Nehemiah 13

1 On that day there was read in the scroll of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it has been found written in it that an Ammonite and Moabite does not come into the assembly of God for all time,

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 have not come before the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and hire against them Balaam to revile them, and our God turns the reviling 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 And it comes to pass, at their hearing the Law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.

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

4 And before this Eliashib the priest, appointed over chambers of the house of our God, [is] a relation of Tobiah,

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

5 and he makes for him a great chamber, and there they were formerly putting the present, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil—the commanded thing of the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers—and the raised-offering of 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 And during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king, and at the end of days I have asked of the king,

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 and I come to Jerusalem, and understand concerning the evil that Eliashib has done for Tobiah, to make to him a chamber in the courts of the house of God,

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 and it is very displeasing to me, and I cast all the vessels of the house of Tobiah outside, out of the chamber,

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

9 and I command, and they cleanse the chambers, and I bring back there the vessels of the house of God with the present and the frankincense.

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 And I know that the portions of the Levites have not been given, and they flee each to his field—the Levites and the singers, doing the work.

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 And I strive with the prefects, and say, “Why has the house of God been forsaken?” And I gather them, and set them on their station;

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 and all Judah has brought in the tithe of the grain, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the treasuries.

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

13 And I appoint treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and by their hand [is] Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they have been reckoned steadfast, and on them [it is] to give a portion to their brothers.

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 Be mindful of me, O my God, for this, and do not blot out my kind acts that I have done, for the house of my God, and for its charges.

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 In those days I have seen in Judah those treading wine-vats on Sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and loading on the donkeys, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, indeed, they are bringing into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, and I testify in the day of their selling provision.

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 And the Tyrians have dwelt in it, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on Sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.

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 And I strive with the nobles of Judah, and say to them, “What [is] this evil thing that you are doing, and defiling the Sabbath day?

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 Thus did not your fathers do? And our God brings in on us all this evil, and on this city, and you are adding fierceness on Israel, to defile 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 And it comes to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the Sabbath, that I command, and the doors are shut, and I command that they do not open them until after the Sabbath; and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there does not come in a burden 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 And they lodge—the merchants and sellers of all ware—at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

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

21 and I testify against them, and say to them, “Why are you lodging in front of the wall? If you repeat [it], I put forth a hand on you”; from that time they have not come in 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 And I command to the Levites that they be cleansed, and coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Your kindness.

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 Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews [who] have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.

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

24 And of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish—and are not knowing to speak Jewish—and according to the language of people and people.

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 And I strive with them, and declare them vile, and strike certain of them, and pluck off their hair, and cause them to swear by God, “You do not give your daughters to their sons, nor do you take of their daughters to your sons, and to yourselves.

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 By these did not Solomon king of Israel sin? And among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God makes him king over all Israel—even him [whom] the strange women caused to sin.

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 And do we listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?”

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

28 And [one] of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, [is] son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.

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 Be mindful of them, O my God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the 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 And I have cleansed them from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in his work,

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

31 and for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.

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