Nehemiah 13
Legacy Standard Bible
Foreigners Are Separated from Israel
13 On that day (A)they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that (B)no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but (C)hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, (D)our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So when they heard the law, (E)they separated (F)all foreigners from Israel.
Tobiah’s Goods Removed from God’s House
4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, (G)who was put in charge over the chambers of the house of our God, being [a]related to (H)Tobiah, 5 had prepared a large [b]room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils, and the tithes of grain, also new wine and oil (I)commanded for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, as well as the [c]contributions for the priests. 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in (J)the thirty-second year of (K)Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and discerned the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, (L)by preparing a chamber for him in the courts of the house of God. 8 It was very evil to me, so I (M)threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the chamber. 9 Then I said the word, and (N)they cleansed the chambers; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.
Why Is the House of God Forsaken?
10 I also came to know that (O)the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so the Levites and the singers who did the work had fled, (P)each to his own field. 11 So I (Q)contended against the officials and said, “(R)Why is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and had them stand in their posts. 12 All Judah then brought (S)the tithe of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for (T)they were counted as faithful, and it was [d]their task to apportion everything to their [e]relatives. 14 (U)Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my lovingkindnesses which I have shown for the house of my God and its responsibilities.
Keep the Sabbath Day Holy
15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses (V)on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, (W)and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So (X)I testified against them on the day they sold food. 16 Also men of Tyre were living [f]there who brought in fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then (Y)I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, even profaning the sabbath day? 18 (Z)Did not your fathers do the same, so our God brought on us and on this city all this calamity? Yet you are adding to His anger on Israel by profaning the sabbath.”
19 (AA)Now it happened that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I said the word, and the doors were shut. Then I said that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I had some of my young men stand at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 Then (AB)I [g]warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will send forth my hand against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 22 And I said to the Levites that (AC)they should cleanse themselves and come as gatekeepers to keep the sabbath day holy. For this also (AD)remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.
You Shall Not Marry Foreigners
23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had [h](AE)married women from (AF)Ashdod, (AG)Ammon, and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but only [i]the tongue of his own people. 25 So (AH)I contended with them and cursed them and (AI)struck some of them and pulled out their hair and (AJ)made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take up their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 (AK)Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? (AL)Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and (AM)he was loved by his God, and God gave him to be king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 [j]Do we then hear about you that you have done all this great evil (AN)by acting unfaithfully against our God by [k]marrying foreign women?” 28 And even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of (AO)Sanballat the Horonite, so I made him flee away from me. 29 (AP)Remember them, O my God, [l]because they have defiled the priesthood and the (AQ)covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 (AR)Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign and ensured that the responsibilities stood for the priests and the Levites, each in his work, 31 and I arranged (AS)for the supply of wood at fixed times and for the first fruits. (AT)Remember me, O my God, for good.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 13:4 Lit close to
- Nehemiah 13:5 Or chamber
- Nehemiah 13:5 Lit heave offerings
- Nehemiah 13:13 Lit upon them
- Nehemiah 13:13 Lit brothers
- Nehemiah 13:16 Lit in it
- Nehemiah 13:21 Lit witnessed against
- Nehemiah 13:23 Lit given dwelling to
- Nehemiah 13:24 Lit according to the tongue of people and people
- Nehemiah 13:27 Or Is it reported
- Nehemiah 13:27 Lit giving dwelling to
- Nehemiah 13:29 Lit for the defilings of
Nehemiah 13
Christian Standard Bible
Nehemiah’s Further Reforms
13 At that time(A) the book of Moses(B) was read publicly to[a] the people.(C) The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite(D) should ever enter the assembly of God,(E) 2 because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them,(F) but our God turned the curse into a blessing.(G) 3 When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent(H) from Israel.
4 Now before this, the priest Eliashib(I) had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God.(J) He was a relative[b] of Tobiah(K) 5 and had prepared a large room for him where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, and the tenths of grain, new wine, and fresh oil(L) prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.(M)
6 While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxes(N) of Babylon(O) in the thirty-second year of his reign.(P) It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absence(Q) 7 so I could return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of God’s house. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room. 9 I ordered that the rooms be purified,(R) and I had the articles of the house of God restored there, along with the grain offering and frankincense.(S) 10 I also found out that because the portions for the Levites had not been given,(T) each of the Levites and the singers performing the service had gone back to his own field.(U) 11 Therefore, I rebuked the officials, asking, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” (V) I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts.(W) 12 Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and fresh oil into the storehouses.(X) 13 I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy.(Y) They were responsible for the distribution to their colleagues.(Z)
14 Remember me for this, my God, and don’t erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services.(AA)
15 At that time I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading them on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.(AB) 16 The Tyrians living there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.(AC)
17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?(AD) 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city?(AE) And now you are rekindling his anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19 When shadows began to fall on the city gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the city gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath.(AF) I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day.(AG) 20 Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, 21 but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I’ll use force[c] against you.” After that they did not come again on the Sabbath. 22 Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves(AH) and guard the city gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.(AI)
Remember me for this also, my God,(AJ) and look on me with compassion according to the abundance of your faithful love.(AK)
23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.(AL) 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew.[d](AM) 25 I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair.(AN) I forced them to take an oath(AO) before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or yourselves!(AP) 26 Didn’t King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin.(AQ) 27 Why then should we hear about you doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?” (AR) 28 Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib,(AS) had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite.(AT) So I drove him away from me.(AU)
29 Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood as well as the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.(AV)
30 So I purified them from everything foreign(AW) and assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.(AX) 31 I also arranged for the donation of wood at the appointed times and for the firstfruits.(AY)
Remember me, my God, with favor.(AZ)
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