1 On that day ^rthey read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written ^sthat no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, ^tthey separated from Israel all ^uthose of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, ^vEliashib the priest, who ^wwas appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to ^xTobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, ^ywhich were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for ^zin the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes ^aking of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, ^bpreparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they ^ccleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that ^dthe portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each ^eto his field. 11 ^fSo I confronted the officials and said, ^g“Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought ^hthe tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And ⁱI appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, ^jfor they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 ^kRemember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.