Nehemiah

Renewal of the Covenant

By all this, we make a firm commitment in writing. Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have signed the document.

Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, son of Zedekiah,

Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,

Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these are the priests.

Then the Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel,

and their relatives Shebaniah, Hodaviah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

Hodiah, Bani, Chenani.

The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

And the rest of the people, the priests and the Levites, the gatekeepers, singers and helpers, and all who have separated themselves from the inhabitants of the land, to follow the law of God, together with their wives and their children who are old enough to understand; all these,

with their leaders and their brothers, have sworn to walk according to the law of God promulgated through Moses, the servant of God, and to keep and fulfill all the precepts of the Lord, our God, and his decisions and laws.

We decided not to give our daughters in marriage to the men of the land, nor take their daughters as wives for our sons.

If the people of the land bring goods or foodstuffs to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy anything from them on the Sabbath day or any other sacred feast day. We will leave our fields uncultivated in the seventh year and cancel all debts owed to us.

We consider it our obligation to give one-third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of the Lord,

for the showbread, perpetual food offering, and the Holocaust, for the sacrifices on the Sabbath, on the new moon, on feasts for other sacrifices, for the expiation of Israel’s sins, and everything necessary in the house of God.

Among the priests, Levites, and people of the town, we have drawn lots for the offering of firewood, which each family shall bring by turn to the house of the Lord every year to keep the fire burning at the altar of the Lord, our God, as it is written in the law.

We will bring the firstfruits of our fields and fruit trees to the house of the Lord throughout the years.

Our firstborn sons and the firstborn of our animals, as it is written in the law, and the firstborn of our cattle and sheep, we will set aside for the house of the Lord and the priests who serve in the house of our God.

We will bring the best of our cereals, the fruit of every tree, the wine, and the oil, to the priests, to be kept in the chambers of the house of our God. We will also bring the tithes from our fields for the Levites. The Levites themselves will collect the tithes from all the towns that are agricultural.

A priest, a son of Aaron, will go with them when they collect the tithes. The Levites will bring the tenth part of the tithes into the storage rooms of the house of God, where the treasures are kept,

since the Israelites and the Levites bring to these storage rooms what they owe in wheat, wine, and oil. In these rooms are also found the supplies for the Sanctuary, the priests on duty, the gatekeepers, and the singers.So we will no longer neglect the house of our God.