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Jerusalem Reborn · The Chosen People

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People... Voices, angry and weary, rose
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  Speaker 1: from the streets of Jerusalem. No sound of clanging stone
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  Speaker 1: or rhythm of chisels, only cries of injustice and of desperation.
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  Speaker 2: We're starving, Nehemiah!
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  Speaker 1: And who profits from our suffering?
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  Speaker 3: Our own brothers.
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  Speaker 2: Lord.
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  Speaker 4: How can we build walls of stone while tearing each
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  Speaker 4: other apart from within? How can we restore your city
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  Speaker 4: when we devour one another with greed?
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  Speaker 3: Restore to them today their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves,
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  Speaker 3: their homes, and their children.
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  Speaker 1: Cancel their debts.
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  Speaker 3: Let justice reign once again among God's people.
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  Speaker 1: The sunlight filtered through a pale haze, draping Jerusalem in
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  Speaker 1: a thin golden mist. The scars of her ruin no
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  Speaker 1: longer defied the city, but by the strength of rebuilt
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  Speaker 1: walls and gates that now stood tall and proud. Nearly complete,
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  Speaker 1: the city's fortifications stood as a defiant testament to unity
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  Speaker 1: and faith. Nehemiah, his face shadowed beneath the deep hood
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  Speaker 1: of his cloak, moved silently among the workers. For months,
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  Speaker 1: his life had been defined by this labor, a leader
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  Speaker 1: whose actions spoke louder than any proclamation ever could. Yet now,
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  Speaker 1: as the project neared completion, the threats against Jerusalem and
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  Speaker 1: against Nehemiah personally grew more dangerous and cunning. At the
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  Speaker 1: far southern edge of the city, Nehemiah paused, running a
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  Speaker 1: calloused hand along a newly laid stone. His fingers traced
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  Speaker 1: the grooves cut by laboring hands. These walls told stories,
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  Speaker 1: the stories of sacrifice, sweat, courage, and dedication. Yet even
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  Speaker 1: in the peace of morning, Nehemiah sensed the weight of
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  Speaker 1: unseen dangers pressing upon his shoulders. Footsteps approached from behind,
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  Speaker 1: tentative and cautious. Nehemiah turned calmly, watching as a messenger hesitated,
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  Speaker 1: bowed low, and extended a scroll with trembling hands.
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  Speaker 3: Forgive me, my lord. Sanballat sends this message.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah accepted the parchment and unrolled it, eyes narrowing slightly
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  Speaker 1: at the elegant handwriting.
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  Speaker 2: Come, Nehemiah. Let us meet in one of the villages
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  Speaker 2: on the plain of Oro. Let us discuss peace.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah felt a quiet ache behind his eyes. It was
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  Speaker 1: a temptation, wrapped in silk. A trap cleverly disguised as diplomacy.
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  Speaker 1: He glanced toward the west, imagining the flat plains of Ono. Remote. Isolated.
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  Speaker 1: far from the protection of Jerusalem's rising walls.
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  Speaker 3: Tell your master this. I am carrying on a great
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  Speaker 3: project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop
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  Speaker 3: while I leave it and go down to you?
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  Speaker 1: The messenger bowed hastily, retreating through the bustling workers. Nehemiah
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  Speaker 1: watched him disappear, aware that this would not be the
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  Speaker 1: last attempt. Days later, another messenger arrived, bearing an identical request.
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  Speaker 1: then another, and yet another after him. Four times Sanbalat's
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  Speaker 1: call came, and four times Nehemiah's response remained unchanged. Frustrated,
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  Speaker 1: Sanbalat changed tactics. On the fifth day, his messenger arrived
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  Speaker 1: with an open letter. Nehemiah immediately noted the significance. An
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  Speaker 1: open letter, unsealed, meant to provoke rumors and fear. Nehemiah
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  Speaker 1: read carefully, lips pressed tight in controlled anger.
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  Speaker 2: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem confirms that
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  Speaker 2: you and the Jews intend rebellion. This is why you
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  Speaker 2: rebuild the wall, planning to proclaim yourself king. Furthermore, you
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  Speaker 2: have appointed prophets to declare your king in Judah. This
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  Speaker 2: report will reach King Artaxerxes.
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  Speaker 4: Come now.
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  Speaker 2: Let us meet and settle this matter.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah took a steadying breath, controlling the surge of indignation
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  Speaker 1: within him. He looked around at the weary men and women,
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  Speaker 1: still hard at work. They had sacrificed so much. Now
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  Speaker 1: Sanballat aimed to shatter their resolve with fear.
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  Speaker 3: Brother, these accusations.
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  Speaker 2: The king believes them our lives are at risk.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah rested a hand reassuringly on his brother's shoulder, speaking confidently.
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  Speaker 3: Sanbalat wants fear to weaken our hands, but they have
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  Speaker 3: forgotten something crucial. We labor under the eyes of the
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  Speaker 3: God of heaven. Our strength doesn't come from our own might,
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  Speaker 3: but from his faithfulness.
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  Speaker 1: Hanani nodded solemnly, gathering strength from Nehemiah's resolve. Nehemiah summoned
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  Speaker 1: the messenger once more.
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  Speaker 3: Take this reply to Sanbalat. Nothing like what you say
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  Speaker 3: is happening. You're inventing it from your own mind.
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  Speaker 1: The messenger nodded silently, fleeing quickly back into the open
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  Speaker 1: roads beyond the city gates. But even as this threat subsided,
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  Speaker 1: another surfaced from within the very heart of Jerusalem. Nehemiah
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  Speaker 1: walked toward the house of Shemaiah, a man known to
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  Speaker 1: speak prophetic words. Shemaiah waited inside, sitting silently by dim candlelight.
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  Speaker 1: His eyes flickered with urgency as Nehemiah entered.
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  Speaker 5: Nehemiah, your life is in danger. They're coming tonight to
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  Speaker 5: kill you. Let us flee to the temple. Lock its
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  Speaker 5: doors behind us and hide inside.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah paused, his gaze fixed carefully upon Shemaiah's face. Something
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  Speaker 1: felt wrong and his instincts flared in alarm.
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  Speaker 3: Should a man like me run away? Should someone in
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  Speaker 3: my position enter the temple to save his own life? No,
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  Speaker 3: I will not go.
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  Speaker 1: Shamaya's eyes flashed briefly with a hidden fury before he
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  Speaker 1: controlled his expression again. But Nehemiah saw it. A betrayal
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  Speaker 1: laid bare.
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  Speaker 3: Sanbalat and Tobiah have bought you, haven't they? They paid
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  Speaker 3: you to frighten me, to provoke me into sin and
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  Speaker 3: discredit my name.
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  Speaker 1: Shamaya looked away in silence. Nehemiah's voice lowered, a quiet
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  Speaker 1: thunder of righteous anger.
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  Speaker 3: Remember, my God, what Tobiah and Sanballat have done. May
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  Speaker 3: your eyes see truth and your strong arm enact justice.
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  Speaker 1: Days continued to pass, each marked by vigilance, labor, and
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  Speaker 1: quiet determination. Workers stayed alert. ever mindful of outside threats,
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  Speaker 1: yet they never wavered in their purpose. Nehemiah's resolve inspired theirs,
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  Speaker 1: and the city of Jerusalem rose steady from the ashes,
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  Speaker 1: stone by stone. Then, on a sunlit afternoon, amidst the
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  Speaker 1: bustle of construction, a cheer echoed along the walls, rolling
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  Speaker 1: from gate to gate like a wave. Workers paused, wiping
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  Speaker 1: sweat from their brows. laughter erupting spontaneously as realisation spread.
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  Speaker 1: The war was finally complete. Nehemiah stood at the heart
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  Speaker 1: of Jerusalem, eyes lifted to the sky, his heart swelling
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  Speaker 1: with joy, relief and quiet gratitude. Tears filled his eyes,
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  Speaker 1: not tears of sorrow, but of awe. A city once mocked,
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  Speaker 1: burned and abandoned, now stood strong, defying every expectation. Workers embraced.
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  Speaker 1: Neighbours cheered. Children ran along the completed ramparts, shouting with delight.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah watched it all, smiling quietly, content to let others
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  Speaker 1: revel in the victory. Hanani stood beside him, watching the
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  Speaker 1: city come alive.
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  Speaker 3: It is finished, brother.
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  Speaker 2: But many thought impossible now stands strong before our eyes.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah nodded, his voice gentle and filled with quiet humility.
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  Speaker 3: Our enemies thought we would crumble beneath threats and fear.
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  Speaker 3: They hoped lies would weaken us and swords would scatter us.
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  Speaker 3: But they failed to see one thing clearly.
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  Speaker 1: Nehemiah smiled, placing a hand affectionately on his brother's shoulder.
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  Speaker 3: The work was never truly ours alone.
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  Speaker 4: Was his.
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  Speaker 1: In the distance, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem watched silently, their
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  Speaker 1: faces darkened with realization. Their efforts to halt Jerusalem's rise
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  Speaker 1: had utterly failed. A unified, faithful people had risen from despair,
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  Speaker 1: led not by power or ambition, but by quiet strength, resilience,
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  Speaker 1: and trust in their God. Nehemiah knew more challenges would come.
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  Speaker 1: Life would always have opposition. But today was a day
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  Speaker 1: for celebration, gratitude, and remembrance. The walls that stood around
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  Speaker 1: them were not merely stone. They were testimonies, symbols of
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  Speaker 1: a people's courage, perseverance, and unyielding faith. Nehemiah turned his
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  Speaker 1: gaze upward, his voice quiet yet steadfast.
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  Speaker 3: Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have
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  Speaker 3: done here is for your glory.
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  Speaker 1: The sun sank slowly. painting the sky in soft purples
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  Speaker 1: and brilliant golds, bathing the completed walls in a radiant glow.
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  Speaker 1: Jerusalem stood complete, a silent declaration of triumph over fear,
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  Speaker 1: unity over division, and faithfulness over all adversity. And Nehemiah
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  Speaker 1: stood quietly at its center, a leader whose humility spoke
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  Speaker 1: louder than words, whose courage had rekindled the spirit of
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  Speaker 1: an entire nation. Jerusalem had risen, not by strength alone,
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  Speaker 1: but through the quiet, steady faithfulness of one who chose
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  Speaker 1: obedience over fear, sacrifice over comfort, and service over power.
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  Speaker 1: It brought Nehemiah the greatest comfort to know Jerusalem was
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  Speaker 1: secure once more, guarded not only by stone and timber,
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  Speaker 1: but by faith, courage, and a people united under heaven's
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  Speaker 1: watchful gaze. Steve Gatina, Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger and Ben
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  Speaker 1: Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated
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  Speaker 1: by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato,
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  Speaker 1: Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Jr.,
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  Speaker 1: Rosanna Pilcher and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith.
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  Speaker 1: written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You
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  Speaker 1: can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available
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  Speaker 1: on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.