The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 284

12:19. Of Joiarib, Mathanai: of Jodaia, Azzi:

12:20. Of Sellai, Celai: of Amoc, Heber:

12:21. Of Helcias, Hasebia: of Idaia, Nathanael.

12:22. The Levites the chiefs of the families in the days of Eliasib, and Joiada, and Johanan, and Jeddoa, were recorded, and the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian.

12:23. The sons of Levi, heads of the families were written in the book of Chronicles, even unto the days of Jonathan the son of Eliasib.

12:24. Now the chief of the Levites were Hasebia, Serebia, and Josue the son of Cedmihel: and their brethren by their courses, to praise and to give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of G.o.d, and to wait equally in order.

12:25. Mathania, and Becbecia, Obedia, and Mosollam, Telmon, Accub, were keepers of the gates and of the entrances before the gates.

12:26. These were in the days of Joacim the son of Josue, the son of Josedec, and in the days of Nehemias the governor, and of Esdras the priest and scribe.

12:27. And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, and to keep the dedication, and to rejoice with thanksgiving, and with singing, and with cymbals, and psalteries and harps.

12:28. And the sons of the singing men were gathered together out of the plain country about Jerusalem, and out of the villages of Nethuphati,

12:29. And from the house of Galgal, and from the countries of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singing men had built themselves villages round about Jerusalem.

12:30. And the priests and the Levites were purified, and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

12:31. And I made the princes of Juda go up upon the wall, and I appointed two great choirs to give praise. And they went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate.

12:32. And after them went Osaias, and half of the princes of Juda,

12:33. And Azarias, Esdras, and Mosollam, Judas, and Benjamin, and Semeia, and Jeremias.

12:34. And of the sons of the priests with trumpets, Zacharias the son of Jonathan, the son of Semeia, the son of Mathania, the son of Michaia, the son of Zechur, the son of Asaph,

12:35. And his brethren Semeia, and Azareel, Malalai, Galalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Judas, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of G.o.d: and Esdras the scribe before them at the fountain gate.

12:36. And they went up over against them by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall of the house of David, and to the water gate eastward:

12:37. And the second choir of them that gave thanks went on the opposite side, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, and upon the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall,

12:38. And above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Emath, and even to the flock gate: and they stood still in the watch gate.

12:39. And the two choirs of them that gave praise stood still at the house of G.o.d, and I and the half of the magistrates with me.

12:40. And the priests, Eliachim, Maasia, Miamin, Michea, Elioenai, Zacharia, Hanania with trumpets,

12:41. And Maasia, and Semeia, and Eleazar, and Azzi, and Johanan, and Melchia, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sung loud, and Jezraia was their overseer:

12:42. And they sacrificed on that day great sacrifices, and they rejoiced: for G.o.d had made them joyful with great joy: their wives also and their children rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

12:43. They appointed also in that day men over the storehouses of the treasure, for the libations, and for the firstfruits, and for the t.i.thes, that the rulers of the city might bring them in by them in honour of thanksgiving, for the priests and Levites: for Juda was joyful in the priests and Levites that a.s.sisted.

12:44. And they kept the watch of their G.o.d, and the observance of expiation, and the singing men, and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

12:45. For in the days of David and Asaph from the beginning there were chief singers appointed, to praise with canticles, and give thanks to G.o.d.

12:46. And all Israel, in the days of Zorobabel, and in the days of Nehemias gave portions to the singing men, and to the porters, day by day, and they sanctified the Levites, and the Levites sanctified the sons of Aaron.

Sanctified... That is, they gave them that which by the law was set aside, and sanctified for their use.

2 Esdras Chapter 13

Divers abuses are reformed.

13:1. And on that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people: and therein was found written, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not come in to the church of G.o.d for ever:

13:2. Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hired against them Balaam, to curse them, and our G.o.d turned the curse into blessing.

13:3. And it came to pa.s.s, when they had heard the law, that they separated every stranger from Israel.

13:4. And over this thing was Eliasib the priest, who was set over the treasury of the house of our G.o.d, and was near akin to Tobias.

Over this thing, etc... Or, he was faulty in this thing, or in this kind.

13:5. And he made him a great storeroom, where before him they laid up gifts, and frankincense, and vessels, and the t.i.thes of the corn, of the wine, and of the oil, the portions of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and the firstfruits of the priests.

13:6. But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem, because in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I went to the king, and after certain days I asked the king:

13:7. And I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the evil that Eliasib had done for Tobias, to make him a storehouse in the courts of the house of G.o.d.

13:8. And it seemed to me exceeding evil. And I cast forth the vessels of the house of Tobias out of the storehouse.

13:9. And I commanded and they cleansed again the vessels of the house of G.o.d, the sacrifice, and the frankincense.

13:10. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: and that the Levites, and the singing men, and they that ministered were fled away every man to his own country:

13:11. And I pleaded the matter against the magistrates, and said: Why have we forsaken the house of G.o.d? And I gathered them together, and I made them to stand in their places.

13:12. And all Juda brought the t.i.the of the corn, and the wine, and the oil into the storehouses.

13:13. And we set over the storehouses Selemias the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and of the Levites Phadaia, and next to them Hanan the son of Zachur, the son of Mathania: for they were approved as faithful, and to them were committed the portions of their brethren.

13:14. Remember me, O my G.o.d, for this thing, and wipe not out my kindnesses, which I have done relating to the house of my G.o.d and his ceremonies.

13:15. In those days I saw in Juda some treading the presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and lading a.s.ses with wine, and grapes, and figs, and all manner of burthens, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. And I charged them that they should sell on a day on which it was lawful to sell.

13:16. Some Tyrians also dwelt there, who brought fish, and all manner of wares: and they sold them on the sabbaths to the children of Juda in Jerusalem.

13:17. And I rebuked the chief men of Juda, and said to them: What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day:

13:18. Did not our fathers do these things, and our G.o.d brought all this evil upon us, and upon this city? And you bring more wrath upon Israel by violating the sabbath.