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 Living Translation (NLT)On that same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God.

Context of Nehemiah 13:1

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, 2because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude 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 8:3Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
• Nehemiah 9:3And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one–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 in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
• 2 Kings 23:2The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the men of Judah, and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—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 had been found in the house of the Lord.
• Isaiah 34:16“Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them.
• Luke 4:16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
• Luke 10:26He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
• Acts 13:15And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”
• Acts 15:21For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
• Nehemiah 13:23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
• Deuteronomy 23:3“An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever,
• Isaiah 15:1The burden against Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste And destroyed, Because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste And destroyed,
• Jeremiah 48:1Against Moab. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Woe to Nebo! For it is plundered, Kirjathaim is shamed and taken; The high stronghold is shamed and dismayed—
• Ezekiel 25:1The 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 turn away 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 of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children 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
• That Day
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Audience

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