1
On that day[H3117] they read[H7121] in the book[H5612] of Moses[H4872] in the audience[H241] of the people[H5971]; and therein was found[H4672]written[H3789], that the Ammonite[H5984] and the Moabite[H4125] should not come[H935] into the congregation[H6951] of God[H430]for[H5704]ever[H5769];
2
Because they met[H6923] not the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478] with bread[H3899] and with water[H4325], but hired[H7936]Balaam[H1109] against them, that he should curse[H7043] them: howbeit our God[H430]turned[H2015] the curse[H7045] into a blessing[H1293].
3
Now it came to pass, when they had heard[H8085] the law[H8451], that they separated[H914] from Israel[H3478] all the mixed multitude[H6154].
4
And before[H6440] this, Eliashib[H475] the priest[H3548], having the oversight[H5414] of the chamber[H3957] of the house[H1004] of our God[H430], was allied[H7138] unto Tobiah[H2900]:
5
And he had prepared[H6213] for him a great[H1419]chamber[H3957], where aforetime[H6440] they laid[H5414] the meat offerings[H4503], the frankincense[H3828], and the vessels[H3627], and the tithes[H4643] of the corn[H1715], the new wine[H8492], and the oil[H3323], which was commanded[H4687] to be given to the Levites[H3881], and the singers[H7891], and the porters[H7778]; and the offerings[H8641] of the priests[H3548].
6
But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem[H3389]: for in the two[H8147] and thirtieth[H7970]year[H8141] of Artaxerxes[H783]king[H4428] of Babylon[H894]came[H935] I unto the king[H4428], and after[H7093] certain days[H3117] obtained I leave[H7592] of the king[H4428]:
7
And I came[H935] to Jerusalem[H3389], and understood[H995] of the evil[H7451] that Eliashib[H475]did[H6213] for Tobiah[H2900], in preparing[H6213] him a chamber[H5393] in the courts[H2691] of the house[H1004] of God[H430].
8
And it grieved[H3415] me sore[H3966]: therefore I cast forth[H7993] all the household[H1004]stuff[H3627]of[H2351]Tobiah[H2900] out of[H2351] the chamber[H3957].
9
Then I commanded[H559], and they cleansed[H2891] the chambers[H3957]: and thither brought I again[H7725] the vessels[H3627] of the house[H1004] of God[H430], with the meat offering[H4503] and the frankincense[H3828].
10
And I perceived[H3045] that the portions[H4521] of the Levites[H3881] had not been given[H5414] them: for the Levites[H3881] and the singers[H7891], that did[H6213] the work[H4399], were fled[H1272] every one[H376] to his field[H7704].
11
Then contended[H7378] I with the rulers[H5461], and said[H559], Why is the house[H1004] of God[H430]forsaken?[H5800] And I gathered them together[H6908], and set[H5975] them in their place[H5977].
12
Then brought[H935] all Judah[H3063] the tithe[H4643] of the corn[H1715] and the new wine[H8492] and the oil[H3323] unto the treasuries[H214].
13
And I made treasurers[H686] over the treasuries[H214], Shelemiah[H8018] the priest[H3548], and Zadok[H6659] the scribe[H5608], and of the Levites[H3881], Pedaiah[H6305]: and next to them[H3027] was Hanan[H2605] the son[H1121] of Zaccur[H2139], the son[H1121] of Mattaniah[H4983]: for they were counted[H2803]faithful[H539], and their office was to distribute[H2505] unto their brethren[H251].
14Remember[H2142] me, O my God[H430], concerning this, and wipe not out[H4229] my good[H2617] deeds that I have done[H6213] for the house[H1004] of my God[H430], and for the offices[H4929] thereof.
15In[H935] those days[H3117]saw[H7200] I in[H935]Judah[H3063] some treading[H1869]wine[H3196]presses[H1660] on the sabbath[H7676], and bringing in[H935]sheaves[H6194], and lading[H6006]asses[H2543]; as also wine[H3196], grapes[H6025], and figs[H8384], and all manner of burdens[H4853], which they brought[H935] into Jerusalem[H3389] on the sabbath[H7676]day[H3117]: and I testified[H5749] against them in[H935] the day[H3117] wherein they sold[H4376]victuals[H6718].
16
There dwelt[H3427] men of Tyre[H6876] also therein, which brought[H935]fish[H1709], and all manner of ware[H4377], and sold[H4376] on the sabbath[H7676] unto the children[H1121] of Judah[H3063], and in Jerusalem[H3389].
17
Then I contended[H7378] with the nobles[H2715] of Judah[H3063], and said[H559] unto them, What evil[H7451]thing[H1697] is this that ye do[H6213], and profane[H2490] the sabbath[H7676]day?[H3117]
18Did[H6213] not your fathers[H1] thus, and did[H935] not our God[H430]bring[H935] all this evil[H7451] upon us, and upon this city?[H5892] yet ye bring[H935]more[H3254]wrath[H2740] upon Israel[H3478] by profaning[H2490] the sabbath[H7676].
19
And it came to pass, that when the gates[H8179] of Jerusalem[H3389] began to be dark[H6751]before[H6440] the sabbath[H7676], I commanded[H559] that the gates[H1817] should be shut[H5462], and charged[H559] that they should not be opened[H6605] till after[H310] the sabbath[H7676]: and some of my servants[H5288]set[H5975] I at the gates[H1817], that there should no burden[H4853] be brought in[H935] on the sabbath[H7676]day[H3117].
20
So the merchants[H7402] and sellers[H4376] of all kind of ware[H4465]lodged[H3885]without[H2351]Jerusalem[H3389]once[H6471] or twice[H8147].
21
Then I testified[H5749] against them, and said[H559] unto them, Why lodge[H3885] ye about[H5048] the wall?[H2346] if ye do so again[H8138], I will lay[H7971]hands[H3027] on you. From that time[H6256] forth came[H935] they no more on the sabbath[H7676].
22
And I commanded[H559] the Levites[H3881] that they should cleanse[H2891] themselves, and that they should come[H935] and keep[H8104] the gates[H8179], to sanctify[H6942] the sabbath[H7676]day[H3117]. Remember[H2142] me, O my God[H430], concerning this also, and spare[H2347] me according to the greatness[H7230] of thy mercy[H2617].
23
In those days[H3117] also saw[H7200] I Jews[H3064] that had married[H3427]wives[H802] of Ashdod[H796], of Ammon[H5984], and of Moab[H4125]:
24
And their children[H1121]spake[H1696]half[H2677] in the speech of Ashdod[H797], and could[H5234] not speak[H1696] in the Jews' language[H3066], but according to the language[H3956] of each[H5971]people[H5971].
25
And I contended[H7378] with them, and cursed[H7043] them, and smote[H5221]certain[H582] of them, and plucked off their hair[H4803], and made them swear[H7650] by God[H430], saying, Ye shall not give[H5414] your daughters[H1323] unto their sons[H1121], nor take[H5375] their daughters[H1323] unto your sons[H1121], or for yourselves.
26
Did not Solomon[H8010]king[H4428] of Israel[H3478]sin[H2398] by these things? yet among many[H7227]nations[H1471] was there no king[H4428] like him[H1571], who was beloved[H157] of his God[H430], and God[H430]made[H5414]him[H1571]king[H4428] over all Israel[H3478]: nevertheless even him[H1571] did outlandish[H5237]women[H802] cause to sin[H2398].
27
Shall we then hearken[H8085] unto you to do[H6213] all this great[H1419]evil[H7451], to transgress[H4603] against our God[H430] in marrying[H3427]strange[H5237]wives?[H802]
28
And one of the sons[H1121] of Joiada[H3111], the son[H1121] of Eliashib[H475] the high[H1419]priest[H3548], was son[H1121] in law[H2860] to Sanballat[H5571] the Horonite[H2772]: therefore I chased[H1272] him from me.
29Remember[H2142] them, O my God[H430], because they have defiled[H1352] the priesthood[H3550], and the covenant[H1285] of the priesthood[H3550], and of the Levites[H3881].
30
Thus cleansed[H2891] I them from all strangers[H5236], and appointed[H5975] the wards[H4931] of the priests[H3548] and the Levites[H3881], every one[H376] in his business[H4399];
31
And for the wood[H6086]offering[H7133], at times[H6256]appointed[H2163], and for the firstfruits[H1061]. Remember[H2142] me, O my God[H430], for good[H2896].