Study Desk

Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, ^(C1)who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being ^(F1)related to ^(C2)Tobiah,

had prepared a large ^(F1)room for him, where previously they used to put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil ^(C1)prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the ^(F2)contributions for the priests.

But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in ^(C1)the thirty-second year of ^(C2)Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had come to the king. After some time, however, I requested a leave of absence from the king,

and I came to Jerusalem and ^(F1)learned about the evil that Eliashib had committed for ^(F2)Tobiah, ^(C1)by preparing a ^(F3)room for him in the courtyards of the house of God.

It was very displeasing to me, so I ^(C1)threw all of Tobiah's household articles out of the room.

Then I gave an order, and ^(C1)they cleansed the rooms; and I returned the utensils of the house of God there with the grain offering and the frankincense.

I also ^(F1)discovered that ^(C1)the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so the Levites and the singers who performed the service had ^(F2)gone away, ^(C2)each to his own field.

So I ^(F1)(C1)reprimanded the officials and said, "^(C2)Why has the house of God been neglected?" Then I gathered them together and stationed them at their posts.

All Judah then brought ^(C1)the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.