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 in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners 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

• On that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• they readקָרָאqârâ' · to call: read outH7121
• aloud from the bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• in the hearingאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: hearingH241
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and there was foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• Ammoniteעַמּוֹנִי‛ammônîy · AmmonH5984
• or Moabiteמוֹאָבִיmô'âbîy mô'âbîyâh mô'âbîyth · MoabiteH4125
• should everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• enterבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• the assemblyקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:1

• Nehemiah 8:3He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
• Nehemiah 9:3While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.
• Deuteronomy 31:11when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing.
• 2 Kings 23:2The king went up to the house of the Lord and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and 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 of the Lord.
• Isaiah 34:16Seek from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them.
• Luke 4:16And 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 10:26And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”
• Acts 13:15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.”
• Acts 15:21For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
• Nehemiah 13:23In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.
• Deuteronomy 23:3No Ammonite or Moabite shall 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 oracle concerning Moab. Surely in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined; Surely 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 to Nebo, for it has been destroyed; Kiriathaim has been put to shame, it has been captured; The lofty stronghold has been put to shame and shattered.
• Ezekiel 25:1And the word of the Lord came to me saying,
• Amos 2:1Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
• Nehemiah 2:10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

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