Nehemiah 13:10-30

10I also 1discoveredH3045 that 2the portionsH4521 of the LevitesH3881 had not been givenH5414 them, so that the LevitesH3881 and the singersH7891 who performedH6213 the serviceH4399 had 3goneH1272 awayH1272, 4eachH376 to his own fieldH7704. 11So I 56reprimandedH7378 the officialsH5461 and saidH559, “7WhyH4069 is the houseH1004 of GodH430 forsakenH5800?” Then I gatheredH6908 them together and restoredH5975 them to their postsH5977. 12AllH3605 JudahH3063 then broughtH935 8the titheH4643 of the grainH1715, wineH8492 and oilH3323 into the storehousesH214. 13In chargeH5921 of the storehousesH214 I appointedH686 ShelemiahH8018 the priestH3548, ZadokH6659 the scribeH5613, and PedaiahH6305 of the LevitesH3881, and in additionH5921H3027 to them was HananH2605 the sonH1121 of ZaccurH2139, the sonH1121 of MattaniahH4983; for 9they were consideredH2803 reliableH539, and it was 10their taskH5921 to distributeH2505 to their 11kinsmenH251. 1412RememberH2142 me for thisH2088, O my GodH430, and do not blotH4229 out my loyalH2617 deedsH2617 whichH834 I have performedH6213 for the houseH1004 of my GodH430 and its servicesH4929.

15In thoseH1992 daysH3117 I sawH7200 in JudahH3063 some who were treadingH1869 wineH1660 pressesH1660 13on the sabbathH7676, and bringingH935 in sacksH6194 of grainH6194 and loadingH6006 them on donkeysH2543, as wellH637 as wineH3196, grapesH6025, figsH8384 and allH3605 kinds of loadsH4853, 14and they broughtH935 them into JerusalemH3389 on the sabbathH7676 dayH3117. So 15I admonishedH5749 them on the dayH3117 they soldH4376 foodH6718. 16Also menH6876 of TyreH6876 were livingH3427 16there who importedH935 fishH1710 and allH3605 kinds of merchandiseH4377, and soldH4376 them to the sonsH1121 of JudahH3063 on the sabbathH7676, even in JerusalemH3389. 17Then 17I 18reprimandedH7378 the noblesH2715 of JudahH3063 and saidH559 to them, “WhatH4100 is thisH2088 evilH7451 thingH1697 you are doingH6213, 19by profaningH2490 the sabbathH7676 dayH3117? 1820Did not your fathersH1 doH6213 the sameH3541, so that our GodH430 broughtH935 on us and on thisH2088 cityH5892 allH3605 thisH2088 troubleH7463? Yet you are addingH3254 to the wrathH2740 on IsraelH3478 by profaningH2490 the sabbathH7676.”

1921It cameH1961 about that justH3512 as it grewH6751 darkH6751 at the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389 beforeH6440 the sabbathH7676, I commandedH559 that the doorsH1817 should be shutH5462 22and that they should not openH6605 them untilH5704 afterH310 the sabbathH7676. Then I stationedH5975 some of my servantsH5288 at the gatesH8179 so that noH3808 loadH4853 would enterH935 on the sabbathH7676 dayH3117. 20OnceH6471 or twiceH8147 the tradersH7402 and merchantsH4376 of everyH3605 kind of merchandiseH4465 spentH3885 the nightH3885 outsideH4480H2351 JerusalemH3389. 21Then 23I 24warnedH5749 them and saidH559 to them, “WhyH4069 do you spendH3885 the nightH3885 in frontH5048 of the wallH2346? IfH518 you doH8138 so againH8138, I will 25useH7971 forceH3027 against you.” From that timeH6256 on they did not comeH935 on the sabbathH7676. 22And I commandedH559 the LevitesH3881 that 26they should purifyH2891 themselves and comeH935 as gatekeepersH8104H8179 to sanctifyH6942 the sabbathH7676 dayH3117. For thisH2088 alsoH1571 27rememberH2142 me, O my GodH430, and haveH2347 compassionH2347 on me according to the greatnessH7230 of Your lovingkindnessH2617.

23In thoseH1992 daysH3117 I alsoH1571 sawH7200 that the JewsH3064 had 2829marriedH3427 womenH802 from 30AshdodH796, 31AmmonH5985 and MoabH4125. 24As for their childrenH1121, halfH2677 spokeH1696 in the languageH797 of AshdodH797, and noneH369 of them was ableH5234 to speakH1696 the languageH3066 of JudahH3066, but 32the languageH3956 of his ownH5971 peopleH5971. 25So 33I contendedH7378 with them and cursedH7043 them and 34struckH5221 someH376 of them and pulledH4803 out their hairH4803, and 35made them swearH7650 by GodH430, “You shall not giveH5414 your daughtersH1323 to their sonsH1121, norH518 takeH5375 of their daughtersH1323 for your sonsH1121 or for yourselves. 2636Did not SolomonH8010 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 sinH2398 regardingH5921 theseH428 thingsH428? 37Yet among the manyH7227 nationsH1471 there was noH3808 kingH4428 likeH3644 him, and 38he was lovedH157 by his GodH430, and GodH430 madeH5414 him kingH4428 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478; neverthelessH1571 the foreignH5237 womenH802 caused evenH1571 him to sinH2403. 2739Do we then hearH8085 about you that you have committedH6213 allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 evilH7463 40by actingH4603 unfaithfullyH4603 against our GodH430 by 41marryingH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802?” 28Even one of the sonsH1121 of JoiadaH3077, the sonH1121 of EliashibH475 the highH1419 priestH3548, was a son-in-lawH2860 of 42SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, so I droveH1272 him awayH1272 from me. 2943RememberH2142 them, O my GodH430, 44becauseH5921 they have defiledH1352 the priesthoodH3550 and the 45covenantH1285 of the priesthoodH3550 and the LevitesH3881.

3046Thus I purifiedH2891 them from everythingH3605 foreignH5236 and appointedH5975 dutiesH4931 for the priestsH3548 and the LevitesH3881, eachH376 in his taskH4399,