Add parallel Print Page Options

Tobiah’s Goods Removed from God’s House

Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, (A)who was put in charge over the chambers of the house of our God, being [a]related to (B)Tobiah, 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 (C)commanded for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, as well as the [c]contributions for the priests. But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in (D)the thirty-second year of (E)Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and discerned the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, (F)by preparing a chamber for him in the courts of the house of God. It was very evil to me, so I (G)threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the chamber. Then I said the word, and (H)they cleansed the chambers; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:4 Lit close to
  2. Nehemiah 13:5 Or chamber
  3. Nehemiah 13:5 Lit heave offerings

Now before this, Eliashib the priest(A) had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God.(B) He was a relative[a] of Tobiah(C) 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(D) prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.(E)

While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxes(F) of Babylon(G) in the thirty-second year of his reign.(H) It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absence(I) 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. I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room. I ordered that the rooms be purified,(J) and I had the articles of the house of God restored there, along with the grain offering and frankincense.(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:4 Or an associate