1On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;they�: Heb. there was readaudience: Heb. ears
2Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
4And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:having�: Heb. being set over
5And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.which�: Heb. the commandment of the Levites
6But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:after�: Heb. at the end of daysobtained�: or, I earnestly requested
7And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
9Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
10And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
11Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.place: Heb. standing
12Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.treasuries: or, storehouses
13And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.treasuries: or, storehousesnext�: Heb. at their handtheir office�: Heb. it was upon them
14Ingatlah aku, ya Allahku, berkenaan hal ini, dan jangan memadam bersih perbuatan-perbuatan baikku yang telah aku lakukan bagi rumah Allahku, dan bagi jawatan-jawatannya.
15In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
16There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
18Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
21Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.about: Heb. before
22Dan aku memerintahkan orang Lewi supaya mereka mentahirkan diri mereka, dan supaya mereka datang dan menjaga pintu-pintu gerbang, untuk menyucikan hari Sabat. Ingatlah aku, Ya Allahku, bagi hal ini juga, dan sayangilah aku menurut kebesaran belas kasihanmu.
23Pada zaman-zaman itu juga aku nampak orang Yahudi yang telah mengahwini perempuan-perempuan dari Asdod, dari Amon, dan dari Moab.
24Dan anak-anak mereka berbicara setengah pertuturan dari Asdod, dan tidak dapat berbicara dalam bahasa orang Yahudi, tetapi menuruti bahasa setiap bangsa masing-masing.
25Dan aku bertikaian dengan mereka, dan mengutuk mereka, dan memukul sesetengah dari antara mereka, dan mencabut rambut mereka, dan menjadikan mereka bersumpah kepada Allah, dengan berkata, Kalian tidak akan menyerahkan anak-anak perempuanmu atau anak-anak lelakimu, dan jangan mengambil anak-anak perempuan mereka kepada anak-anak lelakimu, bagi diri kalian sendiri.
26Tidakkah Salomo, raja Israel berdosa dengan hal-hal demikian? namun di kalangan banyak bangsa tiada raja yang seperti dia, yang dikasihi Allahnya, dan Allah menjadikannya raja ke atas seluruh Israel: walau bagaimanapun, dia pun terbawa-bawa oleh perempuan yang sungguh asing untuk berdosa.
27Maka patutkah kami mengendahkan kalian untuk melakukan segala kejahatan yang besar ini, untuk melanggari Allah kita dengan mengahwini perempuan-perempuan yang asing?
28Dan salah seorang anak lelaki Yoyada, anak kepada Elyasib, imam besar itu, merupakan menantu lelaki kepada Sanbalat, orang Horoni: oleh sebab itu, aku mengusir dia daripadaku.
29Ingatlah mereka, ya Allahku, kerana mereka telah mencemarkan keimaman, dan waad keimaman dan orang Lewi.
30Demikianlah aku mentahirkan mereka semua daripada semua orang asing, dan melantik para penjaga di kalangan imam dan orang Lewi, setiap satu orang dalam urusannya masing-masing;
31Dan bagi persembahan kayu, pada waktu-waktu yang ditentukan, dan bagi hasil buah pertama. Ingatlah aku, ya Allahku, bagi kebaikan.