尼希米记 13
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
与外族人隔离
13 那天，有人给民众宣读摩西律法书时，发现书上说亚扪人和摩押人永不可加入上帝的会众。 2 因为他们没有用食物和水接待以色列人，还雇巴兰咒诅他们，但我们的上帝将咒诅变为祝福。 3 以色列人听到律法书上的话，便逐出所有外族人。
尼希米的改革
4 这事之前，被委派负责上帝殿库房的以利亚实祭司因与多比雅是亲戚， 5 就为多比雅预备了一个大房间，这房间从前用来存放素祭、乳香、器皿，按律法给利未人、歌乐手、殿门守卫的十分之一五谷、新酒和新油，以及给祭司的举祭。 6 这一切发生的时候，我不在耶路撒冷，因为我已在巴比伦王亚达薛西三十二年回到王那里。过了一段日子，我向王请求离开。 7 我返回耶路撒冷后，才得知以利亚实在上帝殿的院内为多比雅预备房间的恶事。 8 我非常愤怒，把多比雅所有的物品从房间里扔出去， 9 下令洁净那些房间，然后搬回上帝殿内的器皿、素祭和乳香。
10 我发现利未人没有得到应得之份，以致当值的利未人和歌乐手都跑回自己的田地。 11 我斥责众首领说：“为何忽略上帝的殿？”然后，我招聚利未人，叫他们各归各职。 12 犹大人都把他们的五谷、新酒和新油的十分之一送进库房。 13 我派示利米雅祭司、律法教师撒督及利未人毗大雅管理库房，并派撒刻的儿子、玛他尼的孙子哈难做他们的助手。这些人忠诚可靠，他们负责把物品分配给他们的弟兄。 14 我的上帝啊，求你因这事而记念我，不要涂抹我为上帝的殿和其中的敬拜礼仪所做的善事。
15 那些天，我在犹大看见有人在安息日榨酒，搬运禾捆驮在驴背上，又在安息日把酒、葡萄、无花果和各样的出产带进耶路撒冷。我就在他们卖食物的那天警告他们。 16 一些住在耶路撒冷的泰尔人运来鱼和各样货物，在安息日卖给耶路撒冷的犹大人。 17 我斥责犹大的贵族说：“你们为何做这恶事干犯安息日？ 18 你们的祖先难道不是犯了这样的罪，以致我们的上帝使一切灾祸临到我们和这城吗？如今你们干犯安息日，使上帝的愤怒更多地临到以色列。”
19 我下令在安息日之前夜幕来临时关上耶路撒冷城门，一直到安息日完毕才打开。我又派我的一些仆人把守城门，不准在安息日带货物进城。 20 有一两次，商人和贩卖各样货物的曾在耶路撒冷城外住宿。 21 我警告他们说：“你们为什么在城墙外面住宿呢？若再这样，我必拘捕你们。”从此，他们就不再在安息日来了。 22 我吩咐利未人洁净自己，然后来看守城门，尊安息日为圣日。我的上帝啊，求你因此而记念我，按你丰盛的慈爱怜悯我。
23 那些天，我见犹大人娶了亚实突、亚扪和摩押的女子为妻。 24 他们半数的子女说亚实突话或其他外族人的话，不懂得犹大话。 25 我就斥责他们，咒诅他们，打了他们其中一些人，又扯他们的头发，要他们奉上帝的名起誓不再让自己的子女与外族人通婚，自己也不娶外族女子。 26 我说：“这岂不是以色列王所罗门所犯的罪吗？众国中没有王可与他相比，他的上帝爱他，立他做全以色列的王。然而，连他也被外族女子引入罪中。 27 我怎能听凭你们行这大恶，因娶外族女子而背叛我们的上帝呢？” 28 以利亚实大祭司的孙子、耶何耶大的一个儿子娶了和伦人参巴拉的女儿，我就把他赶了出去。 29 我的上帝啊，求你记住他们，因为他们玷污了祭司的职分，违背了你与祭司和利未人所立的约。
30 这样，我清除了他们当中的一切外族之物，并指定祭司和利未人的职分，使他们各尽其职， 31 又让民众定期供应木柴和初熟的物产。
我的上帝啊，求你记念我，施恩于我。
Nehemiah 13
King James Version
13 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;
2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff to Tobiah out of the chamber.
9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.
14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.
15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Nehemiah 13
EasyEnglish Bible
Nehemiah tells people to obey God's Law
13 On that day, we read the book of Moses aloud to the people. One of the laws said that no descendant of Ammon or Moab should ever join with God's people when they met together. 2 This was because they had not given the Israelites food and water. Instead, they had paid Balaam to curse the Israelites. But God did not agree to curse them. He blessed them instead.[a]
3 When the Israelite people heard this law, they sent away all the people who had foreign ancestors.
4 Before this happened, I had given Eliashib the priest authority over the temple rooms where they stored special things. Eliashib was a friend of Tobiah.[b] 5 Eliashib let Tobiah use one of these rooms in the temple. It was a large room where they had stored the grain offerings, the incense and the special plates and tools that they used in the temple. They also stored the tithes of grain, wine and olive oil in that room. These gifts were for the Levites, the temple singers and guards, and also for the priests.
6 But when this happened, I was not in Jerusalem. In the 32nd year that King Artaxerxes ruled in Babylon, I had returned to visit him. After I had been there for some time, I asked the king to let me return to Jerusalem. 7 When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I heard about the evil thing that Eliashib had done. He had given Tobiah a large room in the yards of God's temple.[c] 8 I was very angry, so I threw all Tobiah's things out of the room. 9 I gave a command that they must make the rooms clean again. Then I put back the special plates and tools that they used in the temple. I also put back the grain offerings and the incense.
10 I also discovered that there was no food that should have been there for the Levites. As a result, the Levites and the singers had returned to work in their fields. They were not doing their work in God's temple. 11 I warned the officers. I told them, ‘You have stopped taking care of God's temple!’ Then I told the Levites and the other workers to return to their jobs in the temple.
12 After that, all the people in Judah brought their tithes of grain and wine and olive oil to store in the temple rooms. 13 I gave Shelemiah the priest, Zadok, the student of God's Law, and Pedaiah, a Levite, authority to take care of the rooms. Hanan, son of Zaccur and Mattaniah's grandson, helped them. People knew that these men were faithful workers. They had authority to give out the offerings to the other workers who served God.
14 Please remember what I have done, my God. I have been faithful to take care of the temple of my God, so that people can worship you there.
15 In those days, I saw people in Judah who were working on Sabbath days.[d] They were making wine. They were bringing their grain from the fields. They were making their donkeys carry the grain, as well as wine, grapes, figs and other things. They were bringing all those things into Jerusalem when it was a Sabbath day. I warned them that they must not sell things on any Sabbath day.
16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem sold fish and other things when it was a Sabbath day. They even brought those things into Jerusalem and sold them to the people of Judah. 17 I was angry with the leaders of Judah. I said to them, ‘You are doing an evil thing. You are not making the Sabbath a special day. 18 Your ancestors did the same thing. That is why God punished them and he brought trouble on this city. Now you will make God even more angry with us, Israel's people. You are insulting God's Sabbath day.’
19 So I gave a command to the guards at the city's gates. I told them, ‘You must close the gates in the evening before each Sabbath day begins. Do not open the gates again until the Sabbath day has finished.’ I told some of my own men to stand at the gates. They would watch carefully so that no traders would bring things into Jerusalem on any Sabbath day.
20 A few times, some traders stayed outside Jerusalem all night, with the things that they wanted to sell. 21 I warned them, ‘Do not stay beside the city's wall all night. If you do this again, I will take hold of you.’ After I said that, they did not come again to Jerusalem on a Sabbath day. 22 Then I told the Levites that they must make themselves ready to serve God. I told them to go and stand at the gates as guards. They must keep the Sabbath day as a special day for God.
My God, please remember this good thing that I have done. Because of your faithful love, please be kind to me.
23 Also at that time, I discovered that men from Judah had married foreign women.[e] They were women who came from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, or a language of the other foreign nations. They did not know how to speak the language of Judah.
25 I was angry with them. I asked God to curse them. I hit some of the men. I pulled out the hair of some of them. I told them to make a promise in God's name. I said to them, ‘You must not let your daughters marry the sons of those foreign people. You must not let their daughters marry your sons. You yourselves must not marry foreign women either. 26 Solomon, king of Israel, did a bad thing when he married foreign women. There was no other king as great as him in any other nation. God loved him. God chose him to be king over all Israel. But Solomon's foreign wives caused him to do bad things, even though he was so great.
27 We can never agree to all the evil things that you have done. If we all married foreign women, we would not be faithful to our God.’
28 Joiada was the son of Eliashib, the leader of the priests. One of Joiada's sons had married a daughter of Sanballat, who came from Horon. I sent Joiada's son away from Jerusalem.
29 My God, remember what these people have done. They have not been faithful to you as your priests. They have spoiled the covenant that you made with the priests and the other descendants of Levi.
30 After that, I made the priests and the Levites clean to serve God. I made them become separate from any foreign thing. I told each of them which job they should do. 31 I also made sure that people brought wood to the temple for sacrifices on the altar. I made them bring the first crops and fruits from their fields for the offerings.
My God, please remember to bless me.
Footnotes
- 13:2 This was at the time when the Israelites had left Egypt. They were travelling to the land that God had promised to give them. See Deuteronomy 23:3-5; Numbers 22:1-6.
- 13:4 ‘a friend’ or ‘a relative’
- 13:7 Because Tobiah was a foreigner and not a Jew, it was a very bad thing that Eliashib had done.
- 13:15 God had told Moses that the Israelites must not work on the Sabbath day. They must make it a special day to worship God. See Exodus 20:8-11.
- 13:23 God wants his people to worship only him. If the Israelites marry foreign wives, they may also start to worship foreign gods.
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