Nehemiah 13
New American Standard Bible
Foreigners Excluded
13 On that day the Book of Moses was (A)read aloud [a]as the people listened; and there was found written in it that (B)no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to 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 excluded (F)all foreigners from Israel.
Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed
4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, (G)who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being [b]related to (H)Tobiah, 5 had prepared a large [c]room for him, where previously they used to put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil (I)prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the [d]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 come to the king. After some time, however, I requested a leave of absence from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and [e]learned about the evil that Eliashib had committed for [f]Tobiah, (L)by preparing a [g]room for him in the courtyards of the house of God. 8 It was very displeasing to me, so I (M)threw all of Tobiah’s household articles out of the room. 9 Then I gave an order, and (N)they cleansed the rooms; and I returned the utensils of the house of God there with the grain offering and the frankincense.
Tithes Restored
10 I also [h]discovered that (O)the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so the Levites and the singers who performed the service had [i]gone away, (P)each to his own field. 11 So I [j](Q)reprimanded the officials and said, “(R)Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered them together and stationed them at their posts. 12 All Judah then brought (S)the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 To be in charge of the storehouses, I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for (T)they were considered reliable, and it was [k]their task to distribute to their kinsmen. 14 (U)Remember me for this, my God, and do not wipe out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.
Sabbath Restored
15 In those days I saw in Judah people 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 every kind of load, (W)and they were bringing them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So (X)I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16 Also people of Tyre were living [l]there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then (Y)I [m]reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, [n]by profaning the Sabbath day? 18 (Z)Did your fathers not do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
19 And (AA)it came about that just as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered that the doors be shut, [o]and that they were not to open them until after the Sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants 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 warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will [p]use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 And I ordered the Levites that (AC)they were to purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. For this also (AD)remember me, my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your mercy.
Mixed Marriages Forbidden
23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had [q](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 knew how to speak the language of Judah, but [r]only the language of his own people. 25 So (AH)I quarreled 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 any of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 (AK)Did Solomon the king of Israel not 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 made him king over all Israel; yet the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 Has it not then been reported about you that you have committed all this great evil (AN)by acting unfaithfully against our God, by [s]marrying foreign women?” 28 Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, became a son-in-law of (AO)Sanballat the Horonite, so I chased him away from me. 29 (AP)Remember them, my God, [t]because they have defiled the priesthood and the (AQ)covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 (AR)So I purified them from everything foreign, and assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each in his work, 31 and I arranged (AS)for the delivery of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. (AT)Remember me, my God, for good.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 13:1 Lit in the ears of the people
- Nehemiah 13:4 Lit close to
- Nehemiah 13:5 Or chamber
- Nehemiah 13:5 Or uplifted offerings
- Nehemiah 13:7 Or understood
- Nehemiah 13:7 An Ammonite, banned from the temple
- Nehemiah 13:7 Or chamber, and so in vv 8, 9
- Nehemiah 13:10 Or knew
- Nehemiah 13:10 Lit fled
- Nehemiah 13:11 Or contended with
- Nehemiah 13:13 Lit on them to
- Nehemiah 13:16 Lit in it
- Nehemiah 13:17 Or contended with
- Nehemiah 13:17 Lit and
- Nehemiah 13:19 Lit and commanded
- Nehemiah 13:21 Lit send a hand against
- Nehemiah 13:23 Lit given dwelling to
- Nehemiah 13:24 Lit according to the tongue of people and people
- Nehemiah 13:27 Lit giving dwelling to
- Nehemiah 13:29 Lit for the defilements of
Nehemiah 13
Holman 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, Eliashib the priest(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 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, saying, “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 oil into the storehouses.(X) 13 I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, 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 wine presses 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 gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the 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 gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.(AI)
Remember me for this also, my God,(AJ) and look on me with compassion in keeping with Your abundant, 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 Eliashib the high priest,(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)
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 13:1 Lit read in the ears of
- Nehemiah 13:4 Or an associate
- Nehemiah 13:21 Lit again, I will send a hand
- Nehemiah 13:24 Lit Judahite
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