1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever, 2 because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah, 5 had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests. 6 But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and after some days I asked leave of the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of God’s house. 8 It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room. 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.
10 I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field. 11 Then I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is God’s house forsaken?" I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries. 13 I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.
14 Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.
15 In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food. 16 Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."
19 It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, "Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath. 22 I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
23 In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab; 24 and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. 25 I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. 26 Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?"
28 One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
30 Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; 31 and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
1 那时， 他们宣读摩西的书给众民听， 见书上写着说： 亚扪人和摩押人永远不可进入 神的会，
2 因为他们没有拿食物和水来迎接以色列人， 反而雇用了巴兰来与他们作对， 咒诅他们； 但是我的 神使咒诅变为祝福。
3 众民听见了这律法， 就跟一切闲杂人分离。
4 这事以前， 受委派管理我们 神殿的库房的以利亚实祭司， 与多比雅的关系很密切。
5 他为多比雅预备了一间大房间， 那里以前是用来收存素祭、乳香和器皿， 还有祭司的举祭， 以及按照命令供给利未人、歌唱者和守门的那些五谷、新酒和新油的十分之一。
6 这事发生的时候， 我不在耶路撒冷； 因为在巴比伦王亚达薛西三十二年， 我回到王那里去； 过了一段时期， 我又求得王的准许，
7 回到耶路撒冷， 那时我才知道以利亚实在 神殿的院子里， 为多比雅预备一间房间那件恶事。
8 我十分恼怒， 就把多比雅的一切家具， 都从房间里拋出去。
9 又吩咐人洁净那几间房间， 然后把 神殿的器皿， 与素祭和乳香搬回那里。
10 我发觉利未人应得的分， 没有人供给他们， 甚至供职的利未人和歌唱者， 各人都跑回自己的田地去。
11 于是我责备众官长说： "为什么疏忽供应 神的殿呢？"我就再召集利未人， 使他们重站原来的岗位。
12 犹大众人就把五谷、新酒和新油的十分之一， 奉到库房。
13 我委派示利米雅祭司、经学家撒督和利未人毗大雅作库官， 管理库房； 他们的助手是玛他尼的孙子、撒刻的儿子哈难； 这些人都是忠信可靠的； 他们的责任是把人奉献的各物分给他们的兄弟。
14 "我的 神啊， 求你因这事记念我， 不要涂抹我为我 神的殿和一切敬拜的礼仪所行的忠诚的事。"
15 那时， 我在犹大看见有人在安息日踹压酒池， 搬运禾捆， 驮在驴上， 又把酒、葡萄、无花果和各样的担子， 在安息日运到耶路撒冷； 我就在他们卖粮食的那天警戒他们。
16 又有推罗人住在耶路撒冷城中， 他们把鱼和各样的货物运进来， 在安息日卖给犹大人， 而且在耶路撒冷贩卖。
17 于是我责备犹大的贵族， 对他们说： "你们怎么行这恶事， 亵渎安息日呢？
18 从前你们的列祖不是这样行， 以致我们的 神使这一切灾祸临到我们和这城吗？现在你们亵渎安息日， 使 神的忿怒越发临到以色列。"
19 所以在安息日的前一天， 黄昏的阴影临到耶路撒冷城门的时候， 我就吩咐人把城门关闭； 我又下令不许开门， 直到安息日过了， 我又派我的仆人在城门站岗， 免得有人在安息日挑担子进来。
20 于是商人和贩卖各样货物的， 一次两次在耶路撒冷城外过夜。
21 我警告他们， 对他们说： "你们为什么要在城墙前面过夜呢？如果你们再这样， 我就要动手对付你们。"从那时起， 他们在安息日就不敢再来了。
22 我吩咐利未人洁净自己， 然后来看守城门， 使安息日分别为圣。"我的 神啊， 求你也因这事记念我， 照着你丰盛的慈爱怜恤我！ "
23 那些日子， 我也发现有些犹大人娶了亚实突、亚扪和摩押的女子为妻。
24 他们的儿女有一半说亚实突话， 其他就说他们民族的语言， 他们却不会说犹大话。
25 我就责备他们， 咒诅他们， 击打他们中间的几个人， 拔下他们的头发， 叫他们指着 神起誓， 说： "你们决不可把自己的女儿嫁给他们的儿子， 也决不可为儿子或为自己娶他们的女儿。
26 以色列王所罗门不是在这些事上犯了罪吗？在许多国中并没有一个王能比得上他的； 他蒙他的 神所爱， 神立他作全以色列的王， 可是连他也被外族的女子引诱犯罪。
27 难道我们要听从你们， 行这大恶， 娶外族的女子为妻， 对我们 神不忠吗？"
28 大祭司以利亚实的孙子耶何耶大的一个儿子， 是和伦人参巴拉的女婿， 我就驱逐他离开我。
29 "我的 神啊， 求你记住他们， 因为他们玷污了祭司的职分， 也污辱了祭司职分和利未人的约。"
30 这样， 我就洁净了他们， 使他们脱离一切外族人的污秽， 又重新指派祭司和利未人的职责， 各人有自己的工作。
31 我又指派人按时供应木柴和奉献初熟之物。"我的 神啊， 求你记念我， 施恩给我。"