3
After the people heard this Teaching, they separated the non-Israelites from the Israelites.
4
Even before this, the priest Eliashib, who was related to Tobiah and had been put in charge of the storerooms of our God's temple,
5
had provided a large room for Tobiah. Previously, this room had been used to store grain offerings, incense, utensils, a tenth of all the grain harvested, new wine, and olive oil. These things belonged by law to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers. The contributions for the priests had also been stored there.
6
While all of this was taking place, I wasn't in Jerusalem. In the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes' reign in Babylon, I returned to the king.Later, I asked the king for permission to return.
7
I went to Jerusalem and discovered the evil thing Eliashib had done by providing Tobiah with a room in God's temple.
8
I was furious. So I threw all of Tobiah's household goods out of the room.
9
Then I told them to cleanse the rooms, and I put back in there the utensils from God's temple, the offerings, and the incense.
10
I learned that the Levites had not been given their portions. So each of the Levites and singers, who conducted the worship [in the temple], had left for their own fields.
11
I reprimanded the leaders. "Why is God's temple being neglected?" I asked. So I brought the Levites back together and put them back in their places of service.
12
Then all Judah brought a tenth of all the grain harvested, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms.
13
I appointed the following men to be in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah the Levite, and I appointed Hanan, son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah to help them. Since they could be trusted, I made them responsible for distributing [the portions] to their relatives.