1 AND in that day there was read in the volume of Moyses the people hearing it: and there was found written in it, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not enter into the Church of God for ever:📜💬📚

2 for that they met not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hired against them Balaam to curse them: and our God turned the cursing into blessing.📜💬📚

3 And it came to pass, when they had heard the law, they separated every stranger from Israel.📜💬📚

Temple Cleansed

4 And over this thing was Eliasib the Priest, who had been made overseer in the treasury of the house of our God, and near a-kin to Tobias.📜💬📚

5 He therefore made to himself a great treasury, and they were there before him laying up gifts, and frankincense, and vessels, and the tithe of corn, of wine, and of oil, the portions of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and the first fruits of the Priests.📜💬📚

6 But in all these things I was not in Jerusalem, because in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king of Babylon I came to the king, and in the end of certain days I desired the king.📜💬📚

7 And I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the evil that Eliasib had done to Tobias, to make him a treasure in the entrances of the house of God.📜💬📚

8 And it seemed to me exceeding evil. And I threw forth the vessels of the house of Tobias out of the treasury:📜💬📚

9 and I commanded and they cleansed the treasury: and I brought thither again the vessels of the house of God, the sacrifice, and the frankincense.📜💬📚

Tithes Restored

10 And I knew that the portions of the Levites had not been given: and that every man was fled into his country of the Levites, and the singing men, and of them that ministered:📜💬📚

11 and I pleaded the matter against the magistrates, and said: Why have we forsaken the house of God? And I assembled them, and I made them to stand in their standings.📜💬📚

12 And all Juda carried the tithe of the corn, wine, and oil into the store-houses:📜💬📚

13 And we appointed over the store-houses Selemias Priest, and Sadoc scribe, and Phadaia of the Levites, and next to them Hanan the son of Zachur, the son of Mathania: because they were approved faithful, and to them were committed the portions of the brethren.📜💬📚

14 Remember me my God for this thing, and wipe not out my mercies, which I have done in the house of my God, and in his ceremonies.📜💬📚

Sabbath Restored

15 In those days I saw them in Juda treading the presses on the Sabbath, carrying heaps, and loading upon asses wine, and grapes, and figs, and all manner of burthen, and bringing it into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I charged them, that they should sell on a day that it was lawful to sell in.📜💬📚

16 And the Tyrians dwelt in it, bringing fishes, and all things to sell: and they sold on the Sabbaths to the children of Juda in Jerusalem.📜💬📚

17 And I rebuked the Princes of Juda, and said to them: What is this evil thing, that you do, and profane the day of the Sabbath?📜💬📚

18 Why, did not our fathers these things, and our God brought upon us all this evil, and upon this city? And you add wrath upon Israel in violating the Sabbath.📜💬📚

19 And it came to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem had rested on the Sabbath day, I spake: and they shut the gates, and I commanded them that they should not open them till after the Sabbath: and of my servants I appointed over the gates, that none should bring in burdens in the Sabbath day.📜💬📚

20 And the merchants, and they that sold all merchandise, tarried without Jerusalem once and again.📜💬📚

21 And I charged them, and I said to them: Why tarry you over-against the wall? If you shall do so the second time, I will lay my hand upon you. Therefore from that time they came not on the Sabbath.📜💬📚

22 I spake also to the Levites that they should be cleansed, and should come to keep the gates, and to sanctify the day of the Sabbath: therefore for this also remember me my God, and spare me according to the multitude of thy mercies.📜💬📚

Intermarriage Forbidden

23 But in those days also I saw the Jews marrying wives women of Azotus, and of Ammon, and of Moab.📜💬📚

24 And their children spake, the half part the Azotian tongue, and they could not speak the Jew's language, and they spake according to the language of the people and people.📜💬📚

25 And I rebuked them, and cursed them. And I beat of them some men, & shaved them bald, & adjured them by God, that they should not give their daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for their sons, and for themselves, saying:📜💬📚

26 Did not Salomon the king of Israel sin in this kind of thing? And surely in many nations, there was not a king like to him, and he was beloved of his God, and God set him king over all Israel: him therefore also foreign women brought to sin.📜💬📚

27 And shall we also being disobedient persons do all this great evil, to transgress against our God, and to marry foreign women?📜💬📚

28 And Sanaballat the Horonite was son in law to one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliasib the high Priest, whom I drave from me.📜💬📚

29 Remember o Lord my God against them, that pollute the Priesthood, and the right of Priests and Levites.📜💬📚

30 Therefore I separated from them all strangers, & I appointed the courses of the Priests and Levites, every man in his ministry:📜💬📚

31 and in the oblation of wood at times appointed, and in the first fruits: Remember me my God unto good. Amen.📜💬📚