Signers of the Covenant 1 UDB This is a list of those who signed the agreement: I, Nehemiah son of Hakaliah, the governor and also Zedekiah. BSB BSB: Now these were the ones who sealed the document: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah,
2 UDB The priests who signed it were: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, BSB BSB: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 UDB Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, BSB BSB: Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 UDB Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk, BSB BSB: Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 UDB Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, BSB BSB: Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 UDB Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, BSB BSB: Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 UDB Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, BSB BSB: Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 UDB Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. BSB BSB: Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
9 UDB The descendants of Levi who signed it were: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel, BSB BSB: The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,
10 UDB Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, BSB BSB: and their associates: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 UDB Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah, BSB BSB: Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 UDB Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, BSB BSB: Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 UDB Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu. BSB BSB: Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
14 UDB The Israelite leaders who signed it were: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, and Bani. BSB BSB: And the leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 UDB Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, BSB BSB: Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 UDB Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, BSB BSB: Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 UDB Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, BSB BSB: Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 UDB Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, BSB BSB: Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 UDB Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, BSB BSB: Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 UDB Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, BSB BSB: Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 UDB Meshezabel, Zadok, and Jaddua. BSB BSB: Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 UDB Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, BSB BSB: Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 UDB Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, BSB BSB: Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
24 UDB Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, BSB BSB: Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
25 UDB Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, BSB BSB: Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 UDB Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, BSB BSB: Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 UDB Malluk, Harim, and Baanah. BSB BSB: Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
The Vows of the Covenant 28 UDB The rest of the people made a solemn agreement, including the priests, gatekeepers, singers, and temple workers. They also included all the men from other neighboring peoples who had left their people and were living in Israel. These men, along with their wives, their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand what they were doing, promised they would obey God's law. BSB BSB: “The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,
29 UDB They all joined with their leaders in making this solemn agreement. They agreed to obey all the laws that God had given to Moses. They agreed to follow and to obey everything that Yahweh our God had commanded, and all his decrees and instructions. They promised to do the following. BSB BSB: hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.
30 UDB "We will not allow our daughters to marry people who live in this land who do not worship Yahweh, and we will not allow our sons to marry them. BSB BSB: We will not give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land, and we will not take their daughters for our sons.
31 UDB If people from other countries who live in this land bring us grain or other things to sell to us on Sabbath days or any other sacred day, we will not buy anything from them. And in every seventh year, we will give rest to the fields and we will not plant any crops that one year, and we will cancel all debts to other Jews. BSB BSB: When the people of the land bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on a Sabbath or holy day. Every seventh year we will let the fields lie fallow and will cancel every debt.
32 UDB We each also promised ourselves that every year we will pay about 5 grams of silver for those who serve and take care of the temple. BSB BSB: We also place ourselves under the obligation to contribute a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God:
33 UDB With that money they can buy these things: The bread on display before God, the flour that is offered to God by burning it on the altar each day, the animals that were killed and completely burned on the altar, the sacred offerings for the Sabbath days and for celebrating the new moons and other festivals and offerings that are dedicated to God, the animals to be sacrificed to pay the penalty for the sins of the people of Israel, and anything else that is needed for the work of taking care of the temple. BSB BSB: for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Sabbath offerings, for the New Moons and appointed feasts, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the duties of the house of our God.
34 UDB Each year the priests, the descendants of Levi who help the priests, and the rest of us will cast lots to determine for that year which families within the Levites will provide wood to burn on the altar to burn the sacrifices in the house of our God, as it is written in the law of God. BSB BSB: We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.
35 UDB We promise that each year each family will take to the temple an offering from the first food that we grow in our soil and harvest for food, and from the firstfruits that grow on our trees that year. BSB BSB: We will also bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the house of the LORD year by year.
36 UDB We will take to the house of God our firstborn sons and we will also bring firstborn calves and lambs and baby goats to be dedicated to God. That is what is written in God's laws that we must do. BSB BSB: And we will bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as it is written in the Law, and will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God.
37 UDB We will also take to the priests at the temple the flour made from the first grain that we harvest each year, and our other offerings of wine, olive oil, and fruit. We will also take the tithes to the descendants of Levi who help the priests. BSB BSB: Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and oil. A tenth of our produce belongs to the Levites, so that they shall receive tithes in all the towns where we labor.
38 UDB A priest, one who is a descendant of Aaron, will be with the Levites and supervise them when they collect the tithes. Then the descendants of Levi must take a portion of it, ten percent of the things that people bring, and put it in the storerooms in the temple. BSB BSB: A priest of Aaron’s line is to accompany the Levites when they collect the tenth, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of these tithes to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God.
39 UDB The descendants of Levi and some of the people of Israel must take the offerings of grain, wine, and olive oil to the storerooms where the various utensils are kept that are used by those who serve in the temple. That is the place where the priests who are serving at that time, the gatekeepers, and where those who sing in the temple choir, live. We promise that we will not neglect taking care of the temple of our God." BSB BSB: For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers stay. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.