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10 [a]The following people sealed the agreement: Governor Nehemiah (son of Hacaliah), Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malchiah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

These were the Levites: Jeshua (son of Azaniah), Binnui (of the sons of Henadad), Kadmiel, 10 and their relatives Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

14 These were the leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

28 The rest of the people took an oath. These people included the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the inhabitants of the land for the sake of Elohim’s Teachings. Their wives, sons, daughters, and everyone who is capable of understanding also took an oath. 29 They joined their relatives, the nobles, in binding themselves with a curse and an oath to follow Elohim’s teachings given by Moses, Elohim’s servant. They also bound themselves to follow all the commandments, rules, and regulations of Yahweh our Adonay.

30 We will not allow our daughters to marry the inhabitants of the land or allow their daughters to marry our sons. 31 If the inhabitants of the land bring merchandise or grain to sell on the day of worship, we won’t buy anything from them on the day of worship or any other holy day. During the seventh year, we won’t plant the fields or collect any debts.

32 Also, we take upon ourselves the obligation to give an eighth of an ounce of silver every year for worship in our Elohim’s temple: 33 for rows of the bread of the presence, and for the daily grain offerings and daily burnt offerings, on the weekly days of worship, and on the New Moon Festivals, and at the appointed annual festivals, for the holy gifts and offerings for sin that make peace with God for Israel, and for all the other work in the temple of our Elohim.

34 We priests, Levites, and laypeople have drawn lots to decide the order in which the heads of our families should bring wood to our Elohim’s temple to burn on the altar of Yahweh our Elohim at appointed times every year according to the directions in the Teachings. 35 We have drawn lots to decide who should bring the first produce harvested and the first fruit from every tree each year to Yahweh’s temple. 36 Following the directions in the Teachings, we have drawn lots to decide who should bring the firstborn of our sons, our cattle, and our flocks to the priests serving in our Elohim’s temple. 37 Also, we have drawn lots to decide who should bring the best of our coarse flour, contributions, fruit from every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests, to the storerooms. We will bring for the Levites one-tenth of the produce from our fields, because the Levites are the ones who collect one-tenth of the produce from all our farm communities. 38 A priest—one of Aaron’s descendants—should be with the Levites when they collect the tenth. Then the Levites should bring one-tenth of these tenths to our Elohim’s temple, into the rooms of the storehouses there. 39 The Israelites and the Levites should bring into the storerooms their contributions of grain, new wine, and olive oil. They should bring these products to the place where the utensils of the holy place are and where the priests who serve and the gatekeepers and the singers are. We won’t neglect our Elohim’s temple.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 10:1 Nehemiah 10:1–39 in the English Bible is Nehemiah 10:2–40 in the Hebrew Bible.

10 [a]Those who sealed it were:

Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah.

Zedekiah, Seraiah,(A) Azariah, Jeremiah,

Pashhur,(B) Amariah, Malkijah,

Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,

Harim,(C) Meremoth, Obadiah,

Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.

These were the priests.(D)

The Levites:(E)

Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

10 and their associates: Shebaniah,

Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

11 Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,

12 Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

13 Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.

14 The leaders of the people:

Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,(F)

17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,(G)

21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

23 Hoshea, Hananiah,(H) Hasshub,

24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

27 Malluk, Harim and Baanah.

28 “The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants(I) and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples(J) for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath(K) to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

30 “We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.(L)

31 “When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath,(M) we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land(N) and will cancel all debts.(O)

32 “We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel[b] each year for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the bread set out on the table;(P) for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon(Q) feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings[c] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.(R)

34 “We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots(S) to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood(T) to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

35 “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits(U) of our crops and of every fruit tree.(V)

36 “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn(W) of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.(X)

37 “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil.(Y) And we will bring a tithe(Z) of our crops to the Levites,(AA) for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.(AB) 38 A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes(AC) up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.

“We will not neglect the house of our God.”(AD)

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 10:1 In Hebrew texts 10:1-39 is numbered 10:2-40.
  2. Nehemiah 10:32 That is, about 1/8 ounce or about 4 grams
  3. Nehemiah 10:33 Or purification offerings