1 On that day 3117 they read 7121 in the book 5612 of Moses 4872 in the audience 241 of the people 5971; and therein was found 4672 written 3789, that the Ammonite 5984 and the Moabite 4125 should not come 935 into the congregation 6951 of God 430 for 5704 ever 5769;
2 Because they met 6923 not the children 1121 of Israel 3478 with bread 3899 and with water 4325, but hired 7936 Balaam 1109 against them, that he should curse 7043 them: howbeit our God 430 turned 2015 the curse 7045 into a blessing 1293.
3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard 8085 the law 8451, that they separated 914 from Israel 3478 all the mixed multitude 6154.
4 And before 6440 this, Eliashib 475 the priest 3548, having the oversight 5414 of the chamber 3957 of the house 1004 of our God 430, was allied 7138 unto Tobiah 2900:
5 And he had prepared 6213 for him a great 1419 chamber 3957, where aforetime 6440 they laid 5414 the meat offerings 4503, the frankincense 3828, and the vessels 3627, and the tithes 4643 of the corn 1715, the new wine 8492, and the oil 3323, which was commanded 4687 to be given to the Levites 3881, and the singers 7891, and the porters 7778; and the offerings 8641 of the priests 3548.
6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem 3389: for in the two 8147 and thirtieth 7970 year 8141 of Artaxerxes 783 king 4428 of Babylon 894 came 935 I unto the king 4428, and after 7093 certain days 3117 obtained I leave 7592 of the king 4428:
7 And I came 935 to Jerusalem 3389, and understood 995 of the evil 7451 that Eliashib 475 did 6213 for Tobiah 2900, in preparing 6213 him a chamber 5393 in the courts 2691 of the house 1004 of God 430.
8 And it grieved 3415 me sore 3966: therefore I cast forth 7993 all the household 1004 stuff 3627 of Tobiah 2900 out of 2351 the chamber 3957.
9 Then I commanded 559, and they cleansed 2891 the chambers 3957: and thither brought I again 7725 the vessels 3627 of the house 1004 of God 430, with the meat offering 4503 and the frankincense 3828.
10 And I perceived 3045 that the portions 4521 of the Levites 3881 had not been given 5414 them: for the Levites 3881 and the singers 7891, that did 6213 the work 4399, were fled 1272 every one 376 to his field 7704.
11 Then contended 7378 I with the rulers 5461, and said 559, Why is the house 1004 of God 430 forsaken 5800? And I gathered them together 6908, and set 5975 them in their place 5977.
12 Then brought 935 all Judah 3063 the tithe 4643 of the corn 1715 and the new wine 8492 and the oil 3323 unto the treasuries 214.
13 And I made treasurers 686 over the treasuries 214, Shelemiah 8018 the priest 3548, and Zadok 6659 the scribe 5608, and of the Levites 3881, Pedaiah 6305: and next to them 3027 was Hanan 2605 the son 1121 of Zaccur 2139, the son 1121 of Mattaniah 4983: for they were counted 2803 faithful 539, and their office was to distribute 2505 unto their brethren 251.
14 Remember 2142 me, O my God 430, concerning this, and wipe not out 4229 my good 2617 deeds that I have done 6213 for the house 1004 of my God 430, and for the offices 4929 thereof.
15 In those days 3117 saw 7200 I in Judah 3063 some treading 1869 wine presses 1660 on the sabbath 7676, and bringing in 935 sheaves 6194, and lading 6006 asses 2543; as also wine 3196, grapes 6025, and figs 8384, and all manner of burdens 4853, which they brought 935 into Jerusalem 3389 on the sabbath 7676 day 3117: and I testified 5749 against them in the day 3117 wherein they sold 4376 victuals 6718.
16 There dwelt 3427 men of Tyre 6876 also therein, which brought 935 fish 1709 1709, and all manner of ware 4377, and sold 4376 on the sabbath 7676 unto the children 1121 of Judah 3063, and in Jerusalem 3389.
17 Then I contended 7378 with the nobles 2715 of Judah 3063, and said 559 unto them, What evil 7451 thing 1697 is this that ye do 6213, and profane 2490 the sabbath 7676 day 3117?
18 Did 6213 not your fathers 1 thus, and did 935 0 not our God 430 bring 935 all this evil 7451 upon us, and upon this city 5892? yet ye bring 935 more 3254 wrath 2740 upon Israel 3478 by profaning 2490 the sabbath 7676.
19 And it came to pass, that when the gates 8179 of Jerusalem 3389 began to be dark 6751 before 6440 the sabbath 7676, I commanded 559 that the gates 1817 should be shut 5462, and charged 559 that they should not be opened 6605 till after 310 the sabbath 7676: and some of my servants 5288 set 5975 I at the gates 8179, that there should no burden 4853 be brought in 935 on the sabbath 7676 day 3117.
20 So the merchants 7402 and sellers 4376 of all kind of ware 4465 lodged 3885 without 2351 Jerusalem 3389 once 6471 or twice 8147.
21 Then I testified 5749 against them, and said 559 unto them, Why lodge 3885 ye about 5048 the wall 2346? if ye do so again 8138, I will lay 7971 hands 3027 on you. From that time 6256 forth came 935 they no more on the sabbath 7676.
22 And I commanded 559 the Levites 3881 that they should cleanse 2891 themselves, and that they should come 935 and keep 8104 the gates 8179, to sanctify 6942 the sabbath 7676 day 3117. Remember 2142 me, O my God 430, concerning this also, and spare 2347 me according to the greatness 7230 of thy mercy 2617.
23 In those days 3117 also saw 7200 I Jews 3064 that had married 3427 wives 802 of Ashdod 796, of Ammon 5984, and of Moab 4125:
24 And their children 1121 spake 1696 half 2677 in the speech of Ashdod 797, and could 5234 not speak 1696 in the Jews' language 3066, but according to the language 3956 of each people 5971.
25 And I contended 7378 with them, and cursed 7043 them, and smote 5221 certain 582 of them, and plucked off their hair 4803, and made them swear 7650 by God 430, saying, Ye shall not give 5414 your daughters 1323 unto their sons 1121, nor take 5375 their daughters 1323 unto your sons 1121, or for yourselves.
26 Did not Solomon 8010 king 4428 of Israel 3478 sin 2398 by these things? yet among many 7227 nations 1471 was there no king 4428 like him, who was beloved 157 of his God 430, and God 430 made 5414 him king 4428 over all Israel 3478: nevertheless even him 1571 did outlandish 5237 women 802 cause to sin 2398.
27 Shall we then hearken 8085 unto you to do 6213 all this great 1419 evil 7451, to transgress 4603 against our God 430 in marrying 3427 strange 5237 wives 802?
28 And one of the sons 1121 of Joiada 3111, the son 1121 of Eliashib 475 the high 1419 priest 3548, was son in law 2860 to Sanballat 5571 the Horonite 2772: therefore I chased 1272 him from me.
29 Remember 2142 them, O my God 430, because they have defiled 1352 the priesthood 3550, and the covenant 1285 of the priesthood 3550, and of the Levites 3881.
30 Thus cleansed 2891 I them from all strangers 5236, and appointed 5975 the wards 4931 of the priests 3548 and the Levites 3881, every one 376 in his business 4399;
31 And for the wood 6086 offering 7133, at times 6256 appointed 2163, and for the firstfruits 1061. Remember 2142 me, O my God 430, for good 2896.