47AND ALL ISRAEL IN [THE] DAYS OF ZERUBBABEL AND IN [THE] DAYS OF NEHEMIAH [WERE] GIVING [THE] PORTIONS OF THE SINGERS AND THE GATEKEEPERS [THE] MATTER OF A DAY IN DAY ITS AND [WERE] SETTING APART FOR THE LEVITES AND THE LEVITES [WERE] SETTING APART FOR [THE] DESCENDANTS OF AARON 47So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron.
1ON THE DAY <THE> THAT IT WAS READ ALOUD IN [THE] SCROLL OF MOSES IN [THE] EARS OF THE PEOPLE AND IT WAS FOUND WRITTEN IN IT THAT NOT HE WILL COME AN AMMONITE AND A MOABITE IN [THE] ASSEMBLY OF <THE> GOD UNTIL PERPETUITY Foreigners Excluded 1At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,*NoteCloseSee Deuteronomy 23:3–6.
2FOR NOT THEY HAD MET <OBJ.> [THE] PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WITH <THE> FOOD AND WITH <THE> WATER AND HE HAD HIRED ON IT <OBJ.> BALAAM TO CURSE IT AND HE TURNED GOD OUR THE CURSE INTO BLESSING 2because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
3AND IT WAS WHEN HEARD THEY <OBJ.> THE LAW AND THEY SEPARATED EVERY PERSON OF MIXED ANCESTRY FROM ISRAEL 3As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
4AND <TO> BEFORE FROM THIS ELIASHIB THE PRIEST [WAS] APPOINTED OVER [THE] STORE-ROOM OF [THE] HOUSE OF GOD OUR [ONE] NEAR TO TOBIAH The Temple Cleansed 4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God
5AND HE MADE FOR HIM A ROOM LARGE AND THERE PEOPLE WERE <TO> BEFORE PUTTING <OBJ.> THE GRAIN OFFERING THE FRANKINCENSE AND THE UTENSILS AND [THE] TITHE OF THE GRAIN THE NEW WINE AND THE FRESH OIL [THE] COMMANDMENT OF THE LEVITES AND THE SINGERS AND THE GATEKEEPERS AND [THE] CONTRIBUTION OF THE PRIESTS 5and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
6AND IN ALL THIS NOT I WAS IN JERUSALEM FOR IN YEAR THIRTY AND TWO OF ARTAXERXES [THE] KING OF BABYLON I HAD GONE TO THE KING AND TO [THE] END OF DAYS I REQUESTED LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THE KING 6While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon*NoteCloseArtaxerxes king of Persia is identified here as the king of Babylon because Persia had conquered the Babylonian Empire. in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king
7AND I CAME TO JERUSALEM AND I PERCEIVED! <IN> THE EVIL THING WHICH HE HAD DONE ELIASHIB FOR TOBIAH BY MAKING FOR HIM A ROOM IN [THE] COURTYARDS OF [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD 7to 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 the house of God.
8AND IT WAS DISPLEASING TO ME EXCEEDINGLY AND I THREW! <OBJ.> ALL [THE] ARTICLES OF [THE] HOUSEHOLD OF TOBIAH THE OUTSIDE FROM THE ROOM 8And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
9AND I SAID! AND PEOPLE PURIFIED THE STORE-ROOMS AND I BROUGHT BACK! THERE [THE] UTENSILS OF [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD <OBJ.> THE GRAIN OFFERING AND THE FRANKINCENSE 9Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.
10AND I PERCEIVED! THAT [THE] PORTIONS OF THE LEVITES NOT IT HAD BEEN GIVEN AND THEY HAD FLED EACH ONE TO OWN FIELD HIS THE LEVITES AND THE SINGERS [WHO] DID <OF> THE WORK Tithes Restored (Leviticus 27:30–34; Deuteronomy 14:22–29; Deuteronomy 26:1–15) 10I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.
11AND I CONTENDED! WITH THE OFFICIALS AND I SAID! WHY? HAS IT BEEN NEGLECTED [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD AND I ASSEMBLED THEM AND I MADE STAND THEM AT PLACE THEIR 11So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
12AND ALL JUDAH THEY BROUGHT [THE] TITHE OF THE GRAIN AND THE NEW WINE AND THE FRESH OIL TO THE STOREROOMS 12and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
13AND I APPOINTED AS TREASURERS! OVER [THE] STOREROOMS SHELEMIAH THE PRIEST AND ZADOK THE SCRIBE AND PEDAIAH ONE OF THE LEVITES AND [WAS] ON HAND THEIR HANAN [THE] SON OF ZACCUR [THE] SON OF MATTANIAH FOR RELIABLE THEY WERE THOUGHT AND [WAS] ON THEM TO DISTRIBUTE TO BROTHERS THEIR 13I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
14REMEMBER! TO ME O GOD MY ON THIS AND MAY NOT YOU WIPE OUT LOYALTI<ES> MY WHICH I HAVE DONE IN [THE] HOUSE OF GOD MY AND IN SERVICES ITS 14Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
15IN THE DAYS <THE> THOSE I SAW IN JUDAH [SOME WHO] TROD WINEPRESSES ON THE SABBATH AND [SOME WHO] BROUGHT <THE> HEAPS OF GRAIN AND [SOME WHO] LOADED [THEM] ON <THE> DONKEYS AND ALSO WINE GRAPES AND FIGS AND EVERY LOAD AND [SOME WHO] BROUGHT [THEM] JERUSALEM ON [THE] DAY OF THE SABBATH AND I PROTESTED ON [THE] DAY SOLD THEY FOOD The Sabbath Restored (Jeremiah 17:19–27) 15In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
16AND THE TYRIANS [WHO] THEY DWELT IN IT [WERE] BRINGING FISH AND EVERY MERCHANDISE AND [WERE] SELLING [IT] ON THE SABBATH TO [THE] PEOPLE OF JUDAH AND IN JERUSALEM 16Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17AND I CONTENDED! WITH [THE] NOBLES OF JUDAH AND I SAID! TO THEM WHAT? [IS] THE THING <THE> EVIL <THE> THIS WHICH YOU [ARE] DOING AND [ARE] PROFANING <OBJ.> [THE] DAY OF THE SABBATH 17Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked “What is this evil you are doing— profaning the Sabbath day?
18¿ NOT THUS DID THEY DO ANCESTORS YOUR AND HE BROUGHT GOD OUR ON US <OBJ.> ALL THE TROUBLE <THE> THIS AND ON THE CITY <THE> THIS AND YOU [ARE] INCREASING ANGER TOWARD ISRAEL BY PROFANING <OBJ.> THE SABBATH 18Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19AND IT WAS JUST WHEN THEY BECAME DARK [THE] GATES OF JERUSALEM <TO> BEFORE THE SABBATH AND I SAID! AND THEY WERE CLOSED THE DOORS AND I SAID! THAT NOT PEOPLE WILL OPEN THEM UNTIL AFTER THE SABBATH AND SOME OF SERVANTS MY I STATIONED AT THE GATES NOT IT WILL COME A LOAD ON [THE] DAY OF THE SABBATH 19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
20AND THEY PASSED [THE] NIGHT THE TRADERS AND [THE] SELLERS OF EVERY MERCHANDISE FROM [THE] OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM A TIME AND TWO [TIMES] 20Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
21AND I WARNED! <IN> THEM AND I SAID! TO THEM WHY? [ARE] YOU PASSING [THE] NIGHT BEFORE THE WALL IF YOU WILL DO [IT] AGAIN A HAND I WILL STRETCH OUT ON YOU FROM THE TIME <THE> THAT NOT THEY CAME ON THE SABBATH 21but I warned them “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
22AND I SAID! TO THE LEVITES THAT THEY WILL BE PURIFYING THEMSELVES AND COMING GUARDING THE GATES TO KEEP HOLY <OBJ.> [THE] DAY OF THE SABBATH ALSO THIS REMEMBER! TO ME O GOD MY AND HAVE MERCY! ON ME ACCORDING TO [THE] GREATNESS OF COVENANT LOYALTY YOUR 22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.
23ALSO IN THE DAYS <THE> THOSE I SAW <OBJ.> THE JEWS [WHO] THEY HAD MARRIED WOMEN ASHDODITE AMMONITE MOABITE Intermarriage Forbidden (Ezra 9:1–4) 23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
24AND CHILDREN THEIR HALF [WERE] SPEAKING ASHDODITE AND NOT THEY [WERE] KNOWING TO SPEAK [IN] JUDEAN AND ACCORDING TO [THE] LANGUAGE OF PEOPLE AND PEOPLE 24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
25AND I CONTENDED WITH THEM AND I CURSED THEM AND I STRUCK SOME OF <THE> THEM MEN AND I PULLED OUT BEARD THEIR AND I MADE TAKE AN OATH THEM BY GOD IF YOU WILL GIVE DAUGHTERS YOUR TO SONS THEIR AND IF YOU WILL TAKE ANY OF DAUGHTERS THEIR FOR SONS YOUR AND FOR <THE> YOURSELVES 25I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
26¿ NOT ON THESE DID HE SIN SOLOMON [THE] KING OF ISRAEL AND AMONG THE NATIONS <THE> MANY NOT HE WAS A KING LIKE HIM AND LOVED BY GOD HIS HE WAS AND HE MADE HIM GOD KING OVER ALL ISRAEL ALSO <OBJ.> HIM THEY CAUSED TO SIN THE WIVES <THE> FOREIGN 26Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel— yet foreign women drew him into sin.
27AND TO YOU ¿ IS IT HEARD TO DO <OBJ.> ALL THE EVIL <THE> GREAT <THE> THIS TO ACT UNFAITHFULLY AGAINST GOD OUR BY MARRYING WIVES FOREIGN 27Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
28AND ONE OF [THE] SONS OF JOIADA [THE] SON OF ELIASHIB THE PRIEST <THE> GREAT [WAS] A SON-IN-LAW OF SANBALLAT THE HORONITE AND I DROVE AWAY HIM FROM WITH <THE> ME 28Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me.
29REMEMBER! TO THEM O GOD MY ON [THE] DEFILEMENT<S> OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND [THE] COVENANT OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE LEVITES 29Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
30AND I PURIFIED THEM FROM ALL FOREIGNNESS AND I ASSIGNED! DUTIES TO THE PRIESTS AND TO THE LEVITES EACH ONE IN OWN WORK HIS 30Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
31AND FOR [THE] OFFERING OF THE WOOD<S> AT TIMES APPOINTED AND FOR THE FIRST-FRUITS REMEMBER! TO ME O GOD MY FOR GOOD 31I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.