The Agreement of the People

³⁸ “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement,^(A) putting it in writing,^(B) and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”^[a]

¹⁰ I signed and sealed the deed,^(A) had it witnessed,^(B) and weighed out the silver on the scales. ¹¹ I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— ¹² and I gave this deed to Baruch^(C) son of Neriah,^(D) the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.