Nehemiah 13

1 One day when the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the section was found where it was written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed into the assembly of God,

On that day, a portion, was read in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, —and it was found written therein, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not enter into the convocation of God, unto times age-abiding;

2 because they hadn't brought food and water when they met the Israelites, but instead they had hired Balaam to put a curse on them—though our God turned that curse into a blessing!

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

3 When the people heard about this law, they separated out from Israel everyone who had foreign ancestry.

So it came to pass, when they had heard the law, —that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

4 Before all this, Eliashib the priest, who was related to Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the Temple of our God.

Now, before this, Eliashib the priest, who was set over a chamber of the house of God, was allied unto Tobiah;

5 He had provided Tobiah with a large room which had previously been used to store the grain offerings, incense, and Temple items, as well as the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil allocated to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, in addition to the offerings for the priests.

so he prepared him a large chamber, where aforetime they used to lay the meal-offering, the frankincense, and the utensils, and the tithe of the corn, the new wine and the oil, in charge of the Levites, and the singers, and the doorkeepers, —and the heave-offerings for the priests.

6 When all this happened I was not in Jerusalem because I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I requested permission from the king to go back.

But, throughout all this [time], was I not in Jerusalem, —for, in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I came unto the king, and, at the end of certain days, obtained I leave of the king;

7 When I arrived back in Jerusalem I discovered the dreadful thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courtyard of God's Temple.

and came to Jerusalem, —and had intelligence of the wickedness which Eliashib had committed for Tobiah, in preparing for him a chamber, in the courts of the house of God;

8 I was extremely upset, and I went and threw out everything that was in Tobiah's room.

and it grieved me exceedingly, —and I cast forth all the household utensils of Tobiah, outside of the chamber.

9 I ordered the rooms purified, and put back the Temple items, the grain offerings, and the incense.

Then commanded I, and they purified the chambers, —and I put back there, the utensils of the house of God, the meal-offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the food allowances for the Levites were not being provided, so the Levites had gone back to take care of their fields, along with the singers who led the worship services.

Then came I to know, that, the portions of the Levites, had not been given [them], —so that the Levites and the singers, who had been doing the work, had fled every one to his field.

11 I went and confronted the leaders, asking, “Why is God's Temple being neglected?” I called the Levites back and made sure they were carrying out their responsibilities.

Therefore contended I with the deputies, and said, Wherefore is the house of God, forsaken? So I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

12 Everyone in Judah then brought the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storerooms.

Then, all Judah, brought in the tithe of corn, and new wine, and oil, unto the treasuries;

13 I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, in charge of the storerooms with Hanan, son of Zakkur, son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered honest people. Their responsibility was to distribute the allowances to their fellow Levites.

and I made treasurers over the treasuries—Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from among the Levites, and, next unto them, Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, —for faithful were they accounted, and it was [laid] upon them to distribute unto their brethren.

14 My God, please remember me over this. Please don't forget my good deeds I have done for the Temple of my God and its services.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, —and do not wipe out my lovingkindnesses, which I have done for the house of my God, and for those keeping charge thereof.

15 Around that time I noticed people treading the winepress on Sabbath. I saw others collecting grain and loading it up on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, and bringing it all into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

In those days, saw I in Judah—some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves and lading asses, moreover also wine, grapes, and figs, and every kind of burden, which they were bringing into Jerusalem on the sabbath day, —so I protested against it, as a day for them to sell provisions.

16 I told them off for selling their produce on that day.

And, men of Tyre, dwelt therein, who were bringing in fish—and every kind of ware for sale, —and were selling, on the sabbath, to the sons of Judah, and in Jerusalem;

17 Some people from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of things and they were selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.

so I contended with the nobles of Judah, —and said unto them, What is this wicked thing which, ye, are doing, and profaning the sabbath day?

18 I confronted the Jewish leaders, asking them, “Why are you are doing such an evil thing? You are violating the Sabbath day! Wasn't this what your forefathers did, bringing our God down on us, causing us and this city such disasters? Now you're bringing even more trouble on us by violating the Sabbath!”

Was it not, thus, your fathers did, and our God brought upon us all this calamity, and upon this city?—and, ye, would add indignation against Israel, by profaning the sabbath!

19 So I ordered Jerusalem's gates to be shut at sunset on the day before the Sabbath, and that were not to be opened until after the Sabbath had ended. I assigned some of my men to guard the gates to make sure no goods would be brought in on the Sabbath day.

And it came to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem made a shadow before the sabbath, then gave I word, and they shut the doors, and I gave word, that they should not open them, until after the sabbath, —and, some of my young men, set I near the gates, so that no burden should be brought in, on the sabbath day.

20 A couple of times merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside of Jerusalem.

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

21 I warned them, saying, “Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do that again I'll have you arrested!” After that they didn't come on the Sabbath.

Therefore I testified against them, and said unto them, Wherefore are ye lodging against the wall? if ye do it again, a hand, will I thrust upon you, —From that time, they came not on the sabbath.

22 Then I told the Levites to purify themselves and to come and guard the gates to keep the Sabbath day holy. My God, please also remember me for doing this, and be merciful to me because of your trustworthy love.

And I gave word to the Levites, that they should be purifying themselves and coming in, as keepers of the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. This also, remember to me, O my God, and have pity upon me, according to the abundance of thy lovingkindness.

23 Around the same time I realized some Jews had married women from Ashdod, Moab, and Ammon.

Moreover, in these days, saw I the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab;

24 Half their children could only speak the language of Ashdod or that of another people, and didn't know how to speak the language of Judah.

and, their children, were one-half speaking the language of Ashdod, and understood not how to speak the language of the Jews, —but after the tongue of both people.

25 So I confronted them and told them they were cursed. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God, saying, “You must not allow your daughters to marry their sons, or allow your sons—or yourselves— to marry their daughters.

So I contended with them, and laid a curse upon them, and I smote, from among them, certain men, and pulled out their hair, —and I put them on oath by God, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take of their daughters, for your sons nor for yourselves.

26 Wasn't it marriages like these that made King Solomon of Israel sin? There wasn't a king in any nation like him. God loved him, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was made to sin by foreign women.

Was it not, over these things, that Solomon king of Israel sinned—though, among many nations, there was no king such as he, and he was, beloved by his God, and so God gave him to be king over all Israel, —even him, did foreign women, cause to sin.

27 So do we have to hear about you committing this dreadful sin, how you are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”

Unto you, then, shall we hearken, to do all this great wickedness, to act unfaithfully with our God, —by marrying foreign wives?

28 Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So I expelled him.

And, one of the sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, —therefore I chased him from me.

29 My God, remember them and what they did, violating the priesthood and the solemn agreement of the priests and Levites.

Remember them, O my God, —on account of the Defilings of the Priesthood, and the Covenant of the Priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 I purified them from everything foreign, and I made sure the priests and Levites were carrying out their assigned responsibilities.

So I purified them from everything foreign, —and appointed charges unto the priests and unto the Levites, every one in his work;

31 I also arranged for wood to be supplied for the altar at the specified times, and for the first part of the produce to be donated. My God, remember me favorably.

also for the offering of wood, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!