⁵ and had prepared a large room for him where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, and the tenths of grain, new wine, and fresh oil^(A) prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.^(B)

⁶ While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxes^(C) of Babylon^(D) in the thirty-second year of his reign.^(E) It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absence^{(F) 7} so I could return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of God’s house.