From: "FamilyNet"
Bible Reading for October 11
Nehemiah 4
[1] But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall,
he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. [2] And he
spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these
feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make
an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish
which are burned?
[3] Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they
build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. [4] Hear, O
our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and
give them for a prey in the land of captivity: [5] And cover not their
iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have
provoked thee to anger before the builders. [6] So built we the wall; and all
the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind
to work. [7] But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the
Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of
Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they
were very wroth,
[8] And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem,
and to hinder it.
[9] Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them
day and night, because of them. [10] And Judah said, The strength of the
bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not
able to build the wall. [11] And our adversaries said, They shall not know,
neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause
the work to cease. [12] And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by
them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return
unto us they will be upon you.
[13] Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher
places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their
spears, and their bows.
[14] And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers,
and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord,
which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your
daughters, your wives, and your houses. [15] And it came to pass, when our
enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to
nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
[16] And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants
wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the
shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the
house of Judah.
[17] They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those
that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the
other hand held a weapon.
[18] For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so
builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. [19] And I said unto the
nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great
and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
[20] In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye
thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. [21] So we laboured in the work:
and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars
appeared. [22] Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one
with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard
to us, and labour on the day.
[23] So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard
which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put
them off for washing.
Nehemiah 5
[1] And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their
brethren the Jews.
[2] For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many:
therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. [3] Some also
there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that
we might buy corn, because of the dearth. [4] There were also that said, We
have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and
vineyards. [5] Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children
as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters
to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already:
neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and
vineyards.
[6] And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. [7] Then I
consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto
them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly
against them.
[8] And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the
Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren?
or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing
to answer.
[9] Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear
of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? [10] I
likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and
corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. [11] Restore, I pray you, to
them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their
houses, also the the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine,
and the oil, that ye exact of them. [12] Then said they, We will restore them,
and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called
the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this
promise. [13] Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from
his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be
he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised
the LORD. And the people did according to this promise. [14] Moreover from the
time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the
twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king,
that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the
governor.
[15] But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the
people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver;
yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because
of the fear of God.
[16] Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any
land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. [17] Moreover
there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside
those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
[18] Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep;
also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of
wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the
bondage was heavy upon this people. [19] Think upon me, my God, for good,
according to all that I have done for this people.
Nehemiah 6
[1] Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian,
and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there
was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors
upon the gates;)
[2] That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together
in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me
mischief.
[3] And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that
I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come
down to you?
[4] Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them
after the same manner.
[5] Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with
an open letter in his hand;
[6] Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith
it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the
wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. [7] And thou
hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is
a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these
words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
[8] Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou
sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. [9] For they all made
us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not
done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. [10] Afterward I came unto
the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut
up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple,
and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea,
in the night will they come to slay thee.
[11] And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as
I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. [12] And,
lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this
prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. [13] Therefore
was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might
have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
[14] My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their
works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would
have put me in fear.
[15] So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul,
in fifty and two days.
[16] And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the
heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their
own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. [17]
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and
the letters of Tobiah came unto them. [18] For there were many in Judah sworn
unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his
son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. [19]
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And
Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
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