10 These people put their mark of authority on the promise that they had written:
Hacaliah's son, Nehemiah (the government officer), and Zedekiah.
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. Those were the priests.
9 The Levites were:
Azaniah's son, Jeshua, Binnui from the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel.
10 Their relatives: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.
14 The Israelite leaders: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, 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 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim and Baanah.
28 The other people joined their leaders to make the same promise. They were priests, Levites, guards, singers and temple servants. There were also people who had kept themselves separate from their foreign neighbours so that they could obey God's Law. Their wives, sons and daughters also joined with them, as well as children who were old enough to understand. 29 All these people joined with their leaders and they promised to obey the agreement. They agreed that God should punish them if they did not obey all of God's Law. That was the Law that God had given to his servant Moses. They promised very strongly to obey all the commands, rules and laws of the Lord , our Lord.
30 They said, ‘We promise not to let our daughters marry the foreign people of this land. We will not let our sons marry their daughters. 31 If foreign traders come to us on a Sabbath day, we will not buy their things. We will not buy their things on Sabbath days or on any special feast day. Every seventh year we will not plant any crops. We will also remove the debts of other people in every seventh year. They will not have to pay us back.
32 We will obey the command to give a third of a shekel each year to take care of the temple of our God. [ a ] 33 That will pay for the special bread on the table in the temple. It will also pay for grain offerings and burnt offerings each day, as well as offerings on Sabbath days, feasts at each new moon, and other festivals. We will also use it for the sin offerings that take away Israel's guilt. And we will use it for all the work in the temple of our God.
34 Each year we will throw dice to decide when different families must bring wood to the temple of our God. The priests, the Levites and the other people must do this. The wood will burn sacrifices on the altar of the Lord our God. We will do this in the way that the Law of the Lord our God teaches. 35 We will also agree to bring the first crops from our land each year and the first fruits from our trees. We will bring these to the Lord 's temple. 36 We will also bring our firstborn sons, as well as the first babies that our cows, sheep and goats give birth to. We will bring them to the priests who serve our God in the temple. That is what God's Law teaches us to do. 37 We will also bring the first of everything that is ready for us to eat. That includes flour, fruit, wine, olive oil and other special offerings. We will bring them all to the priests and they will store them in the rooms of the temple. We will give tithes of the crops that grow on our land to the Levites. They receive the tithes that belong to them in each of the towns where we work. 38 When the Levites receive their tithes, a priest of Aaron's family will be with them. Then the Levites will bring a tenth part of the tithes that they received to store in the temple. 39 The Levites and the other Israelites will bring their gifts of grain, wine and olive oil to store in the temple's rooms. The priests will store them with the things that they use to serve God in the temple. That is the place where the priests who are working at that time, the temple guards and the singers stay.
We agree that we will always take care of the temple of our God.’
10 These are the names on the sealed agreement:
Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah. Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests who put their names on the sealed agreement.
9 And these are the Levites who put their names on the sealed agreement:
Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the family of Henadad, Kadmiel, 10 and their brothers: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
14 And these are the names of the leaders who put their names on the sealed agreement:
Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, 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 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
28-29 So all these people now make this special promise to God. And they all ask for bad things to happen if they don’t keep their promise. All these people promise to follow the law of God. That law of God was given to us through Moses his servant. These people promise with an oath to carefully obey all the commands, rules, and teachings of our Lord God . Now, these are the people who are making this promise: The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all the Israelites who separated themselves from the people living around them. They have separated themselves to obey God’s law. Their wives, sons, and daughters who are able to listen and understand also did this. All these people joined their brothers and the important people to accept for themselves the promise to obey God’s law. And they accepted the curse that asks for bad things to happen to them if they don’t obey God’s law.
30 “We promise not to let our daughters marry the people living around us. And we promise not to let our sons marry their daughters.
31 “We promise not to work on the Sabbath day. If the people living around us bring grain or other things to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy them on that special day or on any other festival. Every seventh year, [ a ] we will not plant or work the land. And every seventh year, we will cancel every debt that other people owe to us.
32 “We will accept the responsibility for obeying the commands to take care of God’s Temple. We will give 1/3 shekel [ b ] of silver each year to support the Temple service to honor our God. 33 This money will pay for the special bread that the priests put on the table in the Temple. It will pay for the daily grain offerings and burnt offerings. It will pay for the offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moon celebrations, and other special meeting days. It will pay for the holy offerings and for the sin offerings that make the Israelites pure. It will pay for any work needed on the Temple of our God.
34 “We, the priests, the Levites, and the people have thrown lots to decide when each of our families is to bring a gift of wood to the Temple of our God at certain times each year. The wood is to burn on the altar of the Lord our God. We must do that just as it is written in the law.
35 “We also accept the responsibility of bringing the first part of our harvest, whether from the grain in our fields or the fruit from our trees. We will bring them to the Lord ’s Temple each year.
36 “Just as it is also written in the law, this is what we will do: We will bring our firstborn sons and our firstborn cattle, sheep, and goats. We will bring these to the Temple of our God, to the priests who are serving there.
37 “And we will also bring the first part of our harvest to priests to put in the storage rooms of our God’s Temple. We will bring the first of our ground meal, the first of our grain offerings, the first fruit from our trees, and the first of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tenth of our crops to the Levites, because they are the ones who collect these things in all the towns where we work. 38 A priest from the family of Aaron must be with the Levites when they receive the crops. Then the Levites must bring the crops to the Temple of our God and put them in the storerooms of the Temple treasury. 39 The Israelites and the Levites must bring their gifts to the storerooms. They are to bring their gifts of grain, new wine, and oil. All the things for the Temple are kept in the storerooms, and that is where the priests who are on duty stay. The singers and gatekeepers also stay there.
“We all promise that we will take care of the Temple of our God.”
10 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,
18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;
29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, 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 judgments and his statutes;
30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, not take their daughters for our sons:
31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law:
35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord :
36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:
37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.
39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.
10 [ a ] Now on the ( A ) sealed document were the names of : Nehemiah the [ b ] governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests. 9 And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel; 10 also their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, 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, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, 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 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
28 Now ( B ) the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and ( C ) all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding, 29 are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are [ c ] ( D ) taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to [ d ] comply with all the commandments of [ e ] God our Lord, and His ordinances and statutes; 30 and ( E ) that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 As ( F ) for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not [ f ] buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day; and we will forgo the crops of the ( G ) seventh year and [ g ] ( H ) every debt.
32 We also imposed [ h ] on ourselves the obligation to contribute yearly ( I ) a third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the ( J ) showbread, for the continual grain offering, for the continual burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, for the appointed times, for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.
34 Likewise ( K ) we cast lots ( L ) for the supply of wood among the priests, the Levites, and the people so that they could bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers’ households, at set times annually, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law; 35 and so that they could bring the first fruits of our ground and ( M ) the first fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the Lord annually, 36 and ( N ) bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the Law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God. 37 ( O ) We will also bring the first of our [ i ] dough, our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the new wine, and the oil ( P ) to the priests at the chambers of the house of our God, and the ( Q ) tithe of our ground to the Levites, for the Levites are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns. 38 And ( R ) the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of ( S ) the storehouse. 39 For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the ( T ) contribution of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the chambers; the utensils of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers, and the singers are there. So ( U ) we will not [ j ] neglect the house of our God.
10 [ a ] Those who sealed it were:
Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah.
Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, ( A ) Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashhur, ( B ) Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,
5 Harim, ( C ) Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.
These were the priests. ( D )
9 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 )
