Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada,

Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses.

Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations.

I then put in charge over Jerusalem my brother Hanani and Hananiah the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do.

for they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.)

So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, along with all their multitude of stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

When you perceived that his heart was faithful toward you, you established a covenant with him to give his descendants the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites. You have fulfilled your promise, for you are righteous.

I also shook out my garment, and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.

I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.

The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand.

“You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea.

“But they – our ancestors – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled and did not obey your commandments.

When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the storeroom.

Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.

So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions.

Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.