The People Who Sealed the Covenant

10 Now those who placed their seal on the document were:

Nehemiah the [a]governor, (A)the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, (B)Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

The Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel.

10 Their brethren: Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, and Beninu.

14 The leaders of the people: (C)Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

The Covenant That Was Sealed

28 (D)Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, (E)and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding— 29 these joined with their brethren, their nobles, (F)and entered into a curse and an oath (G)to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes: 30 We would not give (H)our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; 31 (I)if the peoples of the land brought [b]wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the (J)seventh year’s produce and the (K)exacting[c] of every debt.

32 Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly (L)one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: 33 for (M)the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the (N)regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God. 34 We cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, (O)for bringing the wood offering into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God (P)as it is written in the Law.

35 And we made ordinances (Q)to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the Lord; 36 to bring the (R)firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37 (S)to bring the firstfruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the [d]house of our God; and to bring (T)the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities. 38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites (U)when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to (V)the rooms of the storehouse.

39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi (W)shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers (X)and the singers are; and we will not (Y)neglect the house of our God.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 10:1 Heb. Tirshatha
  2. Nehemiah 10:31 merchandise
  3. Nehemiah 10:31 collection
  4. Nehemiah 10:37 Temple

10 [a]Those who sealed it were:

Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah.

Zedekiah, Seraiah,(A) Azariah, Jeremiah,

Pashhur,(B) Amariah, Malkijah,

Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,

Harim,(C) Meremoth, Obadiah,

Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.

These were the priests.(D)

The Levites:(E)

Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

10 and their associates: Shebaniah,

Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

11 Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,

12 Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

13 Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.

14 The leaders of the people:

Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,(F)

17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,(G)

21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

23 Hoshea, Hananiah,(H) Hasshub,

24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

27 Malluk, Harim and Baanah.

28 “The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants(I) and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples(J) for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath(K) to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

30 “We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.(L)

31 “When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath,(M) we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land(N) and will cancel all debts.(O)

32 “We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel[b] each year for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the bread set out on the table;(P) for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon(Q) feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings[c] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.(R)

34 “We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots(S) to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood(T) to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

35 “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits(U) of our crops and of every fruit tree.(V)

36 “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn(W) of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.(X)

37 “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil.(Y) And we will bring a tithe(Z) of our crops to the Levites,(AA) for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.(AB) 38 A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes(AC) up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.

“We will not neglect the house of our God.”(AD)

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 10:1 In Hebrew texts 10:1-39 is numbered 10:2-40.
  2. Nehemiah 10:32 That is, about 1/8 ounce or about 4 grams
  3. Nehemiah 10:33 Or purification offerings