Nehemiah 8-13
New Catholic Bible
Promulgation of the Law
Chapter 8
Ezra Reads the Law.[a] 1 Now when the seventh month came, and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled together as a unit in the square in front of the Water Gate. Then they asked Ezra the scribe to bring forth the Book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, as well as all those old enough to comprehend what was said.
3 Facing the square in front of the Water Gate, Ezra read from the book of the law from dawn until noon in the presence of the men and women as well as those who could understand what was being said. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been constructed for the occasion, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left.
5 Then Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people—for he was standing above them. As soon as he opened it, all the people rose to their feet. 6 Next he blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands as they answered, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Lord with their face to the ground.
7 In addition, the Levites Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah helped the people to understand the law while the people remained in their places. 8 Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, making its meaning clear so that the people could understand what was being said.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest-scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people: “This day is holy to the Lord, your God. Do not mourn, and do not weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then Nehemiah added: “You now may go. Eat rich food and drink what is sweet. Moreover, send some of these to those for whom nothing has been prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Furthermore, do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 The Levites, thereupon, calmed all the people, saying: “Be quiet, for this is a sacred day. There is no reason for you to be saddened.” 12 Then all the people went off to eat and drink, to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great rejoicing, since they had come to comprehend the meaning of what had been proclaimed to them.
13 The Feast of Booths. On the second day of the month, the family heads of all the people, together with the priests and the Levites, gathered around the scribe Ezra to study the words of the law. 14 And written in the law that the Lord had prescribed through Moses, they found that the Israelites were to live in booths[b] during the feast of the seventh month.
15 In addition, they were to issue this proclamation and circulate it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go forth into the hills and bring branches of olive and wild olive trees, and of myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as the law prescribes.” 16 Therefore the people went out and brought back branches to make shelters for themselves, each on his own roof, and in their courtyards and in the precincts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.
17 Therefore the whole community of those who had returned from their captivity made booths and lived in them, something that the Israelites had not done from the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, until that day, and there was very great rejoicing. 18 Each day, from the first to the last day, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, as prescribed, they held a solemn assembly.
Chapter 9
Confession of the People. 1 On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the Israelites, wearing sackcloth and with their heads covered with dust, assembled together for a fast. 2 Then those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, after which they stood up and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.[c]
3 They next stood in their places and read from the book of the law of the Lord, their God, for a fourth part of the day, after which they spent another quarter of the day in confessing their sins and worshiping the Lord, their God. 4 Standing on the platform of the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and they cried aloud to the Lord, their God.
5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said:
“Stand up and bless the Lord, your God
from everlasting to everlasting.
And blessed is your glorious name
that is exalted above all blessing and praise.”
6 Then Ezra said:
“You alone are the Lord:
you have created the heavens,
the highest heavens with all their host,
the earth and all that is upon it,
the seas and all that is in them.
To all of them you gave life,
and the hosts of heaven worship you.
7 “You are the Lord,
the God who chose Abram,
who brought him out from Ur of the Chaldeans
and changed his name to Abraham.
8 Finding that his heart was faithful,
you made a covenant with him
to give to his descendants
the land of the Canaanites,
Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,
Jebusites, and Girgashites.
The promises of yours you fulfilled,
for you are just.
9 “You beheld the misery of our ancestors in Egypt
and heard their cry at the Red Sea.
10 “You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
against all his servants and the people of his land.
Because you knew of the great arrogance
with which they treated our forefathers,
and you won renown for yourself
that has lasted even to this very day.
11 “You divided the sea before them,
and they passed through the sea on dry ground.
However, their pursuers you hurled into the depths
like a stone cast into turbulent waters.
12 By a pillar of cloud you led them by day,
and by a pillar of fire during the night,
to light the way ahead of them
along which they were to follow.
13 “You came down on Mount Sinai
and spoke with them from heaven.
You gave them regulations and laws
that are just and right,
statutes and commandments that are good.
14 You made known to them your holy sabbath,
and through your servant Moses
you gave them commandments, statutes, and laws.
15 “You gave them bread from heaven
to ease their hunger,
and you brought forth water from a rock
to quench their thirst.
You also told them to enter
and take possession of the land
which you had solemnly sworn to give them.
16 “However, they and our ancestors acted with arrogance;
they stubbornly refused to obey your commandments.
17 They refused to obey you
and no longer recalled the miracles
you had wrought among them.
In their obstinacy they became stiff-necked
and came to a decision
to return to their slavery in Egypt.
But because you are a forgiving God,
gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and rich in mercy,
you did not forsake them.
18 “Even when they had cast for themselves
a calf out of molten metal
and proclaimed: ‘Here is your God
who brought you up from Egypt,’
and were guilty of gross blasphemies,
19 you in your great compassion
did not abandon them in the wilderness.
The pillar of cloud never failed
to lead them on their journey by night,
nor did the pillar of fire fail by night
to light the way ahead of them
by which they were to go.
20 “You bestowed your good spirit on them
to give them understanding.
Your manna you did not withhold from their mouths,
and you gave them water in their thirst.
21 For forty years you sustained them;
they lacked nothing in the wilderness.
Their clothes did not become worn,
and their feet did not become swollen.
22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples,
allotting to them even the most remote frontiers.
They took possession of the land of King Sihon of Heshbon
and the land of King Og of Bashan.
23 You made their children as numerous
as the stars of the heavens,
and you brought them into the land
which you had commanded their fathers to enter and possess.
24 “The sons entered and took possession of the land,
and you subdued the Canaanite inhabitants
and delivered them into your power,
their kings as well as the peoples of the land,
to deal with them as they pleased.
25 They captured fortified towns and fertile land;
they took possession of houses
filled with all kinds of good things,
cisterns already dug, vineyards,
olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance.
They ate and had their fill, grew fat,
and found delight in your great goodness.
26 “Nevertheless they grew disobedient,
rebelled against you,
and cast your law behind their backs.
They also killed your prophets
who bore witness against them
to bring them back to you,
while they committed great blasphemies.
27 Therefore, you delivered them
into the power of their enemies
who caused them to suffer greatly.
But when they would cry out to you
in the midst of their oppression,
from heaven you heard them,
and in your great compassion
you would send them saviors
to deliver them from the clutches
of their oppressors.
28 “However, after some respite,
they would resume their evil deeds,
and so the Lord abandoned them to their enemies
who then became their rulers.
When once again they appealed to you,
you heard them from heaven,
and because of your compassion
you rescued them on many occasions.
29 You solemnly warned them
in order to bring them back to your law.
However, they became arrogant
and refused to obey your commandments,
and they sinned against your ordinances
whose observance would bring life
to those who keep them.
Rather they stubbornly turned aside,
and in their obstinacy they refused to obey.
30 “You were patient with them for many years
and warned them by your spirit
through the prophets.
However, when they continued to refuse to listen,
you put them at the mercy
of the people of other lands.
31 Yet even so, because of your great compassion,
you did not completely destroy them,
nor did you forsake them,
for you are a gracious and merciful God.
32 “Therefore, O our God,
you are great, mighty, and awesome,
maintaining the covenant and your faithful love.
Do not treat lightly,
as something of little account,
these hardships that have afflicted us,
our kings, our princes, our priests,
our prophets and all your people,
from the days of the kings of Assyria
until this very day.
33 You have treated us with justice
in everything that has happened to us,
for you have remained faithful to us
even though we have done wrong in your eyes.
34 “Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our ancestors
did not keep your law,
nor did they pay attention to your commandments
or heed the warnings you gave them.
35 Even while they were in their own kingdom,
despite the abundant goodness
that you bestowed upon them,
and despite the wide and fertile land
that you lavished upon them,
they did not serve you
or renounce their evil deeds.
36 “But see, here we are slaves today,
slaves in this land
that you gave to our ancestors
so that we might savor its fruits
and all the good things it produces.[d]
37 All its abundant yield
is given to the kings
whom you have set over us
because of our sins.
They also rule over our bodies
and do as they please with our cattle;
therefore we are in great distress.”
Chapter 10
The Agreement of the People. 1 In view of all this, we intend to make a firm agreement in writing. On the sealed document will appear the signatures of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.
2 Those whose names were on the sealed document were, first of all, Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah. 3 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 4 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 5 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 6 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 7 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 8 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 9 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah: these are the priests.
10 The Levites were Jeshua, son of Azaniah, Binnui, of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, 11 and their kinsmen Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 12 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 13 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 14 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
15 The leaders of the people were Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 16 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 17 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 18 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 19 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 20 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 21 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 22 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 23 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 24 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 25 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 26 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 27 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 28 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
29 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all the others who had separated themselves from the neighboring peoples of the lands to adhere to the law of God—their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who are capable of understanding— 30 have now joined their brothers, the nobles, and with a solemn oath have sworn to follow the law of God which was given through Moses, the servant of God, and to observe and obey all the commandments, the rules, and the statutes of the Lord, our Lord.
31 We have agreed that we will not give our daughters in marriage to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.[e] 32 Moreover, if the people of the country bring any merchandise or grain to sell on the sabbath day, we will not purchase it from them on the sabbath or on a holy day. Also, we will forego the crops of the seventh year and cancel the debts of every person.
33 We willingly assume these following obligations for ourselves: we will give one-third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God: 34 for the loaves, for the showbread, for the daily cereal offering, for the daily holocaust, for the sacrifices on Sabbaths, new moons, and festivals, for the holy offerings, for sin offerings to make expiation on behalf of Israel, and for all the duties of the house of our God.
35 We have also cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people for the wood offering, so that it will be brought into the house of our God by each family in turn, at appointed times each year, to be burned on the altar of the Lord, our God, as prescribed in the law. 36 Furthermore, we pledge to bring the firstfruits of our crops and of our fruit trees.
37 Also, as it is prescribed in the law, we will bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our children and of our animals, including the firstborn of our flocks and herds. 38 We will also bring the first batch of our dough and our offerings of the fruit of every tree, the wine, and the oil to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God, as well as the tithes from our soil to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all of our rural farming villages.
39 An Aaronite priest must accompany the Levites when they collect the tithes, and the Levites are to bring one-tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.[f] 40 For the Israelites and the Levites must bring the offerings of grain, wine, and oil to the storerooms of the treasury where the vessels of the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers are lodged. Under no circumstances shall we neglect the house of our God.
Chapter 11
Repeopling of Jerusalem.[g] 1 The leaders of the people took up residence in Jerusalem. Therefore, the rest of the people cast lots. One man out of ten was to reside in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine were to remain in the surrounding towns. 2 The people commended all those who willingly agreed to live in Jerusalem.
The Residents in Jerusalem. 3 These are the leaders of the province who lived in Jerusalem. However, in the towns of Judah all the others lived on their own property: Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants.
4 In Jerusalem there dwelt both the sons of Judah and the sons of Benjamin. These were the Judahites: Athaiah, the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mehallalel, of the descendants of Perez; 5 Maaseiah, the son of Baruch, son of Colhozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, a descendent of Shelah. 6 The total number of the sons of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem was four hundred and sixty-eight valiant warriors.
7 These were the Benjaminites: Sallu, the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, 8 and his brothers Gabbai and Sallai: nine hundred and twenty-eight in number. 9 Joel, the son of Zichri, was their chief, and Judah, the son of Hassenuah, was second in charge of the city.
10 Among the priests were: Jedaiah, the son of Joiarib, Jachin, 11 Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, supervisor of the house of God, 12 and their kinsmen who were responsible for the work in the temple: eight hundred and twenty-two; Adaiah, the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, 13 and his brethren, heads of families: two hundred and forty-two; Amashai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and his brethren, valiant warriors: one hundred and twenty-eight. Their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.
15 Among the Levites were: Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; 16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, the Levitical leaders who were responsible for the outside work of the house of God; 17 Mattaniah, the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, director of the psalms who led the prayer of thanksgiving, and Bakbukiah, who ranked second among his associates; finally, Abda, the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. 18 The total number of the Levites in the holy city was two hundred and eighty-four.
19 The gatekeepers were Akkub, Talmon, and their associates, who kept watch at the gates. They numbered one hundred and seventy-two.
20 The rest of the Israelites, including the priests and the Levites, lived in all the other cities of Judah, each man on his inherited property. 21 However, the temple slaves lived on Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
22 The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, the singers appointed to the service of the house of God. 23 For they were under the king’s orders, and it was obligatory for them to fulfill those orders which regulated their daily activity. 24 Also, Pethahiah, the son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah, the son of Judah, was the king’s chief advisor in all matters that affected the people.
25 The Other Cities. As for the villages with their surrounding fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and Dibon and its villages, and Jekabzeel and its villages, 26 and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-pelet, 27 in Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and its villages, 28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 29 in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 in Zanoah and Adullam and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. Thus they settled from Beer-sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 Some of the Benjaminites also lived in Geba, Michmash, Aija, Bethel with its villages, 32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Artisans.
36 Also, some divisions of the Levites in Judah settled in Benjamin.
Chapter 12
Priests and Levites under Zerubbabel. 1 These are the priests and the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the priestly heads and their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brethren was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 Bakbukiah and Unno, their colleagues, stood opposite them during the service.
10 High Priests. Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12 Priests and Levites under Joiakim. In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were the heads of families: the family of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluch, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin and, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 In the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the heads of the families of priests were registered in the Book of Chronicles, up to the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The Levites, the heads of the ancestral houses, were registered in the Book of Chronicles,[h] up until the time of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.
24 The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, and their associates, while their brothers formed an alternate choir opposite them in fulfillment of the command of David, the man of God. 25 The alternate choir was composed of Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the gatekeepers who guarded the storehouses at the gates. 26 All those mentioned above lived in the time of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, as well as in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest-scribe.
27 Dedication of the City Wall. At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out wherever they had settled and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with joyful hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, lyres, and harps.
28 The levitical singers were also assembled from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves settlements around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
31 I then commanded the leaders of Judah to assemble on the top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. The first of these went in procession to the right along the top of the wall, toward the Dung Gate. 32 Bringing up the rear were Hoshaiah and half the leading men of Judah, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 as well as some of the priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph, 36 with his kinsmen Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. The scribe Ezra walked at their head.
37 They walked past the Fountain Gate and went straight up by the steps of the City of David and continued along the top of the wall, above the palace of David, as far as the Water Gate on the east.
38 The second choir made its way to the left. I and half of the leaders of the people followed them along the top of the wall from the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 and past the Ephraim Gate, and over the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred to the Sheep Gate. Finally, they came to a halt at the Prison Gate.
40 Then the two choirs took their places in the house of God. However, I had half of the magistrates with me, 41 as well as the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with the trumpets, 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah.
43 There were great sacrifices offered on that day, and the people rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children rejoiced along with them, and the joy of Jerusalem could be heard from a great distance away.
44 Offerings for Priests and Levites.[i] On that occasion men were appointed to take charge of the chambers that had been set aside for the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, and to collect in them those portions required by the law for the priests and the Levites from the fields belonging to them. For all Judah rejoiced in its officiating priests and Levites, 45 since they, along with the singers and gatekeepers, performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as ordained according to the rules laid down by David and his son Solomon.
46 For since ancient times, from the days of David and Asaph long ago, there had been leaders for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 Therefore, in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel regularly supplied the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers according to their daily needs. They presented the consecrated contributions to the Levites, and the Levites set apart the dedicated portions to the sons of Aaron.
Chapter 13[j]
Separation from Aliens. 1 On that day they were reading aloud to the people from the Book of Moses, and there it was found written: “No Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed to enter the assembly of God, 2 since they had not come to welcome the Israelites with food and water, but they rather hired Balaam to curse them, even though our God turned the curse into a blessing.” 3 When the people heard the law, they excluded from Israel all those of foreign descent.
Reform in the Temple. 4 However, before this, the priest Eliashib,[k] who had been appointed to be in charge of the chambers of the house of our God and who was a close associate of Tobiah, 5 had provided for Tobiah a large room in which previously had been stored the grain offerings, the incense, the temple vessels, the tithes of grain, wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
6 All this took place when I was away from Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone to consult the king. Sometime later, however, I asked the king for permission to leave, 7 and after I returned to Jerusalem, I learned about the evil thing that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah in providing him with a room in the courts of the house of God.
8 I was extremely displeased, and in retaliation I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. 9 After that, I gave orders for the room to be purified, and also commanded that the utensils of the house of God be replaced, along with the grain offering and the frankincense.
10 In addition I discovered that the Levites had not been receiving the portions that had been assigned to them. As a result of this, the Levites and the singers who had been conducting the services had all withdrawn to their farms.[l] 11 Then I remonstrated with the magistrates, demanding: “Why has the house of God been neglected?” After that, I summoned back the Levites and once again stationed them at their posts.
12 Then all Judah once again brought the tithes of grain, wine, and oil to the storehouses. 13 As supervisors of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, and, as their assistant, Hanan, the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, since they were regarded as faithful, and their duty was to make the distributions to their kinsmen.
14 Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out from your memory the good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and its observances.
15 Sabbath Observances. In those days I observed men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and also bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on their donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs, and every other kind of merchandise into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. I warned them not to sell food on that day. 16 In addition, Tyrians who resided in Jerusalem were also bringing in fish and every other kind of merchandise and selling it to the Judahites on the Sabbath.
17 Therefore, I rebuked the nobles of Judah, saying to them: “What is this evil thing you are doing in profaning the Sabbath? 18 Is not this exactly what your ancestors did, with the result that our God has brought all this misery down upon us and upon this city? And now you are adding to the wrath that is befalling Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
19 When the evening shadows were falling on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut, and I further directed that they were not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. Furthermore, I stationed some of my attendants at the gate to ensure that no merchandise would be brought in on the Sabbath day.[m]
20 On one or two occasions the merchants and dealers in goods of all kinds spent the night outside Jerusalem, 21 until I warned them, saying: “Why are you spending the night in front of the city wall? If you ever do so again, I will not hesitate to lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath. 22 Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to act as guards at the gates, in order that the Sabbath day would be kept holy.
Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and have mercy on me in accordance with your great love and mercy.
23 Mixed Marriages. In those days also I saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, but none of them could speak the language of the Jews.
25 Thereupon I reprimanded them and I cursed them, beat some of them and pulled out their hair, and I made them swear in the name of God: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons or to take away any of their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.
26 “Did not King Solomon of Israel sin because of such women? Among all the nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Yet even he was led into sin[n] by foreign women. 27 Must we now hear that you have committed this very grave offense, breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?”
28 One of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of the high priest Eliashib, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. I drove him from my presence.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests and the Levites.
30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I drew up the regulations for the priests and the Levites, defining the duties of their office. 31 I also provided for the deliveries of wood at specific times and for the firstfruits.
Remember this in my favor, O my God.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 8:1 Ezra was the religious leader of the Israelites and a commanding presence to them. Nehemiah was a devoted layman who wielded a strong political and social influence on the Jews.
- Nehemiah 8:14 Live in booths: after studying the law read by Ezra, the people heeded this instruction to remind themselves of God’s protection while they wandered in the wilderness.
- Nehemiah 9:2 In addition to fasting and wearing sackcloth, the repentant Israelites made a public confession of their sins and that of their ancestors.
- Nehemiah 9:36 The Israelites reoccupied the land that God had provided for them, but were still required to return part of their resources to a foreign king.
- Nehemiah 10:31 The topic of intermarriage is one of great importance for the Israelites’ survival and strength. Every time the Israelites married foreigners, they got caught up in idolatrous practices, and hence, they suffered both personally and politically.
- Nehemiah 10:39 The sum taken by the priests from the tithes to the Levites (see Num 18:25-28).
- Nehemiah 11:1 One man out of ten: not enough of the exiles willingly returned to Jerusalem; there were others who moved inside the city walls involuntarily by lottery.
- Nehemiah 12:23 Chronicles: the reference is not to the biblical book of this name.
- Nehemiah 12:44 In the view of the Chronicler, the acknowledged royal officials, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, are the pioneers of a time of perfection in which the rights and dignity of the Levites are respected and the law is strictly observed. The author once again emphasizes the role of the Levites against the overly exclusive claims of the priests, who were more favorable to the Samaritans, though the latter had meanwhile become schismatics.
- Nehemiah 13:1 After Nehemiah had returned to his post at the court of Persia, many abuses crept into the Jewish community. He returns for the express purpose of repressing these abuses.
- Nehemiah 13:4 Eliashib: an enemy of Nehemiah (see 6:1).
- Nehemiah 13:10 Among the abuses that Nehemiah encountered was the failure of the people to support the priests, who had to suspend worship in order to support themselves by farming.
- Nehemiah 13:19 The Sabbath begins at dusk of the preceding day.
- Nehemiah 13:26 Led into sin: by using the legendary King Solomon as an example of the perils of marrying an unbeliever, Nehemiah reinforced his warning against intermarriage.
