(א) וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ שָׂרֵֽי־הָעָ֖ם בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וּשְׁאָ֣ר הָ֠עָם הִפִּ֨ילוּ גוֹרָל֜וֹת לְהָבִ֣יא ׀ אֶחָ֣ד מִן־הָעֲשָׂרָ֗ה לָשֶׁ֙בֶת֙ בִּֽירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עִ֣יר הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וְתֵ֥שַׁע הַיָּד֖וֹת בֶּעָרִֽים׃ (ב) וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ הָעָ֑ם לְכֹל֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔ים לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (פ)
(1) The officers of the people settled in Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots for one out of ten to come and settle in the holy city of Jerusalem, and the other nine-tenths to stay in the towns. (2) The people gave their blessing to all the men who willingly settled in Jerusalem.
מסייע ליה לרבי יוסי בר חנינא דא"ר יוסי בר חנינא מנין שישיבת כרכים קשה שנאמר (נחמיה יא, ב) ויברכו העם לכל האנשים המתנדבים לשבת בירושלים:
The Gemara answers: This supports the opinion of Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, as Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: From where is it derived that dwelling in cities is difficult? As it is stated: “And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 11:2). This shows that living in a city is difficult, due to the noise and the general hubbub of an urban area.
The Book then names some leaders of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Other tribes or references to Israelites that are not among those from the exile are not mention.
(כג) כִּֽי־מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַאֲמָנָ֥ה עַל־הַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃
(23) There was a royal order concerning them, a stipulation concerning the daily duties of the singers.
(א) וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָל֛וּ עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֖ל וְיֵשׁ֑וּעַ שְׂרָיָ֥ה יִרְמְיָ֖ה עֶזְרָֽא׃
(1) These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
(כב) הַלְוִיִּם֩ בִּימֵ֨י אֶלְיָשִׁ֜יב יוֹיָדָ֤ע וְיוֹחָנָן֙ וְיַדּ֔וּעַ כְּתוּבִ֖ים רָאשֵׁ֣י אָב֑וֹת וְהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים עַל־מַלְכ֖וּת דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ הַפָּֽרְסִֽי׃ (פ) (כג) בְּנֵ֤י לֵוִי֙ רָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽאָב֔וֹת כְּתוּבִ֕ים עַל־סֵ֖פֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י הַיָּמִ֑ים וְעַד־יְמֵ֖י יֽוֹחָנָ֥ן בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִֽׁיב׃
(22) The Levites and the priests were listed by heads of clans in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, down to the reign of Darius the Persian. (23) But the Levite heads of clans are listed in the book of the chronicles to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib.
(כו) אֵ֕לֶּה בִּימֵ֛י יוֹיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־יֵשׁ֖וּעַ בֶּן־יוֹצָדָ֑ק וּבִימֵי֙ נְחֶמְיָ֣ה הַפֶּחָ֔ה וְעֶזְרָ֥א הַכֹּהֵ֖ן הַסּוֹפֵֽר׃ (פ)
(26) These were in the time of Joiakim son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the time of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
(כז) וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם בִּקְשׁ֤וּ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם֙ מִכָּל־מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם לַהֲבִיאָ֖ם לִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לַעֲשֹׂ֨ת חֲנֻכָּ֤ה וְשִׂמְחָה֙ וּבְתוֹד֣וֹת וּבְשִׁ֔יר מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם נְבָלִ֥ים וּבְכִנֹּרֽוֹת׃
(27) At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites, wherever they lived, were sought out and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate a joyful dedication with thanksgiving and with song, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
(ל) וַיִּֽטַּהֲר֔וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֑ם וַֽיְטַהֲרוּ֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶת־הַשְּׁעָרִ֖ים וְאֶֽת־הַחוֹמָֽה׃
(30) The priests and Levites purified themselves; then they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
(מז) וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֩ בִּימֵ֨י זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל וּבִימֵ֣י נְחֶמְיָ֗ה נֹֽתְנִ֛ים מְנָי֛וֹת הַמְשֹׁרְרִ֥ים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֖ים דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֑וֹ וּמַקְדִּשִׁים֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מַקְדִּשִׁ֖ים לִבְנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (פ)
(47) And in the time of Zerubbabel, and in the time of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, and made sacred contributions for the Levites, and the Levites made sacred contributions for the Aaronites.
(א) בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נִקְרָ֛א בְּסֵ֥פֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְנִמְצָא֙ כָּת֣וּב בּ֔וֹ אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־יָב֨וֹא עַמֹּנִ֧י וּמֹאָבִ֛י בִּקְהַ֥ל הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
(1) At that time they read to the people from the Book of Moses, and it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite might ever enter the congregation of God,
(ד) וְלִפְנֵ֣י מִזֶּ֔ה אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן נָת֖וּן בְּלִשְׁכַּ֣ת בֵּית־אֱלֹקֵ֑ינוּ קָר֖וֹב לְטוֹבִיָּֽה׃ (ה) וַיַּ֨עַשׂ ל֜וֹ לִשְׁכָּ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וְשָׁ֣ם הָי֪וּ לְפָנִ֟ים נֹ֠תְנִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֨ה הַלְּבוֹנָ֜ה וְהַכֵּלִ֗ים וּמַעְשַׂ֤ר הַדָּגָן֙ הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר מִצְוַת֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים וּתְרוּמַ֖ת הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (ו) וּבְכָל־זֶ֕ה לֹ֥א הָיִ֖יתִי בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֡י בִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וּשְׁתַּ֜יִם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֤סְתְּא מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ בָּ֣אתִי אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְקֵ֥ץ יָמִ֖ים נִשְׁאַ֥לְתִּי מִן־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
(4) Earlier, the priest Eliashib, a relative of Tobiah, who had been appointed over the rooms in the House of our God, (5) had assigned to him a large room where they used to store the meal offering, the frankincense, the equipment, the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, the dues of the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and the gifts for the priests. (6) During all this time, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I went to the king, and only after a while did I ask leave of the king [to return].
(יא) וָאָרִ֙יבָה֙ אֶת־הַסְּגָנִ֔ים וָאֹ֣מְרָ֔ה מַדּ֖וּעַ נֶעֱזַ֣ב בֵּית־הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים וָֽאֶ֨קְבְּצֵ֔ם וָֽאַעֲמִדֵ֖ם עַל־עָמְדָֽם׃
(11) I censured the prefects, saying, “How is it that the House of God has been neglected?” Then I recalled [the Levites] and installed them again in their posts;
(יד) זָכְרָה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹקַ֖י עַל־זֹ֑את וְאַל־תֶּ֣מַח חֲסָדַ֗י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֛יתִי בְּבֵ֥ית אֱלֹקַ֖י וּבְמִשְׁמָרָֽיו׃
(14) O my God, remember me favorably for this, and do not blot out the devotion I showed toward the House of my God and its attendants.
(יח) הֲל֨וֹא כֹ֤ה עָשׂוּ֙ אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וַיָּבֵ֨א אֱלֹקֵ֜ינוּ עָלֵ֗ינוּ אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְעַ֖ל הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֑את וְאַתֶּ֞ם מוֹסִיפִ֤ים חָרוֹן֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְחַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ (פ)
(18) This is just what your ancestors did, and for it God brought all this misfortune on this city; and now you give cause for further wrath against Israel by profaning the sabbath!”
(כב) וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לַלְוִיִּ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְי֤וּ מִֽטַּהֲרִים֙ וּבָאִים֙ שֹׁמְרִ֣ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים לְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת גַּם־זֹאת֙ זָכְרָה־לִּ֣י אֱלֹקַ֔י וְח֥וּסָה עָלַ֖י כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ (פ)
(22) I gave orders to the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to preserve the sanctity of the sabbath. This too, O my God, remember to my credit, and spare me in accord with your abundant faithfulness.
(כה) וָאָרִ֤יב עִמָּם֙ וָאֲקַֽלְלֵ֔ם וָאַכֶּ֥ה מֵהֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וָֽאֶמְרְטֵ֑ם וָאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֣ם בֵּֽאלֹקִ֗ים אִם־תִּתְּנ֤וּ בְנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ לִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וְאִם־תִּשְׂאוּ֙ מִבְּנֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם לִבְנֵיכֶ֖ם וְלָכֶֽם׃
(25) I censured them, cursed them, flogged them, tore out their hair, and adjured them by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, or take any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves.
ומנלן דנצינן ולייטינן ומחינן ותלשינן שיער ומשבעינן דכתיב (נחמיה יג, כה) ואריב עמם ואקללם ואכה מהם אנשים ואמרטם ואשביעם
And from where do we derive that we may contend with such a person, and curse him, and beat him, and pull out his hair, and make him take an oath in order to prevent him from sinning? As it is written: “And I contended with them, and cursed them, and beat some of them, and pulled out their hair, and made them take oath by God” (Nehemiah 13:25).
(כט) זָכְרָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹקָ֑י עַ֚ל גָּאֳלֵ֣י הַכְּהֻנָּ֔ה וּבְרִ֥ית הַכְּהֻנָּ֖ה וְהַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (ל) וְטִֽהַרְתִּ֖ים מִכָּל־נֵכָ֑ר וָאַעֲמִ֧ידָה מִשְׁמָר֛וֹת לַכֹּהֲנִ֥ים וְלַלְוִיִּ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ בִּמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ (לא) וּלְקֻרְבַּ֧ן הָעֵצִ֛ים בְּעִתִּ֥ים מְזֻמָּנ֖וֹת וְלַבִּכּוּרִ֑ים זָכְרָה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹקַ֖י לְטוֹבָֽה׃
(29) Remember to their discredit, O my God, how they polluted the priesthood, the covenant of the priests and Levites. (30) I purged them of every foreign element, and arranged for the priests and the Levites to work each at his task by shifts, (31) and for the wood offering [to be brought] at fixed times and for the first fruits. O my God, remember it to my credit!
מכדי כל מילי דעזרא נחמיה בן חכליה אמרינהו ונחמיה בן חכליה מ"ט לא איקרי סיפרא על שמיה אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא מפני שהחזיק טובה לעצמו שנאמר (נחמיה ה, יט) זכרה לי אלקי לטובה דוד נמי מימר אמר (תהלים קו, ד) זכרני יי ברצון עמך פקדני בישועתך דוד רחמי הוא דקבעי
§ Apropos books of the Bible named for a prominent person, the Gemara asks: Now with regard to all the matters of the book of Ezra, Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, said them and wrote most of them; and with regard to Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, what is the reason that a book was not called by his name? Over the course of many generations, extending many years after the talmudic period, the book that is today named for Nehemiah was not a separate book and was included in the book of Ezra. Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba says: The book was not named for Nehemiah because he took credit for himself and boasted about his good deeds, as it is stated: “Remember me, God, for good” (Nehemiah 13:31). The Gemara asks: Is that a shortcoming? King David also said: “Remember me, Lord, when You show favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation” (Psalms 106:4). The Gemara answers: David was asking for compassion and formulated his words as a prayer. Nehemiah stated them as a fact and a demand.