son of Shemaiah, the son of Mathaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zechur, the son of Asaph, 36. And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azareel, and Milalai, and Gilalai, and Maai, and Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the stringed instruments of David the man of God: and Ezra the scribe before them,

And they went toward the well gate. And they walked beside them in the steps of the city of David, up the wall unto the house of David, unto the water gate eastward.

And the other choir of thanksgiving went over against them, and I after them, and half the people up the wall unto the tower of the furnace, unto the broad wall, 39. And they went up to the gate of Ephraim, and to the old gate, and to the fish gate, and to the tower of Hananeel, and to the tower of Mea, unto the sheep gate, and stood in the prison gate.

And the two thanksgivings were in the house of God, and I and half of the princes with me; 41. And the priests, namely, Eliakim, Maeshiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets;

And Maeshiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Johanan, and Malchiah, and Elam, and Azar. And the singers sang aloud; and Jezrahiah was the ruler.
43; And they offered great sacrifices that day, and were glad: for God had made them great joy, that both wives and children rejoiced: and the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

At that time were men appointed over the treasuries, when the heaves, and the firstfruits, and the tithes, were in, to gather them out of the fields, and round about the cities, to distribute according to the law unto the priests and to the Levites: for Judah delighted in the priests and the Levites, that they should tarry

And they waited upon the guard of their God, and upon the guard of purification. And the singers and the porters kept the charge of David, and of Solomon his son.

For in the days of David and Assaph were established the chief singers, and singers of praise and thanksgiving unto GOD.

And all Israel gave portions unto the singers and unto the porters in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, every day his portion: and they gave sanctuaries unto the Levites, and the
Levites gave sanctuaries unto the children of Aaron.
(Nehemiah)
Chapter 13
Nehemiah’s zeal in improvement of police, church and domestic being.

And the book of Moses was read in that day in the ears of the people, and it was found written therein, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should no more come into the congregation of God,

Because they prevented not the children of Israel with bread and water, and set Balaam against them to curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.

And when they heard this law, they separated all the strangers from Israel.

And before him Eliasib the priest had put Tobiah’s offering in the treasury of the house of our God.

For he had made him a great coffer, and therein they had laid the meat offering, and the incense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, and the wine, and the oil, according to the commandment of the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the heaves of the priests.

But in all this I was not at Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Arthahaztha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after some days I purchased of the king, 7. And I went to Jerusalem. And I perceived that it was not good which Eliasib had done to Tobiah, to make him a box in the court of the house of God.

And I was sore displeased, and cast out all the vessels of the house of Tobiah from before the box.

And I commanded that they should cleanse the caskets: and I brought again there the vessels of the house of God, the meat offering, and the incense.

And I heard that the Levites’ portion was not given unto them, because the Levites and the singers fled every man to his field to work.

And I rebuked the princes, saying, Why do we forsake the house of God? But I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

And all Judah brought tithes of the corn, and of the wine, and of the oil, unto the treasury.

And I set over the treasures Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites Pedaiah, and under their hand Hanan the son of Zechur the son of Mathaniah: for they were counted faithful, and were commanded to distribute unto their brethren.

Remember me, O my God, and do not blot out my mercy, which I have done to my God’s house and to his guard.

At that time I saw winepresses treading in Judah on the sabbath day, and bringing in sheaves, and asses laden with wine, and with grapes, and with figs, and with all manner of burden, to Jerusalem on the sabbath day. I saw them on the day they sold the food.

There dwelt also Tyrians within, which brought fishes and all manner of merchandise, and sold them on the sabbath day unto the children of Judah and Jerusalem.

Then I rebuked the princes of Judah, and said unto them: What wicked thing is this that ye do, and break the sabbath day?

Did not our fathers do so, and our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? And ye make more wrath upon Israel, because ye break the sabbath day.

And when the gates of Jerusalem were opened before the sabbath day, I commanded the doors to be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the sabbath day.
And I appointed some of my servants to the gates, that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.

And the merchants and the sellers, with all manner of merchandise, stayed out of Jerusalem one night or two.

Then I testified unto them, and said unto them: Why tarry ye about the wall overnight? If ye do it again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath day.

And I spake unto the Levites that were clean, that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. O my God, remember me also, and spare me according to thy great mercy.

I saw also in those days Jews taking wives of Ashdod, and Ammon, and Moab.

And their children spake half of them asdodish, and could not speak Jewish, but after the manner of every people.

And I reproached them, and cursed them, and smote certain men, and roughed them up, and took an oath of them by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, neither shall ye take their daughters unto your sons, or unto yourselves.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin in this? And yet in many nations there was no king like unto him, and he was dear unto his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless the foreign wives made him to sin.

Have ye not heard that ye do such great evil, to trespass against our God, and to take foreign wives?

And one of the sons of Jehoiada the son of Eliasib the high priest had made friends with Sanballat the Horonite: but I put him away from me.

Remember them, O my God, that are loosed from the priesthood, and from the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

So I cleansed them from all foreigners, and set the guard of the priests and Levites, every man according to his business,

And to offer the wood at appointed times, and the firstfruits. Remember me, my God, in the best!
Text of the unrevised Luther Bible 1545:
DeepL English Translation
[Processed by BackToLuther. German text published here.]
The Book of Esther ^
Chapter 1
Vasthi is cast out for despised meal by Ahasuerus.

In the days of Ahasuerus, which was king from India unto the Moors, over an hundred and twenty and seven countries,

And as he sat in his royal seat in Shushan the palace,

In the third year of his reign he made a feast with him unto all his princes and servants, even to the mighty men of Persia and Media, and to the governors and princes of his provinces, 4. That he might shew the marvellous riches of his kingdom, and the glorious majesty of his majesty, for many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

And when the days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s house.

There hung white, red, and yellow cloths, bound with linen and scarlet ropes in silver rings upon marble pillars. The benches were of gold and silver, made upon pavements of green, white, yellow, and black marbles.

And the drink was carried in vessels of gold, and other vessels, and other vessels, and royal wine in such quantity as the king was able.

And they appointed no man what he should drink: for the king had commanded all the rulers of his house that every man should do as he pleased.

And Vasthi the queen also made a feast for the women in the royal house of king Ahasuerus, 10. And on the seventh day, when the king was well pleased with wine, he called Mehuman, Bistha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Sethar, and Kharkas, the seven eunuchs that ministered before king Ahasuerus,

And they brought Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown, to shew her beauty unto the people and to the