Nehemiah 10
1 (This is a list/These are the names) of those who signed the agreement: I, Nehemiah, the governor; and also Zedekiah.
The document was sealed by: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah.
2 The priests who signed it were: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
9 The [other] descendants of Levi who signed it were: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui from the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel,
The Levites: Jeshua, son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,
10 Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
and these other Levites: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
14 The Israeli leaders who signed it were: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
28 Then the rest of the people also made a solemn agreement. The people who did it included priests, temple gatekeepers, singers, and temple workers. They also included all the men from other countries who had separated themselves from the other foreigners living in Israel. These men, along with their wives, their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand [what they were doing, were people who wanted to obey God’s laws].
The rest of the people, including the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and Temple servants, and everyone who had separated themselves from the people of the land to keep the Law of God, as well as their wives and all their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand,
29 They all joined with their leaders in making this solemn agreement. They agreed to obey all the laws that God had given to Moses. They agreed to obey everything that Yahweh our God had commanded, and all his regulations and instructions. [And this is what they promised to do: ]
joined the leaders in swearing an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God, to pay attention to and carry out all the commands of the Lord our God, his rules and regulations.
30 “We will not allow our daughters to marry people who live in this land [who do not worship Yahweh], and we will not allow our sons to marry them.
“We promise not to allow our daughters to marry the people of the land, and not to allow our sons to marry their daughters.
31 “If people from other countries who live in this land bring us grain or other things to sell to us on Sabbath days or any other sacred day, we will not buy anything from them. And in every seventh year, we will not plant any crops, and we will (cancel all debts/declare that people will no longer have to pay back what they owe us).
When the people of the land bring goods and all kinds of food to sell on the holy Sabbath, we will not buy anything from them on the Sabbath or on other holy days. Every seventh year we will leave the land to rest, and we will cancel all debts.
32 “We also promise that every year we will pay (one-eighth of an ounce/4 grams) of silver for the work of taking care of the temple.
We accept the obligation to pay one third of a shekel for the operation of the Temple of God,
33 With that money they can buy these things: The sacred bread [that is placed before God], the grain that is burned [on the altar] each day, the lambs that were completely burned [on the altar], the sacred offerings for the Sabbath days and for celebrating each new moon and other festivals that God told us to celebrate, and other offerings that are dedicated to God, the animals to be sacrificed to atone for the sins of the Israeli people, and anything else that is needed for the work of taking care of the temple.
for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Sabbath offerings, for the new moon and yearly festivals, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, in short all that takes place in the Temple of our God.
34 “Each year the priests, the [other] descendants of Levi who help the priests, and the rest of us will (cast lots/throw marked stones) to determine [for that year] which clans will provide wood to burn on the altar the sacrifices that are offered to Yahweh our God, in order to do what was written in the laws [God gave to Moses].
We have allocated by lot among the priests, Levites, and the people, to determine who will bring wood to the Temple of our God to burn on the altar of the Lord our God at specific times during the year, as required by the Law.
35 “We promise that each year each family will take to the temple an offering from the first grain that we harvest and from the first fruit that grows on our trees [that year].
We also promise to bring the first part of the produce from our fields and from every fruit tree to the Lord's Temple every year.
36 “Also, we will take to the priests at the temple our firstborn sons and dedicate them to God. And we will also bring firstborn calves and lambs and baby goats [to be offered as sacrifices]. That is what is written in God’s laws [that we must do].
We will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock and of our herds and flocks to the Temple of our God, to the priests who minister there, as required by the Law.
37 “We will also take to the priests at the temple the flour made from the first grain [that we harvest each year], and our other offerings of wine, [olive] oil, and fruit. We will also take to the descendants of Levi [who help the priests] the tithes/10% of [the crops that we grow on] our land, because they are the ones who collect the tithes in all the villages where we work/live.
We will bring to the storerooms of the Temple of our God, to the priests, the first part of our coarse-ground flour, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and olive oil. We will also bring a tithe of our produce to the Levites, for the Levites are the ones who collect the tithes in all the farming towns.
38 The priests who are descendants of Aaron will be with the [other] descendants of Levi and supervise them when they collect the tithes. Then the descendants of Levi must take 10% of the things that people bring and put them in the storerooms in the temple.
A priest descended from Aaron will accompany the Levites when they collect the tithe, and the Levites are to bring a tithe of these tithes to the rooms of the storehouse in the Temple of our God.
39 The descendants of Levi and [some of] the other Israeli people must take 10% of the offerings of grain, wine, and [olive] oil to the storerooms where the various utensils that are used in the temple are kept. That is the place where the priests who are serving at that time, the temple guards, and those who sing in the temple choir live. [We promise that] we will not neglect [taking care of the temple of our God].”
The people of Israel and the Levites are to bring the offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms where the sanctuary objects are kept, where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers are. We will not forget the Temple of our God.”
