1   And in that day there was read in the volume of Moyses the people hearing it: and there was found written in it, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not enter into the Church of God for euer: ^note

2   for that they mette not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hyred against them Balaam, to curse them: and our God turned the cursing into blessing.

3   And it came to passe, when they had heard the law, they seperated euerie stranger from Israel.

4   And ouer this thing was Eliasib the Priest, who had bene made ouerseer in the treasurie of the house of our God, and neere akinne to ^note Tobias.

5   He therfore made to himselfe a great treasurie, and they were there before him laying vp giftes, and frankincense, and vesseles, and the tythe of corne, of wine, and of oyle, the portions of the Leuites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and the first fruites of the Priestes.

6   But in al these things I was not in Ierusalem, because in the two and thirteth yeare of Artaxerxes the king of Babylon I came to the king, and in the end of certaine dayes I desired the king.

7   And I came to Ierusalem, and I vnderstood the euil, that Eliasib had done to Tobias, to make him a treasure in the entrances of the house of God.

8   And it semed to me exceding euil. And I threw forth the vessels of the house of Tobias out of the treasurie:

9   and I commanded and they clensed the treasurie: and I brought thither againe the vessels of the house of God, the sacrifice, and the frankincense.

10   And I knew that the portion of the Leuites had not bene geuen: and that euerie man was fled into his countrie of the Leuites, and the singing men, and of them that ministred:

11   and I pleaded the matter against the magistrates,

Nehemias. and said: Why haue we forsaken the house of God? And I assembled them, and I made them to stand in their standings.

12   And al Iuda caried the tythe of the corne, wine, and oyle into the store houses.

13   And we appoynted ouer the storehouses Selemias Priest, and Sadoc scribe, and Phadaia of the Leuites, and next to them Hanan the sonne of Zachur, the sonne of Mathania: because they were approued faithful, and to them were committed the portions of the bretheren.

14   Remember me my God for this thing, and wipe not out my mercies, which I haue done in the house of my God, and in his ceremonies.

15   In those daies I saw them in Iuda treading the presses on the Sabbath, carying heapes, and loding vpon asses wine, and grapes, and figges, and al maner of burthen, and bringing it into Ierusalem on the Sabbath day. And I charged them, that they should sel on a day that it was lawful to sel in.

16   And the Tyrians dwelt in it, bringing fishes, and al thinges to sel: and they sold on the Sabbathes to the children of Iuda in Ierusalem.

17   And I rebuked the Princes of Iuda, and said to them: What is this euil thing, that you doe, and prophane the day of the Sabbath?

18   Why did not our fathers these thinges, and our God brought vpon vs al this euil. and vpon this citie? And you adde wrath vpon Israel in violating the Sabbath.

19   And it came to passe, when the gates of Ierusalem had rested on the Sabbath day, I spake: and they shut the gates, and I commanded them that they should not open them til after the Sabbath: and of my seruantes I appoynted ouer the gates, that none should bring in burdens in the Sabbath day.

20   And the merchantes, and they that sold al merchandise, taried without Ierusalem once and againe.

21   And I charged them, and I said to them: Why tarie you ouer against the wal? if you shal doe so the second time, I wil lay my hand vpon you. Therfore from that time they came not on the Sabbath.

22   I spake also to the Leuites that they should be cleansed, and should come to keepe the gates, and to sanctifie the day of the Sabbath: therfore for this also remember me my God, & spare me according to the multitude of thy mercies.

23   But in those daies also I saw the Iewes marying wiues wemen of Azotus, and of Ammon, and of Moab.

24   And their children spake, the halfe part the Azotian tongue, and they could not speake the Iewes language, and they spake according to the language of the people

Nehemias. and people.

25   And I rebuked them, and cursed them. And I beate of them some men, and shaued them bald, and adiured them by God, that they should not geue their daughters to their sonnes, nor take their daughters for their sonnes, & for themselues, saying:

26   Did not Salomon the king of Israel sinne in this kind of thing? and surely in manie nations, there was not a king like to him, & he was beloued of his God, and God sette him king ouer al Israel: him therfore also foren wemen brought to sinne.

27   And shal we also being disobedient persons doe al this great euil, to transgresse against our God, and to marie foren wemen?

28   And Sanaballat the Horonite was sonne in law to one of the sonnes of Ioiada, the sonne of Eliasib the high Priest, whom I draue from me.

29   Remember o Lord my God against them, that pollute the Priesthood, and the right of Priestes and Leuites.

30   Therfore I separared from them al strangers, and I appoynted the courses of the Priestes and Leuites, euerie man in his ministerie:

31   and in the oblation of woode at times appoynted, and in the first fruites: ^noteRemember me my God vnto good. Amen. THE THIRD, AND FOVRTH BOOKES OF ESDRAS, WITH THE PRAYER OF MANASSES, folow after the MACHABEES.

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