Nehemiah 13

1 In that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not enter into the congregation of God for ever;

On that day there was read in the book of Moses before the ears of the people; and there was found written therein, that no 'Ammonite or Moabite should come into the congregation of God for ever;

2 because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and with water, but had hired Bil'am against them, that he should curse them; although our God had changed the curse into a blessing.

3 And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they were separated, [even] every alien in Israel.

And it tame to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the alien mixture from Israel.

4 And before this time Eliasib the priest dwelt in the treasury of the house of our God, connected with Tobias;

And before this, Elyashib the priest, appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and a near [of kin] unto Tobiyah,

5 and he made himself a great treasury, and there they were formerly in the habit of bestowing the offerings, and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil, the ordered portion of the Levites, and singers, and porters; and the first-fruits of the priests.

Had prepared for him a large chamber, where they had laid in former times the meat-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was ordained for the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the heave-offering of the priests.

6 But in all this [time] I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after a certain time I made my request of the king;

But during all this I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king of Babylon I went back unto the king, and after the lapse of some time I obtained by request [leave] of the king;

7 and I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the mischief which Eliasib had done in the case of Tobias, in making for him a treasury in the court of the house of God.

And I came to Jerusalem, and perceived the evil that Elyashib had done for Tobiyah, in preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8 And it appeared very evil to me: so I cast forth all the furniture of the house of Tobias from the treasury.

And it displeased me greatly: wherefore I cast forth all the household vessels of Tobiyah away out of the chamber.

9 And I gave orders, and they purified the treasuries: and I restored thither the vessels of the house of God, [and] the offerings, and the frankincense.

And I gave the order, whereupon they cleansed the chambers; and I had brought thither again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat-offering and the frankincense.

10 And I understood that the portion of the Levites had not been given: and they had fled every one to his field, the Levites and the singers doing the work.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given [them]: so that the Levites and the singers, that used to do the work, were fled every one to his field.

11 And I strove with the commanders, and said, Wherefore has the house of God been abandoned? and I assembled them, and set them in their place.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why hath the house of God become forsaken? And I gathered them together, and placed them on their posts.

12 And all Juda brought a tithe of the wheat and the wine and the oil into the treasuries,

And all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

13 to the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and Phadaea of the Levites: and next to them [was] Anan the son of Zacchur, son of Matthanias; for they were accounted faithful: [it was] their office to distribute to their brethren.

And I appointed receivers over the treasuries, Shelemyah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and Pedayah of the Levites; and with them acted Chanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Matthanyah; for they were accounted as faithful, and it was their duty to make a distribution among their brethren.

14 Remember me, O God, in this, and let not my kindness be forgotten which I have wrought in [regard to] the house of the Lord God.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my pious deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for those that had charge of it.

15 In those days I saw in Juda [men] treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and loading asses with both wine, and grapes, and figs, and every [kind of] burden, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day:

In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading burdens on asses, as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I warned them on the day whereon they sold provisions.

16 and I testified in the day of their sale. Also their dwelt in it [men] bringing fish, and selling every [kind of] merchandise to the children of Juda and in Jerusalem on the sabbath.

Also the men of Tyre [that] dwelt therein brought fish and all kinds of wares, and sold [them] on the sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem.

17 And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What [is] this evil thing which ye do, and profane the sabbath-day?

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this which ye are doing, and profaning [thereby] the sabbath day?

18 Did not your fathers thus, and our God brought upon them and upon us and upon this city all these evils? and do ye bring additional wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath?

Did not your fathers act thus, wherefore our God brought over us all this evil, and over this city? and ye bring yet more wrath over Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19 And it came to pass, when the gates were set up in Jerusalem, before the sabbath, that I spoke, and they shut the gates; and I gave orders that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set [some] of my servants at the gates, that none should bring [in] burdens on the sabbath-day.

And it came to pass, that, when the shadows were lengthened in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I gave the order, whereupon the gates were locked, and I ordered that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my young men did I place at the gates, that there should be brought in no burden on the sabbath-day.

20 So all [the merchants] lodged, and carried on traffic without Jerusalem once or twice.

But the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye lodge in front of the wall? if ye do so again, I will stretch out my hand upon you. From that time they came not on the sabbath.

Thereupon did I warn them, and said unto them, Why do ye lodge along the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath.

22 and I told the Levites who were purifying themselves, and came and kept the gates, that they should sanctify the sabbath-day. Remember me, O God, for these things, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy.

And I ordered the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep watch at the gates, to sanctify the sabbath-day. Also this remember unto me, O my God, and shield me according to the abundance of thy kindness.

23 And in those days I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:

In those days also I saw certain Jews that had brought home wives of Ashdod, of 'Ammon, and of Moab:

24 and their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and did not know how to speak in the Jewish language.

And their children spoke partly in the speech of Ashdod, and did not understand to speak in the Jewish language, but according to the language of one or the other people.

25 And I strove with them and cursed them; and I smote some of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying, ]Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, and ye shall not take of their daughters to your sons.

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, nor for yourselves.

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin thus? though there was no king like him among many nations, and he was beloved of God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet strange women turned him aside.

Did not Solomon the king of Israel sin by these things? and although among the many nations there was never a king like him, and beloved as he was by his God, and God had placed him as king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did the alien women mislead to sin.

27 So we will not hearken to you to do all this evil, to break covenant with our God, —to marry strange wives.

Shall we then hear it said of you, that ye do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in bringing home alien wives?

28 and Elisub the high priest, [one] of the sons of Joada, [being] son-in-law of Sanaballat the Uranite, I chased him away from me.

And one of the sons of Joyada', the son of Elyashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Choronite; wherefore I chased him away from me.

29 Remember them, O God, for their [false] connection with the priesthood, and [the breaking] the covenant of the priesthood, and [for defiling] the Levites.

Remember [this] unto them, O my God, because of the defilements of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 So I purged them from all foreign connection, and established courses for the priests and the Levites, [every] man according to his work.

Thus cleansed I them from all aliens, and I appointed the watches of the priests and the Levites, every one in his work;

31 And the offering of the wood-bearers [was] at certain set times, and in the [times of the] first-fruits. Remember me, O our God, for good.

And for the procuring of the wood, at fixed time, and for the first-fruits. Remember this unto me, O my God, for good.