
left in it, though at that time I had not hung
the doors in the gates, that Sambalat and Geshem
sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together
among the villages in the plain of Ono. But they
thought to do me harm. So I sent messengers to
them saying, I am doing a great work so that
I cannot come down. Why should the work cease
while I leave it and go down to you? But they
sent me this message four times and I answered
them in the same manner. Then Sambalat sent his
servant to me as before the fifth time with an
open letter in his hand. In it was written, It
is reported among the nations, and Geshem says
that you and the Jews plan to rebel. Therefore,
according to these rumors, you are rebuilding
the wall that you may be their king. And you
have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning
you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in
Judah. Now these matters will be reported to
the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult
together. Then I sent to him, saying, No such
things as you say are being done, but you invent
them in your own heart. For they all were trying
to make us afraid, saying, Their hands will be
weakened in the work, and it will not be done.
Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Afterward
I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Deliah,
the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer.
And he said, Let us meet together in the house
of God within the temple, and let us close the
doors of the temple. for they are coming to kill
you. Indeed, at night they will come to kill
you. And I said, Should such a man as I flee?
And who is there such as I who would go into
the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Then I perceived that God had not sent him at
all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against
me because Tobiah and Sambalat had hired him.
For this reason he was hired, that I should be
afraid and act that way and sin, so that they
might have cause for an evil report that they
might reproach me. My God, remember Tobiah and
Sambalat. According to these their works, and
the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets,
who would have made me afraid. So the wall was
finished on the twenty -fifth day of Elul in
fifty -two days. And it happened when all our
enemies heard of it, and all the nations around
us saw these things, that they were very disheartened
in their own eyes, for they perceived that this
work was done by our God. Also in those days
the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,
and the letters of Tobiah came to them. For many
in Judah were pledged to him, because he was
the son -in -law of Shecania the son of Ara,
Jehohanan had married the daughter of Mishulam
the son of Berechiah. Also they reported his
good deeds before me and reported my words to
him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. Chapter
7 Then it was, when the wall was built, and I
had hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the
singers, and the Levites had been appointed,
that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother
Hanani, and Hanania, the leader of the citadel,
for he was a faithful man and feared God more
than many. And I said to them, Do not let the
gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is
hot, and while they stand guard, let them shut
and bar the doors, and appoint guards from among
the inhabitants of Jerusalem. one at his watch
station and another in front of his own house.
Now the city was large and spacious, but the
people in it were few, and the houses were not
rebuilt. Then my God put it into my heart to
gather the nobles, the rulers, and the people,
that they might be registered by genealogy. And
I found the register of the genealogy of those
who had come up in the first return, and found
written in it, These are the people of the province
who came back from the captivity. of those who
had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the
king of Babylon, had carried away, and who returned
to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city.
Those who came with Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah,
Azariah, Ramiah, Nehamani, Mordecai, Bilshan,
Mesperet, Begvi, Nehum, and Banna. The number
of the men of the people of Israel, the sons
of Parosh, 2 ,172. The sons of Shephatia, 372.
The sons of Ara, 652. The sons of Behat, Moab.
Of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2 ,818. The sons
of Elam, 1 ,254. The sons of Jatu, 845. The sons
of Zakai, 760. The sons of Binwi, 648. The sons
of Ebai, 628. The sons of Asgad, 2 ,322. The
sons of Adonikam, 667. The sons of Bigvai, 2
,067. The sons of Adin, 655. The sons of Atar,
of Hezekiah, 98. The sons of Hashum, 328. The
sons of Bizai, 324. The sons of Harith, 112.
The sons of Gibeon, 95. The men of Bethlehem
and Netopha, 188. The men of Anatoth, 128. The
men of Beit Azmavet, 42. The men of Kirjath -Jerim,
Shephira and Beroth, 743. The men of Ramah and
Geba, 621. The men of Mikmas. 122. The men of
Bethel and Ai. 123. The men of the other Nebo.
52. The sons of the other Elam. 1254. The sons
of Harim. 320. The sons of Jericho. 345. The
sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono. 721. The sons of
Sinai. 3930. The priests. The sons of Jedaiah,
of the house of Jeshua, 973. The sons of Emer,
1052. The sons of Peshur, 1247. The sons of Harim,
1017. The Levites, the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmion,
and of the sons of Hodeva, 74. The singers, the
sons of Asaph, 148. The gatekeepers, the sons
of Shalom, the sons of Atar, The sons of Talmon.
The sons of Akub. The sons of Hatita. The sons
of Shubai. One hundred and thirty -eight. The
Nethanim. The sons of Zihah. The sons of Hashufa.
The sons of Tabawut. The sons of Keros. The sons
of Siyah. The sons of Padun. The sons of Libana.
The sons of Hagaba. The sons of Salmai. The sons
of Hanan. The sons of Gidel. The sons of Gahar.
The sons of Riah. The sons of Rezin. The sons
of Nekoda. The sons of Gezam. The sons of Uzzah.
The sons of Paseah. The sons of Bessai. The sons
of Meonim. The sons of Nefishesim. The sons of
Bakbuk. The sons of Hakufa. The sons of Harhur.
The sons of Bezlit. The sons of Mehida. The sons
of Harsha. The sons of Barkos. The sons of Sisera.
The sons of Tama. the sons of Neziah, and the
sons of Hatifah, the sons of Solomon's servants,
the sons of Sotai, the sons of Soferit, the sons
of Perida, the sons of Jala, the sons of Darkon,
the sons of Gidel, the sons of Shephatia, the
sons of Hatil, the sons of Pokerit of Zebaim,
and the sons of Amun. All the Nethanim and the
sons of Solomon's servants were 392. And these
were the ones who came up from Tel -Mela, Tel
-Harsha, Cherub, Adon, and Emer. But they could
not identify their father's house nor their lineage,
whether they were of Israel, the sons of Deliah,
the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekodah, 642,
and of the priests, the sons of Habiah, the sons
of Koz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife
of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite,
and was called by their name. These sought their
listing among those who were registered by genealogy,
but it was not found. Therefore they were excluded
from the priesthood as defiled. And the governor
said to them that they should not eat of the
most holy things till a priest could consult
with the Urim and Tumim. Altogether the whole
assembly was 42 ,360, besides their male and
female servants, of whom there were 7 ,337, and
they had 245 men and women singers, their horses
were 736, their mules 245, their camels 435,
and donkeys 6 ,720. And some of the heads of
the fathers' houses gave to the work. The governor
gave to the treasury 1 ,000 gold drachmas, 50
basins, and 530 priestly garments. Some of the
heads of the fathers' houses gave to the treasury
of the work 20 ,000 gold drachmas and 2 ,200
silver minas. And that which the rest of the
people gave was 20 ,000 gold drachmas, 2 ,000
silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. So the
priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers,
some of the people, the Nethanim, and all Israel
dwelt in their cities. When the seventh month
came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much as
I did, and I look forward to seeing you again
tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless
you and have a great day.