We accept responsibility for fulfilling the commands to give one third of a shekel each year for the work of the temple of our God,

You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. It is we who have been in the wrong!

So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us.

Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, and we are in great distress!

But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard all this, they derided us and expressed contempt toward us. They said, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

Isn’t this the way your ancestors acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”