1 Naquele dia, se leu para o povo no Livro de Moisés; achou-se escrito que os amonitas e os moabitas não entrassem jamais na congregação de Deus, 2 porquanto não tinham saído ao encontro dos filhos de Israel com pão e água; antes, assalariaram contra eles Balaão para os amaldiçoar; mas o nosso Deus converteu a maldição em bênção. 3 Ouvindo eles, o povo, esta lei, apartaram de Israel todo elemento misto.

4 Ora, antes disto, Eliasibe, sacerdote, encarregado da câmara da casa do nosso Deus, se tinha aparentado com Tobias; 5 e fizera para este uma câmara grande, onde dantes se depositavam as ofertas de manjares, o incenso, os utensílios e os dízimos dos cereais, do vinho e do azeite, que se ordenaram para os levitas, cantores e porteiros, como também contribuições para os sacerdotes. 6 Mas, quando isso aconteceu, não estive em Jerusalém, porque no trigésimo segundo ano de Artaxerxes, rei da Babilônia, eu fora ter com ele; mas ao cabo de certo tempo pedi licença ao rei e voltei para Jerusalém. 7 Então, soube do mal que Eliasibe fizera para beneficiar a Tobias, fazendo-lhe uma câmara nos pátios da Casa de Deus. 8 Isso muito me indignou a tal ponto, que atirei todos os móveis da casa de Tobias fora da câmara. 9 Então, ordenei que se purificassem as câmaras e tornei a trazer para ali os utensílios da Casa de Deus, com as ofertas de manjares e o incenso.

10 Também soube que os quinhões dos levitas não se lhes davam, de maneira que os levitas e os cantores, que faziam o serviço, tinham fugido cada um para o seu campo. 11 Então, contendi com os magistrados e disse: Por que se desamparou a Casa de Deus? Ajuntei os levitas e os cantores e os restituí a seus postos. 12 Então, todo o Judá trouxe os dízimos dos cereais, do vinho e do azeite aos depósitos. 13 Por tesoureiros dos depósitos pus Selemias, o sacerdote, Zadoque, o escrivão, e, dentre os levitas, Pedaías; como assistente deles, Hanã, filho de Zacur, filho de Matanias; porque foram achados fiéis, e se lhes encarregou que repartissem as porções para seus irmãos. 14 Por isto, Deus meu, lembra-te de mim e não apagues as beneficências que eu fiz à casa de meu Deus e para o seu serviço.

15 Naqueles dias, vi em Judá os que pisavam lagares ao sábado e traziam trigo que carregavam sobre jumentos; como também vinho, uvas e figos e toda sorte de cargas, que traziam a Jerusalém no dia de sábado; e protestei contra eles por venderem mantimentos neste dia. 16 Também habitavam em Jerusalém tírios que traziam peixes e toda sorte de mercadorias, que no sábado vendiam aos filhos de Judá e em Jerusalém. 17 Contendi com os nobres de Judá e lhes disse: Que mal é este que fazeis, profanando o dia de sábado? 18 Acaso, não fizeram vossos pais assim, e não trouxe o nosso Deus todo este mal sobre nós e sobre esta cidade? E vós ainda trazeis ira maior sobre Israel, profanando o sábado.

19 Dando já sombra as portas de Jerusalém antes do sábado, ordenei que se fechassem; e determinei que não se abrissem, senão após o sábado; às portas coloquei alguns dos meus moços, para que nenhuma carga entrasse no dia de sábado. 20 Então, os negociantes e os vendedores de toda sorte de mercadorias pernoitaram fora de Jerusalém, uma ou duas vezes. 21 Protestei, pois, contra eles e lhes disse: Por que passais a noite defronte do muro? Se outra vez o fizerdes, lançarei mão sobre vós. Daí em diante não tornaram a vir no sábado. 22 Também mandei aos levitas que se purificassem e viessem guardar as portas, para santificar o dia de sábado. Também nisto, Deus meu, lembra-te de mim; e perdoa-me segundo a abundância da tua misericórdia.

23 Vi também, naqueles dias, que judeus haviam casado com mulheres asdoditas, amonitas e moabitas. 24 Seus filhos falavam meio asdodita e não sabiam falar judaico, mas a língua de seu respectivo povo. 25 Contendi com eles, e os amaldiçoei, e espanquei alguns deles, e lhes arranquei os cabelos, e os conjurei por Deus, dizendo: Não dareis mais vossas filhas a seus filhos e não tomareis mais suas filhas, nem para vossos filhos nem para vós mesmos. 26 Não pecou nisto Salomão, rei de Israel? Todavia, entre muitas nações não havia rei semelhante a ele, e ele era amado do seu Deus, e Deus o constituiu rei sobre todo o Israel. Não obstante isso, as mulheres estrangeiras o fizeram cair no pecado. 27 Dar-vos-íamos nós ouvidos, para fazermos todo este grande mal, prevaricando contra o nosso Deus, casando com mulheres estrangeiras?

28 Um dos filhos de Joiada, filho do sumo sacerdote Eliasibe, era genro de Sambalate, o horonita, pelo que o afugentei de mim. 29 Lembra-te deles, Deus meu, pois contaminaram o sacerdócio, como também a aliança sacerdotal e levítica.

30 Limpei-os, pois, de toda estrangeirice e designei o serviço dos sacerdotes e dos levitas, cada um no seu mister, 31 como também o fornecimento de lenha em tempos determinados, bem como as primícias. Lembra-te de mim, Deus meu, para o meu bem.

1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God for ever, 2 because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 And it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied unto Tobiah, 5 had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the heave-offerings for the priests. 6 But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went unto the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal-offerings and the frankincense.

10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute unto their brethren. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the observances thereof.

15 In those days saw I in Judah some men treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses therewith; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought in fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19 And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy lovingkindness.

23 In those days also saw I the Jews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24 and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. 25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin. 27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?

28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 Thus cleansed I them from all foreigners, and appointed charges for the priests and for the Levites, every one in his work; 31 and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

1 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,

2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)

3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.

4 Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,

5 and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission

7 and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.

8 I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room.

9 I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

10 I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.

11 So I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.

12 All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms.

13 I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.

14 Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.

15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.

16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah.

17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing —desecrating the Sabbath day?

18 Didn't your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath."

19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem.

21 But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.

22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

23 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.

24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.

25 I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.

26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.

27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?"

28 One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.

29 Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

30 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task.

31 I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, my God.