Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

²⁷ At the dedicationDt 20:5 of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals,S 2Sa 6:5 harps and lyres.S 1Ch 15:16, 28; 25:6; Ps 92:3²⁸ The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,S 1Ch 2:54; 9:16²⁹ from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.³⁰ When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,Ex 19:10; Job 1:5 the gates and the wall.

³¹ I had the leaders of Judah go up on top ofOr go alongside the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top ofOr proceed alongside the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.Ne 2:13³² Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,³³ along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,³⁴ Judah, Benjamin,S Ezr 1:5 Shemaiah, Jeremiah,³⁵ as well as some priests with trumpets,S Ezr 3:10 and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph,³⁶ and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instrumentsS 1Ch 15:16 prescribed by David the man of God.S 2Ch 8:14 EzraEzr 7:6 the teacher of the Law led the procession.³⁷ At the Fountain GateS Ne 2:14 they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water GateS Ne 3:26 on the east.

³⁸ The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top ofOr them alongside the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the OvensNe 3:11 to the Broad Wall,Ne 3:8³⁹ over the Gate of Ephraim,S 2Ki 14:13 the JeshanahOr Old Gate,Ne 3:6 the Fish Gate,S 2Ch 33:14 the Tower of HananelS Ne 3:1 and the Tower of the Hundred,Ne 3:1 as far as the Sheep Gate.S Ne 3:1 At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

⁴⁰ The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials,⁴¹ as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—⁴² and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah.⁴³ And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

⁴⁴ At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storeroomsNe 13:4, 13 for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.S Lev 27:30 From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.S Dt 18:8⁴⁵ They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of DavidS 2Ch 8:14 and his son Solomon.S 1Ch 6:31; 23:5⁴⁶ For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,S 2Ch 35:15 there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise2Ch 29:27; Ps 137:4 and thanksgiving to God.⁴⁷ So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.S Dt 18:8

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,ver 23; Dt 23:3² because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired BalaamNu 22:3-11 to call a curse down on them.S Nu 23:7; S Dt 23:3 (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)S Nu 23:11; Dt 23:4-5³ When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.ver 23; S Ne 9:2

⁴ Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storeroomsS Ne 12:44 of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,Ne 2:10⁵ and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithesS Lev 27:30; S Nu 18:21 of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

⁶ But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of ArtaxerxesS Ne 2:6 king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission⁷ and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing EliashibS Ezr 10:24 had done in providing TobiahS Ne 2:10 a room in the courts of the house of God.⁸ I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.Mt 21:12-13; Mk 11:15-17; Lk 19:45-46; Jn 2:13-16⁹ I gave orders to purify the rooms,S 1Ch 23:28; S 2Ch 29:5 and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.S Lev 2:1

¹⁰ I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them,S Dt 12:19 and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.S 2Ch 31:4¹¹ So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?”S Ne 10:37-39; Hag 1:1-9; Mal 3:8-9 Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.

¹² All Judah brought the tithesS 2Ch 31:6 of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms.S Dt 18:8; 1Ki 7:51; S 2Ch 31:5; S Ne 10:37-39; Mal 3:10¹³ I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.S Ne 12:44; Ac 6:1-5

¹⁴ RememberS Ge 8:1; S 2Ki 20:3 me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.

¹⁵ In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath.Ex 20:8-11; S 34:21; Dt 5:12-15 Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.¹⁶ People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the SabbathS Ne 10:31 to the people of Judah.¹⁷ I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day?¹⁸ Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city?Jer 44:23 Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”S Ne 10:31

¹⁹ When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath,Lev 23:32 I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.²⁰ Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem.²¹ But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.²² Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

RememberS Ge 8:1; S Ne 1:8 me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

²³ Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had marriedEzr 9:1-2; Mal 2:11 women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.ver 1; S ver 1,S 3; Ex 34:16; S Ru 1:4; S Ne 10:30²⁴ Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the languageEst 1:22; 3:12; 8:9 of Judah.²⁵ I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oathS Ezr 10:5 in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.S Ex 34:16²⁶ Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him.S 1Ki 3:13; S 2Ch 1:12 He was loved by his God,2Sa 12:25 and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.S Ex 34:16; S 1Ki 11:3²⁷ Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marryingEzr 9:14 foreign women?”

²⁸ One of the sons of Joiada son of EliashibS Ezr 10:24 the high priest was son-in-law to SanballatS Ne 2:10 the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.

²⁹ RememberS Ne 1:8 them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.S Nu 3:12

³⁰ So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign,S Ne 9:2 and assigned them duties, each to his own task.³¹ I also made provision for contributions of woodNe 10:34 at designated times, and for the firstfruits.Ne 10:35-36

RememberS Ge 8:1; S Ne 1:8 me with favor, my God.

Dedication of Jerusalem’s Wall

²⁷ For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres.²⁸ The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.²⁹ They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem.³⁰ The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

³¹ I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks. One of the choirs proceeded southwardHebrew to the right. along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate.³² Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,³³ along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,³⁴ Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.³⁵ Then came some priests who played trumpets, including Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph.³⁶ And Zechariah’s colleagues were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They used the musical instruments prescribed by David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led this procession.³⁷ At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the steps on the ascent of the city wall toward the City of David. They passed the house of David and then proceeded to the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸ The second choir giving thanks went northwardHebrew to the left. around the other way to meet them. I followed them, together with the other half of the people, along the top of the wall past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,³⁹ then past the Ephraim Gate to the Old City Gate,Or the Mishneh Gate, or the Jeshanah Gate. past the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and on to the Tower of the Hundred. Then we continued on to the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Guard Gate.

⁴⁰ The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me.⁴¹ We went together with the trumpet-playing priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah—⁴² and the singers—Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director.

⁴³ Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.

Provisions for Temple Worship

⁴⁴ On that day men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the offerings, the first part of the harvest, and the tithes. They were responsible to collect from the fields outside the towns the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites. For all the people of Judah took joy in the priests and Levites and their work.⁴⁵ They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as commanded by David and his son Solomon, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers.⁴⁶ The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph.⁴⁷ So now, in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel brought a daily supply of food for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Levites. The Levites, in turn, gave a portion of what they received to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Nehemiah’s Various Reforms

13 On that same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God.See Deut 23:3-6.² For they had not provided the Israelites with food and water in the wilderness. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.³ When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly.

⁴ Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of Tobiah,⁵ had converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah’s disposal. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, the frankincense, various articles for the Temple, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil (which were prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers), as well as the offerings for the priests.

⁶ I was not in Jerusalem at that time, for I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign,King Artaxerxes of Persia is here identified as the king of Babylon because Persia had conquered the Babylonian Empire. The thirty-second year of Artaxerxes was 433 B.c. though I later asked his permission to return.⁷ When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib’s evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God.⁸ I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room.⁹ Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.

¹⁰ I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields.¹¹ I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, “Why has the Temple of God been neglected?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties.¹² And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms.

¹³ I assigned supervisors for the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. And I appointed Hanan son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and it was their job to make honest distributions to their fellow Levites.

¹⁵ In those days I saw men of Judah treading out their winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in grain, loading it on donkeys, and bringing their wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce to Jerusalem to sell on the Sabbath. So I rebuked them for selling their produce on that day.¹⁶ Some men from Tyre, who lived in Jerusalem, were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise. They were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah—and in Jerusalem at that!

¹⁷ So I confronted the nobles of Judah. “Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?” I asked.¹⁸ “Wasn’t it just this sort of thing that your ancestors did that caused our God to bring all this trouble upon us and our city? Now you are bringing even more wrath upon Israel by permitting the Sabbath to be desecrated in this way!”

¹⁹ Then I commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be shut as darkness fell every Friday evening,Hebrew on the day before the Sabbath. not to be opened until the Sabbath ended. I sent some of my own servants to guard the gates so that no merchandise could be brought in on the Sabbath day.²⁰ The merchants and tradesmen with a variety of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.²¹ But I spoke sharply to them and said, “What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!” And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath.²² Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath.

²³ About the same time I realized that some of the men of Judah had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.²⁴ Furthermore, half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of some other people and could not speak the language of Judah at all.²⁵ So I confronted them and called down curses on them. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear in the name of God that they would not let their children intermarry with the pagan people of the land.

²⁶ “Wasn’t this exactly what led King Solomon of Israel into sin?” I demanded. “There was no king from any nation who could compare to him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel. But even he was led into sin by his foreign wives.²⁷ How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?”

²⁸ One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, so I banished him from my presence.

³⁰ So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.³¹ I also made sure that the supply of wood for the altar and the first portions of the harvest were brought at the proper times.

²⁷ And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

²⁸ And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;

²⁹ Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.

³⁰ And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

³¹ Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

³² And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

³³ And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

³⁴ Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

³⁵ And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:

³⁶ And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

³⁷ And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

³⁸ And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;

³⁹ And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

⁴⁰ So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:

⁴¹ And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

⁴² And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

⁴³ Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

⁴⁴ And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

⁴⁵ And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

⁴⁶ For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

⁴⁷ And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.

13 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

² Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

³ Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

⁴ And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

⁵ And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

⁶ But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

⁷ And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

⁸ And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff to Tobiah out of the chamber.

⁹ Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

¹⁰ And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

¹¹ Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

¹² Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

¹³ And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

¹⁴ Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

¹⁵ In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

¹⁶ There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

¹⁷ Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

¹⁸ Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

²⁰ So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

²¹ Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

²² And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

²³ In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

²⁴ And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

²⁵ And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

²⁶ Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

²⁷ Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

²⁸ And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

²⁹ Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

³⁰ Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

³¹ And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

11 ¹ Follow my example,S 1Co 4:16 as I follow the example of Christ.Ro 15:3; 1Pe 2:21

On Covering the Head in Worship

² I praise youver 17, 22 for remembering me in everything1Co 4:17 and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.ver 23; 1Co 15:2, 3; 2Th 2:15; 3:6³ But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,S Eph 1:22 and the head of the woman is man,Or of the wife is her husbandGe 3:16; Eph 5:23 and the head of Christ is God.1Co 3:23⁴ Every man who prays or prophesiesS Ac 11:27 with his head covered dishonors his head.⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesiesS Ac 21:9 with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.Dt 21:12⁶ For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

⁷ A man ought not to cover his head,Or ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering of hair dishonors her head—she is just like one of the “shorn women.” ⁶ If a woman has no covering, let her be for now with short hair; but since it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved, she should grow it again. ⁷ A man ought not to have long hair since he is the imageGe 1:26; 5:1; 9:6; Jas 3:9 and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;Ge 2:21-23; 1Ti 2:13⁹ neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.Ge 2:18¹⁰ It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her ownOr have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.¹² For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.S Ro 11:36

¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?¹⁴ Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.¹⁶ If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.S 1Co 7:17; S 10:32

11 ¹ And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Instructions for Public Worship

² I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.³ But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.Or to know: The source of every man is Christ, the source of woman is man, and the source of Christ is God. Or to know: Every man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God.⁴ A man dishonors his headOr dishonors Christ. if he covers his head while praying or prophesying.⁵ But a woman dishonors her headOr dishonors her husband. if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.⁶ Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.Or should have long hair.

⁷ A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory.⁸ For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man.⁹ And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man.¹⁰ For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.Greek should have an authority on her head.

¹¹ But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women.¹² For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.

¹³ Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head?¹⁴ Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair?¹⁵ And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering.¹⁶ But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.

11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

² Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

³ But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

⁴ Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

⁵ But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

⁶ For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

⁷ For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

⁸ For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

⁹ Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

¹⁰ For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

¹¹ Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

¹² For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

¹³ Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

¹⁴ Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

¹⁵ But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

¹⁶ But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Psalm 35

Of David.

Psalm 35

A psalm of David.

35 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

³ Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

⁴ Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

⁷ For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

⁸ Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

⁹ And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

¹¹ False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

¹² They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

¹³ But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

¹⁴ I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

¹⁵ But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

¹⁶ With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷ He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

¹⁸ The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.