Nehemiah 10
Open in the reader1In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Joined-Ones, and priests.”
2Now these were the ones who sealed the document: He-Who-Is-Comforts the governor, son of Wait-for-He-Who-Is, and also He-Who-Is-Righteousness,
3He-Who-Is-Has-Prevailed, He-Who-Is-Helps, He-Who-Is-Will-Rise,
4Liberation, He-Who-Is-Has-Said, My-King-Is-He-Who-Is,
5Hattush, He-Who-Is-Has-Grown, Reigning-One,
6Devoted, Heights, Servant-of-He-Who-Is,
7My-God-Has-Judged, Gardener, Blessed,
8Allied, My-Father-Is-He-Who-Is, From-the-Right-Hand,
9Maaziah, Cheerful, and He-Who-Is-Has-Heard. These were the priests.
10The Joined-Ones: He-Who-Is-Saves son of He-Who-Is-Has-Heard, Built of the sons of Favor-of-Hadad, God-Is-Before-Me,
11and their associates: He-Who-Is-Has-Grown, Splendor-of-He-Who-Is, Stunted-One, Pelaiah, Gracious,
12Who-Is-Like-He-Who-Is, Broad-Place, He-Who-Is-Has-Considered,
13Mindful, He-Who-Is-Has-Sent-Burning-Heat, He-Who-Is-Has-Grown,
14Splendor-of-He-Who-Is, Built, and Our-Son.
15And the leaders of the people: Flea, Governor-of-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Built,
16Built, Strong-Is-Fortune, Bebai,
17My-Lord-Is-He-Who-Is, Bigvai, Delicate,
18Maimed, He-Who-Is-Has-Strengthened, Helper,
19Splendor-of-He-Who-Is, Hashum, Bezai,
20Autumn-Sharp, Answers, Nebai,
21Magpiash, Allied, Boar,
22God-Delivers, Righteous, Known,
23He-Who-Is-Has-Delivered, Gracious, He-Who-Is-Has-Answered,
24Saves, He-Who-Is-Gracious, Considered,
25Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
26Compassionate, Hashabnah, Work-of-He-Who-Is,
27My-Brother-Is-He-Who-Is, Gracious, Cloud,
28Reigning-One, Devoted, and In-Affliction.
29“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 Teaching of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,
30hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Teaching of God given through His servant Drawn-Out and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of He-Who-Is our Lord.
31We will not give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land, and we will not take their daughters for our sons.
32When the people of the land bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Rest day, we will not buy from them on a Rest or devoted day. Every seventh year we will let the fields lie fallow and will cancel every debt.
33We also place ourselves under the obligation to contribute a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God:
34for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Rest offerings, for the New Moons and appointed feasts, for the devoted offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Strives-with-God, and for all the duties of the house of our God.
35We have cast lots among the priests, Joined-Ones, 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 He-Who-Is our God, as it is written in the Teaching.
36We will also bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the house of He-Who-Is year by year.
37And we will bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as it is written in the Teaching, 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.
38Moreover, 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 Joined-Ones, so that they shall receive tithes in all the towns where we labor.
39A priest of Aaron’s line is to accompany the Joined-Ones when they collect the tenth, and the Joined-Ones are to bring a tenth of these tithes to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God.
40For the children of Strives-with-God and the Joined-Ones 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.”