He tells us, 'I contended some time with them' (that is, I reproved them and argued with them), 'and I said, Why is the house of our God forsaken ?' Then, without waiting for a response to his appeal, he sends round to all the Levites and singers, bidding them with all haste to come up to the temple and to take up their work again.

And the people, seeing he was determined, and that there was no possibility of his allowing the matter to drop, came also, bringing with them the corn, and the wine, and the oil, with which once more to fill the empty chamber.
'Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.' And, in order to prevent such a thing ever happening again, Nehemiah appointed treasurers to look after the temple stores.

Eliashib the high priest had been the store-keeper before, xiii.

4, but he had shown himself unworthy of his office.

Four men are accordingly chosen to collect the stores, and afterwards to deal them out to the priests and Levites.