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

At that time the book of Moses was read publicly to the people. The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel.

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 8:3While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively 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 spent another fourth of the day in confession and worship of the Lord their God.
• Deuteronomy 31:11when all Israel assembles in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he chooses, you are to read this law aloud before all Israel.
• 2 Kings 23:2Then the king went to the Lord’s temple with all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets — all the people from the youngest to the oldest. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the Lord’s temple.
• Isaiah 34:16Search and read the scroll of the Lord: Not one of them will be missing, none will be lacking its mate, because he has ordered it by my mouth, and he will gather them by his Spirit.
• Luke 4:16He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.
• Luke 10:26“What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”
• Acts 13:15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”
• Acts 15:21For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”
• Nehemiah 13:23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
• Deuteronomy 23:3No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly.
• Isaiah 15:1A pronouncement concerning Moab: Ar in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night. Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night.
• Jeremiah 48:1About Moab, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Woe to Nebo, because it is about to be destroyed; Kiriathaim will be put to shame; it will be taken captive. The fortress will be put to shame and dismayed!
• Ezekiel 25:1Then the word of the Lord came to me:
• Amos 2:1The Lord says: I will not relent from punishing Moab for three crimes, even four, because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
• Nehemiah 2:10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to pursue the prosperity of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.

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