Nehemiah 13

Foreigners Excluded

1On that dayH3117 the BookH5612 of MosesH4872 was 1readH7121 aloudH7121 2as the peopleH5971 listenedH241; and there was foundH4672 writtenH3789 in it that 3noH3808 AmmoniteH5984 or MoabiteH4125 was everH5769 to enterH935 the assemblyH6951 of GodH430, 2becauseH3588 they did not meetH6923 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 with breadH3899 and waterH4325, but 4hiredH7936 BalaamH1109 againstH5921 them to curseH7043 them. However, 5our GodH430 turnedH2015 the curseH7045 into a blessingH1293. 3So when they heardH8085 the LawH8451, 6they excludedH914 7allH3605 foreignersH6154 from IsraelH3478.

Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed

4Now priorH6440 to thisH2088, EliashibH475 the priestH3548, 8who was appointedH5414 over the chambersH3957 of the houseH1004 of our GodH430, being 9relatedH7138 to 10TobiahH2900, 5had preparedH6213 a largeH1419 11roomH3957 for him, whereH8033 previouslyH6440 they used to putH5414 the grain offeringsH4503, the frankincenseH3828, the utensilsH3627 and the tithesH4643 of grainH1715, wineH8492, and oilH3323 12prescribedH4687 for the LevitesH3881, the singersH7891, and the gatekeepersH7778, and the 13contributionsH8641 for the priestsH3548. 6But during allH3605 thisH2088 time I was not in JerusalemH3389, for in 14the thirty-secondH7970H8147 yearH8141 of 15ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4428 of BabylonH894 I had comeH935 to the kingH4428. AfterH7093 some timeH3117, however, I requestedH7592 a leaveH7592 ofH7592 absenceH7592 from the kingH4428, 7and I cameH935 to JerusalemH3389 and 16learnedH995 aboutH935 the evilH7463 that EliashibH475 had committedH6213 for 17TobiahH2900, 18by preparingH6213 a 19roomH5393 for him in the courtyardsH2691 of the houseH1004 of GodH430. 8It was veryH3966 displeasingH7489 to me, so I 20threwH7993 allH3605 of Tobiah’sH2900 householdH1004 articlesH3627 outH7993 of the roomH3957. 9Then I gaveH559 anH559 orderH559, and 21they cleansedH2891 the roomsH3957; and I returnedH7725 the utensilsH3627 of the houseH1004 of GodH430 thereH8033 with the grain offeringH4503 and the frankincenseH3828.

Tithes Restored

10I also 22discoveredH3045 that 23the portionsH4521 of the LevitesH3881 had not been givenH5414 to them, so the LevitesH3881 and the singersH7891 who performedH6213 the serviceH4399 had 24goneH1272 awayH1272, 25eachH376 to his own fieldH7704. 11So I 2627reprimandedH7378 the officialsH5461 and saidH559, “28WhyH4069 has the houseH1004 of GodH430 been neglectedH5800?” Then I gatheredH6908 them together and stationedH5975 them at their postsH5977. 12AllH3605 JudahH3063 then broughtH935 29the titheH4643 of the grainH1715, wineH8492, and oilH3323 into the storehousesH214. 13To be inH5921 chargeH5921 ofH5921 the storehousesH214, I appointedH686 ShelemiahH8018 the priestH3548, ZadokH6659 the scribeH5613, and PedaiahH6305 from the LevitesH3881, and inH5921 additionH5921 toH5921 them was HananH2605 the sonH1121 of ZaccurH2139, the sonH1121 of MattaniahH4983; for 30they were consideredH2803 reliableH539, and it was 31their taskH5921 to distributeH2505 to their kinsmenH251. 1432RememberH2142 me for thisH2088, my GodH430, and do not wipeH4229 outH4229 my loyalH2617 deedsH2617 whichH834 I have performedH6213 for the houseH1004 of my GodH430 and its servicesH4929.

Sabbath Restored

15In thoseH1992 daysH3117 I sawH7200 in JudahH3063 people who were treadingH1869 wineH1660 pressesH1660 33on the SabbathH7676, and bringingH935 inH935 sacksH6194 ofH6194 grainH6194 and loadingH6006 them on donkeysH2543, as wellH637 as wineH3196, grapesH6025, figsH8384, and everyH3605 kind of loadH4853, 34and they were bringingH935 them into JerusalemH3389 on the SabbathH7676 dayH3117. So 35I admonishedH5749 them on the dayH3117 they soldH4376 foodH6718. 16Also peopleH6876 ofH6876 TyreH6876 were livingH3427 36there who importedH935 fishH1710 and allH3605 kinds of merchandiseH4377, and soldH4376 them to the sonsH1121 of JudahH3063 on the SabbathH7676, even in JerusalemH3389. 17Then 37I 38reprimandedH7378 the noblesH2715 of JudahH3063 and saidH559 to them, “WhatH4100 is thisH2088 evilH7451 thingH1697 that you are doingH6213, 39by profaningH2490 the SabbathH7676 dayH3117? 1840Did your fathersH1 not doH6213 the sameH3541, so that our GodH430 broughtH935 on us and on thisH2088 cityH5892 allH3605 thisH2088 troubleH7463? Yet you are addingH3254 to the wrathH2740 againstH5921 IsraelH3478 by profaningH2490 the SabbathH7676.”

19And 41it cameH1961 aboutH1961 that justH3512 asH3512 it becameH6751 darkH6751 at the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389 beforeH6440 the SabbathH7676, I orderedH559 that the doorsH1817 be shutH5462, 42and that they were not to 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 theH3885 nightH3885 outsideH4480H2351 JerusalemH3389. 21Then 43I warnedH5749 them and saidH559 to them, “WhyH4069 do you spendH3885 theH3885 nightH3885 in frontH5048 of the wallH2346? IfH518 you doH8138 so againH8138, I will 44useH7971 forceH3027 against you.” From that timeH6256 on they did not comeH935 on the SabbathH7676. 22And I orderedH559 the LevitesH3881 that 45they were to purifyH2891 themselves and comeH935 as gatekeepersH8104H8179 to sanctifyH6942 the SabbathH7676 dayH3117. For thisH2088 alsoH1571 46rememberH2142 me, my GodH430, and haveH2347 compassionH2347 on me according to the greatnessH7230 of Your mercyH2617.

Mixed Marriages Forbidden

23In thoseH1992 daysH3117 I alsoH1571 sawH7200 that the JewsH3064 had 4748marriedH3427 womenH802 from 49AshdodH796, 50AmmonH5985, and MoabH4125. 24As for their childrenH1121, halfH2677 spokeH1696 in the languageH797 ofH797 AshdodH797, and noneH369 of them knewH5234 howH5234 to speakH1696 the languageH3066 ofH3066 JudahH3066, but 51only the languageH3956 of his ownH5971 peopleH5971. 25So 52I quarreledH7378 with them and cursedH7043 them, and 53struckH5221 someH376 of them and pulledH4803 outH4803 their hairH4803, and 54made them swearH7650 by GodH430, “You shall not giveH5414 your daughtersH1323 to their sonsH1121, norH518 takeH5375 any of their daughtersH1323 for your sonsH1121 or for yourselves. 2655Did SolomonH8010 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 not sinH2398 regardingH5921 theseH428 thingsH428? 56Yet among the manyH7227 nationsH1471 there was noH3808 kingH4428 likeH3644 him, and 57he was lovedH157 by his GodH430, and GodH430 madeH5414 him kingH4428 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478; yet the foreignH5237 womenH802 caused evenH1571 him to sinH2403. 27Has it not then been reportedH8085 about you that you have committedH6213 allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 evilH7463 58by actingH4603 unfaithfullyH4603 against our GodH430, by 59marryingH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802?” 28Even one of the sonsH1121 of JoiadaH3077, the sonH1121 of EliashibH475 the highH1419 priestH3548, became a son-in-lawH2860 of 60SanballatH5571 the HoroniteH2772, so I chasedH1272 him awayH1272 from me. 2961RememberH2142 them, my GodH430, 62becauseH5921 they have defiledH1352 the priesthoodH3550 and the 63covenantH1285 of the priesthoodH3550 and the LevitesH3881.

3064So I purifiedH2891 them from everythingH3605 foreignH5236, and assignedH5975 dutiesH4931 to the priestsH3548 and the LevitesH3881, eachH376 in his workH4399, 31and I arranged 65for the deliveryH7133 of woodH6086 at appointedH2163 timesH6256 and for the firstH1061 fruitsH1061. 66RememberH2142 me, my GodH430, for goodH2899.