Nehemiah 12:44-13:5

English Standard Version

Service at the Temple

^44 (A)On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. ⁴⁵ And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, ^(B)according to the command of David and his son Solomon. ⁴⁶ For long ago in the days of David and ^(C)Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs^[a] of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the ^(D)daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; ^(E)and they set apart that which was for the Levites; ^(F)and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Nehemiah's Final Reforms

13 On that day ^(G)they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written ^(H)that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, ² for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³ As soon as the people heard the law, ^(I)they separated from Israel all ^(J)those of foreign descent.

⁴ Now before this, ^(K)Eliashib the priest, who ^(L)was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to ^(M)Tobiah, ⁵ prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, ^(N)which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.