NEHEMIAH’S FURTHER REFORMS

13 At that timev the book of Mosesw was read publicly toB the people.x The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabitey should ever enter the assembly of God,z 2 because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them,aa but our God turned the curse into a blessing.ab 3 When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descentac from Israel.

4 Now before this, the priest Eliashibad had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God.ae He was a relativeC of Tobiahaf 5 and had prepared a large room for him where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, and the tenths of grain, new wine, and fresh oilag prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.ah

6 While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxesai of Babylonaj in the thirty-second year of his reign.ak It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absenceal 7 so I could return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of God’s house. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room. 9 I ordered that the rooms be purified,am and I had the articles of the house of God restored there, along with the grain offering and frankincense.an 10 I also found out that because the portions for the Levites had not been given,ao each of the Levites and the singers performing the service had gone back to his own field.ap 11 Therefore, I rebuked the officials, asking, “Why has the house of God been neglected?”aq I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts.ar 12 Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and fresh oil into the storehouses.as 13 I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy.at They were responsible for the distribution to their colleagues.au

14 Remember me for this, my God, and don’t erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services.av