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
International Standard Version
Enemies of Israel Excluded(A)
13 Later that day the book of Moses was read aloud so the people could hear it, and a written command was discovered therein[a] permanently prohibiting the Ammonites and Moabites from coming into the congregation of God 2 because they did not greet the Israelis with food and water, but instead hired Balaam to oppose them by cursing them, even though our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 When they heard the Law, they separated all those of foreign descent from Israel.
Tobiah Evicted from the Temple
4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who supervised the store rooms of the Temple of our God and who was related to Tobiah, 5 had prepared a great chamber for him, in the place where they used to place the grain offerings, incense, and vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that was mandated for the descendants of Levi, the singers, the gate keepers, and the priests’ offerings. 6 During all of this time, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to the king in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. After a while I obtained permission from the king 7 to return to Jerusalem. I learned of the evil thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah in furnishing him with a room in the courts of the Temple of God. 8 I was greatly upset, so I threw out all of Tobiah’s property from the room. 9 I ordered them to purify the chambers, and then they brought back the vessels from the Temple of God, along with the grain offerings and incense.
Neglecting Levitical Allotments
10 I also learned that the allotments for the descendants of Levi had not been distributed. As a result, the descendants of Levi and singers who were responsible for the service had each left to go back to their fields. 11 So I confronted the officials and asked, “Why is the Temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them together and put them back in their places. 12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil into the storerooms. 13 I appointed over the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the descendants of Levi; and next to them Zaccur’s son Hanan, the grandson of Mattaniah, because they had been considered faithful. Their duties were to distribute to their associates.
14 Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not erase my faithful deeds that I have undertaken for the Temple of my God, and for its services.
Prohibiting Work on the Sabbath
15 At that time I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the Sabbath, bringing in sacks of grain, loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads. They brought them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I rebuked them on the day on which they were selling food. 16 Furthermore, Tyrians were living there who were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise, selling them to the people of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem.
17 I rebuked the officials of Judah, saying to them, “What’s this evil thing that you’re doing by profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same? And didn’t our God bring on us and on this city all of this trouble? Now you’re adding to the wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19 As the Sabbath approached and it began to get dark at the gates of Jerusalem, I gave word to shut the gates, charging that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I stationed some of my men at the gates to ensure that no loads would be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 As a result, the merchants and sellers of all sorts of goods remained outside Jerusalem a couple of times. 21 I argued with them, “Why are you staying outside the wall? If you do this again, I’ll arrest you.” From that time on, they didn’t come anymore on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the descendants of Levi to purify themselves and to come as gate keepers to sanctify the Sabbath day.
Remember me, my God, and show mercy to me according to the greatness of your gracious love.
Removing Foreign Spouses(B)
23 At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Furthermore, their children spoke half of the time in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah. Instead, they spoke in the languages of various peoples. 25 So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: “You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Didn’t Solomon, king of Israel, sin by doing these things, even though among many nations there was no king like him who was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel? Even so, foreign women caused him to sin. 27 Should we listen to you and do all of this terrible evil by transgressing against our God to marry foreign wives?” 28 One of the sons of Eliashib the high priest’s son Joiada was a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me.
29 Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the descendants of Levi.
30 I purified them from everything foreign, arranged duties for the priests and the descendants of Levi, each to his task, 31 and I arranged at the appointed time for the supply of wood, and for the first fruits.
Remember me, my God, with favor.
Footnotes
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