Nehemiah 10 Cross References - LEB

¹ Upon the sealed documents: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah and Zedekiah; ² Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, ³ Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, ⁴ Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, ⁵ Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, ⁶ Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, ⁷ Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, ⁸ Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah—these are the priests. ⁹ And the Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; ¹⁰ their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, ¹¹ Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, ¹² Zaccur, Shereiah, Shebanaih, ¹³ Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. ¹⁴ The heads 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, Nobai, 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 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, ²⁷ Malluch, Harim, Baanah. ²⁸ "The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to observe the law* of God—their wives, their sons, their daughters, and all who know and understand— ²⁹ are helping their brothers, their nobles, and entering into a solemn oath to walk in the law* of God which was given by the hand of Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all of the commandments of Yahweh our Lord and his judgments and regulations. ³⁰ We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land nor take their daughters for our sons. ³¹ And the peoples of the land who bring merchandise and any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not accept it from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. We will forego the crops of the seventh year and cancel every debt. ³² "We put on ourselves the commandment upon us to yearly give a third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: ³³ for the rows of bread, the offering of the daily sacrifice, the continual burnt sacrifice, the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals, the appointed festival times, the holy objects, the sin offerings that make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. ³⁴ And we have cast lots for the contributions of the wood offering of the priests, the Levites, and the people to bring it to the house of our God, by our fathers' houses, at designated times, year by year, to burn on the altar of Yahweh our God—as it is written in the law.* ³⁵ We also bring the first fruits of our soil and the first fruits of all the fruit trees, year by year, for the house of Yahweh. ³⁶ And the firstborn of our sons and beasts—as it is written in the law*—and the firstborn of our cattle and sheep, to bring to the house of our God and to the priests serving in the house of our God. ³⁷ And we bring the best of our dough, our offerings, the fruit of every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring the tithe of our soil to the Levites, for the Levites receive the tithes in all of our rural towns. ³⁸ And the priest, the descendant* of Aaron, will be with the Levites during the tithe the Levites receive. The Levites will bring up a tithe of the tithes for the house of our God to the chambers of the storehouse. ³⁹ For the _⌊Israelites_⌋* and the _⌊Levites_⌋* will bring to the storerooms the offering of grain, new wine, and olive oil. These are the objects of the sanctuary and the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and singers. We will not neglect the house of our God."

⁶³ The governor said to them that they could not eat from the holy food of the sanctuary* until there was present a priest for the Urim and Thummim.

¹ The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.
It happened in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, that I myself was in the citadel in Susa,

⁷⁰ Now some from the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* gave to the work. The governor gave to the storehouse one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly tunics.

⁹ Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, "This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn nor weep." For all of the people wept when they heard the words of the law.*

³⁸ * "Now because of all of this we make a binding written agreement and are writing on the sealed documents the names of our commanders, our Levites, and our priests."

²³ After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, repaired beside his house.

¹¹ Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub—the leader of the house of God—

¹ These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

³³ Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴ Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

¹¹ Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.

⁴ Then Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium that had been made for the occasion. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right. On his left was Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

¹² and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-two. And Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah,

² Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

¹³ of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

¹⁰ _⌊Next to them_⌋* Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. _⌊Next to him_⌋* Hattush son of Hashabneiah repaired.

¹⁴ of Melichu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

⁴ _⌊Next to them_⌋* Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, repaired. _⌊Next to them_⌋* Meshullam son of Berekiah, son of Meshezabel, repaired. _⌊Next to them_⌋* Zadok son of Baana repaired.

²¹ After him Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, repaired a second section of a wall from the doorway of the house of Eliashib up to the end of the house of Eliashib.

³ Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

²⁰ After him Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired a second section of a wall from the angle up to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

⁴ Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

⁶ Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam repaired the old Yeshanah Gate. They laid its beams and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

⁴ Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, ⁵ Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

¹⁷ of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin; of Moadiah, Piltai;

²⁵ Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms of the gates. ²⁶ These were in the days of Jehoiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe. ²⁷ At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all of their places in order to bring them to Jerusalem to do the dedication with joy, thanksgivings, song and cymbals, stringed instruments and lyres. ²⁸ The _⌊singers_⌋* were gathered from the circuit all around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathite, ²⁹ from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem. ³⁰ And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. ³¹ Then I brought the commanders of Judah up on to the wall. I appointed two great choirs; one went in a procession to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate. ³² After them went Hoshaiah, half of the commanders of Judah, ³³ Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

⁴¹ and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with the trumpets;

²¹ From the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

²⁹ After them Zadok son of Immer repaired opposite his house. After him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, keeper of the East Gate, repaired.

⁵ Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, ⁶ Shemaiah, Jehoiarib, Jedaiah,

¹⁸ of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

⁴² Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jizrahiah the chief officer.

¹⁸ After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai son of Henadad, commander of half of the district of Keilah, ¹⁹ _⌊next to him_⌋* Ezer son of Jeshua, commander of Mizpah, repaired a second section of a wall opposite of the ascent of the armory at the angle.

²⁴ After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired a second section of a wall from the house of Azariah up to the angle up to the corner.

⁴³ The Levites: the descendants* of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants* of Hodaviah, seventy-four.

⁷ And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law* while the people were in their places.

⁴ Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani stood on the platform of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to Yahweh their God.

⁸ And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah and his brothers who were in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

²⁴ And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brothers opposite them, to praise and to give thanks by the command of David the man of God, section alongside section.

²³ From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

⁴ Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani stood on the platform of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to Yahweh their God. ⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up, bless Yahweh your God from everlasting until everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name that is being exalted above all blessing and praise!

¹⁹ Also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty in total.

²⁴ I set apart twelve of the official priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them.

¹⁵ Now from the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni;

²² The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, from the descendants* of Asaph, the singers over the work of the house of God.

³ the descendants* of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; ⁴ the descendants* of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; ⁵ the descendants* of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five; ⁶ the descendants* of Pahath-moab, particularly the descendants* of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; ⁷ the descendants* of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; ⁸ the descendants* of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; ⁹ the descendants* of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; ¹⁰ the descendants* of Bani, six hundred and forty-two; ¹¹ the descendants* of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; ¹² the descendants* of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two; ¹³ the descendants* of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; ¹⁴ the descendants* of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six; ¹⁵ the descendants* of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; ¹⁶ the descendants* of Ater, particularly of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; ¹⁷ the descendants* of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; ¹⁸ the descendants* of Jorah, one hundred and twelve; ¹⁹ the descendants* of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three; ²⁰ the descendants* of Gibbar, ninety-five; ²¹ the people* of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three; ²² the men of Netophah, fifty-six; ²³ the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; ²⁴ the people* of Azmaveth, forty-two; ²⁵ the people* of Kiriath Αrim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; ²⁶ the people* of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; ²⁷ the men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two; ²⁸ the men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three; ²⁹ the people* of Nebo, fifty-two; ³⁰ the people* of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; ³¹ the people* of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; ³² the people* of Harim, three hundred and twenty; ³³ the people* of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; ³⁴ the people* of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; ³⁵ the people* of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty. ³⁶ The priests: the descendants* of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; ³⁷ the descendants* of Immer, one thousand fifty-two; ³⁸ the descendants* of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; ³⁹ the descendants* of Harim, one thousand seventeen. ⁴⁰ The Levites: the descendants* of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants* of Hodaviah, seventy-four. ⁴¹ The singers: the descendants* of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. ⁴² The descendants* of the gatekeepers: the descendants* of Shallum, the descendants* of Ater, the descendants* of Talmon, the descendants* of Akkub, the descendants* of Hatita, and the descendants* of Shobai; in total one hundred and thirty-nine. ⁴³ The temple servants: the descendants* of Ziha, the descendants* of Hasupha, the descendants* of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁴ the descendants* of Keros, the descendants* of Siaha, the descendants* of Padon, ⁴⁵ the descendants* of Lebanah, the descendants* of Hagabah, the descendants* of Akkub, ⁴⁶ the descendants* of Hagab, the descendants* of Shamlai, the descendants* of Hanan, ⁴⁷ the descendants* of Giddel, the descendants* of Gahar, the descendants* of Reaiah, ⁴⁸ the descendants* of Rezin, the descendants* of Nekoda, the descendants* of Gazzam, ⁴⁹ the descendants* of Uzza, the descendants* of Paseah, the descendants* of Besai, ⁵⁰ the descendants* of Asnah, the descendants* of Meunim, the descendants* of Nephisim, ⁵¹ the descendants* of Bakbuk, the descendants* of Hakupha, the descendants* of Harhur, ⁵² the descendants* of Bazluth, the descendants* of Mehida, the descendants* of Harsha, ⁵³ the descendants* of Barkos, the descendants* of Sisera, the descendants* of Temah, ⁵⁴ the descendants* of Neziah, and the descendants* of Hatipha. ⁵⁵ The descendants* of Solomon's servants: the descendants* of Sotai, the descendants* of Hassophereth, the descendants* of Peruda, ⁵⁶ the descendants* of Jaalah, the descendants* of Darkon, the descendants* of Giddel, ⁵⁷ the descendants* of Shephatiah, the descendants* of Hattil, the descendants* of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants* of Ami. ⁵⁸ All the temple servants and the descendants* of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two. ⁵⁹ Now these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their fathers' household and their descent, if they were from Israel: ⁶⁰ the descendants* of Delaiah, the descendants* of Tobiah, and the descendants* of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two. ⁶¹ And from the descendants* of the priests: the descendants* of Habaiah, the descendants* of Hakkoz, and the descendants* of Barzillai (who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). ⁶² These sought their record in the genealogy records, but they were not found, and _⌊were excluded from the priesthood as unclean_⌋.* ⁶³ The governor said to them that they could not eat from the holy food of the sanctuary* until there was present a priest for the Urim and Thummim. ⁶⁴ The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, ⁶⁵ apart from their male and female servants, of whom were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred male and female singers. ⁶⁶ Their horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules numbered two hundred and forty-five, ⁶⁷ their camels numbered four hundred and thirty-five, their donkeys numbered six thousand seven hundred and twenty. ⁶⁸ When some of the heads of _⌊families_⌋* came to the house of Yahweh that is in Jerusalem, they gave freewill offerings for the house of God to erect it on its place. ⁶⁹ According to their ability they gave to the treasury room for the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly tunics. ⁷⁰ The priests, the Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem, and the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

⁸ the descendants* of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two.

¹¹ The descendants* of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants* of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. ¹² The descendants* of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. ¹³ The descendants* of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five.

¹⁵ The descendants* of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight.

¹¹ the descendants* of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; ¹² the descendants* of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;

¹¹ From the descendants* of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males. ¹² From the descendants* of Azgad: Jehohanan son of Haqqatan, and with him one hundred and ten males.

²⁸ From the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

¹⁶ The descendants* of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. ¹⁷ The descendants* of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two.

¹⁴ the descendants* of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six; ¹⁵ the descendants* of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; ¹⁶ the descendants* of Ater, particularly of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;

¹⁴ From the descendants* of Bigvai: Uthai son of Zabud,* and with him seventy males.

¹⁹ The descendants* of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. ²⁰ The descendants* of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. ²¹ The descendants* of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. ²² The descendants* of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. ²³ The descendants* of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. ²⁴ The descendants* of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. ²⁵ The descendants* of Gibeon, ninety-five. ²⁶ The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight. ²⁷ The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. ²⁸ The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. ²⁹ The men of Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. ³⁰ The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. ³¹ The men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two. ³² The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. ³³ The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. ³⁴ The people* of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. ³⁵ The people* of Harim, three hundred and twenty. ³⁶ The people* of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. ³⁷ The people* of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. ³⁸ The people* of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. ³⁹ The priests: The descendants* of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. ⁴⁰ The descendants* of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. ⁴¹ The descendants* of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. ⁴² The descendants* of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. ⁴³ The Levites: the descendants* of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants* of Hodaviah, seventy-four. ⁴⁴ The singers: the descendants* of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. ⁴⁵ The gatekeepers: the descendants* of Shallum, the descendants* of Ater, the descendants* of Talmon, the descendants* of Akkub, the descendants* of Hatita, the descendants* of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight. ⁴⁶ The temple servants: the descendants* of Ziha, the descendants* of Hasupha, the descendants* of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁷ the descendants* of Keros, the descendants* of Siaha, the descendants* of Padon, ⁴⁸ the descendants* of Lebanah, the descendants* of Hagaba, the descendants* of Shalmai, ⁴⁹ the descendants* of Hanan, the descendants* of Giddel, the descendants* of Gahar, ⁵⁰ the descendants* of Reaiah, the descendants* of Rezin, the descendants* of Nekoda, ⁵¹ the descendants* of Gazzam, the descendants* of Uzza, the descendants* of Paseah, ⁵² the descendants* of Besai, the descendants* of Meunim, the descendants* of Nephushesim, ⁵³ the descendants* of Bakbuk, the descendants* of Hakupha, the descendants* of Harhur, ⁵⁴ the descendants* of Bazlith, the descendants* of Mehida, the descendants* of Harsha, ⁵⁵ the descendants* of Barkos, the descendants* of Sisera, the descendants* of Temah, ⁵⁶ the descendants* of Neziah, the descendants* of Hatipha. ⁵⁷ The descendants* of Solomon's servants: the descendants* of Sotai, the descendants* of Sophereth, the descendants* of Perida, ⁵⁸ the descendants* of Jaala, the descendants* of Darkon, the descendants* of Giddel, ⁵⁹ the descendants* of Shephatiah, the descendants* of Hattil, the descendants* of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants* of Amon. ⁶⁰ All the temple servants and the descendants* of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two. ⁶¹ These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: ⁶² the descendants* of Delaiah, the descendants* of Tobiah, the descendants* of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. ⁶³ And from the priests: the descendants* of Hobaiah, the descendants* of Hakkoz, the descendants* of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). ⁶⁴ These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. ⁶⁵ So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim. ⁶⁶ All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, ⁶⁷ besides their servants and female slaves—these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five,*

⁶⁹ * there were four hundred and thirty-five camels and six thousand seven hundred and twenty male donkeys. ⁷⁰ Now some from the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* gave to the work. The governor gave to the storehouse one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly tunics. ⁷¹ Now some of the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* gave to the storehouse of the work twenty thousand gold darics and two thousand two hundred silver minas. ⁷² And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly tunics. ⁷³ So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their cities. When the seventh month came, the _⌊Israelites_⌋* were in their cities.

¹⁷ After him the Levites repaired; Rehum son of Bani, and next to him Hashabiah, commander of half of the district of Keilah, repaired his district. ¹⁸ After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai son of Henadad, commander of half of the district of Keilah, ¹⁹ _⌊next to him_⌋* Ezer son of Jeshua, commander of Mizpah, repaired a second section of a wall opposite of the ascent of the armory at the angle. ²⁰ After him Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired a second section of a wall from the angle up to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. ²¹ After him Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, repaired a second section of a wall from the doorway of the house of Eliashib up to the end of the house of Eliashib. ²² After him the priests, men from the vicinity, repaired. ²³ After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, repaired beside his house. ²⁴ After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired a second section of a wall from the house of Azariah up to the angle up to the corner. ²⁵ Palal son of Uzai repaired opposite the Angle at the tower that juts out from the upper house of the king, at the courtyard of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh ²⁶ and the temple servants who were living on Ophel repaired up to opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. ²⁷ After him the Tekoites repaired a second section of a wall opposite the projecting tower that goes out as far as the wall of Ophel. ²⁸ Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his house. ²⁹ After them Zadok son of Immer repaired opposite his house. After him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, keeper of the East Gate, repaired. ³⁰ After him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam son of Berekiah repaired the wall opposite his room. ³¹ After him Malkijah, _⌊one of the goldsmiths_⌋,* repaired up to the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Enrollment Gate and up to the upper room of the corner. ³² Between the upper room of the corner to the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants repaired.

²⁴ So* I said to you, "You yourselves shall take possession of their land, and I myself shall give it to you to possess it—a land flowing with milk and honey"; I am Yahweh your God, who _⌊has set you apart_⌋* from the nations.

³⁶ The priests: the descendants* of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; ³⁷ the descendants* of Immer, one thousand fifty-two; ³⁸ the descendants* of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; ³⁹ the descendants* of Harim, one thousand seventeen. ⁴⁰ The Levites: the descendants* of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants* of Hodaviah, seventy-four. ⁴¹ The singers: the descendants* of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. ⁴² The descendants* of the gatekeepers: the descendants* of Shallum, the descendants* of Ater, the descendants* of Talmon, the descendants* of Akkub, the descendants* of Hatita, and the descendants* of Shobai; in total one hundred and thirty-nine. ⁴³ The temple servants: the descendants* of Ziha, the descendants* of Hasupha, the descendants* of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁴ the descendants* of Keros, the descendants* of Siaha, the descendants* of Padon, ⁴⁵ the descendants* of Lebanah, the descendants* of Hagabah, the descendants* of Akkub, ⁴⁶ the descendants* of Hagab, the descendants* of Shamlai, the descendants* of Hanan, ⁴⁷ the descendants* of Giddel, the descendants* of Gahar, the descendants* of Reaiah, ⁴⁸ the descendants* of Rezin, the descendants* of Nekoda, the descendants* of Gazzam, ⁴⁹ the descendants* of Uzza, the descendants* of Paseah, the descendants* of Besai, ⁵⁰ the descendants* of Asnah, the descendants* of Meunim, the descendants* of Nephisim, ⁵¹ the descendants* of Bakbuk, the descendants* of Hakupha, the descendants* of Harhur, ⁵² the descendants* of Bazluth, the descendants* of Mehida, the descendants* of Harsha, ⁵³ the descendants* of Barkos, the descendants* of Sisera, the descendants* of Temah, ⁵⁴ the descendants* of Neziah, and the descendants* of Hatipha.

⁷⁰ The priests, the Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem, and the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

¹ After finishing these things the officials approached me saying, "The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated from the people of the lands with their detestable things, and from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. ² For they have taken from their daughters for themselves and their sons. So the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the officials and prefects were foremost in this sin.

¹¹ Now make a confession to Yahweh the God of your ancestors* and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women." ¹² Then all the assembly answered with a great voice and said, "It is so. We must do according to your words. ¹³ But the people are many, and it is the time of rain; we are unable to stand outside. The task is not for one day or two, for we greatly rebelled in this matter. ¹⁴ Please let our leaders stand for the whole assembly, and let all that are in our cities who have married foreign women come at set times, and with them the elders of and judges of each city, until the fierce wrath of our God because of this matter is averted from us." ¹⁵ Only Jehonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah stood against this, and the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai supported them. ¹⁶ The _⌊returned exiles_⌋* did so. Ezra the priest selected men, the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* according to the house of their fathers, all of them by name. They sat down to examine the matter on the first day of the tenth month. ¹⁷ They finished investigating all the men who married foreign women by the first day of the first month. ¹⁸ There was found from the sons of the priests those who had married foreign women, from the sons of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. ¹⁹ _⌊They pledged themselves_⌋* to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.

² So Ezra the priest brought the law* before the assembly for each man and woman to hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

² Those of the seed of Israel separated themselves from all of the foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.*

³ So it happened when they heard the law* that they separated all of the foreign people from Israel.

⁷ For God is king of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding.*

² Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore, let your words be few.

² and you swear, '_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋,'* in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations will be blessed by him, and in him they will boast."

¹ Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers, for what participation is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,
"I will live in* them and will walk about among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people."* ¹⁷ Therefore "come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean,* and I will welcome you,*

¹ And then Moses summoned all of Israel and said to them, "Hear, Israel, the rules and the regulations that I am speaking in your ears _⌊today_⌋,* and you shall learn them, and _⌊you must observe them diligently_⌋.*

³² "So you must be careful to do just as Yahweh your God commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left.

¹⁵ 'Cursed be the man that makes a divine image or a cast image, which is a detestable thing for Yahweh, the work of the hand of a skilled craftsman, and then sets it in a hiding place.'* And _⌊all the people shall respond_⌋,* 'Amen.' ¹⁶ 'Cursed be the one who dishonors his father or his mother.' And all of the people shall say, 'Amen.' ¹⁷ 'Cursed be the one who moves the boundary marker of his neighbor.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ¹⁸ 'Cursed be the one who misleads a blind person on the road.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ¹⁹ 'Cursed be the one who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁰ 'Cursed be the one who lies with the wife of his father, because _⌊he has dishonored his father's bed_⌋.'* And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²¹ 'Cursed be the one who lies with any kind of animal.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²² 'Cursed be the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²³ 'Cursed be the one who lies with his mother-in-law.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁴ 'Cursed be the one who strikes down his neighbor in secret.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁵ 'Cursed be the one who takes a bribe _⌊to murder an innocent person_⌋.'* And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁶ 'Cursed be the one _⌊who does not keep_⌋* the words of this law, to observe them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"

¹² _⌊in order for you to enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God_⌋,* and into* his oath that Yahweh your God is _⌊making with you_⌋* _⌊today_⌋,* ¹³ in order to establish you _⌊today_⌋* _⌊to himself_⌋* as a people and so that he may be for you as God, just as he _⌊promised_⌋* to you and _⌊just as_⌋* he swore to your ancestors,* to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. ¹⁴ "Now I am not _⌊making this covenant_⌋* and this oath _⌊with you alone_⌋.*

⁴ A law Moses instructed for us, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

³¹ But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of Yahweh God of Israel with all his heart; he did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam by which he caused Israel to sin.

³ Then the king stood by the pillar, and he _⌊made_⌋* a covenant before Yahweh, to go after Yahweh and to keep his commands and his warnings and his statutes, with all of his heart and with his all of his soul, to keep the words of this covenant written on this scroll. Then all of the people _⌊joined_⌋* in the covenant.

¹⁶ And now, O Yahweh, God of Israel, keep for your servant David, my father, what you have spoken to him, saying, '_⌊You shall not lack_⌋* a man to sit on the throne of Israel before me, if only your sons keep their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.'

¹³ but all who will not seek Yahweh the God of Israel should be killed, from young to old, from men to women. ¹⁴ And they took an oath to Yahweh with a great voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with horns.

³¹ And the king stood at his position. And he made the covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh and to keep his commands and statutes and regulations with all his heart and with all his soul, to do the words of the covenant that were written on this scroll.

¹² So they said, "We will restore it and will not request anything more. So we will do as you say." Then I called the priests and made them take an oath to do this promise. ¹³ I also shook out my garment and said, "This is how God will shake out everyone from his house who will not keep this promise. So this is how his possessions will be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised Yahweh, and the people kept this promise.

²⁵ So I quarreled with them and cursed them and beat some of their men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath by God: "Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

¹ For the music director, on the Gittith.* A psalm of David.*
Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, who put your splendor above the heavens.

⁹ Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth!

⁴⁵ so that they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise Yah.*

¹⁰⁶ I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to heed _⌊your righteous ordinances_⌋.*

¹ But Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob, and he will again choose Israel and set them on their land, and the immigrant will join himself to them, and they will attach themselves to the house of Jacob.

⁴ And you shall say to them, "Thus says Yahweh: 'If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set* _⌊before you_⌋,*

²⁷ And I will give* my spirit into your inner parts, and I will make it so that you will go* in my rules, and my regulations you will remember, and you will do them.

⁴ "Remember the instruction* of my servant Moses, which I commanded him at Horeb to all Israel, the rules and regulations.

¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ.

¹⁹ Has not Moses given you the law, and none of you carries out the law? Why do you seek to kill me?"

¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.

²³ who, when he* arrived and saw the grace of God, rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with _⌊devoted hearts_⌋,*

³⁴ But some people* joined him and* believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman _⌊named_⌋* Damaris and others with them.

¹² And when it* was day, the Jews made a conspiracy and* bound themselves under a curse, saying they would* neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ Now there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy, ¹⁴ who went to the chief priests and the elders and* said, "We have bound ourselves under a curse to partake of nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Therefore, now you along with the Sanhedrin explain to the military tribune that he should bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine more accurately the things concerning him. And we are ready to do away with him before he comes near."

²¹ You therefore do not be persuaded by them, because more than forty men of _⌊their number_⌋* are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have done away with him. And now they are ready, waiting for _⌊you to agree_⌋."*

⁹ Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; be attached to what is good,

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, ¹² training us in order that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we may live self-controlled and righteously and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us, in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.

¹⁶ and you take from their daughters for your sons, and their daughters prostitute themselves after their gods, and they cause your sons to prostitute themselves after their gods.

³ And you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to their son; and you shall not take his daughter for your son.*

¹ After finishing these things the officials approached me saying, "The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated from the people of the lands with their detestable things, and from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. ² For they have taken from their daughters for themselves and their sons. So the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the officials and prefects were foremost in this sin. ³ When I heard this I tore my garment and my robe, and I pulled the hair out from my head and beard, and I sat appalled.

¹² Therefore, do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek their peace and prosperity so that forever you may be strong and eat the good of the land and may give it as an inheritance to your sons.' ¹³ After all that has come upon us for our evil practices and for our great guilt—you, our God, have held back less than our guilt deserved and you have given us a remainder such as this. ¹⁴ Shall we again break your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who practice these detestable things? Would you not be angry with us until you destroy us with no remnant or remainder?

¹⁰ Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have broke faith and married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel. ¹¹ Now make a confession to Yahweh the God of your ancestors* and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women." ¹² Then all the assembly answered with a great voice and said, "It is so. We must do according to your words.

¹⁶ It will be for you on the first day a holy assembly* and on the seventh day a holy assembly;* no work will be done on them; only what is eaten by every person, it alone will be prepared for you.

¹⁰ But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God; you will not do any work—you or your son or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your animal, or your alien who is in your gates—

¹⁰ " 'And six years you will sow your land and gather its yield. ¹¹ But the seventh you will let it rest and leave it fallow, and the poor of your people will eat, and their remainder the animals* of the field will eat. You will do likewise for your vineyard and for your olive trees.

²⁹ "And this shall be _⌊a lasting statute_⌋* for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you must deny yourselves and you must not do any work, whether the native or* the alien who is dwelling in your midst,

³ " 'For six days work is to be done, and on the seventh day shall be _⌊a Sabbath of complete rest_⌋,* a holy assembly; you shall not do any work; it shall be a Sabbath for Yahweh in all your dwellings.

²¹ And _⌊you shall make a proclamation_⌋* on _⌊this very same day_⌋;* it shall be a holy assembly for you; you shall not do _⌊any regular work_⌋;* this is a _⌊lasting statute_⌋* in all your dwellings throughout* your generations.

³⁵ On the first day there shall be a holy assembly; you must not do any _⌊regular work_⌋.* ³⁶ For seven days you must present an offering made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day it shall be a holy assembly for you, and you shall present an offering made by fire to Yahweh; it is a celebration; you must not do _⌊any regular work_⌋.*

¹ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses on _⌊Mount Sinai_⌋,* saying, ² "Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* and say to them, 'When you* come into the land that I am about to give to you,* then* the land shall observe a Sabbath for Yahweh. ³ Six years you* shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and you shall gather its yield. ⁴ But* in the seventh year it shall be _⌊a Sabbath of complete rest_⌋* for the land—a Sabbath for Yahweh; you* must not sow your field, and you must not prune your vineyard. ⁵ You* must not reap your harvest's aftergrowth, and you must not harvest the grapes of your unpruned vines—it shall be _⌊a year of complete rest_⌋* for the land. ⁶ And a Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you:* for you* and for your slave and for your slave woman and for your hired worker and for your temporary residents* who are dwelling as aliens with you; ⁷ and all its yield shall be for your* domestic animal and for the wild animal, which are in your land to eat.

¹² 'Observe the _⌊Sabbath day_⌋* to make it holy,* just as Yahweh your God has commanded you. ¹³ Six days you shall work, and you shall do all of your work, ¹⁴ but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto Yahweh your God; you shall not do any work, or your son, or your daughter, or your slave, or your slave woman, or your ox, or your donkey, or any of your domestic animals, or your resident alien who is in your _⌊towns_⌋,* so that your slave and your slave woman may rest as you rest.

¹ "At the end of seven years you shall grant a remission of debt. ² And this is the manner of the remission of debt: every _⌊creditor_⌋* shall remit his claim that he holds against his neighbor, and he shall not exact payment from his brother because there* a remission of debt has been proclaimed unto* Yahweh. ³ With respect to the foreigner you may exact payment, but _⌊you must remit_⌋* what shall be owed to you with respect to your brother.

⁷ If there is a poor person among you from among one of your brothers in one of your _⌊towns_⌋* that Yahweh your God is giving to you, you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not shut your hand toward _⌊your brother who is poor_⌋.* ⁸ But you shall certainly open your hand for him, and _⌊you shall willingly lend_⌋* to him enough to meet his need, _⌊whatever it is_⌋.* ⁹ _⌊Take care_⌋* so that there* will not be _⌊a thought of wickedness_⌋* in your heart, _⌊saying_⌋,* 'The seventh year, the year of the remission of debt is near,' _⌊and you view your needy neighbor with hostility_⌋,* and so you do not give to him, and he might cry out against you to Yahweh, and _⌊you would incur guilt against yourself_⌋.*

²¹ to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land has enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of desolation it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

¹ Now there was a great cry of distress of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. ² There were those who were saying, "Our sons and daughters, we are many. We must get grain so that we may eat and live." ³ There were also those saying, "We have pledged our fields and our vineyards and our houses so that we can get grain in the famine." ⁴ And there were those who were saying, "We have borrowed money on our fields and our vineyards for the tax of the king. ⁵ Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our sons are like their sons. Look, we are subduing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and there are some from our daughters being molested. _⌊We are powerless_⌋,* and our fields and vineyards belong to others." ⁶ I was very angry when I heard their shouts and these words. ⁷ I thought over this in my heart, and then I quarreled with the nobles and the prefects. I said to them, "You yourselves are taking interest from your own brother!" So I called the great assembly against them, ⁸ and I said to them: "We ourselves have bought back our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations as we were able. But now you yourselves have sold your brothers so they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹ So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the disgrace from the nations, our enemies? ¹⁰ Also, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please stop taking this interest. ¹¹ Please restore to them this day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, their houses, and the interest on the money, the grain, the grape juice, and the olive oil that you have been taking from them."

¹⁵ In those days I saw in Judah people treading the wine press on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys along with wine, grapes and figs, and every kind of burden and bringing it all to Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath. And I warned them at that time against selling food. ¹⁶ Tyrian men who lived in Jerusalem brought fish and every kind of merchandise and sold it on the Sabbath to the descendants* of Judah and in Jerusalem. ¹⁷ So I quarreled with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the day of the Sabbath? ¹⁸ Did not your ancestors* do this also, and our God brought on us all of this disaster and on this city too? Now you are adding fierce wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath!" ¹⁹ So when it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut and said that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I appointed some of my young men over the gates to prevent any _⌊goods_⌋* being brought in on the day of the Sabbath. ²⁰ So the merchants and the sellers of merchandise spent the night outside of Jerusalem once or twice. ²¹ But I warned them and said to them, "Why are you spending the night opposite the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands against you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. ²² And then I told two Levites that they must purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Remember this also, my God, and take pity on me according to the greatness of your loyal love.

⁶ Is this not the fast I choose: to release the bonds of injustice, to untie the ropes of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and _⌊tear_⌋* every yoke to pieces?

¹³ If you hold your foot back from the Sabbath, from doing your affairs on _⌊my holy day_⌋,* if* you call the Sabbath a pleasure, the holy day of Yahweh honorable, if* you honor him _⌊more than_⌋* doing your ways, than finding your affairs* and speaking a word, ¹⁴ then you shall take your pleasure in* Yahweh, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth, and I will feed you the heritage of Jacob your ancestor,*
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."

²¹ Thus says Yahweh, "Be on your guard for the sake of yourselves, that you must not carry a burden on the day of the Sabbath, and you must not bring it* through the gates of Jerusalem. ²² And you must not carry a burden from your houses on the day of the Sabbath, and you must not do any work. But you must declare holy the day of Sabbath, just as I commanded your ancestors.*

¹² and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

²⁷ So the master of that slave, because he* had compassion, released him and forgave him the loan. ²⁸ But that slave went out and* found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and taking hold of him, he began to choke him,* saying, 'Pay back everything that you owe!' ²⁹ Then his fellow slave threw himself to the ground and* began to implore* him, saying, 'Be patient with me and I will repay you!' ³⁰ But he did not want to, but rather he went and* threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed. ³¹ So when* his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed, and went and* reported to their master everything that had happened. ³² Then his master summoned him and* said to him, 'Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me! ³³ Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?' ³⁴ And because he* was angry, his master handed him over to the merciless jailers* until he would repay everything that was owed. ³⁵ So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!"

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you with reference to eating or* drinking or participation in a feast or a new moon or a Sabbath,

¹³ For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

²² And this stone that I have set up as a pillar shall be the house of God, and of all that you give to me I will certainly give a tenth to you."

¹¹ And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ¹² "_⌊When you take a census of_⌋* the _⌊Israelites_⌋* to count them, they will each give the ransom of his life for Yahweh when counting them, and a plague will not be among them when counting them. ¹³ This they will give, _⌊everyone who is counted_⌋,* the half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs per shekel. The half shekel is a contribution for Yahweh. ¹⁴ _⌊Everyone who is counted_⌋* from _⌊twenty years old_⌋* and above will give the contribution of Yahweh. ¹⁵ The rich will not give more, and the poor will not give less than the half shekel to give the contribution of Yahweh to make atonement for their lives. ¹⁶ And you will take the atonement money from the _⌊Israelites_⌋* and give it to the service of the tent of assembly, and it will be as a memorial for the _⌊Israelites_⌋* before Yahweh to make atonement for your lives."

⁹ Honor Yahweh from your substance,* and from the firstfruits of all that will come to you,

²⁴ Now when* they arrived in Capernaum, the ones who collected the double drachma tax* came up to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the double drachma tax?" ²⁵ He said, "Yes." And when he* came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes—from their own sons, or from foreigners?" ²⁶ And when he* said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. ²⁷ But so that we do not give offense to them, go out to the sea, cast a line with* a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you* open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take that and* give it* to them for me and you."

¹² For if the eagerness is present _⌊according to what one has_⌋*, it is acceptable not _⌊according to what one does not have_⌋*.

⁵ "And you shall take finely milled flour, and you shall bake with it twelve ring-shaped bread cakes: each one shall be two-tenths of an ephah. ⁶ And you shall place them in two rows, six to the row, on the pure gold* table _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh.

¹ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ² "Command the _⌊Israelites_⌋* and say to them, '_⌊You will be careful to present_⌋* my offering, my food of my offerings made by fire, of a fragrance of appeasement to me, at its appointed time.' ³ You will say to them, 'This is the offering made by fire that you will offer to Yahweh: two male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋* as a continual burnt offering each day. ⁴ You will offer one male lamb in the morning, and the second male lamb you will offer _⌊at twilight_⌋,* ⁵ and a tenth of an ephah of finely milled flour as a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a measure of beaten oil. ⁶ It is a continual burnt offering that was _⌊ordained_⌋* on Mount Sinai as a fragrance of appeasement, an offering made by fire for Yahweh. ⁷ The libation with it will be a fourth of a liquid measure for each male lamb; in the sanctuary you will pour out the libation of fermented drink for Yahweh. ⁸ And the second male lamb you will offer _⌊at twilight_⌋;* as the grain offering of the morning and as its libation you will offer it, an offering made by fire, a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh. ⁹ " 'On the day of the Sabbath, two male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋,* and two-tenths of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and its libation. ¹⁰ This is the burnt offering every Sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation. ¹¹ " 'And at the beginning of each of your months, you will present a burnt offering for Yahweh: two bulls and one ram, seven male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋;* ¹² and three-tenths of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for each bull; and two-tenths of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for the one ram; ¹³ and a tenth of finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each male lamb, for a burnt offering of a fragrance of appeasement, an offering of fire for Yahweh. ¹⁴ Their libations will be half a liquid measure of wine for the bull and a third of a liquid measure of wine for the ram and a fourth of a liquid measure of wine for the male lamb; this is the burnt offering for every month for the months of the year. ¹⁵ And one male goat as a sin offering for Yahweh; it will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation. ¹⁶ " 'On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover for Yahweh. ¹⁷ On the fifteenth day of this month is a religious feast, unleavened bread must be eaten for seven days. ¹⁸ On the first day there will be a holy convocation; _⌊you will not do any regular work_⌋.* ¹⁹ You will present an offering by fire, a burnt offering for Yahweh: two bulls and one ram and seven male lambs _⌊in their first year_⌋;* they will be for you without defect. ²⁰ For their grain offering, you will offer finely milled flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for the bull and two-tenths for the ram. ²¹ You will offer a tenth for each of the seven male lambs; ²² and a goat for one sin offering to make atonement for you. ²³ You will offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for the continual burnt offering. ²⁴ Like this you will offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh; it will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation. ²⁵ On the seventh day you will have a holy convocation; _⌊you will not do any regular work_⌋.* ²⁶ " 'And on the day of firstfruits, when you are presenting a new offering for Yahweh during your Festival of Weeks, you will have a holy convocation; _⌊you will not do any regular work_⌋.* ²⁷ You will present a burnt offering for a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh: two bulls, one ram, seven male lambs _⌊in their first year_⌋;* ²⁸ and their grain offering will be finely milled flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for each bull, two-tenths for one ram, ²⁹ a tenth for each of the male lambs;

⁴ Look, I am building a house for the name of Yahweh my God to dedicate to him, to offer sweet spices of incense before him, and for the regular rows of bread, and burnt offerings for mornings, evenings, Sabbaths, and new moon festivals, and for appointed feasts of Yahweh our God which are everlasting for Israel.

⁵ So he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and gather money from all Israel to strengthen the house of your God sufficiently year by year. Now you yourselves must hasten to the matter." But the Levites did not act with haste. ⁶ So the king called Jehoiada the chief, and he said to him, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax of Moses, the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel for the tent of the testimony?" ⁷ For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and had used all the holy vessels of the house of Yahweh for the Baals. ⁸ Then the king commanded, and they made a chest and put it at the gate outside the house of Yahweh. ⁹ And _⌊they issued a proclamation_⌋* in Judah and in Jerusalem to bring to Yahweh the tax that Moses the servant of God had levied upon Israel in the wilderness. ¹⁰ And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and they brought their tax and threw it into the chest until it was finished. ¹¹ And whenever he brought the chest to the appointee of the king by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money in it, then the secretary of the king and the officer of the chief priest came and emptied the chest, then they took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day and gathered money in abundance. ¹² And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of Yahweh. And they hired stonemasons and skilled craftsmen to restore the house of Yahweh, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of Yahweh. ¹³ So those doing the work labored, and the restoration for the work made progress under their hand. And they restored the house of God to its position and strengthened it. ¹⁴ And when they had finished, they brought the remainder of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and they used it for objects for the house of Yahweh, objects for the service and the burnt offerings, dishes, and objects of gold and silver. And they were offering burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh regularly, all the days of Jehoiada.

¹¹ And every priest stands every day serving and offering the same sacrifices many times, which are never able to take away sins.

¹² but* the fire on the altar must be kept burning on it; it must not be quenched. And the priest must burn wood _⌊every morning_⌋* on it,* and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it,* and he shall turn into smoke the fat portions of the fellowship offerings on it.* ¹³ A perpetual fire must be kept burning on the altar; it must not be quenched.

²⁷ And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that he should choose.

⁵ They divided them by lot _⌊all alike_⌋,* for they were commanders of the sanctuary and commanders of God from among the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.

⁷ And the first lot went out to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

⁸ And they cast lots for responsibilities _⌊on the principle of small and great alike_⌋,* teacher with student. ⁹ And the first lot for Asaph went out to Joseph; the second to Gedaliahu; he and his brothers and his twelve sons.

¹ Now the commanders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the remainder of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, the other nine's place was in the other cities.

³¹ a contribution of the wood offering at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

¹⁸ The lot will put an end to disputes, and between powerful contenders it will decide.

¹⁶ And Lebanon is not enough to light a fire, and its animals* not enough for a burnt offering.

³ But in them there is a reminder of sins _⌊year by year_⌋*. ⁴ For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ⁵ Therefore, when he* came into the world, he said,
"Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but a body you prepared for me; ⁶ you did not delight in whole burnt offerings and offerings for sins. ⁷ Then I said, 'Behold, I have come— in the roll of the book it is written about me— to do your will, O God.'

¹⁹ " 'The best of the firstfruits of your land you will bring to the house of Yahweh your God.
" 'You will not boil a young goat* in its mother's milk.

²⁶ The beginning of the firstfruits of your land you will bring to the house of Yahweh your God. You will not boil a young goat* in its mother's milk."

²³ " 'And when you* have come into the land and you* plant any tree for* food, _⌊you* shall regard its fruit as unharvestable_⌋;* for three years it shall be forbidden for you; * it shall not be eaten. ²⁴ But* in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, offerings of praise for Yahweh. ²⁵ And in the fifth year you* shall eat its fruit to increase its yield for you; * I am Yahweh your* God. ²⁶ " 'You* must not eat anything with the blood; you* shall not practice divination, nor shall you* interpret signs.

² Moreover, bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father, that they may be joined to you and minister to you, you and your sons with you before the tent of testimony.

¹² All the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and their best grain that they have given to Yahweh, I have given them to you.

² then you shall take from the firstfruit of all the fruit of the ground that you harvest from your land that Yahweh your God is giving to you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that Yahweh your God will choose to make his name to dwell there.

³ And the gift of the king was out of his own possessions for the burnt offerings—the burnt offerings for the morning and the evening and for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and appointed feasts, as is written in the law of Yahweh. ⁴ Then he said to the people, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to give a gift for the priests and the Levites, so that they might be strong in the law of Yahweh. ⁵ And the word spread. The Israelites gave abundantly from the firstfruits of grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all kinds of grains from the field. And they brought tithes of everything in abundance. ⁶ Then the people of Israel and Judah who were living in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tithe of cattle and sheep and a tithe of consecrated objects to Yahweh their God. And they gave heaps upon heaps. ⁷ In the third month the heaps began to pile up, and in the seventh month they ceased. ⁸ When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh and his people Israel. ⁹ And Hezekiah questioned* the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. ¹⁰ And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, saying, "Since the offerings began to be brought to the house of Yahweh, we have eaten and been satisfied, and have much to spare, for Yahweh has blessed his people. Now see this abundant remainder!"

⁹ Honor Yahweh from your substance,* and from the firstfruits of all that will come to you, ¹⁰ and your barns shall be full of plenty, and your vats shall burst with new wine.

⁸ Will a human dare to rob God? Yet you are robbing me! And you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In the tithes and the contributions! ⁹ You are being cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you! ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe to _⌊the storehouse_⌋,* so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this," says Yahweh of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you _⌊an overflowing blessing_⌋.* ¹¹ I will rebuke the devourer* for you; it will not destroy the fruit of your soil; your vine in the field will not be unfruitful," says Yahweh of hosts. ¹² "And all the nations will call you blessed, because you will be _⌊a land in which one takes joy_⌋,"* says Yahweh of hosts.

² "Consecrate to me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* among humans* and among domestic animals;* _⌊it belongs to me_⌋."*

¹² you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males will be for Yahweh. ¹³ And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem it, then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem. ¹⁴ And when your son asks you _⌊in the future_⌋,* saying, 'What is this?' you will say to him, 'With strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from a house of slaves. ¹⁵ And when Pharaoh was stubborn to release us, Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from firstborn human to firstborn domestic animal. Therefore I am sacrificing to Yahweh every first offspring of a womb, the males, and every firstborn of my sons I redeem.'

¹⁹ Every first offspring of a womb is for me—all of your male livestock, the first offspring of cattle and small livestock.

²⁶ " 'However, a man shall not consecrate a firstborn among livestock, which belongs as firstborn to Yahweh; whether an ox _⌊or_⌋* small livestock, it is for Yahweh. ²⁷ And if it is among the unclean animals, then* he shall ransom it according to your proper value, and he shall add a fifth of its value onto it; and if it is not redeemed, then* it shall be sold according to your proper value.

⁹ This will be for you from the sanctuary of the holy things from the fire; all of their offerings, from every grain offering, from every sin offering, and from every guilt offering which they will bring to me is _⌊a most holy thing_⌋* for you and your sons. ¹⁰ You will eat it in the most holy place;* every male will eat it. It will be a holy object to you. ¹¹ This is also for you: the contribution of their gift of the wave offerings of the children Israel. I have given them to you and your sons and your daughters with you as an eternal decree; whoever is clean in your house may eat it. ¹² All the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and their best grain that they have given to Yahweh, I have given them to you. ¹³ The firstfruits of all that is in their land that they present to Yahweh will be for you; whoever is clean in your house may eat it. ¹⁴ All consecrated possessions* in Israel will be for you. ¹⁵ All the first offspring of a womb of any creature that they offer to Yahweh, whether human or animal, will be yours; you will surely redeem the firstborn of the human and the unclean firstborn of the animal. ¹⁶ As to their price of redemption, from _⌊a one-month-old_⌋* you will redeem them according to your proper value, five shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerah. ¹⁷ Only the firstborn of an ox or the firstborn of a sheep or the firstborn of a goat you will not redeem; they are holy. Their blood you will sprinkle over the altar, and their fat you will turn into smoke as an offering made by fire, a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh. ¹⁸ But their flesh will be for you like the breast section of the wave offering, and it will be for you like the right upper thigh. ¹⁹ All the contributions of holiness that the _⌊Israelites_⌋* offer to Yahweh I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you as an eternal decree; it is an eternal covenant of salt _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh to you and your offspring with you."

⁶ And you shall bring there your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and _⌊your donations_⌋* and your votive gifts and your freewill offerings and the firstling of your herd and your flock.

⁶ Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right _⌊to refrain from working_⌋*? ⁷ Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Who* shepherds a flock and does not drink* from the milk of the flock? ⁸ I am not saying these things according to a human perspective. Or does the law not also say these things? ⁹ For in the law of Moses it is written, "You must not muzzle an ox while it* is threshing."* It is not about oxen God is concerned, is it?* ¹⁰ Or doubtless does he speak _⌊for our sake_⌋*? For it is written _⌊for our sake_⌋*, because the one who plows ought to plow in hope and the one who threshes ought to do so in hope of a share. ¹¹ If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too great a thing if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others share this right over you, do we not do so even more? Yet we have not made use of this right, but we endure all things, in order that we may not cause any hindrance to the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that those performing the holy services eat the things from the temple, and those attending to the altar have a share with the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way also the Lord ordered those who proclaim the gospel to live from the gospel.

⁶ Now the one who is taught the word must share in all good things with the one who teaches.

¹⁷ You shall bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread _⌊made with_⌋* two-tenths of an ephah* of finely milled flour; they must be baked with leaven—the firstfruits _⌊belonging to_⌋* Yahweh.

³⁰ " 'And any tithe of the land from the land's seed or from the fruit of the trees is for Yahweh; it is a holy object for Yahweh. ³¹ And if a man indeed redeems from his tithe, he shall add a fifth of its value onto it. ³² As for* every tithe of cattle or* of the flock,* all which crosses under the rod, the tenth shall be a holy object for Yahweh. ³³ He shall not inspect between the good and the bad, and he shall not exchange it; but* if he indeed exchanges it, then* _⌊it and its substitution shall be_⌋* a holy object—it shall not be redeemed.'"

¹⁹ whenever you eat from the food of the land, you will lift up a contribution to Yahweh. ²⁰ You must lift up a contribution of the first batch of your ring-shaped dough bread; you must lift it up as a contribution of the threshing floor. ²¹ You will give to Yahweh a contribution from the first of your dough throughout your generations.*

¹² All the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and their best grain that they have given to Yahweh, I have given them to you. ¹³ The firstfruits of all that is in their land that they present to Yahweh will be for you; whoever is clean in your house may eat it.

²¹ "Behold, I have given to the descendants* of Levi every tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for their service, which they are doing, the work of the tent of assembly.

²⁴ because the tithes* of the _⌊Israelites_⌋* that are _⌊offered_⌋* to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋.'"* ²⁵ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶ "You will speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive the tithe from the _⌊Israelites_⌋* that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, _⌊you will present_⌋* a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tithe from a tithe. ²⁷ Your contribution will be credited to you like the grain from the threshing floor and like the produce from the press. ²⁸ So _⌊you will present_⌋* your own contribution to Yahweh from all your tithes that you receive from the _⌊Israelites_⌋;* from it you will give the contribution of Yahweh to Aaron the priest. ²⁹ From all your gifts _⌊you will present_⌋* every contribution of Yahweh, from all its fat, the part that is sacred.' ³⁰ You will say to them, 'When _⌊you are presenting_⌋* its fat, the rest will be credited to the Levites like a yield of the threshing floor and like a yield from the press. ³¹ You may eat it anywhere, you and your household, because it is a wage in return for your service in the tent of assembly. ³² You will not bear any sin because _⌊you have presented_⌋* its fat; you will not defile the holy objects of the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* or you will die.'"

⁴ The firstfruits* of your grain, your wine, and your olive oil and the firstfruits* of the fleece of your sheep you shall give to him.

⁵ and he built a structure against the wall of the temple* running all along the walls of the house, for the outer sanctuary and for the inner sanctuary, and made side rooms all around. ⁶ The lower structure was five cubits in its width and the middle was six cubits in its width and the third was seven cubits in its width, for he made niches for the temple* all around to the outside, so that beams would not attach to the walls of the temple.* ⁷ Now while the temple* was being built, it was built with stones finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or stone shaping tool or any instrument of iron was heard in the temple* as it was being built. ⁸ The doorway of the side room in the middle of the side of the temple* was on the south; they went up with a stairway to the middle and from the middle to the third floor. ⁹ So he built the house and finished it. He covered the temple* with rafters and wood planks and with the cedars. ¹⁰ He also built the structure against all of the temple* five cubits in height and fastened it to the temple* with beams of cedar.

⁶ Then the people of Israel and Judah who were living in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tithe of cattle and sheep and a tithe of consecrated objects to Yahweh their God. And they gave heaps upon heaps.

¹¹ And Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Yahweh, and they were prepared. ¹² Then they brought the offerings and tithes and holy objects faithfully. And over them as leader was Conaniah the Levite. And Shimei his brother was second in rank.

⁵ prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had formerly put the grain offering, the frankincense, the temple objects, tithes of grain, wine, and oil commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the offerings of the priests.

⁹ And I spoke in order, and they cleansed the chambers. Then I returned the objects of the house of God—the grain offering and the frankincense.

⁸ Will a human dare to rob God? Yet you are robbing me! And you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In the tithes and the contributions!

¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe to _⌊the storehouse_⌋,* so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this," says Yahweh of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you _⌊an overflowing blessing_⌋.*

²⁶ "You will speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive the tithe from the _⌊Israelites_⌋* that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, _⌊you will present_⌋* a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tithe from a tithe. ²⁷ Your contribution will be credited to you like the grain from the threshing floor and like the produce from the press. ²⁸ So _⌊you will present_⌋* your own contribution to Yahweh from all your tithes that you receive from the _⌊Israelites_⌋;* from it you will give the contribution of Yahweh to Aaron the priest.

²⁶ For the four mighty gatekeepers, they who were Levites, _⌊were entrusted_⌋* and were over the chambers and over the storerooms of the house of God.

¹² So all of Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storehouses. ¹³ I appointed as treasurer over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah from the Levites, and as their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful. The responsibility given to them was to distribute to their brothers.

³⁰ You will say to them, 'When _⌊you are presenting_⌋* its fat, the rest will be credited to the Levites like a yield of the threshing floor and like a yield from the press.

⁶ And you shall bring there your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and _⌊your donations_⌋* and your votive gifts and your freewill offerings and the firstling of your herd and your flock. ⁷ And you shall eat there _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice _⌊in all your endeavors_⌋,* you and your family in which Yahweh your God has blessed you. ⁸ "You must not do just as we are doing here _⌊today_⌋,* _⌊each according to all that is right in his eyes_⌋.* ⁹ For you have not come up to now to the resting place and to the inheritance that Yahweh your God is giving to you. ¹⁰ But you will cross the Jordan, and you will settle in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give rest to you from all your enemies from all around, and you will live securely, ¹¹ _⌊and then_⌋* at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, to let his name dwell there, there you shall bring all the things I am commanding you, your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and _⌊your donations_⌋,* and all of the choice things, your votive gifts that you vow to Yahweh.

¹⁷ You are not allowed to eat in your _⌊towns_⌋* the tithe of your grain and your wine and your olive oil and the firstborn of your herd and your flock and all of your votive gifts that you vowed and your freewill offering and _⌊your donations_⌋.*

²³ And you shall eat _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God in the place that he will choose to make to dwell his name there the tithe of your grain, your wine and your olive oil and the firstling of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to revere Yahweh your God _⌊always_⌋.* ²⁴ But if _⌊the distance is too great for you_⌋,* so that you are not able to transport* it, because the place that Yahweh your God will choose to set his name there, it is too far from you, when Yahweh your God will bless you, ²⁵ then in that case _⌊you may exchange for money_⌋,* and you shall take* the money to your hand and go to the place that Yahweh your God will choose. ²⁶ You may spend the money for anything _⌊that you desire_⌋,* for oxen or for sheep or for wine or for strong drink or for anything _⌊that you desire_⌋,* and you shall eat it there _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. ²⁷ And as to the Levite who is in your _⌊towns_⌋,* you shall not neglect him, because there is not a plot of ground for him and an inheritance along with you.

¹² Then they brought the offerings and tithes and holy objects faithfully. And over them as leader was Conaniah the Levite. And Shimei his brother was second in rank.

¹⁰ And then I came to learn that the food of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, the doers of the work, had gone back each to his field. ¹¹ So I quarreled with the prefects, and I said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them and set them at their station. ¹² So all of Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storehouses.

⁹ For the sake of the house* of Yahweh our God, I will seek your good.

²⁵ not abandoning _⌊our meeting together_⌋*, as is the habit of some, but encouraging each other, and by so much more as you see the day drawing near.