וּבְכָל־זֹאת אֲנַחְנוּ כֹּרְתִים אֲמָנָה וְכֹתְבִים וְעַל הֶחָתוּם שָׂרֵינוּ לְוִיֵּנוּ כֹהֲנֵינוּ

Nevertheless, even though we are subjugated to foreign rulers, we are now making a pact with God, and writing it, signed by our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

וְעַל הַחֲתוּמִים נְחֶמְיָה הַתִּרְשָׁתָא בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָה וְצִדְקִיָּה

Signed by, in detail: Nehemiah, whose Persian title of honor was the Tirshata son of Hakhalya. As the political leader of the people, he was the first to sign; and Tzidkiya signed after him.

שְׂרָיָה עֲזַרְיָה יִרְמְיָה

Then Seraya, Azarya, and Yirmeya, who were probably priests. Some claim that this Azarya was Ezra the scribe, as the name Ezra does not appear among the signatories of the covenant, despite the fact that he was present and was one of the initiators of this assembly. It is therefore possible that Ezra is a shortened, Aramaic version of the Hebrew name Azarya, similar to the way the name Ovadya becomes Avda. When officially signing the new covenant of the Judean state, Ezra used his formal Hebrew name.

פַּשְׁחוּר אֲמַרְיָה מַלְכִּיָּה

Pashhur, Amarya, Malkiya,

חַטּוּשׁ שְׁבַנְיָה מַלּוּךְ

Hatush, Shevanya, Malukh,

חָרִם מְרֵמוֹת עֹבַדְיָה

Harim, Meremot, Ovadya,

דָּנִיֵּאל גִּנְּתוֹן בָּרוּךְ

Daniyel, Gineton, Barukh,

מְשֻׁלָּם אֲבִיָּה מִיָּמִן

Meshulam, Aviya, Miyamin,

מַעַזְיָה בִלְגַּי שְׁמַעְיָה אֵלֶּה הַכֹּהֲנִים

Maazya, Bilgai, a well-known priestly watch from later generations as well, and Shemaya. These were the priests.

וְהַלְוִיִּם וְיֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן־אֲזַנְיָה בִּנּוּי מִבְּנֵי חֵנָדָד קַדְמִיאֵל

The Levites: Yeshua son of Azanya, Binui from the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel. Some understand this verse as follows: Yeshua son of Azanya, and Binui; and of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel signed;

וַאֲחֵיהֶם שְׁבַנְיָה הוֹדִיָּה קְלִיטָא פְּלָאיָה חָנָן

and their brethren, Shevanya, Hodiya, Kelita, Pelaya, Hanan,

מִיכָא רְחוֹב חֲשַׁבְיָה

Mikha, Rehov, Hashavya,

זַכּוּר שֵׁרֵבְיָה שְׁבַנְיָה

Zakur, Sherevya, Shevanya, a Levite who had the same name as one of the priests who signed the covenant (verse 5) and one of the other Levites (verse 11),

הוֹדִיָּה בָנִי בְּנִינוּ

a second Hodiya (see verse 11), Bani, Beninu. Some of these names are familiar from the list of Levites who spoke at the gathering, while many others appear in various lists recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

רָאשֵׁי הָעָם פַּרְעֹשׁ פַּחַת מוֹאָב עֵילָם זַתּוּא בָּנִי

The heads of the people who signed: Parosh, Pahat Moav, Eilam, Zatu, Bani,

בֻּנִּי עַזְגָּד בֵּבָי

Buni, Azgad, Bevai,

אֲדֹנִיָּה בִגְוַי עָדִין

Adoniya, Bigvai, Adin,

אָטֵר חִזְקִיָּה עַזּוּר

Ater, Hizkiya, Azur,

הוֹדִיָּה חָשֻׁם בֵּצָי

Hodiya, Hashum, Betzai,

חָרִיף עֲנָתוֹת נֵיבָי

Harif, Anatot, Nebai,

מַגְפִּיעָשׁ מְשֻׁלָּם חֵזִיר

Magpiash, Meshulam, Hezir,

מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל צָדוֹק יַדּוּעַ

Meshezavel, Tzadok, Yadua,

פְּלַטְיָה חָנָן עֲנָיָה

Pelatya, Hanan, Anaya,

הוֹשֵׁעַ חֲנַנְיָה חַשּׁוּב

Hoshe’a, Hananya, Hashuv,

הַלּוֹחֵשׁ פִּלְחָא שׁוֹבֵק

Halohesh, Pilha, Shovek,

רְחוּם חֲשַׁבְנָה מַעֲשֵׂיָה

Rehum, Hashavna, Maaseya,

וַאֲחִיָּה חָנָן עָנָן

and Ahiya, Hanan, Anan,

מַלּוּךְ חָרִם בַּעֲנָה

Malukh, Harim, Baana. Presumably, the signatories were all family heads or firstborn sons. In effect, these were the leaders of the people in that generation. The Tirshata signed first because he was the governor and most important political leader. He was followed by the most important priests, the distinguished Levites, and finally the heads of the people. It seems that they signed together as a single body. Some claim this list was the kernel of a High Court that later became known as the Great Assembly.

וּשְׁאָר הָעָם הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם הַשּׁוֹעֲרִים הַמְשֹׁרְרִים הַנְּתִינִים וְכָל־הַנִּבְדָּל מֵעַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת אֶל־תּוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים נְשֵׁיהֶם בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶם כֹּל יוֹדֵעַ מֵבִין

With regard to the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Netinim, and everyone who had separated from the peoples of the lands and had come to the Torah of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone knowledgeable and understanding of the Torah,

מַחֲזִיקִים עַל אֲחֵיהֶם אַדִּירֵיהֶם וּבָאִים בְּאָלָה וּבִשְׁבוּעָה לָלֶכֶת בְּתוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נִתְּנָה בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד־הָאֱלֹהִים וְלִשְׁמוֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹת ה' אֲדֹנֵינוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו וְחֻקָּיו

they all join with and support their brethren, their nobles, the highest leaders, and enter into a curse, and into an oath. Not everyone signed the covenant, but they all agreed with, and accepted, the content of the scroll that was signed by the leaders, committing to follow in the Torah of God that was given by means of Moses the servant of God, and to observe and perform all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes. They accepted this upon themselves as the law of the land.

וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא־נִתֵּן בְּנֹתֵינוּ לְעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵיהֶם לֹא נִקַּח לְבָנֵינוּ

The chapter now lays out the various clauses of the covenant, some of which are general obligations while others are more specific: And that we shall not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, and their daughters we will not take for our sons.

וְעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ הַמְבִיאִים אֶת־הַמַּקָּחוֹת וְכָל־שֶׁבֶר בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לִמְכּוֹר לֹא־נִקַּח מֵהֶם בַּשַּׁבָּת וּבְיוֹם קֹדֶשׁ וְנִטֹּשׁ אֶת־הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית ומַשָּׁא כָל־יָד

The peoples of the land, the gentiles, who bring merchandise for purchase, or any provision on the Sabbath day to sell, we shall not purchase from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day, a festival. And we shall forgo working the land in the seventh year, the Sabbatical Year, and refrain from the exaction of every debt. The remittal of debts is one of the obligations of the seventh year.

וְהֶעֱמַדְנוּ עָלֵינוּ מִצְוֹת לָתֵת עָלֵינוּ שְׁלִישִׁית הַשֶּׁקֶל בַּשָּׁנָה לעֲבֹדַת בֵּית אֱלֹהֵינוּ

We set upon ourselves commandments; we accepted additional obligations upon ourselves. Each of us agreed to impose upon us one-third shekel for the requirements of the service of the House of our God. The exact sum of the fixed yearly donation to the Temple changed slightly over the generations.

לְלֶחֶם הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת וּמִנְחַת הַתָּמִיד וּלְעוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד הַשַּׁבָּתוֹת הֶחֳדָשִׁים לַמּוֹעֲדִים וְלַקֳּדָשִׁים וְלַחַטָּאוֹת לְכַפֵּר עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכֹל מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵינוּ

These shekels were required for the showbread, and for the continual meal offering, and for the continual burnt offering, the burnt offering that is brought each day, in the morning and afternoon, with its accompanying meal offering; and the offerings on the Sabbaths, the New Moons, for the appointed times, and for the sacraments, and for the sin offerings, which are brought to atone for Israel, and for all the other items needed for the labor of the House of our God.

וְהַגּוֹרָלוֹת הִפַּלְנוּ עַל־קֻרְבַּן הָעֵצִים הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם וְהָעָם לְהָבִיא לְבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְבֵית־אֲבֹתֵינוּ לְעִתִּים מְזֻמָּנִים שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה לְבַעֵר עַל־מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ כַּכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה

We cast lots concerning the wood offering, which included the priests, the Levites, and the people, to bring the wood to the House of our God, according to our patrilineal houses, at times appointed, on fixed dates, year by year, in order to burn the fire on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Torah. Since the fire had to burn continuously, a large amount of wood was required. Therefore, lots were cast among the people to determine their turns for supplying the wood.

וּלְהָבִיא אֶת־בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתֵנוּ וּבִכּוּרֵי כָּל־פְּרִי כָל־עֵץ שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה לְבֵית ה'

We also committed to bring the first fruits of our land, and the first fruits of every fruit from every tree, year by year, to the House of the Lord, as stated several times in the Torah,

וְאֶת בְּכֹרוֹת בָּנֵינוּ וּבְהֶמְתֵּנוּ כַּכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֶת־בְּכוֹרֵי בְקָרֵינוּ וְצֹאנֵינוּ לְהָבִיא לְבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ לַכֹּהֲנִים הַמְשָׁרְתִים בְּבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ

and the money for the redemption of the firstborn of our sons, and the firstborn of our animals, as it is written in the Torah, and the firstborn of our cattle and our flocks, to bring to the House of our God, to the priests who serve in the House of our God,

וְאֶת־רֵאשִׁית עֲרִיסֹתֵינוּ וּתְרוּמֹתֵינוּ וּפְרִי כָל־עֵץ תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר נָבִיא לַכֹּהֲנִים אֶל־לִשְׁכוֹת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵינוּ וּמַעְשַׂר אַדְמָתֵנוּ לַלְוִיִּם וְהֵם הַלְוִיִּם הַמְעַשְּׂרִים בְּכֹל עָרֵי עֲבֹדָתֵנוּ

and the first portion of dough of our kneading baskets, the portion separated from the dough when it is kneaded, known as ḥalla, and our gifts from produce, and the fruit of every tree, wine and oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the House of our God, and the tithes of our land, called the first tithe, which is given to the Levites, and they, the Levites who tithe, who receive tithes, in all the cities of our cultivation.

וְהָיָה הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן עִם־הַלְוִיִּם בַּעְשֵׂר הַלְוִיִּם וְהַלְוִיִּם יַעֲלוּ אֶת־מַעֲשַׂר הַמַּעֲשֵׂר לְבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶל־הַלְּשָׁכוֹת לְבֵית הָאוֹצָר

The priest, son of Aaron, shall be present with the Levites when the Levites tithe, and the Levites shall raise, separate, the tithe of the tithe, teruma of the tithe as explained above, to the House of our God, to the chambers, to the treasure house. It shall be given to the priests, as stated in the Torah.

כִּי אֶל־הַלְּשָׁכוֹת יָבִיאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְנֵי הַלֵּוִי אֶת־תְּרוּמַת הַדָּגָן הַתִּירוֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָר וְשָׁם כְּלֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְהַכֹּהֲנִים הַמְשָׁרְתִים וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים ולֹא נַעֲזֹב אֶת־בֵּית אֱלֹהֵינוּ

For it is to the chambers that the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the gifts of the grain, of the wine, and of the oil; both the donations given directly by the children of Israel to the priests, as well as the teruma of the tithe, which is the donation the Levites separate from their tithe for the priests. There, in the chambers, are the vessels of the Sanctuary, and the priests who serve, and the gatekeepers, and the singers; in this manner we will not forsake, neglect, the House of our God (see 13:10–12).