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THE BIBLE - DOUAY-RHEIMS - BOOK 16
THE BIBLE - DOUAY-RHEIMS - BOOK 16 TITLE THE HOLY BIBLE
Translated from the Latin Vulgate
Diligently Compared with the Hebrew Greek
and Other Editions in Divers Languages
THE OLD TESTAMENT
First Published by the English College at Douay
A.D. 1609 & 1610
and
THE NEW TESTAMENT
First Published by the English College at Rheims
A.D. 1582
With Annotations
The Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with
the Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner
A.D. 1749-1752
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 Longimanus) 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 God after their return
from captivity.
2 Esdras Chapter 1
Nehemias hearing the miserable state of his countrymen in Judea
lamenteth fasteth and prayeth to God for their relief.
1:1. The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias. And it came to pass 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 God of
heaven.
1:5. And I said: I beseech thee O Lord God 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 pass 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 languishing 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 God 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 God 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 horsemen.
2:10. And Sanaballat the Horonite and Tobias the servant the Ammonite
heard it and it grieved them exceedingly that a man was come who
sought the prosperity of the children of Israel.
2:11. And I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.
2:12. And I arose in the night I and some few men with me and I told
not any man what God had put in my heart to do in Jerusalem and there
was no beast with me but the beast that I rode upon.
2:13. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley and before the
dragon fountain and to the dung gate and I viewed the wall of
Jerusalem which was broken down and the gates thereof which were
consumed with fire.
2:14. And I passed to the gate of the fountain and to the king's
aqueduct and there was no place for the beast on which I rode to pass.
2:15. And I went up in the night by the torrent and viewed the wall
and going back I came to the gate of the valley and returned.
2:16. But the magistrates knew not whither I went or what I did:
neither had I as yet told any thing to the Jews or to the priests or
to the nobles or to the magistrates or to the rest that did the work.
2:17. Then I said to them: You know the affliction wherein we are
because Jerusalem is desolate and the gates thereof are consumed with
fire: come and let us build up the walls of Jerusalem and let us be no
longer a reproach.
2:18. And I shewed them how the hand of my God was good with me and the
king's words which he had spoken to me and I said: Let us rise up and
build. And their hands were strengthened in good.
2:19. But Sanaballat the Horonite and Tobias the servant the Ammonite
and Gossem the Arabian heard of it and they scoffed at us and despised
us and said: What is this thing that you do? are you going to rebel
against the king?
2:20. And I answered them and said to them: The God of heaven he
helpeth us and we are his servants: let us rise up and build: but you
have no part nor justice nor remembrance in Jerusalem.
2 Esdras Chapter 3
They begin to build the walls: the names and order of the builders.
3:1. Then Eliasib the high priest arose and his brethren the priests
and they built the flock gate: they sanctified it and set up the doors
thereof even unto the tower of a hundred cubits they sanctified it unto
the tower of Hananeel.
3:2. And next to him the men of Jericho built: and next to them built
Zachur the son of Amri.
3:3. But the fish gate the sons of Asnaa built: they covered it and set
up the doors thereof and the locks and the bars. And next to them
built Marimuth the son of Urias the son of Accus.
4. And next to him built Mosollam the son of Barachias the son of
Merezebel and next to them built Sadoc the son of Baana.
5. And next to them the Thecuites built: but their great men did not put
their necks to the work of their Lord.
3:6. And Joiada the son of Phasea and Mosollam the son of Besodia built
the old gate: they covered it and set up the doors thereof and the
locks and the bars.
3:7. And next to them built Meltias the Gabaonite and Jadon the
Meronathite the men of Gabaon and Maspha for the governor that was in
the country beyond the river.
3:8. And next to him built Eziel the son of Araia the goldsmith: and
next to him built Ananias the son of the perfumer: and they left
Jerusalem unto the wall of the broad street.
3:9. And next to him built Raphaia the son of Hur lord of the street of
Jerusalem.
3:10. And next to him Jedaia the son of Haromaph over against his own
house: and next to him built Hattus the son of Hasebonia.
3:11. Melchias the son of Herem and Hasub the son of Phahath Moab
built half the street and the tower of the furnaces.
3:12. And next to him built Sellum the son of Alohes lord of half the
street of Jerusalem he and his daughters.
3:13. And the gate of the valley Hanun built and the inhabitants of
Zanoe: they built it and set up the doors thereof and the locks and
the bars and a thousand cubits in the wall unto the gate of the
dunghill.
3:14. And the gate of the dunghill Melchias the son of Rechab built
lord of the street of Bethacharam: he built it and set up the doors
thereof and the locks and the bars.
3:15. And the gate of the fountain Sellum the son of Cholhoza built
lord of the street of Maspha: he built it and covered it and set up
the doors thereof and the locks and the bars and the walls of the
pool of Siloe unto the king's guard and unto the steps that go down
from the city of David.
3:16. After him built Nehemias the son of Azboc lord of half the street
of Bethsur as far as over against the sepulchre of David and to the
pool that was built with great labour and to the house of the mighty.
3:17. After him built the Levites Rehum the son of Benni. After him
built Hasebias lord of half the street of Ceila in his own street.
3:18. After him built their brethren Bavai the son of Enadad lord of
half Ceila.
3:19. And next to him Aser the son of Josue lord of Maspha built
another measure over against the going up of the strong corner.
3:20. After him in the mount Baruch the son of Zachai built another
measure from the corner to the door of the house of Eliasib the high
priest.
3:21. After him Merimuth the son of Urias the son of Haccus built
another measure from the door of the house of Eliasib to the end of
the house of Eliasib.
3:22. And after him built the priests the men of the plains of the
Jordan.
3:23. After him built Benjamin and Hasub over against their own house:
and after him built Azarias the son of Maasias the son of Ananias over
against his house.
3:24. After him built Bennui the son of Hanadad another measure from
the house of Azarias unto the bending and unto the corner.
3:25. Phalel the son of Ozi over against the bending and the tower
which lieth out from the king's high house that is in the court of the
prison: after him Phadaia the son of Pharos.
3:26. And the Nathinites dwelt in Ophel as far as over against the
water gate toward the east and the tower that stood out.
3:27. After him the Thecuites built another measure over against from
the great tower that standeth out unto the wall of the temple.
3:28. And upward from the horse gate the priests built every man over
against his house.
3:29. After them built Sadoc the son of Emmer over against his house.
And after him built Semaia the son of Sechenias keeper of the east
gate.
3:30. After him built Hanania the son of Selemia and Hanun the sixth
son of Seleph another measure: after him built Mosollam the son of
Barachias over against his treasury. After him Melcias the goldsmith's
son built unto the house of the Nathinites and of the sellers of small
wares over against the judgment gate and unto the chamber of the
corner.
3:31. And within the chamber of the corner of the flock gate the
goldsmiths and the merchants built.
2 Esdras Chapter 4
The building is carried on notwithstanding the opposition of their
enemies.
4:1. And it came to pass that when Sanaballat heard that we were
building the wall he was angry: and being moved exceedingly he scoffed
at the Jews.
4:2. And said before his brethren and the multitude of the Samaritans:
What are the silly Jews doing? Will the Gentiles let them alone? will
they sacrifice and make an end in a day? are they able to raise stones
out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt?
4:3. Tobias also the Ammonite who was by him said: Let them build: if a
fox go up he will leap over their stone wall.
4:4. Hear thou our God for we are despised: turn their reproach upon
their own head and give them to be despised in a land of captivity.
4:5. Cover not their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out from
before thy face because they have mocked thy builders.
4:6. So we built the wall and joined it all together unto the half
thereof: and the heart of the people was excited to work.
4:7. And it came to pass when Sanaballat and Tobias and the Arabians
and the Ammonites and the Azotians heard that the walls of Jerusalem
were made up and the breaches began to be closed that they were
exceedingly angry.
4:8. And they all assembled themselves together to come and to fight
against Jerusalem and to prepare ambushes.
4:9. And we prayed to our God and set watchmen upon the wall day and
night against them.
4:10. And Juda said: The strength of the bearer of burdens is decayed
and the rubbish is very much and we shall not be able to build the
wall.
4:11. And our enemies said: Let them not know nor understand till we
come in the midst of them and kill them and cause the work to cease.
4:12. And it came to pass that when the Jews that dwelt by them came
and told us ten times out of all the places from whence they came to
us
4:13. I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in
order with their swords and spears and bows.
4:14. And I looked and rose up: and I said to the chief men and the
magistrates and to the rest of the common people: be not afraid of
them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible and fight for your
brethren your sons and your daughters and your wives and your
houses.
4:15. And it came to pass when our enemies heard that the thing had
been told us that God defeated their counsel. And we returned all of us
to the walls every man to his work.
4:16. And it came to pass from that day forward that half of their
young men did the work and half were ready for to fight with spears
and shields and bows and coats of mail and the rulers were behind
them in all the house of Juda.
4:17. Of them that built on the wall and that carried burdens and that
laded: with one of his hands he did the work and with the other he held
a sword.
4:18. For every one of the builders was girded with a sword about his
reins. And they built and sounded with a trumpet by me.
4:19. And I said to the nobles and to the magistrates and to the rest
of the common people: The work is great and wide and we are separated
on the wall one far from another:
4:20. In what place soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet run
all thither unto us: our God will fight for us.
4:21. And let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears
from the rising of the morning till the stars appear.
4:22. At that time also I said to the people: Let every one with his
servant stay in the midst of Jerusalem and let us take our turns in the
night and by day to work.
4:23. Now I and my brethren and my servants and the watchmen that
followed me did not put off our clothes: only every man stripped
himself when he was to be washed.
2 Esdras Chapter 5
Nehemias blameth the rich for their oppressing the poor. His
exhortation and bounty to his countrymen.
5:1. Now there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against
their brethren the Jews.
5:2. And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very
many: let us take up corn for the price of them and let us eat and
live.
5:3. And there were some that said: Let us mortgage our lands and our
vineyards and our houses and let us take corn because of the famine.
5:4. And others said: Let us borrow money for the king's tribute and
let us give up our fields and vineyards:
5:5. And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children
as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our
daughters and some of our daughters are bondwomen already neither have
we wherewith to redeem them and our fields and our vineyards other men
possess.
5:6. And I was exceedingly angry when I heard their cry according to
these words.
5:7. And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the nobles and
magistrates and said to them: Do you every one exact usury of your
brethren? And I gathered together a great assembly against them
5:8. And I said to them: We as you know have redeemed according to our
ability our brethren the Jews that were sold to the Gentiles: and will
you then sell your brethren for us to redeem them? And they held their
peace and found not what to answer.
5:9. And I said to them: The thing you do is not good: why walk you not
in the fear of our God that we be not exposed to the reproaches of the
Gentiles our enemies?
5:10. Both I and my brethren and my servants have lent money and corn
to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the
debt that is owing to us.
5:11. Restore ye to them this day their fields and their vineyards and
their oliveyards and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money
and of the corn the wine and the oil which you were wont to exact of
them give it rather for them.
5:12. And they said: We will restore and we will require nothing of
them: and we will do as thou sayest. And I called the priests and took
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