4And before this, Eliashib, the priest, who had the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was related to and allied with Tobiah (our adversary); 5And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where previously they put the meal offerings, the frankincense, the utensils, the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which was to be given to the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers; and the offerings of the priests by commandment. 6But during all this time was not I at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, I came to the king, and after certain days I asked for and was granted leave from the king. 7And I came to Jerusalem, and discovered the evil thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8And it grieved me very much; therefore, I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9Then I gave an order and they cleansed the chambers; and I again put the utensils of the house of God, with the meal offering and the frankincense there.

10And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them; for the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field. 11Then I reprimanded the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God neglected?” And I gathered the Levites and singers together, and set them in their posts. 12Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil unto the storehouses. 13And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses: 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 considered faithful and reliable, and their task was to distribute to their brethren (fellow Levites). 14Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds and kindnesses that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services.

15In those days I saw some in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves of grain, and loading them on donkeys; as well as wine, grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; so I protested and warned them in the day in which they sold produce. 16Also, men of Tyre dwelt there in the city, who brought fish, and all kinds of merchandise, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? 18Did your fathers not do this, and did our God not bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet you add more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath”. 19And, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates be shut, and that they should not be opened till after the sabbath; and some of my servants sat I at the gates, that there would no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20So the merchants and sellers of all kind of merchandise lodged all night outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21Then I said to them, “Why lodge you before the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you”. From that time forth they came no more on the Sabbath. 22And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and guard the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy.

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

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

30Thus I cleansed them from everything pagan, and defined the duties of the priests and the Levites, everyone in his duty; 31And I provided for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.