1As governor, I10.1 I: Hebrew “Nehemiah son of Hacaliah”. signed the agreement together with Zedekiah and the following priests: 2-8Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah.

9The Levites who signed were: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel, 10Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

14The leaders who signed were: Parosh, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

The agreement

28-29All of us, including priests, Levites, temple guards, singers, temple workers and leaders, together with our wives and children, have separated ourselves from the foreigners in this land and now enter into an agreement with a complete understanding of what we are doing. And so, we now place ourselves under the curse of the LORD our God, if we fail to obey his laws and teachings that were given to us by his servant Moses.

30We won't let our sons and daughters marry foreigners.10.30: Ex 34.16; Dt 7.3.

31We won't buy goods or grain on the Sabbath or on any other sacred day, not even from foreigners.10.31: a Ex 23.10,11; Lv 25.1-7; b Dt 15.1,2.

Every seven years we will let our fields rest, and we will cancel all debts.

32Once a year we will each donate a small amount of silver to the temple of our God.10.32: Ex 30.11-16. 33This is to pay for the sacred bread, as well as for the daily sacrifices and special sacrifices such as those offered on the Sabbath and during the New Moon Festival and the other festivals. It will also pay for the sacrifices to forgive our sins and for all expenses connected with the worship of God in the temple.

34We have decided that the families10.34 that the families: Or “which families”. of priests, Levites, and ordinary people will supply firewood for the temple each year, so that sacrifices can be offered on the altar, just as the LORD our God has commanded.

35Each year we will bring to the temple the first part of our harvest of grain and fruit.10.35: Ex 23.19; 34.26; Dt 26.2.

36We will bring our firstborn sons and the firstborn males of our herds and flocks and offer them to the priests who serve in the temple, because this is what is written in God's Law.10.36 firstborn sons…God's Law: See Exodus 13.2,12-15; 34.19,20.10.36: Ex 13.2.

37To the priests in the temple of our God, we will bring the bread dough from the first harvest, together with our best fruit, and an offering of new wine and olive oil.10.37: Nu 18.21.

We will bring ten per cent of our grain harvest to those Levites who are responsible for collecting it in our towns. 38A priest from the family of Aaron must be there when we give this to the Levites. Then the Levites will put one tenth of this part in the temple storeroom,10.38: Nu 18.26. 39which is also the place for the sacred objects used by the priests, the temple guards, and the singers.

Levites and everyone else must bring their gifts of grain, wine, and olive oil to this room.

We will not neglect the temple of our God.