Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed

Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, (A)who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being [a]related to (B)Tobiah, had prepared a large [b]room for him, where previously they used to put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil (C)prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and 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 come to the king. After some time, however, I requested a leave of absence from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and [d]learned about the evil that Eliashib had committed for [e]Tobiah, (F)by preparing a [f]room for him in the courtyards of the house of God. It was very displeasing to me, so I (G)threw all of Tobiah’s household articles out of the room. Then I gave an order, and (H)they cleansed the rooms; and I returned the utensils of the house of God there with the grain offering and the frankincense.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:4 Lit close to
  2. Nehemiah 13:5 Or chamber
  3. Nehemiah 13:5 Or uplifted offerings
  4. Nehemiah 13:7 Or understood
  5. Nehemiah 13:7 An Ammonite, banned from the temple
  6. Nehemiah 13:7 Or chamber, and so in vv 8, 9

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the [a]chambers of the house of our God, being allied unto Tobiah, had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the heave-offerings for the priests. But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went unto the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king, and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal-offerings and the frankincense.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:4 Hebrew chamber.