The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 276

10:24. And of the singing men, Elisiab: and of the porters, Sellum, and Telem, and Uri.

10:25. And of Israel, of the sons of Pharos, Remeia, and Jezia, and Melchia, and Miamin, and Eliezer, and Melchia, and Banea.

10:26. And of the sons of Elam, Mathania, Zacharias, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jerimoth, and Elia.

10:27. And of the sons of Zethua, Elioenai, Eliasib, Mathania, Jerimuth, and Zabad, and Aziaza.

10:28. And of the sons of Babai, Johanan, Hanania, Zabbai, Athalai:

10:29. And of the sons of Bani, Mosollam, and Melluch, and Adaia, Jasub, and Saal, and Ramoth.

10:30. And of the sons of Phahath, Moab, Edna, and Chalal, Banaias, and Maasias, Mathanias, Beseleel, Bennui, and Mana.s.se.

10:31. And of the sons of Herem, Eliezer, Josue, Melchias, Semeias, Simeon,

10:32. Benjamin, Maloch, Samarias.

10:33. And of the sons of Hasom, Mathanai, Mathatha, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jermai, Mana.s.se, Semei.

10:34. Of the sons of Bani, Maaddi, Amram, and Uel,

10:35. Baneas, and Badaias, Cheliau,

10:36. Vania, Marimuth, and Eliasib,

10:37. Mathanias, Mathania, and Jasi,

10:38. And Bani, and Bennui, Semei,

10:39. And Salmias, and Nathan, and Adaias,

10:40. And Mechnedebai, Sisai, Sarai,

10:41. Ezrel, and Selemiau, Semeria,

10:42. Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

10:43. Of the sons of Nebo, Jehiel, Mathathias, Zabad, Zabina, Jeddu, and Joel, and Banaia.

10:44. All these had taken strange wives, and there were among them women that had borne children.

THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAS, WHICH IS CALLED THE SECOND OF ESDRAS

This Book takes its name from the writer, who was cupbearer to Artaxerxes (surnamed Longima.n.u.s) king of Persia, and was sent by him with a commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. It is also called the second book of Esdras; because it is a continuation of the history, begun by Esdras, of the state of the people of G.o.d after their return from captivity.

2 Esdras Chapter 1

Nehemias hearing the miserable state of his countrymen in Judea, lamenteth, fasteth, and prayeth to G.o.d for their relief.

1:1. The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias. And it came to pa.s.s in the month of Casleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in the castle of Susa,

1:2. That Hanani one of my brethren came, he and some men of Juda; and I asked them concerning the Jews, that remained and were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

1:3. And they said to me: They that have remained, and are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction, and reproach: and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.

1:4. And when I had heard these words, I sat down, and wept, and mourned for many days: and I fasted, and prayed before the face of the G.o.d of heaven.

1:5. And I said: I beseech thee, O Lord G.o.d of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keepest covenant and mercy with those that love thee, and keep thy commandments:

1:6. Let thy ears be attentive, and thy eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, night and day, for the children of Israel thy servants: and I confess the sins of the children of Israel, by which they have sinned against thee: I and my father's house have sinned.

1:7. We have been seduced by vanity, and have not kept thy commandments, and ceremonies and judgments, which thou hast commanded thy servant Moses.

1:8. Remember the word that thou commandedst to Moses thy servant, saying: If you shall transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

1:9. But if you return to me, and keep my commandments, and do them, though you should be led away to the uttermost parts of the world, I will gather you from thence, and bring you back to the place which I have chosen for my name to dwell there.

1:10. And these are thy servants, and thy people: whom thou hast redeemed by thy great strength, and by thy mighty hand.

1:11. I beseech thee, O Lord, let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy name: and direct thy servant this day, and give him mercy before this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

2 Esdras Chapter 2

Nehemias with commission from king Artaxerxes cometh to Jerusalem: and exhorteth the Jews to rebuild the walls.

2:1. And it came to pa.s.s in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king: that wine was before him, and I took up the wine, and gave it to the king: and I was as one languis.h.i.+ng away before his face.

2:2. And the king said to me: Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou dost not appear to be sick? this is not without cause, but some evil, I know not what, is in thy heart. And I was seized with an exceeding great fear:

2:3. And I said to the king: O king, live for ever: why should not my countenance be sorrowful, seeing the city of the place of the sepulchres of my fathers is desolate, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire?

2:4. Then the king said to me: For what dost thou make request? And I prayed to the G.o.d of heaven,

2:5. And I said to the king: If it seem good to the king, and if thy servant hath found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldst send me into Judea to the city of the sepulchre of my father, and I will build it.

2:6. And the king said to me, and the queen that sat by him: For how long shall thy journey be, and when wilt thou return? And it pleased the king, and he sent me: and I fixed him a time.

2:7. And I said to the king: If it seem good to the king, let him give me letters to the governors of the country beyond the river, that they convey me over, till I come into Judea:

2:8. And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, to give me timber that I may cover the gates of the tower of the house, and the walls of the city, and the house that I shall enter into. And the king gave me according to the good hand of my G.o.d with me.

2:9. And I came to the governors of the country beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. And the king had sent with me captains of soldiers, and hors.e.m.e.n.