⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites^(A) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”^(B) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

³⁰ Also put the Urim and the Thummim^(A) in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

10 ^[a]Those who sealed it were:

⁸ About Levi^(A) he said:

²¹ He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^(A) of the Urim^(B) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

²¹ No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect^(A) is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord.^(B) He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.^{(C) 22} He may eat the most holy food of his God,^(D) as well as the holy food; ²³ yet because of his defect,^(E) he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary.^(F) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(G)’”

¹⁷ “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering^(A) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt^(B) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. ¹⁸ Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,^(C) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.^(D)”