Study Desk

And we will impose ordinances upon ourselves, to levy on ourselves the third part of a didrachm yearly for the service of the house of our God;

the shewbread, and the continual meat-offering, and for the continual whole-burnt-offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moon, for the feast, and for the holy things, and the sin-offerings, to make atonement for Israel, and for the works of the house of our God.

And we cast lots for the office of wood-bearing, we the priests, and the Levites, and the people, to bring wood into the house of our God, according to the house of our families, at certain set times, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law:

the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the first-born of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, for the priests that minister in the house of our God.

And the first-fruits of our corn, and the fruit of every tree, of wine, and of oil, will we bring to the priests to the treasury of the house of God; and a tithe of our land to the Levites: for the Levites themselves shall receive tithes in all the cities of the land we cultivate.

For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring into the treasuries the first-fruits of the corn, and wine, and oil; and there are the holy vessels, and the priests, and the ministers, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

For so was the king’s commandment concerning them.

And Phathaia son of Baseza was in attendance on the king in every matter for the people,

and from the country: for the singers built themselves villages by Jerusalem.

And they brought up the princes of Juda on the wall, and they appointed two great companies for thanksgiving, and they passed on the right hand on the wall of the dung-gate.

And in that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced; for God had made them very joyful: and their wives and their children rejoiced: and the joy in Jerusalem was heard from afar off.

And in that day they appointed men over the treasuries, for the treasures, the first-fruits, and the tithes, and for the chiefs of the cities who were assembled among them, to furnish portions for the priests and Levites: for there was joy in Juda over the priests and over the Levites that waited.

For in the days of David Asaph was originally first of the singers, and they sang hymns and praise to God.

In that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not enter into the congregation of God for ever;

But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after a certain time I made my request of the king;

and I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the mischief which Eliasib had done in the case of Tobias, in making for him a treasury in the court of the house of God.

to the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and Phadaea of the Levites: and next to them was Anan the son of Zacchur, son of Matthanias; for they were accounted faithful: it was their office to distribute to their brethren.

Remember them, O God, for their false connection with the priesthood, and the breaking the covenant of the priesthood, and for defiling the Levites.

So I purged them from all foreign connection, and established courses for the priests and the Levites, every man according to his work.

And the offering of the wood-bearers was at certain set times, and in the times of the first-fruits. Remember me, O our God, for good.