10
Here are the names of those who put their official marks on the agreement. Nehemiah, the son of Hakaliah
He was the governor.
3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah
They were the priests.
9 Here are the names of the Levites.
Jeshua, the son of Azaniah,
Binnui, one of the sons of Henadad,
Kadmiel
10 Here are the names of those who helped them.
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu
14 Here are the names of 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 Malluk, Harim, Baanah
28 The rest of the people gathered together. They included the priests, the Levites and the men who guarded the gates. They included the musicians and temple servants. They also included all the people who separated themselves from the surrounding nations to obey the Law of God. All these men brought their wives with them. And they brought all their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand what was being agreed to. 29 All the men joined the nobles of their people. They made a firm agreement. They made a promise and said they would be cursed if they didn't keep it. They promised to follow the Law of God. It had been given through Moses, the servant of God. They promised to obey carefully all the commands, rules and laws of the Lord our Lord.
30 Here is what the priests, Levites and people said. ‘We promise not to let our daughters marry men from the nations around us. And we promise not to let their daughters marry our sons.
31 ‘The people around us will bring goods and corn to sell on the Sabbath day. But we won't buy anything from them on the Sabbath day. In fact, we won't buy anything from them on any holy day. Every seventh year we won't farm the land. And we'll forgive people what they owe us.
32 ‘We will be accountable for carrying out the commands for serving in the house of our God. Each of us will give 4 grams of silver every year. 33 It will pay for the holy bread that is placed on the table in the temple. It will pay for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings. It will pay for the offerings on the Sabbath days. It will pay for the offerings at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed feasts. It will pay for the holy offerings. It will be used for sin offerings to pay for the sins of Israel. It will also pay for everything else that needs to be done at the house of our God.
34 ‘We are the priests, Levites and people. Each of our families should bring a gift of wood to the house of our God. We have cast lots to decide when they will do that. They will bring it at certain appointed times every year. The wood will be burned on the altar of the Lord our God. That's what the Law requires.
35 ‘We will also be accountable for bringing the first share of our crops each year. And we'll bring the first share of every fruit tree. We'll bring them to the Lord's house.
36 ‘Each of us will bring our eldest son to the priests who serve there. We'll also bring the male animals that were born first to their mothers among our cattle, herds and flocks. We'll bring them to the house of our God. That's what the Law requires.
37 ‘We will also bring the first part of the meal we grind. We'll bring the first of our grain offerings. We'll bring the first share of fruit from all our trees. And we'll bring the first share of our olive oil and fresh wine. We'll give all those things to the priests. They'll put them in the storerooms of the house of our God. And we'll give a tenth of our crops to the Levites. They collect the tenth shares. They do it in all the towns where we work. 38 A priest from Aaron's family line must go with the Levites when they receive the tenth shares. And the Levites must bring a tenth of those shares up to the house of our God. They must put it in the rooms where the treasures are stored. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, must bring their gifts. They must bring corn, olive oil and fresh wine. They must put them in the storerooms where the objects for the temple are kept. That's also where the objects are kept for the priests serving at the temple, the musicians and the men who guard the gates.
‘We won't forget to take care of the house of our God.’
9:1–10:39 The time for the people to show their sadness came after the Feast of Booths. The people gathered to admit all their sins out loud to God. They did this while they worshipped and praised God. As they prayed, the Jews remembered God's work among them. All the stories mentioned in the prayer are recorded in other books of the Bible. They are recorded in the books from Genesis through 2 Chronicles. The Jews remembered when God told Abraham to move from Babylon to Canaan. They remembered how God had been faithful to them since then. They recognised that God is a gracious God. He had always been so good to them. They also admitted all the ways that they had been proud and stubborn. Over and over God's people had said no to him and they had chosen to do evil. They were very sorry about this and they repented. They were suffering. They longed for God to save them from being slaves of the Persian government. So they once again committed to being faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant. This included men, women and children who were old enough to understand. They all agreed to follow God's laws. They agreed not to join the families of people who worshipped false gods. They agreed to rest on the Sabbath day. They agreed to give the first share of the crops and a tenth of everything. They would give these to support the Levites and to take care of the temple.