Study Desk

And, the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem, was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, - of the sons of Asaph the singers, to take lead in the business of the house of God.

And, the chiefs of the Levites, Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise - to give thanks, by the commandment of David the man of God, - ward joined to ward.

and his brethren - Shemaiah and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the instruments of music of David, the man of God, - with Ezra the scribe before them;

So the two choirs, came to a stand, at the house of God, - and I, and half the deputies with me;

And they sacrificed, on that day, great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for, God, had caused them to rejoice with great joy, moreover also, the women and children, rejoiced, - so that the rejoicing of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

So they kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and so did the singers and the doorkeepers, - according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son.

For, in the days of David and Asaph, of old, there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving, unto God.

On that day, a portion, was read in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, - and it was found written therein, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not enter into the convocation of God, unto times age-abiding;

because they met not the sons of Israel, with bread and with water, - but hired against them Balaam, to curse them, although our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Now, before this, Eliashib the priest, who was set over a chamber of the house of God, was allied unto Tobiah;

and came to Jerusalem, - and had intelligence of the wickedness which Eliashib had committed for Tobiah, in preparing for him a chamber, in the courts of the house of God;

Then commanded I, and they purified the chambers, - and I put back there, the utensils of the house of God, the meal-offering and the frankincense.

Therefore contended I with the deputies, and said, Wherefore is the house of God, forsaken? So I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, - and do not wipe out my lovingkindnesses, which I have done for the house of my God, and for those keeping charge thereof.

Was it not, thus, your fathers did, and our God brought upon us all this calamity, and upon this city? - and, ye, would add indignation against Israel, by profaning the sabbath!

And I gave word to the Levites, that they should be purifying themselves and coming in, as keepers of the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. This also, remember to me, O my God, and have pity upon me, according to the abundance of thy lovingkindness.

So I contended with them, and laid a curse upon them, and I smote, from among them, certain men, and pulled out their hair, - and I put them on oath by God, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take of their daughters, for your sons nor for yourselves.

Was it not, over these things, that Solomon king of Israel sinned - though, among many nations, there was no king such as he, and he was, beloved by his God, and so God gave him to be king over all Israel, - even him, did foreign women, cause to sin.

Unto you, then, shall we hearken, to do all this great wickedness, to act unfaithfully with our God, - by marrying foreign wives?

Remember them, O my God, - on account of the Defilings of the Priesthood, and the Covenant of the Priesthood, and of the Levites.