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But when Sanballat the Horonite and the Ammonite servant Tobiah heard this, they were greatly displeased that a person had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.

I crossed over to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no place for my mount to cross over.

But Sanballat the Horonite, the Ammonite servant Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard it, and they mocked and despised us, saying, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"

Then I answered and said to them, "The God of the heavens himself will let us succeed, and we his servants shall arise and build. But for you there is no share, right, or memorial in Jerusalem."

Next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles did not put their neck to the work of their lord.

But Judah said, "The strength of the carriers is failing, and there is too much dirt, and we are not able to build at the wall."

and I said to them: "We ourselves have bought back our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations as we were able. But now you yourselves have sold your brothers so they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say.

The former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and they took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels. Also, their servants controlled the people, but I did not do so because of the fear of God.

Now what was prepared each day for me was one ox, six choice sheep, and birds. And every ten days all kinds of wine were made. But for this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor because the slavery was too heavy on this people.

Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they planned to do evil to me.

But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And would a man like me go into the temple so that he can save his life? I will not go in!"

The city was widespread and large, but the people in it were few and no houses were rebuilt.

These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel:

These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood.

Now when the wall had been built and I had erected the doors and appointed the gatekeepers, singers, and the Levites, I gave command over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. I said to them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house." The city was widespread and large, but the people in it were few and no houses were rebuilt. Then my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, the prefects, and the people to be enrolled. I found the book of the genealogy of those who first came back, and I found this written upon it: These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city. These came with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. The descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. The descendants of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. The descendants of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. The descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. The descendants of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. The descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. The descendants of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. The descendants of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. The descendants of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. The descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. The descendants of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. The descendants of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. The descendants of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. The descendants of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. The descendants of Gibeon, ninety-five. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight. The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. The men of Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. The men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two. The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. The people of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. The people of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. The people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. The people of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. The descendants of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. The descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. The descendants of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight. The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagaba, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephushesim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha. The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants of Amon. All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two. These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. And from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim. All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their servants and female slaves—these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five,

And you divided the sea before them, and they passed through the sea on dry ground, but their pursuers you threw into the depths like a stone into mighty waters.

"But they and our ancestors acted arrogantly and stiffened their neck and did not listen to your commandments.

They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders that you did among them. They stiffened their neck and in their rebellion determined to return to their slavery. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abundant in loyal love, so you did not abandon them.

But you in your many mercies did not abandon them in the desert. The column of cloud that was over them in the day did not cease to leave them on the way, and the column of fire by night that gave light to them on the way that they went.

"But they rebelled and were rebellious against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them to turn back to you, and they did great blasphemies.