From: "FamilyNet Direct" 

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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