8
I was so furious that I threw all Toviyah's household goods out of the room.
9
Then, at my order, they cleansed the rooms; and I brought back the equipment of the house of God, the grain offerings and frankincense.
10
I also learned that the portions for the L'vi'im had not been given to them, so that the L'vi'im and singers who were supposed to be doing the work had deserted, each one to his own farm.
11
I disputed with the leaders, demanding, "Why is the house of God abandoned?" I gathered the L'vi'im together and restored them to their stations;
12
and then all Y'hudah brought the tenth of grain, wine and olive oil to the storerooms.
13
To supervise the storerooms I appointed Shelemyah the cohen, Tzadok the Torah-teacher and, from the L'vi'im, P'dayah; assisting them was Hanan the son of Zakur, the son of Mattanyah; for these were considered reliable. Their duty was to make the distribution to their kinsmen.
14
My God, remember me for this; don't wipe out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God and for his service!
15
During this time I saw in Y'hudah some people who were treading winepresses on Shabbat, also bringing in heaps of grain and loading donkeys with it, likewise wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads; and they were bringing them into Yerushalayim on the day of Shabbat. On the day when they were planning to sell the food, I warned them not to.
16
There were also living there people from Tzor who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on Shabbat to the people in Y'hudah and even in Yerushalayim.
17
I disputed with the nobles of Y'hudah, demanding of them, "What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat?
18
Didn't your ancestors do this, and didn't our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you are bringing still more fury against Isra'el by profaning Shabbat!"