Nehemiah 13

1 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;

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;

2 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

5 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.

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.

6 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;

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;

7 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;

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.

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

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

9 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.

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.

10 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.

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.

11 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.

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.

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

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

13 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.

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.

14 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.

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.

15 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.

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:

16 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;

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.

17 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?

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?

18 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!

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?

19 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.

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.

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

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

21 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.

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.

22 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.

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.

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

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

24 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.

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

25 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.

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.

26 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.

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

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

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

28 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.