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 they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not 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, and had hired Balaam against them, to curse them; but our God turned the curse into blessing.

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

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

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

And before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of our God, a kinsman of Tobijah,

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 great chamber, where formerly they laid the oblations, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine and the oil, which was commanded for the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers, and the heave-offerings 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;

And during all that [time] I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two-and-thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king; and after some time I obtained 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 observed the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobijah, in preparing 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 grieved me much, and I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobijah out of the chamber.

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

And I commanded, and they purified the chambers; and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, the oblation 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, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.

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

Then I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place.

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 into the storehouses.

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 made storekeepers over the storehouses: Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and subordinate to them, Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were esteemed faithful, and their office was to distribute to 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 good deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for the charges thereof!

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 winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading them on asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens; and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested in the day on which they sold the victuals.

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

Men of Tyre also dwelt therein, who brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold it on the sabbath to 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 you do, and profane the sabbath-day?

And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning 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 you bring additional wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath?

Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? And ye will bring more wrath against 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 it began to be dark in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut; and I commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath. And I set [some] of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.

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

And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.

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

And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not 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 your mercy.

And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. Remember this also for me, my God, and spare me according to thy great loving-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 Jews that had married 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 half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

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

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them by God [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or 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 king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; but even him did foreign wives cause to sin.

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

And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign 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 Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him 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 them, my God, for they are polluters 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.

And I purified them from all foreigners, and appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service;

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 wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!