Aquel día leyeron del libro de Moisés a oídos del pueblo^a; y se encontró escrito en él que los amonitas y los moabitas^b no debían entrar jamás en la asamblea de Dios, 2 porque no recibieron a los hijos de Israel con pan y agua, sino que contrataron contra ellos a Balaam para maldecirlos^a; pero nuestro Dios convirtió la maldición en bendición^b. 3 Y sucedió que cuando oyeron la ley, excluyeron de Israel a todo extranjero^a.

4 Antes de esto, el sacerdote Eliasib, encargado de los aposentos de la casa de nuestro Dios^a, y que era pariente¹ de Tobías^b, 5 le había preparado un gran aposento¹, donde anteriormente se colocaban las ofrendas de cereal, el incienso, los utensilios, y los diezmos del cereal, del mosto y del aceite prescritos para los levitas^a, los cantores y los porteros, y las contribuciones² para los sacerdotes. 6 Pero durante todo este tiempo yo no estaba en Jerusalén, porque en el año treinta y dos de Artajerjes, rey de Babilonia^a, yo había ido al rey^b; pero después de algún tiempo, pedí permiso al rey, 7 y vine a Jerusalén y me enteré¹ del mal que Eliasib había hecho por favorecer a Tobías, al prepararle un aposento en los atrios de la casa de Dios^a. 8 Esto me desagradó mucho, por lo cual arrojé todos los muebles de la casa de Tobías fuera del aposento^a. 9 Entonces ordené que limpiaran los aposentos^a; y puse de nuevo allí los utensilios de la casa de Dios con las ofrendas de cereal y el incienso.

10 También descubrí¹ que las porciones de los levitas^a no se les habían dado, por lo que los levitas y los cantores que hacían el servicio se habían ido², cada uno a su campo^b. 11 Por tanto, reprendí a^1a los oficiales, y dije: ¿Por qué está la casa de Dios abandonada? Entonces reuní a los levitas² y los restablecí en sus puestos^b. 12 Entonces todo Judá trajo el diezmo del cereal, del mosto y del aceite a los almacenes^a. 13 Y puse al frente de los almacenes al sacerdote Selemías, al escriba Sadoc, y a Pedaías, uno de los levitas; además deestos estaba Hanán, hijo de Zacur, hijo de Matanías; porque se les consideraba dignos de confianza^a, y su responsabilidad¹ era repartir las raciones a sus parientes². 14 Acuérdate de mí por esto, Dios mío, y no borres las obras de misericordia que he hecho por la casa de mi Dios y por sus servicios^a.

15 En aquellos días vi en Judá a algunos que pisaban los lagares en el día de reposo, y traían haces de trigo y los cargaban en asnos, y también vino, uvas, higos y toda clase de carga, y los traían a Jerusalén en el día de reposo^a. Y les amonesté por el día en que vendían los víveres^b. 16 También habitaban allí¹, en Jerusalén, tirios, que importaban pescado y toda clase de mercancías, y los vendían a los hijos de Judá en el día de reposo. 17 Entonces reprendí^a a¹ los nobles de Judá, y les dije: ¿Qué acción tan mala es esta que cometéis profanando el día de reposo? 18 ¿No hicieron lo mismo vuestros padres, y nuestro Dios trajo sobre nosotros y sobre esta ciudad toda esta aflicción? Vosotros, pues, aumentáis su furor contra Israel al profanar el día de reposo^a.

19 Y aconteció que cuando iba oscureciendo a las puertas de Jerusalén, antes del día de reposo, ordené que se cerraran las puertas y¹ que no las abrieran hasta después del día de reposo^a. Entonces puse algunos de mis siervos a las puertas para que no entrara ninguna carga en día de reposo. 20 Pero una o dos veces, los mercaderes y vendedores de toda clase de mercancía pasaron la noche fuera de Jerusalén. 21 Entonces les advertí¹, y les dije: ¿Por qué pasáis la noche delante de la muralla? Si lo hacéis de nuevo, usaré fuerza² contra vosotros^a. Desde entonces no vinieron más en el día de reposo. 22 Y ordené a los levitas que se purificaran^a y que vinieran a guardar las puertas para santificar el día de reposo. Por esto también acuérdate de mí, Dios mío^b, y ten piedad de mí conforme a la grandeza de tu misericordia.

23 Vi también en aquellos días a judíos que se habían casado con¹ mujeres^a asdoditas^b, amonitas y moabitas^c. 24 De sus hijos, la mitad hablaban la lengua de Asdod, y ninguno de ellos podía hablar la lengua de Judá, sino la lengua de su propio pueblo¹. 25 Y contendí^a con ellos y los maldije, herí a algunos de ellos^b y les arranqué el cabello, y les hice jurar por Dios, diciendo: No daréis vuestras hijas a sus hijos; tampoco tomaréis de sus hijas para vuestros hijos ni para vosotros mismos^c. 26 ¿No pecó por esto Salomón, rey de Israel^a? Sin embargo, entre tantas naciones no hubo rey como él, y era amado por su Dios, y Dios le había hecho rey sobre todo Israel^b; pero aun a él le hicieron pecar las mujeres extranjeras. 27 ¿Y se debe oír¹ de vosotros que habéis cometido todo este gran mal obrando infielmente contra nuestro Dios casándoos con² mujeres extranjeras^a? 28 Aun uno de los hijos de Joiada, hijo del sumo sacerdote Eliasib, era yerno de Sanbalat horonita^a, y lo eché de mi lado. 29 Acuérdate de ellos, Dios mío, porque han profanado el¹ sacerdocio^a y el pacto del sacerdocio^b y de los levitas.

30 Así los purifiqué de todo lo extranjero^a, y designé oficios para los sacerdotes y levitas, cada uno en su ministerio, 31 e hice arreglos para la provisión de leña en los tiempos señalados^a y para las primicias. ¡Acuérdate de mí, Dios mío, para bien^b!

On that day the Book of Moses was ^aread aloud ¹as the people listened; and there was found written in it that ^bno Ammonite or Moabite was ever to enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but ^ahired Balaam against them to curse them. However, ^bour God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So when they heard the Law, ^athey excluded ^ball foreigners from Israel.

4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, ^awho was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being ¹related to ^bTobiah, 5 had prepared a large ¹room for him, where previously they used to put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil ^aprescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the ²contributions for the priests. 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in ^athe thirty-second year of ^bArtaxerxes king of Babylon I had come to the king. After some time, however, I requested a leave of absence from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and ¹learned about the evil that Eliashib had committed for ²Tobiah, ^aby preparing a ³room for him in the courtyards of the house of God. 8 It was very displeasing to me, so I ^athrew all of Tobiah’s household articles out of the room. 9 Then I gave an order, and ^athey cleansed the rooms; and I returned the utensils of the house of God there with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also ¹discovered that ^athe portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so the Levites and the singers who performed the service had ²gone away, ^beach to his own field. 11 So I ^1areprimanded the officials and said, “^bWhy has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered them together and stationed them at their posts. 12 All Judah then brought ^athe tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 To be in charge of the storehouses, I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for ^athey were considered reliable, and it was ¹their task to distribute to their kinsmen. 14 ^aRemember me for this, my God, and do not wipe out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people who were treading wine presses ^aon the Sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and every kind of load, ^band they were bringing them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So ^cI admonished them on the day they sold food. 16 Also people of Tyre were living ¹there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then ^aI ¹reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, ²by profaning the Sabbath day? 18 ^aDid your fathers not do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 And ^ait came about that just as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered that the doors be shut, ¹and that they were not to open them until after the Sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 Then ^aI warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will ¹use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 And I ordered the Levites that ^athey were to purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. For this also ^bremember me, my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your mercy.

23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had ^1amarried women from ^bAshdod, ^cAmmon, and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them knew how to speak the language of Judah, but ¹only the language of his own people. 25 So ^aI quarreled with them and cursed them, and ^bstruck some of them and pulled out their hair, and ^cmade them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take any of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 ^aDid Solomon the king of Israel not sin regarding these things? ^bYet among the many nations there was no king like him, and ^che was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 Has it not then been reported about you that you have committed all this great evil ^aby acting unfaithfully against our God, by ¹marrying foreign women?” 28 Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, became a son-in-law of ^aSanballat the Horonite, so I chased him away from me. 29 ^aRemember them, my God, ¹because they have defiled the priesthood and the ^bcovenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 ^aSo I purified them from everything foreign, and assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each in his work, 31 and I arranged ^afor the delivery of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. ^bRemember me, my God, for good.

On that day ^athey read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that ^bno Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but ^ahired Balaam against them to curse them. However, ^bour God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So when they heard the law, ^athey excluded ^ball foreigners from Israel.

4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, ^awho was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being ¹related to ^bTobiah, 5 had prepared a large ¹room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil ^aprescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the ²contributions for the priests. 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in ^athe thirty-second year of ^bArtaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and ¹learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, ^aby preparing a ²room for him in the courts of the house of God. 8 It was very displeasing to me, so I ^athrew all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. 9 Then I gave an order and ^athey cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.

10 I also ¹discovered that ^athe portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had ²gone away, ^beach to his own field. 11 So I ^1areprimanded the officials and said, “^bWhy is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. 12 All Judah then brought ^athe tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses. 13 In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for ^athey were considered reliable, and it was ¹their task to distribute to their ²kinsmen. 14 ^aRemember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.

15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses ^aon the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, ^band they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So ^cI admonished them on the day they sold food. 16 Also men of Tyre were living ¹there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then ^aI ¹reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, ²by profaning the sabbath day? 18 ^aDid not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.”

19 ^aIt came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut ¹and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 Then ^aI ¹warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will ²use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that ^athey should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also ^bremember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had ^1amarried women from ^bAshdod, ^cAmmon and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but ¹the language of his own people. 25 So ^aI contended with them and cursed them and ^bstruck some of them and pulled out their hair, and ^cmade them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 ^aDid not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? ^bYet among the many nations there was no king like him, and ^che was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 ¹Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil ^aby acting unfaithfully against our God by ²marrying foreign women?” 28 Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of ^aSanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. 29 ^aRemember them, O my God, ¹because they have defiled the priesthood and the ^bcovenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 ^aThus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, 31 and I arranged ^afor the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. ^bRemember me, O my God, for good.