13 ⁴ But before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the store-rooms of the house of our God, and who was connected by marriage with Tobiah, 13 ⁵ had provided for his use a large room where formerly they had kept the grain-offering, the incense, the temple vessels, the tithes of corn, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and door-keepers, and the contributions for the priests. 13 ⁶ All this time I was not in Jerusalem because, in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I had gone to the king. 13 ⁷ Some time later, I asked permission from him and returned to Jerusalem. There I discovered the wicked thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah's sake in providing him with a room in the courts of the house of God. 13 ⁸ I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's belongings out of the room. 13 ⁹ Then I gave orders that the room should be purified, and that the vessels of the house of God, with the grain-offering and incense, should be put back into it.

13 ¹⁰ I also learnt that the Levites had not been given their portions; both they and the singers, who were responsible for their respective duties, had made off to their farms. 13 ¹¹ So I remonstrated with the magistrates and said, 'Why is the house of God deserted?' And I recalled the men and restored them to their places. 13 ¹² Then all Judah brought the tithes of corn, new wine, and oil into the storehouses; 13 ¹³ and I put in charge of them Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the accountant, and Pedaiah a Levite, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, as their assistant, for they were considered trustworthy men; their duty was the distribution of their shares to their brethren. 13 ¹⁴ Remember this, O God, to my credit, and do not wipe out of thy memory the devotion which I have shown in the house of my God and in his service.

13 ¹⁵ In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the sabbath, collecting quantities of produce and piling it on asses—wine, grapes, figs, and every kind of load, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath; and I protested to them about selling food on that day. 13 ¹⁶ Tyrians living in Jerusalem also brought in fish and all kinds of merchandise and sold them on the sabbath to the people of Judah, even in Jerusalem. 13 ¹⁷ Then I complained to the nobles of Judah and said to them, 'How dare you profane the sabbath in this wicked way? 13 ¹⁸ Is not this just what your fathers did, so that our God has brought all this evil on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.'

13 ¹⁹ When the entrances to Jerusalem had been cleared in preparation for the sabbath, I gave orders that the gates should be shut and not opened until after the sabbath. And I appointed some of the men under me to have charge of the gates so that no load might enter on the sabbath. 13 ²⁰ Then on one or two occasions the merchants and all kinds of traders camped just outside Jerusalem, 13 ²¹ but I cautioned them. 'Why are you camping in front of the city wall?' I asked. 'If you do it again, I will take action against you.' After that they did not come on the sabbath again, 13 ²² And I commanded the Levites who were to purify themselves and take up duty as guards at the gates, to ensure that the sabbath was kept holy. Remember this also to my credit, O God, and spare me in thy great love.

13 ²³ In those days also I saw that some Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 13 ²⁴ Half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples and could not speak the language of the Jews. 13 ²⁵ I argued with them and reviled them, I beat them and tore out their hair; and I made them swear in the name of God: 'We will not marry our daughters to their sons, or take any of their daughters in marriage for our sons or for ourselves.' 13 ²⁶ 'Was it not for such women', I said, 'that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among all the nations there was no king like him; he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless even he was led by foreign women into sin. 13 ²⁷ Are we then to follow your example and commit this grave offence, breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?'

13 ²⁸ Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him out of my presence. 13 ²⁹ Remember, O God, to their shame that they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests Or priesthood and the Levites.

13 ³⁰ Thus I purified them from everything foreign, and I made the Levites and the priests resume the duties of their office; 13 ³¹ I also made provision for the wood-offering, at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me for my good, O God.