| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1At that time the book of Moses was read publicly to the people. The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, | 1On that day the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people. They found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever enter the assembly of God, |
| 2because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. | 2for they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.) |
| 3When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel. | 3When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry. |
| 4Now before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was a relative of Tobiah | 4But prior to this time, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been appointed over the storerooms of the temple of our God. |
| 5and had prepared a large room for him where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, and the tenths of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests. | 5He made for himself a large storeroom where previously they had been keeping the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil as commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the offering for the priests. |
| 6While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absence | 6During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time I had requested leave of the king, |
| 7so I could 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 God's house. | 7and I returned to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by supplying him with a storeroom in the courts of the temple of God. |
| 8I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah's household possessions out of the room. | 8I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah's household possessions out of the storeroom. |
| 9I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored there, along with the grain offering and frankincense. | 9Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense. |
| 10I also found out that because the portions for the Levites had not been given, each of the Levites and the singers performing the service had gone back to his own field. | 10I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields. |
| 11Therefore, I rebuked the officials, saying, "Why has the house of God been neglected?" I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts. | 11So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking "Why is the temple of God neglected?" Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions. |
| 12Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storehouses. | 12Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms. |
| 13I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for the distribution to their colleagues. | 13I gave instructions that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues. |
| 14Remember me for this, my God, and don't erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services. | 14Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services! |
| 15At that time I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading them on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. | 15In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. |
| 16The Tyrians living there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. | 16The people from Tyre who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah--and in Jerusalem, of all places! |
| 17I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: "What is this evil you are doing--profaning the Sabbath day? | 17So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? |
| 18Didn't your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!" | 18Isn't this the way your ancestors acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!" |
| 19When shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day. | 19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. |
| 20Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, | 20The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. |
| 21but I warned them, "Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I'll use force against you." After that they did not come again on the Sabbath. | 21But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!" From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. |
| 22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and look on me with compassion in keeping with Your abundant, faithful love. | 22Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love. |
| 23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. | 23Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. |
| 24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew. | 24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned) and were unable to speak the language of Judah. |
| 25I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair. I forced them to 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 yourselves! | 25So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, "You will not marry off your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! |
| 26Didn't King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations. He was loved by his God and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin. | 26Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin! |
| 27Why then should we hear about you doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?" | 27Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign wives?" |
| 28Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So I drove him away from me. | 28Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight. |
| 29Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood as well as the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. | 29Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, and the Levites. |
| 30So I purified them from everything foreign and assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites. | 30So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to the priests and the Levites. |
| 31I also arranged for the donation of wood at the appointed times and for the firstfruits. Remember me, my God, with favor. | 31I also provided for the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits. Please remember me for good, O my God. |
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