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daily bible reading experience.
day 300 and 54
On October 31st, the people
assembled again, and this time
they fasted and dressed in burlap
and sprinkled dust on their heads.
Those of Israelite descent separated
themselves from all foreigners
as they confessed their own sins
and the sins of their ancestors.
They remained standing in place for three
hours while the book of the law of the
Lord their God was read aloud to them.
Then for three more hours,
They confessed their sins and
worshiped the Lord their God.
The Levites je Bena cael.
She bna shi Bena, and Canna stood on the
stairway of the Levites and cried out
to the Lord their God, with loud voices.
Then the leaders of the Levites.
Je ca
benia, shi ho, aya, and Petha
called out to the people.
Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for
he lives from everlasting to everlasting.
Then they prayed.
May your glorious name be praised.
May it be exalted above
all blessing and praise.
You alone are the Lord.
You made the skies and the heavens
and all the stars you made, the earth
and the seas and everything in them.
You preserve them all and the
angels of heaven worship you.
You are the Lord God who chose Abram
and brought him from Irv of the
Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham.
When he had proved himself faithful,
you made a covenant with him to give
him and his descendants the land of
the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites,
parasites, Jebusites, and Gsites.
And you have done what you promised for.
You are always true to your word.
You saw the misery of our ancestors
in Egypt, and you heard their
cries from beside the Red Sea.
You displayed miraculous signs and wonders
against Pharaoh, his officials, and all
his people for you knew how arrogantly
they were treating our ancestors.
You have a glorious reputation
that has never been forgotten.
You divided the sea for your people
so they could walk through on dry
land and then you hurled their
enemies into the depths of the sea.
They sank like stones
beneath the mighty waters.
You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud
during the day and a pillar of fire at
night so that they could find their way.
You came down at Mount Sinai
and spoke to them from heaven.
You gave them regulations and
instructions that were just, and
decrees and commands that were good.
You instructed them concerning your Holy
Sabbath, and you commanded them through
Moses, your servant, to obey all your
commands, decrees, and instructions.
You gave them bread from heaven when
they were hungry and water from the rock.
When they were thirsty, you commanded
them to go and take possession of
the land you had sworn to give them.
But our ancestors were proud
and stubborn, and they paid
no attention to your commands.
They refused to obey and did not remember
the miracles you had done for them.
Instead, they became stubborn and
appointed a leader to take them
back to their slavery in Egypt.
But you are a God of forgiveness,
gracious and merciful, slow to become
angry and rich in unfailing love.
You did not abandon them even when
they made an idol shaped like a
calf and said, this is your God
who brought you out of Egypt.
They committed terrible blasphemies.
But in your great mercy, you did not
abandon them to die in the wilderness.
The pillar of clouds still led them
forward by day, and the pillar of fire
showed them the way through the night.
You sent your good spirit to instruct
them, and you did not stop giving
them manna from heaven or water
for their thirst for 40 years.
You sustained them in the
wilderness and they lacked nothing.
Their clothes did not wear out,
and their feet did not swell.
Then you helped our ancestors conquer
kingdoms and nations, and you placed
your people in every corner of the land.
They took over the land of
King Shan, of Heshan and the
land of King OG of Bayesian.
You made their descendants as
numerous as the stars in the sky
and brought them into the land you
had promised to their ancestors.
They went in and took
possession of the land.
You subdued whole nations before them.
Even the Canaanites who inhabited
the land were powerless.
Your people could deal with these
nations and their kings as they pleased.
Our ancestors captured fortified
cities and fertile land.
They took over houses full of good
things with cisterns already dug
and vineyards and olive groves
and fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate until they were
full and grew fat and enjoyed
themselves In all your blessings.
But despite all this, they were
disobedient and rebelled against you.
They turned their backs on your law.
They killed your prophets who warned
them to return to you, and they
committed terrible blasphemies.
So you handed them over to their
enemies who made them suffer, but in
their time of trouble, they cried to
you and you heard them from heaven.
In your great mercy, you sent them
liberators who rescued them from
their enemies, but as soon as they
were at peace, your people again
committed evil in your sight.
And once more, you let
their enemies conquer them.
Yet, whenever your people turned and cried
to you again for help, you listened once
more from heaven in your wonderful mercy.
You rescued them.
Many times you warned them
to return to your law.
They became proud and obstinate
and disobeyed your commands.
They did not follow your
regulations by which people will
find life if only they obey.
They stubbornly turned their backs on
you and refused to listen in your love.
You patient with them for many years.
You sent your spirit who warned
them through the prophets, but
still they wouldn't listen.
So once again, you allowed the
peoples of the land to conquer them.
But in your great mercy, you
did not destroy them completely
or abandon them forever.
What a gracious and merciful God you are.
And now our God, the great and
mighty and awesome God who keeps
his covenant of unfailing love.
Do not let all the hardships we have
suffered seem insignificant to you.
Great trouble has come upon us and upon
our kings and leaders, and priests and
prophets and ancestors, all of your
people, from the days when the kings
of Assyria first triumphed over us.
Until now, every time you punished us, you
were being just, we have sinned greatly,
and you gave us only what we deserved.
Our kings leaders, priests and ancestors
did not obey your law or listened to
the warnings in your commands and laws,
even while they had their own kingdom.
They did not serve you though you
showered your goodness on them.
You gave them a large fertile
land, but they refused to
turn from their wickedness.
So now today, we are slaves in
the land of plenty that you gave
our ancestors for their enjoyment.
We are slaves here in this good land.
The lush produce of this land piles up
in the hands of the kings whom you have
set over us because of our sins, they
have power over us and our livestock.
We serve them at their pleasure
and we are in great misery.
The people responded in view of all this,
we are making a solemn promise and putting
it in writing on this sealed document.
Are the names of our leaders
and Levites and priests.
The document was ratified and sealed
with the following names, the Governor,
Nehemiah, son of Aya, and also Zakiah
the following priests, EA Azariah,
Jeremiah Pacher, Amiah, Malka hat.
Aya.
Malik Harem, Meath.
Obadiah, Daniel Guhan, Barrick, me,
Aja Mann, Meza, bill, guy, and Shamaya.
These were the priests.
The following.
Levites Jesu, son of Zania
UA from the family of Heida.
Cael and their fellow Levites,
Shania Hod, Kaita Pal.
Hanan Micah.
Reb Aya, Zach Shiba, Shania Hod Bena
and Benign Yu the following Leaders
Praha Moab.
Elam.
Ztu.
Be Nai.
Bonai as Gad B by Aja, big vii.
Aiden Aor.
Hezekiah Azer.
Hoda Haitham Biza.
Ef.
An neba mag Pash.
Me Heer Jezebel.
Zadok Jaua, AYA.
Hanan, Anaya Ho Hannah Hash.
Hello Piha Show Re, herb
Nan Annan.
Malik and Bayona.
Then the rest of the people.
The priests, Levites, gatekeepers,
singers, temple servants, and
all who had separated themselves
from the pagan people of the land
in order to obey the law of God.
Together with their wives, sons,
daughters, and all who were old and
enough to understand, join their
leaders and bound themselves with an
oath, they swore a curse on themselves
if they failed to obey the law of
God as issued by his servant Moses.
They solemnly promise to carefully
follow all the commands, regulations,
and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
We promise not to let our daughters marry
the pagan people of the land and not
to let our sons marry their daughters.
We also promise that if the people of
the land should bring any merchandise or
grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any
other holy day, we will refuse to buy it.
Every seventh year, we will
let our land rest and we will
cancel all debts owed to us.
In addition, we promise to obey the
command to pay the annual temple tax
of one eighth of an ounce of silver
for the care of the temple of our God.
This will provide for the bread of
the presence for the regular grain
offerings and burnt offerings for the
offerings on the Sabbaths, the new Moon
celebrations and the annual festivals.
For the holy offerings and for the sin
offerings to make atonement for Israel,
it will provide for everything necessary
for the work of the temple of our God.
We have cast sacred lots to determine
when at regular times each year,
the families of the priests, Levites
and the common people should bring
wood to God's temple to be burned
on the altar of the Lord our God.
As is written in the law, we promise to
bring the first part of every harvest
to the Lord's temple year after year.
Whether it be a crop from the soil or from
our fruit trees, we agree to give God our
oldest sons and the firstborn of all our
herds and flocks as prescribed in the law.
We will present them to the priests
who minister in the temple of our God.
We will store the produce in the
store rooms of the temple of our God.
We will bring the best of our flour
and other grain offerings, the best
of our fruit, and the best of our new
wine and olive oil, and we promise
to bring to the Levites a 10th of
everything our land produces for.
It is the Levites who collect the
tithes in all our rural towns.
A priest, a descendant of
Aaron, will be with the Levites
as they receive these tithes.
And a 10th of all that is collected as
tithes will be delivered by the Levites
to the temple of our God and placed
in the store rooms, the people and
the Levites must bring these offerings
of grain, new wine, and olive oil to
the store rooms and place them in the
sacred containers near the ministering
priests, the gatekeepers and the singers.
We promised together not to
neglect the temple of our God.
The leaders of the people were living
in Jerusalem, the holy city, A 10th of
the people from the other towns of Judah
and Benjamin were chosen by sacred lots
to live there too, while the rest stayed
where they were and the people commended.
Everyone who volunteered
to resettle in Jerusalem.
Here is a list of the names
of the provincial officials
who came to live in Jerusalem.
Most of the people, priests, Levites,
temple servants and descendants of
Solomon's servants continued to live
in their own homes in the various
towns of Judah, but some of the people
from Judah and Benjamin resettled in
Jerusalem from the tribe of Judah,
Athea son of Isaiah, son of Zechariah,
son of Amiah, son of chef attire,
son of Maol, of the family of Pez.
Also Maia son of Barrack, son of Cal Hoa,
son of Hosea, son of Aya, son of Joya rib.
Son of Zechariah.
Of the family of Sheila.
There were 468 descendants of
Pez who lived in Jerusalem.
All outstanding men from the tribe
of Benjamin Slu, son of Machu, son
of Jod, son of Padea, son of co.
Son of Maia, son of Eel, son of eaa.
After him were Gabi and Salai
and a total of 928 relatives.
Their chief officer was Joel, son
of Ziri, who was assisted by Judah,
son of Hasa, second in command over
the city from the priests, Judea,
son of Joya, kin and re, son of Aya.
Son of Machu, son of Zadak, son
of Morath, son of a ha tub, the
supervisor of the Temple of God.
Also 822 of their associates
who worked at the Temple.
Also, Adai son of Giam, son of Aya.
Son of Amai.
Son of Zachariah.
Son of Pacher.
Son of Malka, along with 242
of his associates who were
heads of their families.
Also Amash Zai son of ael, son of
Zai, son of ov son of Immer, and
128 of his outstanding associates.
Their chief officer was Zdi, son
of Haga Dole from the Levites.
Shama son of Hasib, son of Asum,
son of Hasha, Baah, son of Bun.
Also Saathi and Zeba who were in charge
of the work outside the Temple of God.
Also, mat Aniah.
Son of Micah.
Son of Zdi, a descendant of ASAP
who led in Thanksgiving and prayer.
Also back Bcha, who was Mat Tanaya's,
assistant and Abda son of Shamu.
Son of Gaal.
Son of Duan.
In all there were 284
Levites in the Holy City.
From the gatekeepers, ACA Talman and 172
of their associates who guarded the gates.
The other priests, Levites, and
the rest of the Israelites lived
wherever their family inheritance was
located in any of the towns of Judah.
The temple servants, however,
whose leaders were Zaha and GPA
all lived on the hill of Oell.
The chief officer of the Levites in
Jerusalem was aai son of be Nai son
of has Shabiah, son of Matia, son of
Micah, a descendant of ASAP whose family
served as singers at God's temple.
Their daily responsibilities
were carried out according to
the terms of a royal command.
Petha.
Hiya son of Jezebel.
A descendant of Zira, son of
Judah was the royal advisor in all
matters of public administration.
As for the surrounding villages
with their open fields, some of the
people of Judah lived in Kiya, Arba
with its settlements, DBAN with its
settlements, and sze with its villages.
They also lived in Jesu,
Moda Beth Peat Hazer.
Schul Beersheba with its settlements,
ziklag, and Maona with its settlements.
They also lived in Enri, Zora,
Jarm, Zano, and Adullam with
their surrounding villages.
They also lived in Lake ish with
its nearby fields and e Zika
with its surrounding villages.
So the people of Judah were living
all the way from Biba in the
south to the valley of Hanham.
Some of the people of Benjamin
lived at Giba Mash, Aja and
Bethel with its settlements.
They also lived in anal knob, Anaya Hazo.
Rama Gida.
Heid Zebo Naba Lad.
Oh no.
And the Valley of Craftsman.
Some of the Levites who lived
in Judah were sent to live
with the tribe of Benjamin.