The People in Jerusalem^(A)

² Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns^(B) were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.^(C)

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,^(C)

²⁰ They also brought 220 of the temple servants^(A)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

⁷⁰ The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.^(A)

³ These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns,^{(A) 4} while other people from both Judah and Benjamin^(B) lived in Jerusalem):^(C)

From the descendants of Judah:

⁷ From the descendants of Benjamin:

¹⁰ From the priests:

¹⁵ From the Levites:

¹⁹ The gatekeepers:

²⁰ The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.

²¹ The temple servants^(L) lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.

²² The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah,^(M) the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God.

²¹ They continued, “Let them live,^(A) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers^(B) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

²² Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way^(C) from you,’ while actually you live near^(D) us? ²³ You are now under a curse:^(E) You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

²⁴ They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told^(F) how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. ²⁵ We are now in your hands.^(G) Do to us whatever seems good and right^(H) to you.”

²⁶ So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. ²⁷ That day he made the Gibeonites^(I) woodcutters and water carriers^(J) for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose.^(K) And that is what they are to this day.