Nehemiah 13:1

Nehemiah 13:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
• New International Version (NIV)On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,
• English Standard Version (ESV)On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God,

Context of Nehemiah 13:1

On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses so that the people could hear [its words], and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite could ever enter the assembly of God, 2because they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. Yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3When the Jews heard the law, they separated from Israel all who were of foreign descent.

Nehemiah 13:1 word by word

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נִקְרָ֛א בְּסֵ֥פֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְנִמְצָא֙ כָּת֣וּב בּ֔וֹ אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־יָב֨וֹא עַמֹּנִ֧י וּמֹאָבִ֛י בִּקְהַ֥ל הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• On that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• they readקָרָאqârâ' · to call: read outH7121
• in the bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• in the audienceאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: hearingH241
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and therein was foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• that the Ammoniteעַמּוֹנִי‛ammônîy · AmmonH5984
• and the Moabiteמוֹאָבִיmô'âbîy mô'âbîyâh mô'âbîyth · MoabiteH4125
• should not comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the congregationקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• forעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:1

• Nehemiah 8:3Then he read from it, in front of the open square which was in front of the Water Gate, from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and women, those who could understand; and all the people listened carefully to the Book of the Law.
• Nehemiah 9:3While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day and for another fourth [of it] they confessed [their sins] and worshiped the Lord their God.
• Deuteronomy 31:11when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all [the people of] Israel so that they may hear.
• 2 Kings 23:2The king went up to the house of the Lord, and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house (temple) of the Lord.
• Isaiah 34:16Seek from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these [creatures] will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them.
• Luke 4:16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
• Luke 10:26Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
• Acts 13:15After the reading of the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers (kinsmen), if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”
• Acts 15:21For from ancient generations [the writing of] Moses has been preached in every city, since he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
• Nehemiah 13:23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
• Deuteronomy 23:3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord,
• Isaiah 15:1The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Moab: Because in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined; Because in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.
• Jeremiah 48:1Concerning Moab. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Woe (judgment is coming) to [the city of] Nebo, for it has been destroyed! Kiriathaim has been shamed, it has been captured; Misgab [the high fortress] has been shamed, broken down and crushed.
• Ezekiel 25:1The word of the Lord came to me again, saying,
• Amos 2:1Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Moab and for four (multiplied delinquencies) I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom [Esau’s descendant] into lime [and used it to plaster a Moabite house].
• Nehemiah 2:10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it caused them great displeasure that someone had come to see about the welfare and prosperity of the Israelites.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1On that day - I am quite of Calmet's mind that the transaction detailed in this chapter did not immediately succeed the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem. It is most likely that, when this dedication was ended, Nehemiah returned to Babylon, as himself particularly marks, Nehemiah 13:6, for he did return in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes; and then, after certain days, supposed to be about the term of one year, he got leave to return to Jerusalem…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1On that day - Or, “at that time,” as in Nehemiah 12:44. The entire Pentateuch is probably meant by “the Book of Moses”.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Nehemiah turns out the mixed multitude. (1-9) Nehemiah's reform in the house of God. (10-14) Sabbath-breaking restrained. (15-22) The dismissal of strange wives. (23-31) Verses 1-9 Israel was a peculiar people, and not to mingle with the nations. See the benefit of publicly reading the word of God; when it is duly attended to, it discovers to us sin and duty, good and evil, and shows wherein we have erred. We profit, when we are thus wrought upon to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3On the same day the temple workers were appointed (Nehemiah 12:44), the text from Deuteronomy 23:3–6 was read. It stated that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God. Nehemiah later discovered (Nehemiah 13:4–14) that people were no longer following these teachings.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-91. On that day--This was not immediately consequent on the dedication of the city wall and gates, but after Nehemiah's return from the Persian court to Jerusalem, his absence having extended over a considerable period. The transaction here described probably took place on one of the periodical occasions for the public readings of the law, when the people's attention was particularly directed to some violations of it which called for immediate correction…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Ammonite
• God
• Moabite
• Moses
• Ammon, Ammonite
• Moab, Moabite
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• That Day
• Contend
• Outlandish

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings