1. In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, I picked up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence.

2. The king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart."Then I was very much afraid.

3. I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why shouldn't my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?"

4. Then the king said to me, "What is your request?"So I prayed to the God of heaven.

5. I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build it."

6. The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him), "How long will your journey be? When will you return?"So it pleased the king to send me, and I set a time for him.

7. Moreover I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah;

8. and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I will occupy."The king granted my requests, because of the good hand of my God on me.

9. Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

10. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

11. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

12. I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn't tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn't any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on.

13. I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal's well, then to the dung gate, and inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire.

14. Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king's pool, but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass.

15. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and inspected the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.

16. The rulers didn't know where I went, or what I did. I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work.

17. Then I said to them, "You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won't be disgraced."

18. I told them of the hand of my God which was good on me, as also of the king's words that he had spoken to me.They said, "Let's rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammontite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us, and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?"

20. Then I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

5. My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:

6. These are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city;

7. who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.The number of the men of the people of Israel:

8. The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two.

9. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two.

10. The children of Arah, six hundred fifty-two.

11. The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen.

12. The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

13. The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five.

14. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty.

15. The children of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight.

16. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight.

17. The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two.

18. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven.

19. The children of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven.

20. The children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five.

21. The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.

22. The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty-eight.

23. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four.

24. The children of Hariph, one hundred twelve.

25. The children of Gibeon, ninety-five.

26. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight.

27. The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight.

28. The men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two.

29. The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three.

30. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one.

31. The men of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two.

32. The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred twenty-three.

33. The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two.

34. The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

35. The children of Harim, three hundred twenty.

36. The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five.

37. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one.

38. The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty.

39. The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three.

40. The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two.

41. The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven.

42. The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen.

43. The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy-four.

44. The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred forty-eight.

45. The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight.

46. The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

47. the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

48. the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai,

49. the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,

50. the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,

51. the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah.

52. The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim,

53. the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

54. the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

55. the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah,

56. the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

57. The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,

58. the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

59. the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Amon.

60. All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety-two.

61. These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, nor their offspring, whether they were of Israel:

62. The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two.

63. Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.

64. These searched for their genealogical records, but couldn't find them. Therefore were they deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood.

65. The governor told that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to minister with Urim and Thummim.

66. The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,

67. besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women.

1. The LORD, you have been favorable to your land.You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2. You have forgiven the iniquity of your people.You have covered all their sin.Selah.

3. You have taken away all your wrath.You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

4. Turn us, God of our salvation,and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

5. Will you be angry with us forever?Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

6. Won't you revive us again,that your people may rejoice in you?

7. Show us your loving kindness, The LORD.Grant us your salvation.

8. I will hear what God, The LORD, will speak,for he will speak peace to his people, his saints;but let them not turn again to folly.

9. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,that glory may dwell in our land.

10. Mercy and truth meet together.Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11. Truth springs out of the earth.Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

12. Yes, the LORD will give that which is good.Our land will yield its increase.

13. Righteousness goes before him,And prepares the way for his steps.

1. His foundation is in the holy mountains.

2. The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

3. Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God.Selah.

4. I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia:"This one was born there."

5. Yes, of Zion it will be said, "This one and that one was born in her";the Most High himself will establish her.

6. The LORD will count, when he writes up the peoples,"This one was born there."Selah.

7. Those who sing as well as those who dance say,"All my springs are in you."

1. Give thanks to The LORD, for he is good,for his loving kindness endures forever.

2. Let the redeemed by the LORD say so,whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

3. And gathered out of the lands,from the east and from the west,from the north and from the south.

4. They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way.They found no city to live in.

5. Hungry and thirsty,their soul fainted in them.

6. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,and he delivered them out of their distresses,

7. he led them also by a straight way,that they might go to a city to live in.

8. Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness,for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

9. For he satisfies the longing soul.He fills the hungry soul with good.

10. Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,being bound in affliction and iron,

11. because they rebelled against the words of God,and condemned the counsel of the Most High.

12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labor.They fell down, and there was no one to help.

13. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,and he saved them out of their distresses.

14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,and broke away their chains.

15. Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness,for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

16. For he has broken the gates of brass,and cut through bars of iron.

17. Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience,and because of their iniquities.

18. Their soul abhors all kinds of food.They draw near to the gates of death.

19. Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble,he saves them out of their distresses.

20. He sends his word, and heals them,and delivers them from their graves.

21. Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness,for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

22. Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,and declare his deeds with singing.

23. Those who go down to the sea in ships,who do business in great waters;

24. These see The LORD's deeds,and his wonders in the deep.

25. For he commands, and raises the stormy wind,which lifts up its waves.

26. They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths.Their soul melts away because of trouble.

27. They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man,and are at their wits' end.

28. Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble,and he brings them out of their distress.

29. He makes the storm a calm,so that its waves are still.

30. Then they are glad because it is calm,so he brings them to their desired haven.

31. Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness,for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!

32. Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,and praise him in the seat of the elders.

33. He turns rivers into a desert,water springs into a thirsty ground,

34. and a fruitful land into a salt waste,for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

35. He turns a desert into a pool of water,and a dry land into water springs.

36. There he makes the hungry live,that they may prepare a city to live in,

37. sow fields, plant vineyards,and reap the fruits of increase.

38. He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly.He doesn't allow their livestock to decrease.

39. Again, they are diminished and bowed downthrough oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

40. He pours contempt on princes,and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

41. Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction,and increases their families like a flock.

42. The upright will see it, and be glad.All the wicked will shut their mouths.

43. Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things.They will consider the loving kindnesses of The LORD.