Chap. I. Nehemias mourneth for the captiuyte of the people.

Chap. II. Nehemias optayneth licence of the kynge Artaxerses (otherwyse called Arthasastha) to go vnto Ierusalem.

Chap. III. Of buyldinge the cite.

Chap. IIII. The officers go aboute to hynder the buyldinge. The Iewes watch, & prepayre th&ebar; selues to buylde and to fighte.

Chap. V. Nehemias reproueth vsury.

Chap. VI. The officers go aboute to kyll Nehemias.

Chap. VII. The nombre of them that departe from Babilon.

Chap. VIII. In the feast of the Tabernacles readeth Eszdras the boke of the lawe.

Chap. IX. The lawe is red before the people, which are exhorted vnto godlynesse.

Chap. X. They renue the couenaunt with the LORDE, and seale it.

Chap. XI. How the people are sundered out, some to dwell at Ierusalem, and some in the cities without.

Chap. XII. The names of the prestes and Leuites that wente vp with Zorobabel. Of the dedicacion of the wall at Ierusalem.

Chap. XIII. They separate the straungers from amonge the people of God. The porcion of the Leuites is appoynted, and the Sabbath renued. The first Chapter.

A   These are the actes of Nehemias the sonne of Hachalia. It fortuned in þe; moneth Chisleu in þe; tw&ebar;tieth yeare, that I was in the castell at Susan: and Hanani one of my brethren came with certayne m&ebar; of Iuda, and I axed them how the Iewes dyd that were delyuered and escaped from the captiuyte, ∧ how it wente at Ierusal&ebar;. And they sayde vnto me: The remnaunt of the captiuyte are there in the londe in greate mysfortune ∧ rebuke. ^noteThe walles of Ierusalem are broken downe, and the portes ther of are brent with fyre.

Wh&abar; I herde these wordes, I sat me downe ∧ wepte, ∧ mourned two dayes, ∧ fasted ∧ prayed before the God of heauen, ∧ sayde: O LORDE God of heauen, thou greate ∧ terrible God, ^note thou þt; kepest couenaunt ∧ mercy for them þt; loue the ∧ obserue thy c&obar;maundementes: let þi; eares marke, ∧ let thine eies be open, þt; thou mayest heare the prayer of þi; seruaunt, which I praye now before þe; daye and nighte for the children of Israel thy seruauntes, ∧ knowlege the synnes of the children of Israel, which we haue commytted agaynst the.

B   And I ∧ my fathers house haue synned also. We haue bene corrupte vnto the, in þt; we haue not kepte the c&obar;maundementes, statutes ∧ lawes, which thou c&obar;maundedst þi; seruaunt Moses. Yet call to remembraunce þe; worde that thou c&obar;maundedst thy seruaunt Moses, and saydest: ^note Yf ye tr&abar;sgresse, then wil I scater you abrode amonge the naci&obar;s. But yf ye turne vnto me, and kepe my commaundementes ∧ do them: though ye were cast out vnto the vttemost parte of heauen yet wyl I gather you from thence, and wyll brynge you from thence, eu&ebar; vnto the place, that I haue chosen for my name to dwell there. They are thy seruauntes, and thy people, whom thou hast delyuered thorow thy greate power ∧ mightie hande. O LORDE, let thine eares marke the prayer of thy seruaunt, ∧ the prayer of thy seruauntes, whose desyre is to feare thy name, ∧ let thy seruaunt prospere this daye, ∧ graunte him mercy in the sight of this man: for I was the kynges butlar. The II. Chapter.

A   In the moneth Nisan of the twentieth yeare of kynge Artaxerses, wh&abar; the wyne stode before him, I toke vp the wyne, and gaue it vnto þe; kynge, and I was heuy in his presence. Then sayde þe; kynge vnto me: Why lokest thou so sadly? Thou art not sicke, that is not þe; matter, but thou art heuy harted. Neuertheles I was sore afrayed, ∧ sayde vnto the kynge: God saue the kynges life for euer, shulde I not loke sadly? the cite of my fathers buryall lyeth wayest, ∧ the portes therof are consumed &wt; the fyre. Then sayde the kynge vnto me: What is th&ebar; thy request? Then made I my prayer to the God of heau&ebar;, and sayde vnto the kynge: yf it please the kynge, and yf thy seruaunt be fauoured in thy sighte, I beseke the sende me in to Iuda vnto þe; cite of my fathers buryall, that I maye buylde it.

B   And þe; kynge sayde vnto me, ∧ so dyd the quene þt; sat by him: How l&obar;ge shal thy iourney c&obar;tynue, and wh&abar; wilt thou come agayne? And it pleased þe; kynge to sende me, and I set him a tyme, ∧ sayde vnto the kynge: Yf it please the kynge, let him geue me letters to the Debites beyonde þe; water, þt; they maye conueye me ouer, tyll I come in to Iuda: ∧ letters vnto Assaph the lorde of the kynges wod, þt; he maye geue me wodd for balkes to the gates of the palace, which are harde on the house ∧ harde on the walles of the cite, ∧ for the house that I shal entre in to. And þe; kynge gaue me acordinge to the good hande of God vp&obar; me. And whan I came to þe; Debites beyonde the water, I gaue them þe; kynges letters. And the kynge sent captaynes and horsmen with me.

C   But whan Saneballath the Horonite, ∧ Tobias the seruaunt of the Ammonites herde þt;, it greued them sore, þt; there was come a man which soughte the welth of the children of Israel. And whan I came to Ierusalem, ∧ had bene there thre daies, I gat me vp in þe; night season, ∧ a fewe men with me: for I tolde no man what God had geu&ebar; me in my hert to do at Ierusalem: ∧ there was not one beest &wt; me, saue it þt; I rode vpon. And I rode by nighte vnto the valley porte

before the Dragon well, ∧ to the Dongporte, ∧ considered þe; walles of Ierusalem that were broken downe, ∧ the portes therof consumed &wt; the fyre. And I wente ouer vnto þe; Well porte, ∧ to the kynges condyte, ∧ there was no rowme for my beest, þt; it coulde go vnder me. Then w&ebar;te I on in the nighte by the broke syde, ∧ c&obar;sidered þe; wall, ∧ turned back, ∧ came home agayne to þe; valley porte.

D   And þe; rulers knewe not whither I w&ebar;te, or what I dyd: for hither to had I not tolde the Iewes ∧ the prestes, the councelers ∧ the rulers, ∧ the other þt; laboured in the worke, ∧ I saide vnto th&ebar;: Ye se the myserye þt; we are in, how Ierusal&ebar; lyeth wayst, ∧ how þe; gates therof are brent &wt; fyre, come, let vs buylde vp þe; walles of Ierusal&ebar;, þt; we be nomore a rebuke. And I tolde th&ebar; of the good h&abar;de of my God which was vp&obar; me: And þe; kynges wordes þt; he had spok&ebar; vnto me. And they saide: Then let vs get vp. And we buylded, and their handes were strengthed to good.

But whan Saneballat þe; Horonite, and Tobias the seruaunt of þe; Ammonites, ∧ Gosem the Arabian herde it, they laughed vs to scorne, and despised vs, ∧ sayde: What is this that ye do? Wyll ye fall awaye agayne from the kynge? Then answered I them, and sayde: The God of heauen shal cause vs to prospere: for we his seruauntes are gotten vp, ∧ are buyldinge. As for you, ye haue no porci&obar; ner right, ner remembraunce in Ierusal&ebar;. The III. Chapter.

A   And Eliasib the hye prest gat him vp with his brethren the prestes, and buylded the Shepegate. They halowed it, and set vp the dores of it: euen vnto the tower Mea halowed they it, namely vnto the ^note tower of Hananeel. Nexte vnto him buylded þe; men of Iericho. And besyde him buylded Sachur the sonne of Imri. But the Fyshporte dyd the children of Senaa buylde, they couered it, and set on the dores, lockes and barres of it. Nexte vnto him buylded Meremoth the sonne of Vria the sonne of Hacoz. Nexte vnto him buylded Mesullam þe; sonne of Barachias þe; sonne of Mesesabeel. Nexte vnto him buylded Sadoc þe; sonne of Baena. Nexte vnto him buylded they of Thecoa. But their greate m&ebar; put not their neckes to þe; seruyce of their lorde.

B   The Oldgate buylded Ioiada þe; sonne of Passeah, ∧ Mesullam the sonne of Besodia: they couered it, and set on the dores, lockes ∧ barres of it. Nexte vnto them buylded Melacia of Gibeon, and Iadon of Morono, m&ebar; of Gibeon and of Mispa, for the seate of the Debyte on this syde the water. Nexte vnto him buylded Vsiel the sonne of Harhaia the goldsmyth. Nexte vnto him buylded Hanania þe; Apotecarys sonne, ∧ they repayred Ierusal&ebar; vnto the brode wall. Nexte vnto him buylded Rephaia the sonne of Hur, the ruler of the halfe quarter of Ierusalem. Nexte vnto him buylded Iedaia the sonne of Harumaph, ouer agaynst his house. Nexte vnto him buylded Hattus the sonne of Hasabema. But Malchia the sonne of Harim, and Hasub the sonne of Pahath Moab buylded þe; other pece, and the tower beside the fornace. Nexte vnto him buylded Sallum the sonne of Halohes the ruler of the halfe quarter of Ierusalem, and his daughters.

C   The valley gate buylded Hanum, and the citesins of Sanoah. They buylded it, and set on the dores, lockes and barres therof, and a thousande cubytes on the wall, vnto the D&obar;geporte. But the Dongeporte buylded Malechia the sonne of Rechab, the ruler of the fourth parte of the vynyardes: He buylded it, ∧ set on the dores, lockes ∧ barres therof. But the Wellgate builded Sallum þe; sonne of ChalHose, the ruler of the fourthparte of Mispa: He builded it, ∧ couered it, ∧ set on þe; dores, lockes, ∧ barres therof, ∧ the wall vnto the pole of Sybah by the kynges garden, vnto the steppes that go downe from the cite of Dauid. After him builded Nehemia the sonne of A&esset;buk, the ruler of the halfe quarter of Bethzur, vntyll the other side ouer agaynst the sepulcres of Dauid, and to the pole Asuia, ∧ vnto the house of the mightie.

D   After him buylded the Leuites, Rehum the sonne of Bani. Nexte vnto him buylded Hasabia þe; ruler of the halfe quarter at Regila in his quarter. After him buylded their brethr&ebar;, Banai the sonne of Henadab, the ruler of the halfe quarter of Segila. After him buylded Eser the sonne of Iesua þe; ruler of Mispa, the other pece hard ouer against the Harnesse corner. After him buylded Baruc the sonne of Sabai the other pece worshipfully ∧ costly, fr&obar; the corner vnto þe; dore of þe; house of Eliasib þe; hye prest. After him builded Meremoth the sonne of Vria the sonne of Hacos the other pece, fr&obar; þe; dore of Eliasibs house, vnto the ende of the house of Eliasib. E   After him buylded the prestes, the m&ebar; of the countre. After him buylded BenIamin and Hasub ouer against their house. After th&ebar; buylded Asaria the sonne of Maeseia the sonne of Anania nexte vnto his house. After him buylded Benui þe; sonne of Henadad the other pece from the house of Asaria

vnto the turnynge, and vnto the corner.

After him buylded Palal the sonne of Vsai, ouer agaynst the corner ∧ the hye tower, which lieth out ouer fr&obar; the kynges house, besyde the courte of the preson. After him Pedaia the sonne of Pareos (As for þe; Nethinims they dwelt in Ophel, vnto þe; Watergate, towarde the east where þe; tower lieth out) After him buylded they of Thecoa þe; other pece ouer against þe; greate tower, þt; lieth outwarde, and vnto the wall of ^note Ophel.

F   But from the Horsgate forth buylded þe; prestes, euery one ouer agaynst his house. After them buylded Sadoc þe; sonne of Immer ouer against his house. After him buylded Semaia the sonne of Sachania þe; keper of the eastgate. After him buylded Hanania the sonne of Selemia, ∧ Hanum the sonne of Zalaph þe; sixte, þe; other peace. After him builded Mesullam the sonne of Berechia ouer against his chest. After him builded Malchia the goldsmythes sonne, vntyll þe; house of the Nethinims, and of the marchauntes ouer agaynst the councell gate, and to the perler in the corner. And betwene the perler of the corner vnto the Shepegate builded the goldsmythes and the marchauntes. The IIII. Chapter.

A   Bvt whan Saneballat herde that we builded þe; wall, he was wroth, ∧ toke greate indignaci&obar; ∧ mocked þe; Iewes ∧ saide before his brethr&ebar; ∧ the mightie men of Samaria: What do the impot&ebar;t Iewes? shall they be thus suffred? shall they offre? shal they perfourme it in one daie? shal they make þe; stones whole againe, þt; are brought to dust, ∧ brent? And Tobias the Ammonite beside him saide: Let th&ebar; builde on, yf a foxe go vp, he shall breake downe their stonye wall. Heare O thou oure God, how we are despysed, turne their shame vpon their awne heade, þt; thou mayest geue them ouer in to despisinge in the londe of their captiuite. Couer not their wickednesse, ∧ put not out their sinne fr&obar; þi; presence: for they haue prouoked the buylders. Yet buylded we the wall, ∧ ioyned it whole together, vnto þe; halfe heigth. And the people were well mynded to labo&highr;.

B   But whan Saneballat, ∧ Tobias, and þe; Arabi&abar;s, ∧ Ammonites, ∧ A&esset;dodites herde, þt; the walles of Ierusalem were made vp, and that they had begonne to stoppe vp þe; gappes, they were very wroth, and c&obar;spyred all together, to come and fight against Ierusalem, ∧ to make an hinderaunce therin. Neuertheles we made o&highr; praier vnto oure God, ∧ set watchm&ebar; vp&obar; the wall daye ∧ night ouer against them. And Iuda saide: The str&ebar;gth of the bearers is to feble, ∧ there is to moch dust, we are not able to builde on the wall. And o&highr; aduersaries thought: They shall not knowe nether se, tyll we come in the myddes amonge th&ebar;, and slaye them, ∧ hynder þe; worke. But whan the Iewes that dwelt besyde them, came out of all the places where they dwelt aboute vs, and tolde vs as good as t&ebar; tymes, then set I the people after their kynreds with their swerdes, speares ∧ bowes beneth in the lowe places behynde the wall, ∧ loked, and gat me vp, and sayde vnto the chefe men and rulers, ∧ to the other people: Be not ye afrayed of them, thynke vpon þe; greate LORDE which ought to be feared, ∧ fighte for yo&highr; brethren, sonnes, daughters, wyues, ∧ houses. C   Neuertheles whan o&highr; enemies herde þt; we had gotten worde of it, God broughte their councell to naughte, and we turned all againe to the wall, euery one vnto his labo&highr;. And from that time forth it came to passe, þt; the halfe parte of the yonge men dyd the laboure, ∧ the other halfe parte helde the speares, shyldes, bowes, and brestplates, and the rulers stode behynde all the house of Iuda, which buylded on the wall, ∧ bare burth&ebar;s, from those that laded th&ebar;. With one hande dyd they þe; worke, and with the other helde they the weapen. And euery one þt; buylded, had his swerde girde by his side, ∧ so builded they. And the trompetters stode beside me.

And I sayde vnto the pryncipall men, ∧ rulers, and to þe; other people: The worke is greate ∧ large, ∧ we are separated vpon the wall one farre from another. Loke in what place now ye heare the noise of þe; trompe, resorte ye thither vnto vs. ^noteOure God shal fight for vs, ∧ we wil be labour&ibar;ge in þe; worke. And the halfe parte of th&ebar; helde þe; speares fr&obar; þe; morninge springe, till þe; starres came forth. And at þe; same tyme sayde I vnto þe; people: Euery one abyde with his seruaunt at Ierusalem, þt; in the night season we maye geue attendaunce to þe; watch, and to laboure on the daye tyme. As for me and my brethren, ∧ my seruauntes, and þe; men of the watch behynde me, we put neuer of oure clothes, so so moch as to washe oure selues. The V. Chapter.

A   And there arose a greate complaynte of þe; people, ∧ of their wyues against their brethren the Iewes. And there were some þt; sayde: oure sonnes and doughters are to many, let vs take corne for th&ebar;, ∧ eate, that we maye lyue. Some saide: Let vs set o&highr; londes, vynyardes ∧ houses to pledge, ∧ take vp corne in the derth. But some saide: Let vs borowe money of the kinge vp&obar; vsury

for oure londes and vynyardes. Now are oure brethrens bodies as oure awne bodies, and their children as oure children: els shulde we subdue oure sonnes and doughters vnto bondage, and some of oure doughters are subdued allready, and no strength is there in oure handes, and other men shal haue oure londes and vynyardes.

But whan I herde their complaynte and soch wordes, it displeased me sore, and I aduysed so in my mynde, þt; I rebuked the councelers, and the rulers, and sayde vnto them: ^note Wyl ye requyre vsury one of another? And I broughte a greate congregacion agaynst them, and sayde vnto them: We (after oure abilyte) haue boughte oure brethren the Iewes, which were solde vnto the Heythen. And wyl ye sell youre brethren, whom we haue boughte vnto vs? Then helde they their peace, ∧ coulde fynde nothinge to answere.

B   And I sayde: It is not good that ye do. Oughte ye not to walke in the feare of God, because of the rebuke of the Heythen oure enemies? I and my brethr&ebar;, and my seruauntes haue lent them money and corne: but as for vsury, let vs leaue it. Therfore this same daye se that ye restore th&ebar; their londes agayne, their vynyardes, oyle gardens and houses, and the hundreth parte of the money of the corne, wyne and oyle that ye haue wonne of them. Then sayde they: We wyl restore them agayne, and wyl requyre nothinge of them, and wyl do as thou hast spoken. And I called the prestes, and toke an ooth of th&ebar;, that they shulde do so. And I shoke my lappe, and sayde: God shake out euery man after the same maner fr&obar; his house and laboure, that maynteyneth not this worde: euen thus be he shaken out, and voyde. And all þe; congregacion sayde: Amen, and praysed the LORDE. And the people dyd so.

C    ^noteAnd from the tyme forth that it was commytted vnto me to be a Debyte in the londe of Iuda, namely from the twentieth yeare vnto the two and thirtieth yeare off kynge Artaxerses (that is twolue yeare) I and my brethr&ebar; lyued not of soch sustenaunbe as was geuen to a Debyte: For the olde Debytes that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had tak&ebar; of th&ebar; bred and wyne, and fortye Sycles of syluer: Yee and their seruauntes had oppressed the people. But so dyd not I, and that because of the feare of God. I laboured also in the worke vpon the wall, and boughte no l&obar;de. And all my serua&ubar;tes came thither together vnto þe; worke. Morouer there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes and rulers, which came vnto me, from amonge the Heythen, that are aboute vs. And there was prepared me daylie an oxe, and sixe chosen shepe, and byrdes, and euer once in ten dayes a greate summe of wyne. Yet requyred not I the lyuynge of a Debyte for þe; bondage was greuous vnto þe; people. Thynke vp&obar; me my God vnto þe; best, acord&ibar;ge to all that I haue done for this people. ^note The VI. Chapter.

A   And whan Saneballat, Tobias and Gosem the Arabian, and the other of oure enemyes herde, that I had buylded the wall, and that there were no mo gappes ther in (howbeit at the same tyme had I not hanged the dores vpon the gates) Saneballat and Gosem sent vnto me, sayenge: Come and let us mete together in the vyllages vpon the playne of the cite Ono. Neuertheles they thoughte to do me euell. Notwithstondynge I sent messaungers vnto them, sayenge: I haue a greate busynes to do, I can not come downe. The worke shulde stonde still, yf I were necligent, and came downe to you. Howbeit they sent vnto me as good as foure tymes after the same maner. And I gaue the same answere.

B   Then sent Saneballat his seruaunt vnto me the fifth tyme, with an open letter in his hande, wherin was wrytten: It is tolde the Heythen, ∧ Gosem hath sayde it, that thou and the Iewes thynke to rebell: for þe; which cause thou buyldest the wall, and wylt be their kynge in these matters, and hast ordeyned the prophetes to preach of the at Ierusalem, and to saye: He is kynge of Iuda.

Now shal this come to the kynges eares: come now therfore, and let us take oure councell together. Neuertheles I sent vnto him, sayenge: There is no soch thinge done as thou sayest: thou hast fayned it out of thine owne hert. For they were all mynded to make us afrayed, and thoughte: They shal withdrawe their handes from the worke, þt; they shal not laboure. Howbeit I str&ebar;gthed my hande the more.
C   And I came vnto þe; house of Semaia þe; sonne of Delaia the sonne of Mechetabeel, ∧ he had shut him selfe within, ∧ sayde: Let us come together in to þe; house of God, eu&ebar; vnto þe; myddes of þe; t&ebar;ple, ∧ sparre þe; dores of þe; t&ebar;ple: for they wyl come to slaye þe;, yee eu&ebar; in the night wyl they come to put the to death. But I sayde: Shulde soch a m&abar; flye? Shulde soch a m&abar; as I am, go in to þe; t&ebar;ple, to saue his life? I wyl not go in.

For I perceaued, that God had not sent him: Yet spake he prophecye vpon me, neuerthelesse Tobias and Saneballat had hired him for money. Therfore toke he the money, that I shulde be afrayed, and so to do and synne, that they might haue an euell reporte of me, to blaspheme me. My God thynke thou vpon Tobias and Saneballat, acordynge vnto these their workes, and of þe; prophet Noadia, and of the other prophetes, þt; wolde haue put me in feare

D   And the wall was fynished on the fyue ∧ twentyeth daye of the moneth Elul, in two and fyftye dayes. And whan all o&highr; enemies herde therof, all the Heithen þt; were aboute vs, were afraied, and their corage failed th&ebar;: for they perceaued, that this worke came of God. And at þe; same tyme were there many of þe; chefe of Iuda, whose letters w&ebar;te vnto Tobias, ∧ from Tobias vnto them (for there were many in Iuda that were sworne vnto him: for he was the sonne in lawe of Sachania the sonne of Arah, and his sonne Iohanan had the doughter of Mesullam the sonne of Barachia, and they spake good of him before me, and tolde him my wordes) And Tobias sent letters, to put me in feare. The VII. Chapter.

A   Now whan we had buylded the wall I hanged on the dores, and the porters, syngers and Leuites were appoynted. And I c&obar;maunded my brother Hanam, and Hanama the ruler of the palace at Ierusalem: for he was a faithfull man, and feared God more then dyd many other) and I sayde vnto them: Let not the gates of Ierusal&ebar; be opened vntyll the Sonne be whote. And whyle they are yet stondinge in the watch, the dores shall be shut and barred. And there were certayne citesyns of Ierusalem appoynted to be watchmen, euery one in his watch, and aboute his house. As for þe; cite, it was large of rowme, and greate, but þe; people were fewe therin, and the houses were not buylded.

And my God gaue me in my hert, that I gatherd together the pryncipall men and þe; people, to nombre them, and I founde a register of their nombre, ^note which came vp afore out of the captiuyte (whom Nabuchodonosor þe; kynge of Babil&obar; had caryed awaie) and dwelt at Ierusalem and in Iuda, euery one vnto his cite, and were come with Zorobabel, Iesua, Nehemias, Asaria, Raamia, Naheman, Mardachai, Bilsan, Mispereth, Bigeuai, Nehum and Baena.

B   This is the nombre of the men of the people of Israel. The children of Pareos were two thousande, an hundreth and two and seuentye: The children of Sephatia, thre hundreth ∧ two and seuentye: the children of Arah, sixe hundreth and two and fiftye: þe; children of Pahath Moab amonge the childr&ebar; of Iesua and Ioab, two thousande, eight h&ubar;dreth, and eightene: the childron of Elam, a thousande, two hundreth, and foure and fyftye: the children of Sathu, eight hundreth ∧ fyue and fortye, the children of Sacai, seuen hundreth and thre score: the children of Benni, sixe hundreth, and eight and fortye: þe; children of Bebai, sixe hundreth and eight and twentye: the children of Asgad, two thousande, thre hundreth and two and twentye: the children of Adonicam, syxe hundreth ∧ thre score: the children of Bigeuai, two thousande, and seuen and thre score: the childr&ebar; of Adin, sixe h&ubar;dreth ∧ fiue and fiftye: the childr&ebar; of Atter of Ezechias, eight and nyentye.

C   The children of Hasum, thre hundreth ∧ eighte and twentye: the children of Bezai, thre hundreth and foure and twentye: the children of Hariph, an hundreth and twolue: the children of Gibeon, fyue and nyentye the men of Bethleem and Netopha, an h&ubar;dreth and eight and foure score: the men of Anathot, an hundreth and eight and twentye: the men of Beth Asmaueth, two and fortye: the men of Ririath Iearim, Caphira and Beeroth, seuen hundreth and thre and fortye: the men of Rama and Gaba, sixe h&ubar;dreth and one and twentye: the men of Michmas, an hundreth and two and twentye: the men of Bethel and Ai, an hundreth and thre and twentye: the men of Nebo, an hundreth and two and fiftye: the children of the other Elam, a thousande, two hundreth and foure and fyftye: the children of Haram, thre thre hundreth and twentye: the children of Iericho: thre hundreth and fyue and fortye the children of Lodhadid ∧ Ono, seuen hundreth and one and twentye: the children of Senaa, thre thousande, nyne hundreth and thirtye.

D   The prestes. The children of Iedaia of the house of Iesua, nyne hundreth and thre and seuentye: the children of Immer, a thousande and two and fyftye: the children of Pashur, a thousande, two hundreth and seu&ebar; and fortye: the children of Harim, a thousande and seuentene.

The Leuites. The children of Iesua of Cadmiel amonge the children of Hodua, foure ∧ seuentye. The syngers. The children of Assaph, an hundreth and eight and fortye.

The porters were: The children of Sallum, the children of Ater, the childr&ebar; of Talmon, the children of Acub, the children of Hatita, the children of Sobai, alltogether an hundreth and eight and thirtye.

The Nethinims, The children of Ziha, þe; childr&ebar; of Hasupha, the childr&ebar; of Tabaoth, the children of Ceros, the children of Sia, þe; children of Padon, the children of Libana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaia, the children of Rezin, the children of Necoda, the childr&ebar; of Gasam, the childr&ebar; of Vsa, the children of Passeah, the children of Bessai, the children of Megunim, the children of Nephusim, the children of Bachuc, the children of Hacupha, the childr&ebar; of Harhur, the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsa, the children of Barcos, the children of Sissera, the children of Thamah, the children of Neziah, þe; children of Hatipha.

E   The childr&ebar; of Salomons seruauntes were: The children of Sotai, the childr&ebar; of Sophereth, the children of Prida, the childr&ebar; of Iaela, the children of Darcon, the childr&ebar; of Giddel, the childr&ebar; of Sephatia, the childr&ebar; of Hatil, þe; childr&ebar; of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon. All the Nethinims ∧ the childr&ebar; of Salomons seruauntes, were thre hundreth and two and nynetye.

And these wente vp also: Michel, Mela, Thel, Harsa, Cherub, Add&obar;, Immer: but they coulde not shewe their fathers house ner their sede, whether they were of Israel. The childr&ebar; of Delaia, þe; children of Tobia, ∧ the childr&ebar; of Necoda, were sixe h&ubar;dreth ∧ two ∧ fortye. And of the prestes were, the children of Habaia, the childr&ebar; of Hacoz, the children of Barsillai, which toke one of þe; doughters of Barsillai the Gileadite to wyfe, and was named afther their name. These soughte the register of their generacion, and whan they fo&ubar;de it not, they were put from þe; presthode. And Hathirsatha sayde vnto them, þt; they shulde not eate of þe; most holy, tyll there came vp a prest &wt; þe; light and perfectnesse.

F   The whole congregaci&obar; as one m&abar;, was two and fortye thousande there hundreth, and thre score: besyde their seruauntes and maydes, of whom there were seuen thousande, thre hundreth and seu&ebar; and thirtye. And they had two hundreth and seuen and fortie synginge men and wemen, seuen hundreth and sixe and thirtie horses, two h&ubar;dreth and fyue and fortie Mules, foure hundreth and fyue and thirtie Camels: sixe thousande, seu&ebar; hundreth and twentye Asses.

And certayne of the awnci&ebar;t fathers gaue vnto the worke. Hathirsatha gaue to the treasure a thousande guldens, fiftie basens, fyue hundreth and thyrtie prestes garmentes. And some of the chefe fathers gaue vnto þe; treasure of the worke, tw&ebar;tye thousande guldens, two thousande and two hundreth po&ubar;de of siluer. And the other people gaue tw&ebar;tye thousande guldens, and two thousande pounde of siluer, and seu&ebar; and thre score prestes garmentes. And the prestes and Leuites, the Porters, the syngers, and the other of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities. The VIII. Chapter.

A   Now whan the seuenth moneth drue nye, and þe; children of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered them selues together as one man vpon the strete before the Watergate, and sayde vnto E&esset;dras the scrybe, that he shulde fetch the boke of the lawe of Moses, which the LORDE commaunded Israel. ^noteAnd E&esset;dras the prest brought þe; lawe before the congregaci&obar; both of men and wemen, and of all that coulde vnderstonde it, vpon the first daye of the seuenth moneth, and red therin in the strete that is before the Watergate, from þe; light mornynge vntyll the noone daye before men and wemen and soch as coulde vnderstonde it: and the eares of all the people were inclyned vnto the boke of the lawe. And E&esset;dras the scrybe stode vpon an hye pulpit of wod, which they had made for the preachynge, ∧ beside him stode Mathithia, Sema, Anania Vria, Ezechias, and Maeseia on his righte hand: And on his lefte honde stode Pedaia, Misael, Malchia, Hasum, Ha&esset;badana, Zachary and Mesullam.

B   And E&esset;dras opened þe; boke before all þe; people, for he stode aboue all þe; people. And whan he opened it, all the people stode vp. And E&esset;dras praysed the LORDE the greate God. And all the people answered Amen, Amen, with their handes vp, and bowed th&ebar; selues, and worshipped þe; LORDE with their faces to the grounde. And Iesua, Bani, Serebia, Iamin, Acub, Sabthai, Hodaia, Maeseia, Celita, Asaria, Iosabad, Hanam, Plaia, and the Leuites, caused þe; people to geue hede vnto the lawe, ∧ the people stode in their place. And they red in the boke of the lawe of God distinctly and planely, so that men vnderstode the thinge that was red. And Nehemias (which is Hathirsatha) and Esdras

the prest and scrybe, and the Leuites þt; caused the people to take hede, sayde vnto all the people: This daye is holy vnto the LORDE youre God: be not ye sory therfore, ∧ wepe not. For all þe; people wepte, wh&abar; they herde the wordes of the lawe.

C   Therfore sayde he vnto them: Go youre waye, and eate the fat, and drynke the swete, and sende parte vnto them also that haue not prepared themselues: for this daye is holy vnto oure LORDE, be not ye sory therfore: for the ioye of the LORDE is youre strength. And the Leuites stylled all the people, and sayde: Holde youre peace, for the daye is holy, vexe not ye youre selues. And all the people wente their waye to eate and drinke, and to sende parte vnto other, and to make greate myrth, for they had vnderstonde the wordes that were declared vnto them.

And on the nexte daye were gathered together the chefe fathers amonge all the people, and the prestes and Leuites, vnto Esdras the scrybe, that he shulde teach them þe; wordes of the lawe. And they founde written in the lawe, ^note how that the LORDE had commaunded by Moses, that the childr&ebar; of Israel shulde dwell in bothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth. D   And so they caused it be declared and proclamed in all their cities, ∧ at Ierusalem, sayenge: Go vp vnto þe; mo&ubar;t and fetch Olyue braunches, Pynebraunches, Myrtbraunches, Palmebraunches, ∧ braunches of thicketrees, to make bothes as it is wrytten.

And þe; people wente vp, and fetched th&ebar;, and made them bothes, euery one vpon the rofe of his house, and in their courtes, and in the courtes of the house of God, and in the strete by the Watergate, and in the strete by Ephraims porte. And all the congregacion of them that were come agayne out of the captyuite, made bothes, and dwelt therin: for sence the tyme of Iosua the sonne of N&ubar; vnto this daye, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very greate gladnesse. And euery daye from the first daie vnto the last, red he in the boke of the lawe of God. And seuen dayes helde they the feast, ∧ on the eight daye the gatherynge together, acordynge vnto the maner. The IX. Chapter.

A   In the foure and twentieth daye of this moneth came the children of Israel together with fastinge and sack clothes, and earth vpon them, and separated the sede of Israel from all the straunge children, and stode and knowleged their synnes, and the wyckednesses of their fathers, and stode vp in their place, and red in the boke of the lawe of the LORDE their God foure tymes on the daye, and they knowleged, and worshipped the LORDE their God foure tymes on the daye. And the Leuites stode on hye, namely Iesua, Bani, Cadmiel, Sebania, Buni, Serebia, Bani, and Chenani, and cryed loude vnto the LORDE their God. And the Leuites, Iesua, Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabenia, Serebia, Hodia, Sebania, Pethahia, sayde: Stonde vp, prayse the LORDE oure God for euer: and let thankes be geu&ebar; vnto the name of thy glorye, which excelleth all thankesgeuynge and prayse. LORDE, thou art alone, thou hast made heauen, and the heauen of all heauens, with all their hoost, the earth and all that therin is, the See and all that is therin: thou geuest life vnto all, and þe; hoost of heauen bowe themselues vnto the. B   Thou art the LORDE God, that hast chosen Abr&abar;, and broughte him out of Vr in Chaldea, ^note ∧ called him Abraham, and founde his hert faithfull before the, ^note and madest a couena&ubar;t with him, to geue vnto his sede the londe of the Cananites, Hethites, Amorites, Pheresites, Iebusites, and Girgosites, and hast made good thy wordes: for thou art righteous ^note And hast considered the mysery of oure fathers in Egipte, and herde their complainte by the reed See, and shewed tok&ebar;s and wonders vp&obar; Pharao, and on all his serua&ubar;tes, and on all his people of his londe: for thou knewest þt; they were presumptuous ∧ cruell against them, ∧ so madest thou ^note the a name as it is this daie. And the reed See partedst thou in sunder before them, so that they w&ebar;te thorow the myddes of the See drye shod: ∧ their persecuters threwest thou in to the depe as a stone, in the mightie waters, and leddest them on the daye tyme in a cloudy pyler, and on the nighte season in a piler of fyre, to shewe them lighte in the waye þt; they wente.

C    ^noteThou camest downe also vp&obar; mount Sinai, and spakest vnto them from heauen, and gauest them righte iudgmentes, true lawes, good commaundementes and statutes, and declared vnto them thy holy Sabbath, and commaunded them preceptes, ordinaunces, and lawes, by Moses thy seruaunt: and ^note gauest them bred from heauen whan they were hongrye, and ^note broughte forth water for them out of the rock whan they were thyrstye: ^note and promysed them, that they shulde go in, and take possession of the londe, where ouer thou haddest lyfte vp thine hande for

to geue them.

Neuertheles oure fathers were proude and hardnecked, so that they folowed not þi; c&obar;maundementes, and refused to heare, and were not myndefull of the wonders þt; thou dyddest for them: but became obstynate and heady, in so moch that they turned back to their bondage in their dishobedience. But thou my God forgauest, and wast gracious, mercifull, pacient, and of greate goodnesse, and forsokest them not. ^noteAnd though they made a molten calfe (and sayde: This is thy God, that broughte the out of the londe of Egipte) and dyd greate blasphemies, yet forsokest thou them not in the wyldernes, acordinge to thy greate mercy. ^noteAnd þe; cloudy piler departed not from them on þe; dayetyme to lede them the waye, nether the piler of fyre in the night season, to shewe them lighte in the waye that they wente.

D   And thou gauest them thy good sprete to enfourme them, ^note and withheldest not thy Manna from their mouth, ^note and gauest th&ebar; water wh&abar; they were thirstie. Fortye yeares longe madest thou prouysion for them in the wyldernesse, so that they wanted nothinge: ^note their clothes waxed not olde, and their fete swelled not. And thou gauest th&ebar; k&ibar;gdomes ∧ nacions, ∧ partedst th&ebar; acordinge to their porcions, so that they possessed ^note the londe of Sihon kynge of He&esset;bon, ∧ the londe of Og þe; kynge of Basan. ^noteAnd their childr&ebar; multiplyedst thou as the starres of heauen, and broughtest th&ebar; in to the londe wherof thou haddest spoken vnto their fathers, that they shulde go in to it, and haue it in possession.

And þe; children wente in, and possessed the londe, ^note and thou subdudest before th&ebar; the inhabiters of the londe, euen the Cananites, ∧ gauest them in to their hande, and their kynges and þe; people of the londe, þt; they might do with them what they wolde. And they wanne their stronge cities, ∧ a fat londe, and toke possession of houses þt; were full of all maner goodes, welles dygged out, vynyardes, oylgardens, ∧ many frutefull trees: and they ate ∧ were fylled, ∧ became fat, ∧ lyued in welth thorow thy greate goodnes. Neuertheles they were disobedient, and rebelled agaynst the, and cast thy lawe behynde their backes, ^note and slewe thy prophetes (which exhorted them so earnestly, that they shulde c&obar;uerte vnto the) and dyd greate blasphemies. Therfore gauest thou them ouer in to the h&abar;de of their enemies that vexed them.

E   And in þe; tyme of their trouble they cried vnto the, and thou hardest them from heauen: and thorow thy greate mercy thou gauest them sauiours, which helped th&ebar; out of the hande of their enemies. But whan they came to rest, they turned back agayne to do euell before the: therfore leftest thou them in the hande of their enemies, so þt; they had þe; dominion ouer them. So they c&obar;uerted, and cryed vnto the, and thou herdest them from heauen, and many a tyme hast thou delyuered them acordinge to þi; greate mercy, and testified vnto them, that they shulde turne agayne vnto thy lawe.

Notwithst&obar;dinge they were proude, and herkened not vnto thy c&obar;maundementes, but synned in thy lawes (which a man shulde do, ∧ lyue in them) ∧ turned their shulder awaye, ∧ were styffnecked, ∧ wolde not heare. And many yeares dyddest thou forbeare them, ∧ testified vnto them thorow þi; sprete, euen by the office of þi; prophetes, ∧ yet wolde they not heare. Therfore gauest thou th&ebar; in to þe; h&abar;de of þe; nacions in the londes. But for thy greate mercies sake thou hast not vtterly c&obar;sumed them, nether forsaken them: for thou art a gracious and mercifull God.

F   Now oure God, thou greate God, mightie and terrible, thou that kepest couenaunt and mercy, regarde not a litle all the trauayle þt; hath happened vnto vs, ∧ oure kynges, prynces, prestes, prophetes, fathers ∧ all thy people, sence the tyme of the kynges of Assur vnto this daie. Thou art righteous in all þt; thou hast broughte vp&obar; vs: for thou hast done righte. As for vs, we haue bene vngodly, and o&highr; kynges, prynces, prestes ∧ fathers haue not done after þi; lawe, ner regarded þi; c&obar;maundementes, ∧ thy earnest exhortaci&obar;s wherwith thou hast exhorted them, ∧ haue not serued þe; in their kyngdome, and in thy greate goodes þt; thou gauest them, and in the large and plenteous l&obar;de which thou gauest them to good, and haue not conuerted from their wicked workes. Beholde, therfore are we in bondage this daye: Yee euen in the l&obar;de that thou gauest vnto oure fathers, to enioye the frutes and goodes therof, beholde, there are we bondmen. And greate is the increase of it vnto the kynges, whom thou hast set ouer vs because of oure synnes, and they haue dominion ouer oure bodies and catell, and we are in greate trouble.

And in all this made we a sure couenaunt, ∧ wrote it, ∧ let o&highr; prynces, Leuites ∧ prestes seale it. The X. Chapter.

A   The sealers were: Nehemias (that is) Hathirsatha the sonne of Hachalia and Sedechias, Seraia, Asaria, Ieremy,

Pashur, Amaria, Malchia, Hattus, Sebania, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadia, Daniel, Sinthun, Baruch, Mesullam, Abia, Meiamin, Maasga, Bilgai and Semaia: these were prestes.

The Leuites were: Iesua þe; sonne of Asania, Binui amonge the childr&ebar; of Henadad, Cadmiel. And their brethren: Sechania, Hodia, Celita, Plaia, Hauan, Micha, Rehob, Hasabia, Sachur, Serebia, Sebania, Hodia, Bani and Beninu. The heades of the people were: Pareos, Pahath Moab, Elam, Sathu, Bani, Buni, Asgad, Sebai, Adonia, Bigenai, Adiu, Ater, Hezechias, Asur, Hodia, Hasum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathot, Neubai, Magpias, Mesullam, Hesir, Mesesabeel, Sadoc, Iaddua, Platia, Hanan, Anaia, Hoseia, Hanania, Hasub, Halohes, Pilha, Sobek, Rehum, Hasabna, Maeseia, Ahia, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim and Baena.

And the other people, the prestes, Leuites, Porters, syngers. Nethinims, ∧ all they that had separated them selues from þe; people in the l&obar;des vnto the lawe of God, with their wyues, sonnes and daughters, as many as coulde vnderstonde it, and their lordes that had rule of them, receaued it for their brethren.

B    ^noteAnd they came to sweare, and to bynde them selues with an ooth to walke in Gods lawe, which was geuen by Moses the seruaunt of God, that they wolde obserue and do acordinge vnto all the commaundementes, iudgmentes and statutes of the LORDE oure God: ^note and that we wolde not geue oure doughters vnto the people in the l&obar;de, nether to take their doughters for oure sonnes. ^noteAnd yf þe; people of the l&obar;de broughte ware on the Sabbath, and all maner of vytayles to sell, that we wolde not take it of them on the Sabbath and on the holy dayes. ^noteAnd that we wolde let the seu&ebar;th yeare be fre concernynge all maner of charge.

C   And we layed a statute vpon oure selues, to geue yearly þe; thirde parte of a Sycle to the mynistracion in the house of oure God, namely to the shewbred, to the daylie meatofferynge, to the daylie burntofferynge of þe; Sabbathes, of the new mones and feast dayes, and to the thinges that were sanctified, and to the synofferynges, to reconcyle Israel with all, and to all the busynes in þe; house of oure God.

And we cast the lot amonge the prestes, Leuites and the people, for offerynge of þe; wod, to be brought vnto þe; house of o&highr; God from yeare to yeare, after the houses of oure fathers, that it might be brent at tymes appoynted, vpon the altare of the LORDE oure God, as it is wrytten in the lawe: and yearly to brynge the firstlinges of o&highr; londe, ∧ the firstlinges of oure frutes of all trees, yeare by yeare, vnto þe; house of the LORDE: and the firstlinges of oure sonnes, and of oure catell, as it is wrytten in the lawe: D   and the firstlinges of oure oxen and of oure shepe, that we shulde brynge all this to the house of oure God vnto the prestes that mynister in the house of oure God: and that we shulde brynge the firstlinges of oure dowe, and of oure Heueofferinges, and the frutes of all maner trees, of wyne also and of oyle, vnto the prestes to the chestes of the house of oure God. And the tithes of o&highr; l&obar;de vnto the Leuites, þt; the Leuites might haue the tithes in all the cities of oure mynistracion.

And the prest the sonne of Aaron shal &wt; the Leuites haue also of the tithes of þe; Leuites, so that the Leuites shal brynge vp the tithes of their tithes vnto the house of oure God to the chest in þe; treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children of Leui shall brynge vp the Heueofferynges of the corne, wyne and oyle vnto the chestes, there are the vessels of the Sanctuary, ∧ the prestes þt; mynister, and the porters ∧ syngers, þt; we forsake not the house of oure God. The XI. Chapter.

A   And the rulers of the people dwelt at Ierusalem. But the other people cast lottes therfore, so that am&obar;ge ten one parte wente to Ierusalem in to the holy cite to dwell, and nyne partes in the cities. And þe; people thanked all the men that were willinge to dwell at Ierusalem.

These are the heades of the londe that dwelt at Ierusalem. In the cities dwelt Iuda euery one in his possession þt; was in their cities, namely Israel, the prestes, Leuites, þe; Nethinims, and the children of Salomons seruauntes. And at Ierusal&ebar; dwelt certayne of the children of Iuda ∧ of Ben Iamin.

^noteOf the children of Iuda: Athaia the sonne of Vsia þe; sonne of Zachary, the sonne of Amaria, the sonne of Sephatia, the sonne of Mahelaleel, of the children of Phares. And Maeseia the sonne of Baruch, the sonne of Chal Hose, the sonne of Hasaia, the sonne of Adaia, the sonne of Ioiarib, the sonne of Zachary, the sonne of Siloni. All the childr&ebar; of Phares that dwelt at Ierusalem, were foure C. and eight ∧ thre score valeaunt men.

B    ^noteThese are the childr&ebar; of Ben Iamin: Sallu the sonne of Mesullam, þe; sonne of Ioed,

the sonne of Pedaia, the sonne of Colaia, þe; sonne of Maeseia, the sonne of Ithiel, þe; sonne of Iesaia. And after him Sabai, Sallai: nyne hundreth and eight and twentye. And Ioel the sonne of Sichri had the ouersight of them: and Iuda þe; sonne of Hasnua ouer the seconde parte of the cite.

^noteOf the prestes there dwelt: Iedaia þe; sonne of Ioiarib, Iachin. Seraia the sonne of Helchias þe; sonne of Mesullam, the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Meraioth, the sonne of Achitob, was prynce in the house of God: ∧ his brethr&ebar; that perfourmed the worke in þe; house: of whom there were viij. C. and xxij. And Adaia the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Plalia, the sonne of Amzi, the sonne of Zachary, the sonne of Pashur ∧ his brethr&ebar;, chefe am&obar;ge the fathers: of whom there were two hundreth and two and fortye. And Amassai the sonne of Asariel the sonne of Ahusai, the sonne of Mesillemoth, the sonne of Immer: and his brethren were valeaunt men, of whom there were an hundreth and eight and twentye. And their ouerseer was Sabdaiel the sonne of Gedolim.

C    ^noteOf the Leuites: Semaia the sonne of Hasub, the sonne of Asrikam, the sonne of Hasabia, the sonne of Bunni: And Sabthai and Iosabad of the chefe of the Leuites, in the outwarde busynes of þe; house of God. And Mathania the sonne of Micha, the sonne of Sabdi, the sonne of Assaph, which was the pryncipall to begynne the thankesgeuynge vnto prayer. And bacbuchia þe; seconde am&obar;ge his brethren, and Abda the sonne of Sammua, the sonne of Galal, the sonne of Iedithun. All the Leuites in the holy cite were two hundreth and foure ∧ foure score. ^noteAnd þe; porters Acub and Calman, and their brethren þt; kepte the portes, were an hundreth and two and seuentye. As for the residue of Israel, the prestes and Leuites, they were in all the cities of Iuda, euery one in his inheritaunce.

And the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Zipha and Gispa belonged vnto the Nethinims. The ouerseer of the Leuites at Ierusalem, was Vsi the sonne of Bani, the sonne of Hasabia, the sonne of Mathania, the sonne of Micha.

D   Of the children of Assaph there were syngers aboute þe; busynes in the house of God: for it was the kynges commaundement c&obar;cernynge them, that þe; syngers shulde deale faithfully, euery daye as acordinge was.

And Pethaia the sonne of Mesesabeel of the childr&ebar; of Serah the sonne of Iuda nexte the kynge in all matters concernynge the people. And the children of Iuda that were without in the townes of their londe, dwelt some at Kiriath Arba, and in the vyllages therof, ∧ at Dibon, and in the vyllages therof: and at Cabzeel, and in þe; vyllages therof: and at Iesua, Molada, Bethphalet, Hazarsual, Berseba and in their vyllages: ∧ at Siclag and Mochona, and in their vyllages: And at Enrimmon, Zarega, Ieremuth, Sanoah, Adullam and in their vyllages: At Lachis, and in the feldes therof: At Aseka, and in the vyllages therof: and dwelt from Berseba vnto the valley of Hinnom.

The children of Ben Iamin of Gaba, dwelt at Michmas, Aia, Bethel and in their vyllages. And at Anathoth, Nob, Anania, Hazor, Rama, Githaim, Hadid, Ziboim, Neballat, Lod, Ono ∧ in the Carp&ebar;ters valley. And certayne of the Leuites þt; had porcions in Iuda, dwelt in Ben Iamin. The XII. Chapter.

A   These are þe; prestes and Leuites that wente vp with Zorobabel þe; sonne of Saalthiel and with Iesua: Seraia, Ieremy, Esdras, Amaria, Malluch, Hattus, Sechania, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginthoi, Abia, Meiamin, Maadia, Bilga, Semaia, Ioiarib, Iedaia, Sallu, Amok, Helchias ∧ Iedaia. These were the heades am&obar;ge the prestes and their brethren in the tyme of Iesua. The Leuites were these: Iesua, B&ebar;nui, Cadmiel, Serebia, Iuda and Mathania, ouer the office of thankesgeuynge, they ∧ their brethr&ebar;: Bacbuchia ∧ Vnni and their brethr&ebar;, were aboute them in the watches.

Iesua begat Ioachim. Ioachim begat Eliasib. Eliasib begat Ioiada. Ioiada begat Ionathan. Ionathan begat Iaddua. And in the tyme of Ioachim were these the chefe fathers amonge the prestes: namely of Seraia was Meraia, of Ieremy was Hanania, of E&esset;dras was Mesullam, of Amaria was Iohanan, of Malluch was Ionathan, of Sebania was Ioseph, of Harim was Adna, of Meraioth was Helcai, of Iddo was Zachary, of Ginthon was Mesull&abar;, of Abia was Sichri, B   of Miniamin Moadia was Piltai, of Bilga was Sammua, of Semaia was Ionathan, of Ioiarib was Mathnai, of Iedaia was Vsi, of Sallai was Callai, of Amok was Eber, of Helchias was Hasabia, of Gedaia, was Nethaneel.

And in the tyme of Eliasib. Ioiada, Iohanan and Iaddua, were the chefe fathers amonge the Leuites, and the prestes wrytt&ebar; vnder the reigne of Darius þe; Persian. The

children of Leui the pryncipall fathers were wrytten in the Cronicles, vntyll the tyme of Iohanan the sonne of Eliasib. And these were the chefe am&obar;ge the Leuites, Hasabia, Serebia and Iesua the sonne of Cadmiel, ∧ their brethren ouer agaynst them, to geue prayse and thankes, acordinge as Dauid þe; m&abar; of God had ordeyned it, one watch ouer agaynst another. Mathania, Bacbuchia, Obadia, Mesullam, Talmon and Acub were porters in the watch at the thresholdes of the gates. These were in the tyme of Ioiachim the sonne of Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and in the tyme of Nehemias the Debyte, and of the prest E&esset;dras the scrybe.

C   And in the dedicacion of the wall at Ierusalem, were the Leuites soughte out of all their places, that they mighte be broughte to Ierusalem, to kepe þe; dedicacion in gladnesse, with thankesgeuynges, with synginge, with Cymbales, Psalteries and harpes. And the children of the syngers gathered th&ebar; selues together from the playne countre aboute Ierusalem, and from the vyllages of Nethophathi, and from the house of Gilgal, ∧ out of the feldes of Gibea ∧ Asmaueth: for þe; syngers had buylded them vyllages aboute Ierusalem. And þe; prestes and Leuites purified them selues, and clensed the people, the gates and the wall.

And I caused the prynces to go vp vpon the wall, and appoynted two greate queres of thankesgeuynge, which w&ebar;te on the righte hande of the wall towarde the Donggate, and after them w&ebar;te Hosaia, and halfe of the prynces of Iuda, ∧ Asaria, E&esset;dras, Mesullam, Iuda, Ben Iamin, Semaia and Ieremy: and certayne of the prestes childr&ebar; &wt; trompettes, namely Zachary þe; sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Semaia, the sonne of Mathania, the sonne of Michaia, the sonne of Sachur, the sonne of Assaph, and his brethren, Semaia, Asareel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nathaneel and Iuda and Hanani, with the musicall instrumentes of Dauid þe; man of God.

D   And E&esset;dras þe; scrybe before th&ebar; towarde the Wellgate, and they wente vp ouer agaynst them vpon the steppes of the cite of Dauid at the goynge vp of the wall to the house of Dauid, vnto the Watergate Eastwarde.

The other quere of thankesgeuynge wente ouer against them, and I after them, and the halfe parte of the people vpon þe; wall, towarde þe; Fornacegate vpwarde, vntyll þe; brode wall, and to þe; porte of Ephraim, and to the Oldgate, and to þe; Fyshgate, and to the tower of Hananeel, and to the tower of Meah, vntyll the Shepegate. And in þe; presongate stode they styll, and so stode the two queres of thankesgeuynge of the house of God, and I and the halfe of the rulers with me, and the prestes, namely Eliachim, Maeseia, Miniamin, Michaia, Elioenai, Zachary, Hanania, with tr&obar;pettes, and Maeseia, Semaia, Eleasar, Vsi, Iohanan, Malchia, Elam and Aser. And the syngers songe loude, and Iesrahia was the ouerseer.

E   And the same daye were there greate sacrifices offred, ∧ they reioysed: for God had geu&ebar; them greate gladnesse, so that both the wyues and children were ioyfull, ∧ the myrth of Ierusalem was herde farre of.

At the same tyme were there men appoynted ouer the treasure chestes (wherin were þe; Heueofferynges, the firstlinges and the tithes) that they shulde gather them out of þe; feldes aboute the cities, to destribute th&ebar; vnto the prestes and Leuites acordinge to the lawe: for Iuda was glad of the prestes, and Leuites, that they stode and wayted vpon the office of their God, and the office of the purificacion. And the syngers ∧ porters stode after the commaundem&ebar;t of Dauid ∧ of Salomon his sonne: ^note for in the tyme of Dauid and Assaph, were the chefe syngers founded, and the songes of prayse and thankesgeuynge vnto God. In the tyme of Zorobabel and Nehemias, dyd all Israel geue porci&obar;s vnto the syngers and porters, euery daye his porcion, and they gaue thinges halowed vnto the Leuites, and the Leuites gaue thinges that were sanctified, vnto the childr&ebar; of Aaron. The XIII. Chapter.

A   And what tyme as the boke of Moses was red in þe; eares of the people, there was founde wrytten therin, ^note þt; the Ammonites and Moabites shulde neuer come in to the congregacion of God, because they mett not the children of Israel &wt; bred and water, ^note and hyred Balaam against th&ebar;, that he shulde curse them: neuertheles oure God turned þe; curse in to a blessynge. Now whan they herde the lawe, they separated from Israel euery one that had myxte him selfe therin. And before this had the prest Eliasib delyuered the chest of þe; house of oure God vnto his kynsman Tobia: for he had made him a greate chest, and there had they aforetyme layed the meatofferynges, frankencense, vessell, and the tithes of corne, wyne and oyle (acordinge to the commaundement

geuen to the Leuites, syngers and porters) and the Heueofferynges of the prestes.

B   But in all this was not I at Ierusalem: for in þe; two and thirtieth yeare of Artaxerses kynge of Babilon, came I vnto the kynge, and after certayne dayes optayned I lycence of the kynge to come to Ierusal&ebar;. And I gat knowlege of þe; euell that Eliasib dyd vnto Tobia, in that he had made him a chest in the courte of the house of God, and it greued me sore, and I cast forth all the vessels of Tobias house out of the chest, and comma&ubar;ded them to clense the chest. And thither broughte I agayne the vessels of the house of God, the meatofferynge and the incense.

And I perceaued, that the porcions of þe; Leuites were not geuen them, for the which cause the Leuites and syngers were fled, euery one to his londe for to worke. Then reproued I the rulers, and sayde: Why forsake we the house of God? But I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all Iuda the tithes of corne, wyne and oyle vnto the treasure. And I made treasurers ouer þe; treasure, euen Selemia þe; prest, and Sadoc the scrybe, C   ∧ of the Leuites Pedaia, and vnder their hande Hanan the sonne of Sachur the sonne of Mathania: for they were counted faithfull, and their office was, to destribute vnto their brethren. ^noteThynke vpon me O my God here in, ∧ wype not out my mercy, that I haue shewed on þe; house of my God, ∧ on the offices therof.

At the same tyme sawe I some tredinge wyne presses on the Sabbath, and brynginge in clusters, and asses laden wyth wyne, grapes, fygges, and brynginge all maner of burthens vnto Ierusalem, vpon the Sabbath daye. And I rebuked them earnestly þe; same daye that they solde þe; vytayles. There dwelt m&ebar; of Tyre also therin, which broughte fysh and all maner of ware, and solde on the Sabbath vnto the childr&ebar; of Iuda and Ierusalem. Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, and saide vnto them: What euell thinge is this that ye do, and breake the Sabbath daye? Dyd not oure fathers euen thus, and oure God broughte all this plage vpon vs ∧ vpon this cite? And ye make the wrath more yet vpon Israel, in that ye breake the Sabbath.

D   And whan the portes of Ierusalem were drawen vp before the Sabbath, I comma&ubar;ded to shutt the gates, and charged that they shulde not be opened tyll after the Sabbath: and some of my seruauntes set I at the gates, þt; there shulde no burth&ebar; be broughte in on the Sabbath daye. Then remayned the chapmen and marchauntes once or twyce ouer nighte without Ierusalem with all maner of wares. Then reproued I them sore, ∧ sayde vnto them: Why tary ye all night aboute the wall? Yf ye do it once agayne, I wil laye handes vpon you. From that tyme forth came they nomore on the Sabbath. And I sayde vnto the Leuites which were cleane, that they shulde come and kepe the gates, to halowe the Sabbath daye. Thynke vp&obar; me (O my God) c&obar;cernynge this also, ∧ spare me acordynge to thy greate mercy.

And at the same tyme sawe I Iewes, that maried wyues of Asdod, Ammon and of Moab, and their children spake halfe in the speache of Asdod, and coulde not speake in þe; Iewish language, but by þe; tonge mighte a m&abar; perceaue euery people. E   And I reproued them, and cursed them, ∧ smote certayne men of th&ebar;, and plucte them vp, and toke an ooth of them by God: ^note Ye shal not geue youre daughters vnto their sonnes, nether shal ye take their daughters vnto youre sonnes, or for youre selues. ^noteDyd not Salomon þe; kynge of Israel synne ther in? ∧ yet amonge many Heythen was there no kynge like him, ∧ he was deare vnto his God, and God made him kynge ouer all Israel, and the outlandish wemen.

And one of the children of Ioiada the sonne of Eliasib þe; hye prest, had made a c&obar;tracte wyth Saneballath the Horonite: but I chaced him fro me. O my God, thynke thou vpon them that are quyte of the presthode, and haue desyled the couenaunt of the presthode and of the Leuites. Thus clensed I them from all soch as were outlandish, and appoynted the courses of the prestes and Leuites, euery one to his office, and to offre the wod at tymes appoynted, and the first frutes. Thynke thou vpon me (O my God) for the best. The ende of the seconde boke of E&esset;dras, otherwyse called the boke of Nehemias.

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