The One Year Bible TLB (174 page)
Read The One Year Bible TLB Online
Authors: Tyndale
August 16The Israeli officials were living in Jerusalem, the Holy City, at this time; but now a tenth of the people from the other cities and towns of Judah and Benjamin were selected by lot to live there too.
2
Some who moved to Jerusalem at this time were volunteers, and they were highly honored.
3
Following is a list of the names of the provincial officials who came to Jerusalem (though most of the leaders, the priests, the Levites, the Temple assistants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants continued to live in their own homes in the various cities of Judah).
4-6
Leaders from the tribe of Judah:
Athaiah (son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez);
Maaseiah (son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite).
These were the 468 stalwart descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem.
7-9
Leaders from the tribe of Benjamin:
Sallu (son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah).
The 968 descendants of Gabbai and Sallai. Their chief was Joel, son of Zichri, who was assisted by Judah, son of Hassenuah.
10-14
Leaders from among the priests:
Jedaiah (son of Joiarib);
Jachin;
Seraiah (son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub the chief priest).
In all, there were 822 priests doing the work at the Temple under the leadership of these men. And there were 242 priests under the leadership of Adaiah (son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah).
There were also 128 stalwart men under the leadership of Amashsai (son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer), who was assisted by Zabdiel (son of Haggedolim).
15-17
Levite leaders:
Shemaiah (son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni);
Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were in charge of the work outside the Temple;
Mattaniah (son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph) was the one who began the thanksgiving services with prayer;
Bakbukiah and Abda (son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun) were his assistants.
18
In all, there were 284 Levites in Jerusalem.
19
There were also 172 gatekeepers, led by Akkub, Talmon, and others of their clan.
20
The other priests, Levites, and people lived wherever their family inheritance was located.
21
However, the Temple workers (whose leaders were Ziha and Gishpa) all lived in Ophel.
22-23
The supervisor of the Levites in Jerusalem and of those serving at the Temple was Uzzi (son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica), a descendant of Asaph, whose clan became the Tabernacle singers. He was appointed by King David,
*
who also set the pay scale of the singers.
24
Pethahiah (son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah, a son of Judah) assisted in all matters of public administration.
25-30
Some of the towns where the people of Judah lived were: Kiriath-arba, Dibon, Jekabzeel (and their surrounding villages), Jeshua, Moladah, Beth-pelet, Hazar-shual, Beersheba (and its surrounding villages), Ziklag, Meconah and its villages, En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam (and their surrounding villages), Lachish and its nearby fields, Azekah and its towns.
So the people spread from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.
31-35
The people of the tribe of Benjamin lived at: Geba, Michmash, Aija, Bethel (and its surrounding villages), Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, Lod, Ono (the Valley of the Craftsmen).
36
Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were sent to live with the tribe of Benjamin.
12:
1-7
Here is a list of the priests who accompanied Zerubbabel (son of Shealtiel) and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.
8
The Levites who went with them were: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah—who was the one in charge of the thanksgiving service.
9
Bakbukiah and Unni, their fellow clansmen, helped them during the service.
10-11
Jeshua was the father of Joiakim;
Joiakim was the father of Eliashib;
Eliashib was the father of Joiada;
Joiada was the father of Jonathan;
Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12-21
The following were the clan leaders of the priests who served under the High Priest Joiakim:
Meraiah, leader of the Seraiah clan;
Hananiah, leader of the Jeremiah clan;
Meshullam, leader of the Ezra clan;
Jehohanan, leader of the Amariah clan;
Jonathan, leader of the Malluchi clan;
Joseph, leader of the Shebaniah clan;
Adna, leader of the Harim clan;
Helkai, leader of the Meraioth clan;
Zechariah, leader of the Iddo clan;
Meshullam, leader of the Ginnethon clan;
Zichri, leader of the Abijah clan;
Piltai, leader of the Moadiah and Miniamin clans;
Shammua, leader of the Bilgah clan;
Jehonathan, leader of the Shemaiah clan;
Mattenai, leader of the Joiarib clan;
Uzzi, leader of the Jedaiah clan;
Kallai, leader of the Sallai clan;
Eber, leader of the Amok clan;
Hashabiah, leader of the Hilkiah clan;
Nethanel, leader of the Jedaiah clan.
22
A genealogical record of the heads of the clans of the priests and Levites was compiled during the reign of King Darius of Persia, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua—all of whom were Levites.
23
In
The Book of the Chronicles
the Levite names were recorded down to the days of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.
24
These were the chiefs of the Levites at that time: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua (son of Kadmiel).
Their fellow clansmen helped them during the ceremonies of praise and thanksgiving, just as commanded by David, the man of God.
25
The gatekeepers who had charge of the collection centers at the gates were: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub.
26
These were the men who were active in the time of Joiakim (son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak), and when I was the governor, and when Ezra was the priest and teacher of religion.
So, dear friends, carefully avoid idol worship of every kind.
15
You are intelligent people. Look now and see for yourselves whether what I am about to say is true.
16
When we ask the Lord’s blessing upon our drinking from the cup of wine at the Lord’s Table, this means, doesn’t it, that all who drink it are sharing together the blessing of Christ’s blood? And when we break off pieces of the bread from the loaf to eat there together, this shows that we are sharing together in the benefits of his body.
17
No matter how many of us there are, we all eat from the same loaf, showing that we are all parts of the one body of Christ.
18
And the Jewish people, all who eat the sacrifices, are united by that act.
19
What am I trying to say? Am I saying that the idols to whom the heathen bring sacrifices are really alive and are real gods, and that these sacrifices are of some value? No, not at all.
20
What I am saying is that those who offer food to these idols are united together in sacrificing to demons, certainly not to God. And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons when you eat the same food, along with the heathen, that has been offered to these idols.
21
You cannot drink from the cup at the Lord’s Table and at Satan’s table, too. You cannot eat bread both at the Lord’s Table and at Satan’s table.
22
What? Are you tempting the Lord to be angry with you? Are you stronger than he is?
23
You are certainly free to eat food offered to idols if you want to; it’s not against God’s laws to eat such meat, but that doesn’t mean that you should go ahead and do it. It may be perfectly legal, but it may not be best and helpful.
24
Don’t think only of yourself. Try to think of the other fellow, too, and what is best for him.
25
Here’s what you should do. Take any meat you want that is sold at the market. Don’t ask whether or not it was offered to idols, lest the answer hurt your conscience.
26
For the earth and every good thing in it belongs to the Lord and is yours to enjoy.
27
If someone who isn’t a Christian asks you out to dinner, go ahead; accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is on the table and don’t ask any questions about it. Then you won’t know whether or not it has been used as a sacrifice to idols, and you won’t risk having a bad conscience over eating it.
28
But if someone warns you that this meat has been offered to idols, then don’t eat it for the sake of the man who told you, and of his conscience.
29
In this case
his
feeling about it is the important thing, not yours.
But why, you may ask, must I be guided and limited by what someone else thinks?
30
If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why let someone spoil everything just because he thinks I am wrong?
31
Well, I’ll tell you why. It is because you must do everything for the glory of God, even your eating and drinking.
32
So don’t be a stumbling block to anyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles or Christians.
33
That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me but what is best for them, so that they may be saved.
Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the importance of trusting and fearing the Lord.
12
Do you want a long, good life?
13
Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying.
14
Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone; work hard at it.
15
For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him.
16
But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth.
17
Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles.
18
The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.
19
The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one.
20
Not one of his bones is broken.
21
Calamity will surely overtake the wicked; heavy penalties are meted out to those who hate the good.
22
But as for those who serve the Lord, he will redeem them; everyone who takes refuge in him will be freely pardoned.
An angry man is silenced by giving him a gift!
15
A good man loves justice, but it is a calamity to evildoers.
16
The man who strays away from common sense will end up dead!
August 17During the dedication of the new Jerusalem wall, all the Levites throughout the land came to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies and to take part in the joyous occasion with their thanksgiving, cymbals, psaltries, and harps.
28
The choir members also came to Jerusalem from the surrounding villages and from the villages of the Netophathites;
29
they also came from Beth-gilgal and the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own villages as suburbs of Jerusalem.
30
The priests and Levites first dedicated themselves, then the people, the gates, and the wall.
31-32
I led the Judean leaders to the top of the wall and divided them into two long lines to walk in opposite directions along the top of the wall, giving thanks as they went. The group which went to the right toward the Dung Gate consisted of half of the leaders of Judah,
33
including Hoshaiah, Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
34
Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.
35-36
The priests who played the trumpets were Zechariah (son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph), Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. (They used the original musical instruments of King David.) Ezra the priest led this procession.
37
When they arrived at the Fountain Gate they went straight ahead and climbed the stairs that go up beside the castle to the old City of David; then they went to the Water Gate on the east.
38
The other group, of which I was a member, went around the other way to meet them. We walked from the Tower of Furnaces to the Broad Wall,
39
then from the Ephraim Gate to the Old Gate, passed the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and went on to the gate of the Tower of the Hundred; then we continued on to the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Prison Gate.
40-41
Both choirs then proceeded to the Temple. Those with me were joined by the trumpet-playing priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah,
42
and by the singers—Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer.
They sang loudly and clearly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choirmaster.
43
Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given us cause for great joy. The women and children rejoiced, too, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem was heard far away!
44
On that day men were appointed to be in charge of the treasuries, the wave offerings, the tithes, and first-of-the-harvest offerings, and to collect these from the farms as decreed by the laws of Moses. These offerings were assigned to the priests and Levites, for the people of Judah appreciated the priests and Levites and their ministry.
45
They also appreciated the work of the singers and gatekeepers, who assisted them in worshiping God and performing the purification ceremonies as required by the laws of David and his son Solomon.
46
(It was in the days of David and Asaph that the custom began of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanks to God.)
47
So now, in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, the people brought a daily supply of food for the members of the choir, the gatekeepers, and the Levites. The Levites, in turn, gave a portion of what they received to the priests.
*
13:
1
On that same day, as the laws of Moses were being read, the people found a statement which said that the Ammonites and Moabites should never be permitted to worship at the Temple.
*
2
For they had not been friendly to the people of Israel. Instead, they had hired Balaam to curse them—although God turned the curse into a blessing.
3
When this rule was read, all the foreigners were immediately expelled from the assembly.
4
Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as custodian of the Temple storerooms and who was also a good friend of Tobiah,
5
had converted a storage room into a beautiful guest room for Tobiah. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, frankincense, bowls, and tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil. Moses had decreed that these offerings belonged to the priests, Levites, the members of the choir, and the gatekeepers.
6
I was not in Jerusalem at the time, for I had returned to Babylon in the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes (though I later received his permission to go back again to Jerusalem).
7
When I arrived back in Jerusalem and learned of this evil deed of Eliashib—that he had prepared a guest room in the Temple for Tobiah—
8
I was very upset and threw out all of his belongings from the room.
9
Then I demanded that the room be thoroughly cleaned, and I brought back the Temple bowls, the grain offerings, and frankincense.
10
I also learned that the Levites had not been given what was due them, so they and the choir singers who were supposed to conduct the worship services had returned to their farms.
11
I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, “Why has the Temple been forsaken?” 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 treasury.
13
I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah the Levite in charge of the administration of the storehouses; and I appointed Hanan (son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah) as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and their job was to make an honest distribution to their fellow Levites.
14
O my God, remember this good deed and do not forget all that I have done for the Temple.
15
One day I was on a farm and saw some men treading winepresses on the Sabbath, hauling in sheaves, and loading their donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce, which they took that day into Jerusalem. So I opposed them publicly.
16
There were also some men from Tyre bringing in fish and all sorts of wares and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Jerusalem.
17
Then I asked the leaders of Judah, “Why are you profaning the Sabbath?
18
Wasn’t it enough that your fathers did this sort of thing and brought the present evil days upon us and upon our city? And now you are bringing more wrath upon the people of Israel by permitting the Sabbath to be desecrated in this way.”
19
So from then on I commanded that the gates of the city be shut as darkness fell on Friday evenings and not be opened until the Sabbath had ended; and I sent some of my servants to guard the gates so that no merchandise could be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20
The merchants and tradesmen 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 sanctity of the Sabbath. Remember this good deed, O my God! Have compassion upon me in accordance with your great goodness.
23
About the same time I realized that some of the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab,
24
and that many of their children spoke in the language of Ashdod and couldn’t speak the language of Judah at all.
25
So I confronted these parents and cursed them and punched a few of them and knocked them around and pulled out their hair; and they vowed before God that they would not let their children intermarry with non-Jews.
26
“Wasn’t this exactly King Solomon’s problem?” I demanded. “There was no king who could compare with him, and God loved him and made him the king over all Israel; but even so he was led into idolatry by foreign women.
27
Do you think that we will let you get away with this sinful deed?”
28
One of the sons of Jehoiada (the son of Eliashib the High Priest) was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I chased him out of the Temple.
29
Remember them, O my God, for they have defiled the priesthood and the promises and vows of the priests and Levites.
30
So I purged out the foreigners and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.
31
They supplied wood for the altar at the proper times and cared for the sacrifices and the first offerings of every harvest. Remember me, my God, with your kindness.
And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.
2
I am so glad, dear brothers, that you have been remembering and doing everything I taught you.
3
But there is one matter I want to remind you about: that a wife is responsible to her husband, her husband is responsible to Christ, and Christ is responsible to God.
4
That is why, if a man refuses to remove his hat while praying or preaching, he dishonors Christ.
5
And that is why a woman who publicly prays or prophesies without a covering on her head dishonors her husband, for her covering is a sign of her subjection to him.
*
6
Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, then she should cut off all her hair. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her head shaved, then she should wear a covering.
7
But a man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for his hat is a sign of subjection to men.
*
God’s glory is man made in his image, and man’s glory is the woman.
8
The first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came out of man.
*
9
And Adam, the first man, was not made for Eve’s benefit, but Eve was made for Adam.
10
So a woman should wear a covering on her head as a sign that she is under man’s authority,
*
a fact for all the angels to notice and rejoice in.
11
But remember that in God’s plan men and women need each other.
12
For although the first woman came out of man, all men have been born from women ever since, and both men and women come from God their Creator.
13
What do you yourselves really think about this? Is it right for a woman to pray in public without covering her head?
14-15
Doesn’t even instinct itself teach us that women’s heads should be covered? For women are proud of their long hair, while a man with long hair tends to be ashamed.
16
But if anyone wants to argue about this, all I can say is that we never teach anything else than this—that a woman should wear a covering when prophesying or praying publicly in the church, and all the churches feel the same way about it.
O Lord, fight those fighting me; declare war on them for their attacks on me.
2
Put on your armor, take your shield and protect me by standing in front.
3
Lift your spear in my defense, for my pursuers are getting very close. Let me hear you say that you will save me from them.
4
Dishonor those who are trying to kill me. Turn them back and confuse them.
5
Blow them away like chaff in the wind—wind sent by the Angel of the Lord.
6
Make their path dark and slippery before them, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7
For though I did them no wrong, yet they laid a trap for me and dug a pitfall in my path.
8
Let them be overtaken by sudden ruin, caught in their own net and destroyed.
9
But I will rejoice in the Lord. He shall rescue me!
10
From the bottom of my heart praise rises to him. Where is his equal in all of heaven and earth? Who else protects the weak and helpless from the strong, and the poor and needy from those who would rob them?
11
These evil men swear to a lie. They accuse me of things I have never even heard about.
12
I do them good, but they return me harm. I am sinking down to death.
13
When they were ill, I mourned before the Lord in sackcloth, asking him to make them well; I refused to eat; I prayed for them with utmost earnestness, but God did not listen.
14
I went about sadly as though it were my mother, friend, or brother who was sick and nearing death.
15
But now that I am in trouble they are glad; they come together in meetings filled with slander against me—I didn’t even know some of those who were there.
16
For they gather with the worthless fellows of the town and spend their time cursing me.