Leadership Verses
Servant leadership as modeled by Christ — wisdom for those called to lead.
These {were} in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great {companies of them that gave} thanks, {whereof one} went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
So stood the two {companies of them that gave} thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah {their} overseer. {sang...: Heb. made their voice to be heard}
And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. {of the law: that is, appointed by the law} {for Judah...: Heb. for the joy of Judah} {waited: Heb. stood}
But in all this {time} was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: {after...: Heb. at the end of days} {obtained...: or, I earnestly requested}
Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. {place: Heb. standing}
And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and {some} of my servants set I at the gates, {that} there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
{That} in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which {was} in Shushan the palace,