Nehemiah 10: A Promise to God

Nehemiah the governor, the priests, the Levites, and the chiefs of the people sealed the covenant. The rest of the people, with their wives and children who had understanding, joined them and bound themselves with an oath to walk in God's law given by Moses. They promised not to give their children in marriage to the peoples of the land, to keep the Sabbath and the seventh year, to give a third of a shekel yearly for the service of God's house, to bring wood for the altar, and to bring firstfruits, firstborn, and tithes. They ended, We will not forsake the house of our God.

Go to worksheets ↓

Bible:

Read Nehemiah 10

World English Bible · 39 verses

¹ Now those who sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ The Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁶ Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁷ Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁸ The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters—everyone who had knowledge and understanding—This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁹ joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁰ and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³¹ and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year crops and the exaction of every debt.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³² Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³³ for the show bread, for the continual meal offering, for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁴ We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed year by year, to burn on Yahweh our God’s altar, as it is written in the law;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁵ and to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of all kinds of trees, year by year, to Yahweh’s house;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁶ also the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as it is written in the law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁷ and that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, our wave offerings, the fruit of all kinds of trees, and the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all our farming villages.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁸ The priest, the descendent of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites take tithes. The Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms, into the treasure house.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁹ For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the rooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and the priests who minister, with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not forsake the house of our God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

1Pick a grade below
2Look over the worksheet
3Tap Print worksheet. Print the answer key separately.

Pick a grade:

Answer key (print separately)More print options ↓

Open Preschool on its own page

Nehemiah 10 · Preschool

We Love God's House

Name Date

Color the people bringing gifts to God's house!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the rooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and the priests who minister, with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not forsake the house of our God.”

Nehemiah 10:39 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: The people made a promise to God. They said they would obey Him. They said they would take care of His house. We can love God's house too.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Nehemiah 10 · Grade 4

Signed and Sealed

Name Date

Read and Think

The prayer in chapter 9 ended with a sure covenant in writing. Chapter 10 lists those who sealed it. Nehemiah the governor came first. Then came the priests, the Levites, and the chiefs of the people. The rest of the people joined them. Wives, sons, and daughters who could understand joined too.

They made an oath to walk in God's law given by Moses. They promised to keep their families faithful to God. They would keep the Sabbath and would not buy on that day. Every seventh year they would let the land rest and cancel debts.

They also took on the care of God's house. Each year they would give a third of a shekel for the bread, the offerings, and the feasts. They cast lots to bring wood for the altar. They would bring firstfruits, firstborn, and tithes. They ended with this vow: We will not forsake the house of our God.

Show What You Know

Who was first to seal the covenant?
Who else joined the oath?
What would they do every seventh year?
How much would each give yearly for God's house?
What was their final vow?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

SabbathforsakefirstbornGodsealed

Chapter 10 lists those who it.
They promised to keep their families faithful to .
They would keep the and would not buy on that day.
They would bring firstfruits, , and tithes.
They ended with this vow: We will not the house of our God.

Think About It

The people put their promise in writing. What is one promise to God you want to remember, and how could you remember it?
They promised not to forsake God's house. What does it look like for your family to care for your church?

Memory Verse

Nehemiah 10:39 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your house. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How did their promise touch their time and money?
What does it mean not to forsake God's house?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Nehemiah 10 · Grade 5

A Covenant of Practical Obedience

Name Date

Read and Think

Nehemiah 10 records the sure covenant the people made at the close of their prayer. The seals begin with Nehemiah the governor and Zedekiah, followed by priests, Levites, and chiefs of the people. The rest of the people, with all who had knowledge and understanding, joined their nobles and entered into an oath to walk in God's law given by Moses.

The covenant was specific. They would keep their families faithful by not marrying their children into the surrounding peoples. They would not buy goods on the Sabbath or holy days. They would keep the seventh year, letting the land rest and releasing debts. Their faith would show in how they used their time, their land, and their money.

Most of the promises concern God's house. They charged themselves a third of a shekel yearly for the showbread, offerings, Sabbaths, new moons, and feasts. They cast lots for supplying wood for the altar. They would bring firstfruits, the firstborn of sons and cattle, and tithes to the Levites. The covenant closes with a summary: We will not forsake the house of our God. In the New Testament, Hebrews urges believers not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10:25).

Show What You Know

Who sealed the covenant first?
What did the people enter into?
What three areas of life did the covenant touch?
What did the third of a shekel pay for?
How does the covenant close?

Crossword

Across

We will not ____ the house of our God
to walk in God’s ____
A tenth of what they grew.

Down

A solemn promise they entered into.
A day of rest.

Think About It

The covenant turned good feelings into specific actions. What specific step of obedience could you take this week?
Most promises in this chapter concern worship and God's house. How does your use of time and money show what you value?

Memory Verse

Nehemiah 10:39 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your house. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How can you keep a promise to God?
How can your family care for your church?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

More print options

Student sheets have no answers on them. The answer key is a separate document for teachers and parents.

This gradeOnly the Preschool sheet

Whole chapterEvery verse of the chapter, in the translation you pickOpen & print

All student sheetsEvery grade, preschool to grade 5Open & print

Answer keyAll grades in one, each grade labeledOpen & print

‹ All Nehemiah chapters · All books

Nehemiah 10: A Promise to God

Read Nehemiah 10

Worksheets

We Love God's House

Prayer

Take It Home

A Promise

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

We Will Obey

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

A Promise to God

Prayer

Take It Home

The People Make a Promise

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

A Written Promise

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

A Promise to God

Prayer

Take It Home

Signed and Sealed

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

A Covenant of Practical Obedience

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options