Read the Bible with Me!

Welcome to the Pauline Family's "Year of the Bible"! I'm reading the Bible clear through this year, and I invite you to read along with me. But first, let us pray: 

My God, I adore and thank your loving and wise Providence, manifested on every page of Sacred Scripture. You have always been close to sinful and erring humanity, and have indicated the way and given hope. Amid the shadows of error and corruption, you kindled the light of your truth; amid universal corruption, you are the Just One; amid so much idolatry, humanity in every corner of the earth has cultivated a sincere worship of you.
Let my reading today increase my trust in your goodness, your mercy, and your unfailing faithfulness.

Today's chapters are Ezra 10 and Nehemiah 1-2.

We conclude the book of Ezra and begin Volume 2 of the "Return of the Exiles" with the book of Nehemiah. 

While Ezra was a priest and scribe, Nehemiah was a royal official in the Persian government. A devoted son of his Hebrew ancestors, he was appointed to Jerusalem to fortify the city with walls (at the King's expense). Interestingly, some of the people who appear in the book are also mentioned in extra-biblical texts as being in Jerusalem at this time: a nice little confirmation of the historicity of even unimportant details. 

Finish reading Ezra here and start reading Nehemiah here.

If you are looking for a solid but approachable companion to the Bible, I can wholeheartedly recommend A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament by John Bergsma and Brant Pitre. Although the authors are top-level Scripture scholars, they write for "real" readers. Notes include recent findings from archaeology and ancient manuscripts, and how each book of the Bible has been understood by the Church Fathers and used in Liturgy.