| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating 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 and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, |
| 2because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing). | 2because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) |
| 3As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent. | 3When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent. |
| 4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God | 4Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, |
| 5and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests. | 5and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests. |
| 6While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king | 6But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission |
| 7to 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 the house of God. | 7and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. |
| 8And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. | 8I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room. |
| 9Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense. | 9I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense. |
| 10I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields. | 10I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. |
| 11So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts, | 11So I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts. |
| 12and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms. | 12All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms. |
| 13I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites. | 13I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites. |
| 14Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services. | 14Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services. |
| 15In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into 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 and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. |
| 16Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. | 16People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. |
| 17Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? | 17I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing--desecrating the Sabbath day? |
| 18Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!” | 18Didn't your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath." |
| 19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. | 19When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. |
| 20Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, | 20Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. |
| 21but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath. | 21But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you." From that time on they no longer came 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 as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion. | 22Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love. |
| 23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. | 23Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. |
| 24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah. | 24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. |
| 25I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them 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 for yourselves! | 25I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. |
| 26Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin. | 26Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king 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 even he was led into sin by foreign women. |
| 27Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?” | 27Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?" |
| 28Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me. | 28One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me. |
| 29Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. | 29Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. |
| 30Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites. | 30So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. |
| 31I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor. | 31I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, my God. |
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