Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Here is the rewritten chapter:

On that day they read in the book of Moses to the people. It was found written there that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever. This command had been given because they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and water, but instead hired Balaam to curse them. However, our God turned their intended curse into a blessing.

When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. Prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the chambers of our God's house and allied to Tobiah, had prepared a large room for him. He had also provided a spacious chamber where previously they stored the meat offerings, frankincense, vessels, tithes of grain, new wine, oil, which were to be given to the Levites, singers, porters, and priests.

However, I was not in Jerusalem at that time because it was in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Persia that I came to the king and obtained leave from him. When I arrived in Jerusalem, I discovered that Eliashib had done evil by preparing a room for Tobiah in the courtyards of God's house.

This grieved me deeply, so I cast forth all the household stuff to Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers; I brought back into them the vessels of God's house, with the offerings and the frankincense. I also noticed that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so they and the singers who did the work had each fled to their field.

I contended with the leaders, asking, "Why has God's house been abandoned?" I gathered them together and restored them to their proper positions. Then all Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine, and oil to the treasuries. I made treasurers over the treasuries: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah from the Levites, and Hanan, son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah.

I remembered my God in this matter and asked him not to erase from his memory the good deeds I had done for the house of my God and its services. In those days, I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah. They were bringing in sheaves and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

I testified against them in the day when they sold food. Men from Tyre lived there, bringing fish and all manner of goods to sell on the Sabbath to the children of Judah in Jerusalem. I contended with the nobles of Judah, saying, "What evil thing is this that you are doing, and profaning the Sabbath day?"

Did your fathers not act in this way, and did our God not bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet you are adding to Israel's wrath by profaning the Sabbath. When the gates of Jerusalem began to grow dark before the Sabbath, I ordered that they be shut and instructed that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath; and some of my servants were stationed at the gates.

The merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. I testified against them, saying, "Why are you staying near the wall? If you do so again, I will take action against you." From that time on, they no longer came to Jerusalem on the Sabbath.

I also commanded the Levites to cleanse themselves and keep the gates, that they might sanctify the Sabbath day. I remembered my God in this matter as well, asking him to spare me according to his great mercy. In those days, I observed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

Their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod and could not speak the Jewish language but rather according to each people's tongue. I contended with them, cursed them, struck some of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters as wives for yourselves.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God and made king over all Israel; nevertheless even he was caused to sin by outlandish women. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying foreign women?

One of Joiada's sons, who was also the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, I had to exclude from my company because they had defiled the priesthood and its covenant, and that of the Levites. I cleansed them from all outsiders and assigned the priests and Levites to their respective duties.

I remembered my God for good in regard to the wood offering at appointed times and the firstfruits.