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Now before this, Eli'ashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was connected with Tobi'ah,
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prepared for Tobi'ah a large chamber where they had previously put the cereal offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
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While this was taking place I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king
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and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eli'ashib had done for Tobi'ah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
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And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobi'ah out of the chamber.
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Then I gave orders and they cleansed the chambers; and I brought back thither the vessels of the house of God, with the cereal offering and the frankincense.
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I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field.
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So I remonstrated with the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.
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Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.
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And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemi'ah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedai'ah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattani'ah, for they were counted faithful; and their duty was to distribute to their brethren.
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Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.