1 O n that day there was read in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it hath been found written in it that an Ammonite and Moabite doth not come into the assembly of God -- unto the age,

On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,

2 b ecause they have not come before the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and hire against them Balaam to revile them, and our God turneth the reviling into a blessing.

because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 A nd it cometh to pass, at their hearing the law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.

So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel. Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed

4 A nd before this Eliashib the priest, appointed over chambers of the house of our God, a relation of Tobiah,

Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah,

5 a nd he maketh for him a great chamber, and there they were formerly putting the present, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, the new wine, and the oil -- the commanded thing of the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers -- and the heave-offering of the priests.

had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

6 A nd during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon did I come unto the king, and at the end of days I have asked of the king,

But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king,

7 a nd I come in to Jerusalem, and understand concerning the evil that Eliashib hath done for Tobiah, to make to him a chamber in the courts of the house of God,

and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.

8 a nd it is very displeasing to me, and I cast all the vessels of the house of Tobiah without, out of the chamber,

It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.

9 a nd I speak, and they cleanse the chambers, and I bring back thither the vessels of the house of God with the present and the frankincense.

Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense. Tithes Restored

10 A nd I know that the portions of the Levites have not been given, and they flee each to his field -- the Levites and the singers, doing the work.

I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field.

11 A nd I strive with the prefects, and say, `Wherefore hath the house of God been forsaken?' and I gather them, and set them on their station;

So I reprimanded the officials and said, “ Why is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts.

12 a nd all Judah have brought in the tithe of the corn, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the treasuries.

All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses.

13 A nd I appoint treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and by their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for stedfast they have been reckoned, and on them to give a portion to their brethren.

In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was their task to distribute to their kinsmen.

14 B e mindful of me, O my God, for this, and do not blot out my kind acts that I have done, for the house of my God, and for its charges.

Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services. Sabbath Restored

15 I n those days I have seen in Judah those treading wine-vats on sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and lading on the asses, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, yea, they are bringing in to Jerusalem on the sabbath-day, and I testify in the day of their selling provision.

In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food.

16 A nd the Tyrians have dwelt in it, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.

Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem.

17 A nd I strive with the freemen of Judah, and say to them, `What this evil thing that ye are doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?

Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?

18 T hus did not your fathers do? and our God bringeth in on us all this evil, and on this city, and ye are adding fierceness on Israel, to pollute the sabbath.'

Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.”

19 A nd it cometh to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the sabbath, that I speak, and the doors are shut, and I say, that they do not open them till after the sabbath; and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there doth not come in a burden on the sabbath-day.

It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day.

20 A nd they lodge -- the merchants and sellers of all ware -- at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem.

21 a nd I testify against them, and say unto them, `Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye repeat, a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in on the sabbath.

Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath.

22 A nd I say to the Levites, that they be cleansed, and, coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the sabbath-day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Thy kindness.

And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness. Mixed Marriages Forbidden

23 A lso, in those days, I have seen the Jews have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.

In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.

24 A nd of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish -- and are not knowing to speak Jewish -- and according to the language of people and people.

As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.

25 A nd I strive with them, and declare them vile, and smite certain of them, and pluck off their hair, and cause them to swear by God, `Ye do not give your daughters to their sons, nor do ye take of their daughters to your sons, and to yourselves.

So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

26 ` By these did not Solomon king of Israel sin? and among the many nations there was no king like him, and beloved by his God he was, and God maketh him king over all Israel -- even him did the strange women cause to sin.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin.

27 A nd to you do we hearken to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?'

Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 A nd of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.

Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me.

29 B e mindful of them, O my God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 A nd I have cleansed them from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in his work,

Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task,

31 a nd for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.

and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.