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Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the leader of the house of God,

and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God;

The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God.

And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers next to them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.

and his brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

So stood the two companies of those that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;

And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even far off.

And they kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and [so did] the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,

because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: nevertheless our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,

and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and there I brought again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal-offerings and the frankincense.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and don't wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the observances thereof.

Didn't your fathers do thus, and didn't our God bring all this evil on us, and on this city? yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.

And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving-kindness.

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying], You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

Didn't Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.