Foreigners Excluded 1 Brenton In that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not enter into the congregation of God for ever; BSB BSB: At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
2 Brenton because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing. BSB BSB: because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
3 Brenton And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they were separated, even every alien in Israel. BSB BSB: As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
The Temple Cleansed 4 Brenton And before this time Eliasib the priest dwelt in the treasury of the house of our God, connected with Tobias; BSB BSB: Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God
5 Brenton and he made himself a great treasury, and there they were formerly in the habit of bestowing the offerings, and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil, the ordered portion of the Levites, and singers, and porters; and the first-fruits of the priests. BSB BSB: and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
6 Brenton But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after a certain time I made my request of the king; BSB BSB: While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king
7 Brenton and I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the mischief which Eliasib had done in the case of Tobias, in making for him a treasury in the court of the house of God. BSB BSB: to 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 the house of God.
8 Brenton And it appeared very evil to me: so I cast forth all the furniture of the house of Tobias from the treasury. BSB BSB: And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
9 Brenton And I gave orders, and they purified the treasuries: and I restored thither the vessels of the house of God, and the offerings, and the frankincense. BSB BSB: Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.
Tithes Restored (Leviticus 27:30–34; Deuteronomy 14:22–29; Deuteronomy 26:1–15)
10 Brenton And I understood that the portion of the Levites had not been given: and they had fled every one to his field, the Levites and the singers doing the work. BSB BSB: I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.
11 Brenton And I strove with the commanders, and said, Wherefore has the house of God been abandoned? and I assembled them, and set them in their place. BSB BSB: So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
12 Brenton And all Juda brought a tithe of the wheat and the wine and the oil into the treasuries, BSB BSB: and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
13 Brenton to the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and Phadaea of the Levites: and next to them was Anan the son of Zacchur, son of Matthanias; for they were accounted faithful: it was their office to distribute to their brethren. BSB BSB: I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
14 Brenton Remember me, O God, in this, and let not my kindness be forgotten which I have wrought in regard to the house of the Lord God. BSB BSB: Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
The Sabbath Restored (Jeremiah 17:19–27)
15 Brenton In those days I saw in Juda men treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and loading asses with both wine, and grapes, and figs, and every kind of burden, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day: BSB BSB: In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
16 Brenton and I testified in the day of their sale. Also their dwelt in it men bringing fish, and selling every kind of merchandise to the children of Juda and in Jerusalem on the sabbath. BSB BSB: Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17 Brenton And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What is this evil thing which ye do, and profane the sabbath-day? BSB BSB: Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
18 Brenton Did not your fathers thus, and our God brought upon them and upon us and upon this city all these evils? and do ye bring additional wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath? BSB BSB: Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19 Brenton And it came to pass, when the gates were set up in Jerusalem, before the sabbath, that I spoke, and they shut the gates; and I gave orders that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set some of my servants at the gates, that none should bring in burdens on the sabbath-day. BSB BSB: When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
20 Brenton So all the merchants lodged, and carried on traffic without Jerusalem once or twice. BSB BSB: Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
21 Brenton Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye lodge in front of the wall? if ye do so again, I will stretch out my hand upon you. From that time they came not on the sabbath. BSB BSB: but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
22 Brenton and I told the Levites who were purifying themselves, and came and kept the gates, that they should sanctify the sabbath-day. Remember me, O God, for these things, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy. BSB BSB: Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.
Intermarriage Forbidden (Ezra 9:1–4)
23 Brenton And in those days I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: BSB BSB: In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
24 Brenton and their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and did not know how to speak in the Jewish language. BSB BSB: Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
25 Brenton And I strove with them and cursed them; and I smote some of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, and ye shall not take of their daughters to your sons. BSB BSB: I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
26 Brenton Did not Solomon king of Israel sin thus? though there was no king like him among many nations, and he was beloved of God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet strange women turned him aside. BSB BSB: Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
27 Brenton So we will not hearken to you to do all this evil, to break covenant with our God, —to marry strange wives. BSB BSB: Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
29 Brenton Remember them, O God, for their false connection with the priesthood, and the breaking the covenant of the priesthood, and for defiling the Levites. BSB BSB: Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
30 Brenton So I purged them from all foreign connection, and established courses for the priests and the Levites, every man according to his work. BSB BSB: Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
31 Brenton And the offering of the wood-bearers was at certain set times, and in the times of the first-fruits. Remember me, O our God, for good. BSB BSB: I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.