WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.030 --> 00:00:02.910 Emily: Welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.010 --> 00:00:04.590 Day 300 and 52. 00:00:04.942 --> 00:00:08.122 So I arrived in Jerusalem three days later. 00:00:08.242 --> 00:00:11.812 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. 00:00:12.682 --> 00:00:16.702 I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. 00:00:17.422 --> 00:00:22.612 We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding after dark. 00:00:22.612 --> 00:00:26.422 I went out through the valley gate, past the jackal's well, and 00:00:26.422 --> 00:00:30.202 over to the dung gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. 00:00:31.192 --> 00:00:35.092 Then I went to the fountain gate and to the King's pool, but my donkey 00:00:35.092 --> 00:00:39.532 couldn't get through the rubble, so though it was still dark, I went up 00:00:39.532 --> 00:00:44.032 the Kidron Valley instead inspecting the wall before I turned back and 00:00:44.037 --> 00:00:45.472 entered again at the valley gate. 00:00:46.342 --> 00:00:49.252 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I 00:00:49.282 --> 00:00:53.842 was doing for, I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. 00:00:54.322 --> 00:00:56.452 I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders. 00:00:56.812 --> 00:01:01.582 The priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. 00:01:02.632 --> 00:01:06.562 But now I said to them, you know very well what trouble we are in 00:01:07.012 --> 00:01:11.092 Jerusalem, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. 00:01:11.992 --> 00:01:15.952 Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace. 00:01:16.912 --> 00:01:20.662 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me and 00:01:20.662 --> 00:01:22.492 about my conversation with the king. 00:01:23.257 --> 00:01:26.947 They replied at once, yes, let's rebuild the wall. 00:01:27.607 --> 00:01:29.227 So they began the good work. 00:01:30.607 --> 00:01:37.597 But when San Ballad, Tobiah and Geshem, the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed, 00:01:37.602 --> 00:01:40.267 contemptuously, what are you doing? 00:01:40.687 --> 00:01:42.397 Are you rebelling against the king? 00:01:42.517 --> 00:01:47.107 They asked, I replied, the god of heaven will help us succeed. 00:01:47.527 --> 00:01:50.497 We, his servants will start rebuilding this wall. 00:01:51.232 --> 00:01:55.702 But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem. 00:01:57.652 --> 00:02:01.432 Then Eliashib, the high priest and the other priests started 00:02:01.432 --> 00:02:03.022 to rebuild at the sheep gate. 00:02:03.742 --> 00:02:08.482 They dedicated it and set up its doors building the wall as far as the tower 00:02:08.487 --> 00:02:14.002 of the hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hanal people from the 00:02:14.002 --> 00:02:18.832 town of Jericho worked next to them and beyond them was Zacker son of Ri. 00:02:20.302 --> 00:02:22.732 The fish gate was built by the sons of Hasan. 00:02:23.722 --> 00:02:28.252 They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 00:02:29.392 --> 00:02:34.102 Mammoth son of Uriah and grandson of Haass repaired The next section of 00:02:34.102 --> 00:02:40.012 Wall beside him were Ma Shula, son of Baraka and grandson of Jezebel, 00:02:40.522 --> 00:02:42.592 and then Za Doc, son of Bayona. 00:02:43.432 --> 00:02:47.602 Next were the people from Tcoa, though their leaders refused to work 00:02:47.602 --> 00:02:49.222 with the construction supervisors. 00:02:50.092 --> 00:02:56.752 The old city gate was repaired by Jota son of Pasilla and Ma Shula son of Baadilla. 00:02:57.502 --> 00:03:02.122 They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 00:03:02.872 --> 00:03:08.782 Next to them were Mela from Gibeon, Jaydon from Mironov, people from 00:03:08.782 --> 00:03:10.792 Gibeon, and people from mpa. 00:03:11.392 --> 00:03:14.902 The headquarters of the governor of the province, west of the Euphrates River. 00:03:15.892 --> 00:03:21.982 Next was Zeel son of Jia, a Goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. 00:03:22.762 --> 00:03:26.692 Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. 00:03:27.562 --> 00:03:33.262 They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the broad wall Rapa. 00:03:33.322 --> 00:03:36.772 Son of her, the leader of half the district of Jerusalem, 00:03:37.042 --> 00:03:38.512 was next to them on the wall. 00:03:39.247 --> 00:03:45.427 Next Judea son of Haru math repaired the wall across from his own house and next 00:03:45.427 --> 00:03:48.097 to him was Haddish, son of Hasib Nia. 00:03:49.237 --> 00:03:54.637 Then came Mal Caja, son of Harem and Hasib, son of payoff, Moab, 00:03:54.967 --> 00:03:58.717 who repaired another section of the wall and the tower of the ovens. 00:03:59.587 --> 00:04:03.217 Shalom, son of Haloes and his daughters repaired. 00:04:03.217 --> 00:04:04.117 The next section. 00:04:04.897 --> 00:04:07.957 He was the leader of the other half of the district of Jerusalem. 00:04:08.812 --> 00:04:12.922 The Valley gate was repaired by the people from Anoa, led by Hanan. 00:04:13.582 --> 00:04:16.672 They set up its doors and installed its bolts and bars. 00:04:17.332 --> 00:04:21.442 They also repaired the 1,500 feet of wall to the dung gate. 00:04:22.342 --> 00:04:26.872 The dung gate was repaired by Mal Caja son of rehab, the leader 00:04:26.872 --> 00:04:28.492 of the Beth Hacker District. 00:04:29.092 --> 00:04:33.592 He rebuilt it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 00:04:35.167 --> 00:04:39.157 The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shalom son of Khoza, the 00:04:39.157 --> 00:04:40.597 leader of the MPA district. 00:04:41.437 --> 00:04:46.807 He rebuilt it, roofed it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 00:04:47.527 --> 00:04:51.337 Then he repaired the wall of the pool of Siloam near the King's 00:04:51.337 --> 00:04:53.617 garden, and he rebuilt the wall. 00:04:53.617 --> 00:04:56.527 As far as the stairs that descend from the city of David. 00:04:57.667 --> 00:05:03.157 Next to him was Nehemiah, son of Asbu, the leader of half the district of Beth Zu. 00:05:04.072 --> 00:05:08.542 He rebuilt the wall from a place across from the tombs of David's family as 00:05:08.542 --> 00:05:13.282 far as the water reservoir and the house of the Warriors next to him. 00:05:13.462 --> 00:05:16.372 Repairs were made by a group of Levites working under the 00:05:16.372 --> 00:05:18.742 supervision of Reim, son of be Nai. 00:05:19.492 --> 00:05:23.992 Then came has Shabiah the leader of half the district of Keah, who 00:05:23.992 --> 00:05:27.352 supervised the building of the wall on behalf of his own district. 00:05:28.162 --> 00:05:33.082 Next down the line were his countrymen led by Bin Uai, son of Heida. 00:05:33.742 --> 00:05:38.782 The leader of the other half of the district of Keah next to them, zer, 00:05:38.932 --> 00:05:43.672 son of Jesu, the leader of mpa, repaired another section of Wall 00:05:43.912 --> 00:05:45.982 across from the ascent to the armory. 00:05:46.132 --> 00:05:51.502 Near the angle in the wall next to him was Baric son of Zabe ai, who 00:05:51.502 --> 00:05:56.092 zealously repaired an additional section from the angle to the door of the 00:05:56.092 --> 00:05:58.282 house of Elia Sheib, the high priest. 00:05:59.242 --> 00:06:04.492 Marath son of Uriah and grandson of Haas rebuilt another section of 00:06:04.492 --> 00:06:08.902 the wall extending from the door of Eliashib's house to the end of the house. 00:06:09.802 --> 00:06:13.282 The next repairs were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 00:06:14.092 --> 00:06:18.472 After them, Benjamin and Hasib repaired this section across from 00:06:18.472 --> 00:06:24.502 their house and Azariah, son of Maia and grandson of Anaya repaired 00:06:24.532 --> 00:06:26.092 the section across from his house. 00:06:27.202 --> 00:06:32.992 Next was Bin ui, son of Heida who rebuilt another section of the wall from Azaria's 00:06:32.992 --> 00:06:35.062 house to the angle and the corner. 00:06:36.082 --> 00:06:42.442 Pallo son of Uai carried on the work from a point opposite the angle and the tower 00:06:42.742 --> 00:06:46.432 that projects up from the king's upper house beside the court of the guard. 00:06:47.512 --> 00:06:52.042 Next to him were pad son of pash with the temple servants 00:06:52.042 --> 00:06:53.572 living on the hill of Oell. 00:06:54.007 --> 00:06:58.177 Who repaired the wall as far as a point across from the Watergate to the 00:06:58.177 --> 00:07:03.907 east, and the projecting tower then came the people of Tcoa who repaired 00:07:03.907 --> 00:07:08.107 another section across from the great projecting tower and over to the 00:07:08.107 --> 00:07:11.317 wall of Oell above the horse gate. 00:07:11.707 --> 00:07:15.457 The priests repaired the wall, each one repaired the section 00:07:15.457 --> 00:07:17.497 immediately across from his own house. 00:07:18.202 --> 00:07:23.992 Next Zadok son of Emmer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house and 00:07:23.992 --> 00:07:31.402 beyond him was Shamaya son of Aya, the gatekeeper of the East Gate Next Aya son 00:07:31.402 --> 00:07:38.322 of she, Maya and Hanan, the sixth son of Zaef, repaired another section while Ms. 00:07:38.902 --> 00:07:42.472 Son of Bar Kaya rebuilt the wall across from where he lived. 00:07:43.372 --> 00:07:47.782 Mal Caja, one of the goldsmiths repaired the wall as far as the housing for 00:07:47.782 --> 00:07:51.682 the temple servants and merchants across from the inspection gate. 00:07:52.642 --> 00:07:56.962 Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner, the other 00:07:56.962 --> 00:08:01.402 goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the sheep gate. 00:08:03.292 --> 00:08:07.372 Sand Ballad was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. 00:08:07.732 --> 00:08:10.672 He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews. 00:08:11.062 --> 00:08:14.902 Saying in front of his friends and the Sumerian army officers. 00:08:15.502 --> 00:08:18.832 What does this bunch of poor feeble Jews think they're doing? 00:08:19.222 --> 00:08:22.552 Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by 00:08:22.552 --> 00:08:24.652 just offering a few sacrifices? 00:08:25.162 --> 00:08:29.122 Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish 00:08:29.122 --> 00:08:32.992 heap and charred ones at that Tobiah? 00:08:32.992 --> 00:08:38.002 The ammonite who was standing beside him remarked that Stonewall would collapse 00:08:38.002 --> 00:08:40.282 if even a fox walked along the top of it. 00:08:41.302 --> 00:08:42.202 Then I prayed. 00:08:42.712 --> 00:08:45.832 Hear us are God, for we are being mocked. 00:08:46.642 --> 00:08:50.782 May their scoffing fall back on their own heads and may they themselves 00:08:50.782 --> 00:08:52.792 become captives in a foreign land. 00:08:53.632 --> 00:08:55.132 Do not ignore their guilt. 00:08:55.552 --> 00:08:59.842 Do not blot out their sins for they have provoked you to anger, 00:08:59.992 --> 00:09:01.492 hear in front of the builders. 00:09:02.482 --> 00:09:07.462 At last, the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city for 00:09:07.462 --> 00:09:09.352 the people had worked with enthusiasm. 00:09:10.147 --> 00:09:15.217 But when San Ballad and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites and Ashtons heard 00:09:15.217 --> 00:09:19.207 that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were 00:09:19.212 --> 00:09:21.367 being repaired, they were furious. 00:09:22.117 --> 00:09:25.597 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw 00:09:25.602 --> 00:09:30.787 us into confusion, but we prayed to our God and guarded the city 00:09:30.787 --> 00:09:32.827 day and night to protect ourselves. 00:09:33.697 --> 00:09:35.857 Then the people of Judah began to complain. 00:09:36.652 --> 00:09:40.642 The workers are getting tired and there is so much rubble to be moved. 00:09:41.212 --> 00:09:43.912 We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves. 00:09:45.322 --> 00:09:49.342 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying before they know what's happening, 00:09:49.582 --> 00:09:53.212 we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work. 00:09:54.472 --> 00:09:59.122 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, they will 00:09:59.122 --> 00:10:01.132 come from all directions and attack us. 00:10:01.882 --> 00:10:06.592 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. 00:10:07.282 --> 00:10:10.642 I stationed the people to stand guard by families armed 00:10:10.642 --> 00:10:13.012 with swords, spears, and bows. 00:10:14.302 --> 00:10:18.352 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and 00:10:18.352 --> 00:10:22.462 the rest of the people and said to them, don't be afraid of the enemy. 00:10:23.062 --> 00:10:26.422 Remember the Lord who is great and glorious. 00:10:27.037 --> 00:10:30.577 And fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, 00:10:30.847 --> 00:10:32.977 your wives, and your homes. 00:10:34.177 --> 00:10:37.387 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that 00:10:37.387 --> 00:10:41.377 God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 00:10:42.247 --> 00:10:45.217 But from then on, only half my men worked. 00:10:45.667 --> 00:10:50.257 While the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and 00:10:50.257 --> 00:10:54.577 coats of mail, the leaders stationed themselves behind the people of 00:10:54.577 --> 00:10:56.347 Judah who were building the wall. 00:10:57.052 --> 00:11:00.592 The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their 00:11:00.592 --> 00:11:03.292 load and one hand holding a weapon. 00:11:04.222 --> 00:11:07.042 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. 00:11:07.912 --> 00:11:10.612 The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm. 00:11:11.662 --> 00:11:16.192 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, the work 00:11:16.192 --> 00:11:20.992 is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 00:11:21.652 --> 00:11:25.612 When you hear the blast of the trumpet rush to wherever it is sounding. 00:11:26.017 --> 00:11:27.877 Then our God will fight for us. 00:11:28.987 --> 00:11:34.267 We worked early and late from sunrise to sunset, and half 00:11:34.267 --> 00:11:35.947 the men were always on guard. 00:11:36.877 --> 00:11:40.867 I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. 00:11:41.557 --> 00:11:44.587 That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at 00:11:44.587 --> 00:11:46.507 night and work during the day. 00:11:47.557 --> 00:11:52.987 During this time, none of us, not I nor my relatives, nor my servants, 00:11:53.167 --> 00:11:54.787 nor the guards who were with me. 00:11:55.327 --> 00:11:59.407 Ever took off our clothes, we carried our weapons with us at all 00:11:59.407 --> 00:12:02.017 times, even when we went for water. 00:12:03.787 --> 00:12:07.597 About this time, some of the men and their wives raised a cry of 00:12:07.597 --> 00:12:09.547 protest against their fellow Jews. 00:12:10.117 --> 00:12:14.887 They were saying, we have such large families, we need more food to survive. 00:12:16.027 --> 00:12:20.677 Others said, we have mortgaged our fields, vineyards, and homes 00:12:20.677 --> 00:12:22.177 to get food during the famine. 00:12:22.942 --> 00:12:26.422 And others said, we have had to borrow money on our fields 00:12:26.422 --> 00:12:28.132 and vineyards to pay our taxes. 00:12:28.702 --> 00:12:32.212 We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy and our 00:12:32.212 --> 00:12:33.712 children are just like theirs. 00:12:34.372 --> 00:12:38.302 Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. 00:12:38.872 --> 00:12:42.382 We have already sold some of our daughters and we are helpless to do 00:12:42.382 --> 00:12:47.152 anything about it for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others. 00:12:48.352 --> 00:12:50.872 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 00:12:51.472 --> 00:12:55.612 After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. 00:12:56.272 --> 00:13:00.442 I told them, you are hurting your own relatives by charging 00:13:00.442 --> 00:13:02.032 interest when they borrow money. 00:13:02.812 --> 00:13:05.482 Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem. 00:13:06.172 --> 00:13:10.552 At the meeting, I said to them, we are doing all we can to redeem our 00:13:10.552 --> 00:13:14.272 Jewish relatives who have had to sell themselves to pagan foreigners. 00:13:15.082 --> 00:13:17.512 But you are selling them back into slavery again. 00:13:18.142 --> 00:13:19.912 How often must we redeem them? 00:13:20.692 --> 00:13:22.582 And they had nothing to say in their defense. 00:13:23.272 --> 00:13:28.372 Then I pressed further, what you are doing is not right should you not walk 00:13:28.377 --> 00:13:32.812 in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations. 00:13:33.532 --> 00:13:37.672 I, myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending 00:13:37.672 --> 00:13:39.232 the people money and grain. 00:13:40.082 --> 00:13:43.612 But now let us stop this business of charging interest. 00:13:44.272 --> 00:13:48.832 You must restore their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes 00:13:48.832 --> 00:13:53.932 to them this very day and repay the interest you charged when you lent them 00:13:53.932 --> 00:13:56.872 money, grain, new wine, and olive oil. 00:13:57.802 --> 00:14:02.392 They replied, we will give back everything and demand nothing more 00:14:02.392 --> 00:14:04.912 from the people we will do, as you say. 00:14:06.292 --> 00:14:09.772 Then I called the priests and made the nobles and officials swear 00:14:09.772 --> 00:14:11.122 to do what they had promised. 00:14:11.962 --> 00:14:16.192 I shook out the folds of my robe and said, if you fail to keep your 00:14:16.192 --> 00:14:21.472 promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property. 00:14:22.972 --> 00:14:25.912 The whole assembly responded, amen. 00:14:26.662 --> 00:14:32.002 And they praised the Lord and the people did as they had promised for the 00:14:32.002 --> 00:14:37.552 entire 12 years that I was governor of Judah from the 20th year to the 32nd 00:14:37.557 --> 00:14:39.832 year of the Reign of King Arteris. 00:14:40.447 --> 00:14:44.617 Neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. 00:14:45.517 --> 00:14:49.807 The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people 00:14:50.197 --> 00:14:54.937 demanding a daily ration of food and wine besides 40 pieces of silver. 00:14:55.897 --> 00:15:00.127 Even their assistance took advantage of the people, but because I 00:15:00.127 --> 00:15:02.857 feared God, I did not act that way. 00:15:03.787 --> 00:15:08.947 I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. 00:15:09.802 --> 00:15:13.402 And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. 00:15:14.122 --> 00:15:18.832 I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 00:15:18.832 --> 00:15:20.542 Jewish officials at my table. 00:15:20.992 --> 00:15:25.762 Besides all the visitors from other lands, the provisions I paid for each 00:15:25.762 --> 00:15:32.122 day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. 00:15:32.752 --> 00:15:36.922 And every 10 days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. 00:15:37.747 --> 00:15:42.037 Yet I refuse to claim the Governor's food allowance because the people 00:15:42.037 --> 00:15:43.657 already carried a heavy burden. 00:15:44.827 --> 00:15:50.977 Remember, oh my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.