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Nehemiah 10
A record of the promises made by the community[*a]
1 …As a result of all this we make a firm agreement, in writing. Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have put their names to the document under seal…
2 On the sealed document were the names of: Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
3 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
4 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,
5 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
6 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
7 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
8 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
9 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these are the priests.
10 Then the Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,
11 and their kinsmen Shebaniah, Hodaviah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
12 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
13 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
14 Hodiah, Bani, Chenani.
15 The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
16 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
17 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
18 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
19 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
20 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
21 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
22 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
23 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
24 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
25 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
26 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
27 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
28 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
29 …but also the rest of the people, priests and Levites-gatekeepers, cantors, oblates-in short, all who have broken with the natives of the countries to adhere to the Law of God; as also their wives, sons and daughters, all those who are old enough to understand,
30 join with their kinsmen and leaders and undertake, under curse and oath, to walk according to the Law of God given through Moses, the servant of God, and to observe and practise all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, his customs and his laws.
31 In particular: we will not give our daughters to the natives of the land nor take their daughters for our sons.
32 If the natives of the land bring goods or any foodstuff whatever to sell on the sabbath day, we will buy nothing from them on sabbath or holy day. We will forego the fruits of the soil in the seventh year, and all debts.
33 We recognise the following obligations: to give one third of a shekel yearly for the liturgical requirements of the Temple of our God:
34 for the loaves set out, for the perpetual oblation, for the perpetual holocaust, for the sacrifices on sabbaths, on New Moon feasts and on solemnities, for sacred foods, for sacrifices for sin to atone for Israel; in short, for all the services of the Temple of our God;
36 and further, to bring yearly to the Temple of our God the first-fruits of our soil and the first-fruits of every fruit of every tree,
37 also the first-born of our sons and of our cattle, as is written in the Law-those first-born of our herds and flocks taken to the Temple of our God being intended for the priests officiating in the Temple of our God.
38 Furthermore, we will bring to the priests, to the chambers of the Temple of our God, the best of our meal, the fruit of every tree, new wine and oil; and to the Levites the tithe on our soil-the Levites themselves will collect the tithes from all our agricultural towns;
39 a priest, a son of Aaron, is to accompany the Levites when they collect the tithes, and the Levites will pay a tenth part of the tithes into the Temple of our God, into the treasury offices;
10:40ab since these rooms are where the Israelites and the Levites bring the contributions of corn, wine and oil, and where the supplies are kept for the sanctuary, the officiating priests, the gatekeepers and cantors.
35 Furthermore, as regards deliveries of wood for burning on the altar of our God as is written in the Law, we have arranged, by drawing lots among the priests, Levites and people, that these deliveries are to be made at the Temple of our God by each family in turn at stated times every year.