< Nehemiah 10 >
1 (This is a list/These are the names) of those who signed the agreement: I, Nehemiah, the governor; and also Zedekiah.
And the signatories were: Nehemiah, the cupbearer, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
2 The priests who signed it were: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
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, 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,
And the Levites were: Jeshua, the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,
10 Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
and their brothers, 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, Beninu.
14 The Israeli leaders who signed it were: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
The heads of the people were: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
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, Hazir,
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,
27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
Malluch, Harim, 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].
And the rest of the people were the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, and the singers, the temple servants, and all who had separated themselves, from the peoples of the lands, to the law of God, with their wives, their sons, and their daughters.
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: ]
All who were able to understand, pledged on behalf of their brothers, with their nobles, and they came forward to promise and to swear that they would walk in the law of God, which he had given to the hand of Moses, the servant of God, that they would do and keep all the commandments of the Lord our God, and his judgments and his ceremonies,
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.
and that we would not give our daughters to the people of the land, and that we would not accept their daughters for our sons,
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).
also that, if the people of the land carry in goods for sale or any useful things, so that they might sell them on the day of the Sabbath, that we would not buy them on the Sabbath, nor on a sanctified day, and that we would release the seventh year and the collection of debt from every hand.
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.
And we established precepts over ourselves, so that we would give one third part of a shekel each year for the work of the house of our 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 bread of the presence, and for the continual sacrifice, and for a continual holocaust on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, on the solemnities, and for the holy things, and for the sin offering, so that atonement would be made for Israel, and for every use within the house 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].
Then we cast lots concerning the oblation of the wood among the priests, and the Levites, and the people, so that it would be carried into the house of our God, by the households of our fathers, at set times, from the times of one year to another, so that they might burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, just as it was written in the law of Moses,
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].
and so that we might bring in the first-fruits of our land, and the first-fruits of all the produce from every tree, from year to year, in the house of our Lord,
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].
and the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, just as it was written in the law, and the firstborn of our oxen and our sheep, so that they might be offered in the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God,
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.
and so that we might bring in the first-fruits of our foods, and of our libations, and the fruits of every tree, also of the vintage and of the oil, to the priests, to the storehouse of our God, with the tithes of our land for the Levites. The Levites also shall receive tithes from our works out of all the cities.
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.
Now the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites in the tithes of the Levites, and the Levites shall offer a tenth part of their tithes in the house of our God, to the storeroom in the house of the treasury.
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].”
For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall carry to the storehouse the first-fruits of the grain, of the wine, and of the oil. And the sanctified vessels shall be there, and the priests, and the singing men, and the gatekeepers, and the ministers. And we shall not forsake the house of our God.