²¹ They continued, “Let them live,^(A) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers^(B) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

²³ You are now under a curse:^(A) You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

The People in Jerusalem^(A)

² Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns^(B) were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.^(C)

²⁰ They also brought 220 of the temple servants^(A)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

³ These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns,^(A)