Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 138
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IMMERSE
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CHRONICLES
6:13–7:8
prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. They
were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would be able
to accuse and discredit me.
Remember, O my God, all the evil things that Tobiah and Sanballat
have done. And remember Noadiah the prophet and all the prophets
like her who have tried to intimidate me.
So on October 2 the wall was fi nished—just fi fty-two days after we had
begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it,
they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been
done with the help of our God.
During those f ifty-two days, many letters went back and forth between
Tobiah and the nobles of Judah. For many in Judah had sworn allegiance
to him because his father-in-law was Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son
Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.
They kept telling me about Tobiah’s good deeds, and then they told him
everything I said. And Tobiah kept sending threatening letters to intimidate me.
After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the
gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah,
the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God
more than most. I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the
hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have
them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as
guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and
some in front of their own homes.”
At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small,
and none of the houses had been rebuilt. So my God gave me the idea to
call together all the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary
citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who
had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:
Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from
their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon,
but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah
where they originally lived. Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua,
Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar,
Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:
The family of Parosh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,172
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