Nehemiah 13

Foreigners Excluded

1At thatH1931 timeH3117 the BookH5612 of MosesH4872 was read aloudH7121 in the hearingH241 of the peopleH5971, and in it they foundH4672 the passage statingH3789 thatH834 noH3808 AmmoniteH5984 or MoabiteH4125 should everH5704H5769 enterH935 the assemblyH6951 of GodH430,1 2becauseH3588 they had notH3808 metH6923 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 with foodH3899 and waterH4325, but had hiredH7936 BalaamH1109 to call down a curseH7043 against themH5921 (although our GodH430 had turnedH2015 the curseH7045 into a blessingH1293).

3As soon asH1961 the people heardH8085 this lawH8451, they excludedH914 from IsraelH3478 allH3605 of foreign descentH6154.

The Temple Cleansed

4Now beforeH6440 thisH2088, EliashibH475 the priestH3548, a relativeH7138 of TobiahH2900, had been put in charge ofH5414 the storeroomsH3957 of the houseH1004 of our GodH430 5and had preparedH6213 for Tobiah a largeH1419 roomH3957 whereH8033H1961 they had previouslyH6440 storedH5414 the grain offeringsH4503, the frankincenseH3828, the temple articlesH3627, and the tithesH4643 of grainH1715, new wineH8492, and oilH3323 prescribedH4687 for the LevitesH3881, singersH7891, and gatekeepersH7778, along with the contributionsH8641 for the priestsH3548.

6While allH3605 thisH2088 was happeningH1961, I was notH3808 in JerusalemH3389, becauseH3588 I had returnedH935 toH413 ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4428 of BabylonH8942 in the thirty-secondH7970H8147 yearH8141 of his reignH4428. Some time laterH7093H3117 I obtained leaveH7592 fromH4480 the kingH4428 7to returnH935 to JerusalemH3389. Then I discoveredH995 the evilH7451 thatH834 EliashibH475 had doneH6213 on behalf of TobiahH2900 by providingH6213 him a roomH5393 in the courtsH2691 of the houseH1004 of GodH430.

8And I was greatlyH3966 displeasedH7489 and threwH7993 allH3605 of Tobiah’sH2900 householdH1004 goodsH3627 outH2351 ofH4480 the roomH3957. 9Then I orderedH559 that the roomsH3957 be purifiedH2891, and I had the articlesH3627 of the houseH1004 of GodH430 restoredH7725 to themH8033, along with the grain offeringsH4503 and frankincenseH3828.

Tithes Restored

(Leviticus 27:30–34; Deuteronomy 14:22–29; Deuteronomy 26:1–15)

10I also learnedH3045 thatH3588 because the portionsH4521 for the LevitesH3881 had notH3808 been given to themH5414, allH376 the LevitesH3881 and singersH7891 responsible for performingH6213 the serviceH4399 had gone backH1272 to their own fieldsH7704. 11So I rebukedH7378 the officialsH5461 and askedH559, “WhyH4069 has the houseH1004 of GodH430 been neglectedH5800?”

Then I gathered the Levites and singers togetherH6908 and stationed themH5975 atH5921 their postsH5977, 12and allH3605 JudahH3063 broughtH935 a tenthH4643 of the grainH1715, new wineH8492, and oilH3323 into the storeroomsH214. 13I appointed as treasurersH686 overH5921 the storeroomsH214 ShelemiahH8018 the priestH3548, ZadokH6659 the scribeH5608, and PedaiahH6305 ofH4480 the LevitesH3881, with HananH2605 sonH1121 of ZaccurH2139, the sonH1121 of MattaniahH4983, to assistH5921 themH3027, becauseH3588 they were consideredH2803 trustworthyH539. They were responsible forH5921 distributing the suppliesH2505 to their fellowH251 Levites.

14RememberH2142 me forH5921 thisH2063, O my GodH430, and do notH408 blot outH4229 my deeds of loving devotionH2617 for the houseH1004 of my GodH430 and for its servicesH4929.

The Sabbath Restored

(Jeremiah 17:19–27)

15In thoseH1992 daysH3117 I sawH7200 people in JudahH3063 treadingH1869 winepressesH1660 on the SabbathH7676 and bringing inH935 grainH6194 and loading itH6006 onH5921 donkeysH2543, along withH637 wineH3196, grapesH6025, and figsH8384. All kindsH3605 of goodsH4853 were being broughtH935 into JerusalemH3389 on the SabbathH7676 dayH3117. So I warned themH5749 against sellingH4376 foodH6718 on that dayH3117. 16Additionally, men of TyreH6876 who livedH3427 there were importingH935 fishH1709 and all kindsH3605 of merchandiseH4377 and selling themH4376 on the SabbathH7676 to the peopleH1121 of JudahH3063 in JerusalemH3389.

17Then I rebukedH7378H854 the noblesH2715 of JudahH3063 and askedH559, “WhatH4100H1697 is thisH2088 evilH7451 youH859 are doingH6213—profaningH2490 the SabbathH7676 dayH3117? 18Did notH3808 your forefathersH1 doH6213 the same thingsH3541, so that our GodH430 broughtH935 allH3605 thisH2063 disasterH7451 on usH5921 and onH5921 thisH2063 cityH5892? And nowH859 you are rekindlingH3254 His wrathH2740 againstH5921 IsraelH3478 by profaningH2490 the SabbathH7676!”

19

WhenH834 the evening shadowsH6751 began to fall on the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389, just beforeH6440 the SabbathH7676, I orderedH559 that the gatesH1817H559 be shutH5462 and notH3808 openedH6605 untilH5704 afterH310 the SabbathH7676. I postedH5975 some of my servantsH5288 atH5921 the gatesH8179 so that noH3808 loadH4853 could enterH935 on the SabbathH7676 dayH3117.

20OnceH6471 or twiceH8147, the merchantsH7402 and those who sellH4376 all kindsH3605 of goodsH4465 campedH3885 outsideH2351 JerusalemH3389, 21but I warnedH5749 them, “WhyH4069 are youH859 campingH3885 in front ofH5048 the wallH2346? IfH518 you do it againH8138, I will layH7971 handsH3027 on you.” FromH4480 thatH1931 time onH6256, they did notH3808 returnH935 on the SabbathH7676. 22Then I instructedH559 the LevitesH3881 to purify themselvesH2891H935 and guardH8104 the gatesH8179 in order to keep the SabbathH7676 dayH3117 holyH6942.

RememberH2142 me for thisH2063 as wellH1571, O my GodH430, and show meH5921 mercyH2347 according to Your abundantH7230 loving devotionH2617.

Intermarriage Forbidden

(Ezra 9:1–4)

23In thoseH1992 daysH3117 I alsoH1571 sawH7200 JewsH3064 who had marriedH3427 womenH802 from AshdodH796, AmmonH5984, and MoabH4125. 24HalfH2677 of their childrenH1121 spokeH1696 the language of AshdodH797 or ofH3956 the other peoplesH5971, but couldH5234 notH369 speakH1696 the language of JudahH3066. 25I rebuked themH7378H5973 and called down curses on themH7043. I beatH5221 some of these menH582 and pulled out their hairH4803.

Then I made them take an oathH7650 before GodH430 and said, “You must notH518 give your daughtersH1323 in marriageH5414 to their sonsH1121H518 or takeH5375 their daughtersH1323 as wives for your sonsH1121 or for yourselves! 26Did notH3808 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 of IsraelH3478 sinH2398 inH5921 matters like thisH428? There wasH1961 notH3808 a kingH4428 like himH3644 among manyH7227 nationsH1471, and he wasH1961 lovedH157 by his GodH430, who made himH5414 kingH4428 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478—yetH1571 foreignH5237 womenH802 drew him into sinH853H2398. 27Must we now hearH8085 that you too are doingH6213 allH3605 thisH2063 terribleH1419 evilH7451 and acting unfaithfullyH4603 against our GodH430 by marryingH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802?”

28Even one of the sonsH1121 of JehoiadaH3111 sonH1121 of EliashibH475 the highH1419 priestH3548 had become a son-in-lawH2860 to SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772. Therefore I drove him awayH1272 from meH5921.

29RememberH2142 them, O my GodH430, becauseH5921 they have defiledH1352 the priesthoodH3550 and the covenantH1285 of the priesthoodH3550 and of the LevitesH3881.

30Thus I purifiedH2891 the priests and Levites from everythingH3605 foreignH5236, and I assignedH5975 specificH4399 dutiesH4931 to eachH376 of the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881. 31I also arranged for contributionsH7133 of woodH6086 at the appointedH2163 timesH6256, and for the firstfruitsH1061.

RememberH2142 me, O my GodH430, with favorH2896.