Nehemiah 13

1 On that day, when someone read to the people parts of the laws [that God gave] to Moses, they read where it was written that no one from the Ammon people-group or the Moab people-group was ever to be allowed to be with God’s people while they were gathered together [to worship].

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 The reason for that was that the people of Ammon and the people of Moab did not give/sell any food or water to the Israelis [while the Israelis were going through their areas after they left Egypt]. Instead, the people of Ammon and Moab paid money to Balaam in order that he would curse the Israelis. But God commanded Balaam to bless the people, not to curse them.

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 So when the people heard these laws [being read to them], they sent away all the people whose ancestors had come from other countries.

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

4 Previously, Eliashib the priest had been appointed to be in charge of the storerooms in the temple. He was a relative of [our enemy] Tobiah.

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

5 He allowed Tobiah to use a large room in which they had previously stored the grain offerings and the incense, the equipment that is used in the temple, the offerings [that the people had brought] for the priests, and the tithes of grain and wine and [olive] oil that [God] had commanded the people to bring to the [other] descendants of Levi, and to the temple musicians, and to the temple guards.

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 While [Tobias was using that room], I was not in Jerusalem, because in the 32nd year that Artaxerxes was the king of Babylonia, I went back there to report to him. After a while I requested the king to allow me to return to Jerusalem, [and he allowed me to go].

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 When I arrived in Jerusalem, I found out that Eliashib had done an evil thing by allowing Tobiah to use a room in God’s temple.

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 I became very angry, and I threw out of that room everything that belonged to Tobiah.

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

9 Then I commanded [that they perform a ritual] to make the rooms (pure/acceptable to God) again. And I also ordered that all the equipment used in the temple and all the grain offerings and incense should be put in that room again.

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 I also found out that the temple musicians and [other] descendants of Levi had left Jerusalem and returned to their fields/farms, because the Israeli people had not been bringing to them the food [that they needed].

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 So I rebuked the officials, saying to them, “(Why have you not taken care of the work in the temple?/It is disgraceful that you have not taken care of the work in the temple.)” [RHQ] So I brought the descendants of Levi and the musicians back to the temple, and told them to do their work there again.

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 Then all the people of Judah again started to bring to the temple storerooms their tithes of grain, wine, and [olive] oil.

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

13 I appointed these men to be in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah, who was a priest; Zadok, who knew the Jewish laws very well; and Pedaiah, a descendant of Levi. I appointed Hanan, who is the son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah, to assist them. I knew that I could trust these men while they distributed those offerings to their fellow workers.

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 My God, do not forget all these good things that I have faithfully done for your temple and for the work that is done there!

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 During that time, I saw some people in Judea [who were working] on the Sabbath day. [Some were] pressing grapes [to make wine]. Others were putting grain, [bags of] wine, [baskets of] grapes, figs, and many [HYP] other things, on their donkeys and taking them into Jerusalem. I warned them that they should not sell things to the people of Judea on Sabbath days.

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 I also saw some people from Tyre [city] who were living there in Jerusalem who were bringing fish and other things [into Jerusalem] to sell to the people of Judea on the Sabbath day.

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 So I rebuked the Jewish leaders and told them, “This is [RHQ] a very evil thing that you are doing! You are causing the Sabbath days to be unholy.

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 Your ancestors did [RHQ] things like that, so God punished them, and as a result, this city was destroyed! And now by causing the Sabbath day to be unholy, you are going to cause God to be angry with us Israeli people [and punish us] more!”

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 So I ordered that at (the beginning of every Sabbath day/every Friday evening) they should shut the gates of the city before it became dark. I also ordered that they should not open the gates until (the Sabbath day was ended [the next day]/Saturday evening). Then [each Sabbath day] I put some of my men at the gates, so they would make sure that nothing to sell was brought into the city on that 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 One or two times merchants [DOU] stayed outside of the city on (Friday night/[the night before the Sabbath day]).

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

21 I warned them, “It is useless [RHQ] for you to stay here outside the walls [on Friday night]! If you do this again, I will tell my men to arrest you!” So after that, they did not come on Sabbath days.

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 I also commanded the descendants of Levi to [perform the ritual to] purify themselves and to guard the city gates, to make sure that the Sabbath was kept holy [by not allowing merchants to enter it on Sabbath days]. My God, do not forget this also that I [have done for you]! And because of your faithfully loving me, allow me to continue to live [many more years]!

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 During that time, I also found out that many of the Jewish men had married women from Ashdod [city], and from [the] Ammon and Moab [people-groups].

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

24 The result was that half of their children spoke the language that people in Ashdod speak or some other language, and they didn’t know how to speak our 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 So I rebuked those men, and I [asked God to] curse them, and I beat them and pulled out [some of] their hair. Then I forced them to solemnly promise, knowing that God [MTY] was [listening], that they would never again marry foreigners, and never allow their children to marry foreigners.

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 [I said to them], “Solomon, the king of Israel, sinned [RHQ] as a result of [marrying] foreign women. He was greater than any of the kings of other nations. God loved him, and caused him to become the king of all the Israeli people, but his foreign wives caused even him to sin.

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 [Do you think that] we should do what you have done, and disobey our God by marrying foreign women [who worship idols]? [RHQ]”

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 One of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the Supreme Priest, had married the daughter of [our enemy] Sanballat, from Beth-Horon [town]. So I forced Jehoiada’s son to leave Jerusalem.

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 My God, do not forget that those people [who have married foreign women] have caused it to be a shame/disgrace to be a priest, and have caused people to despise the agreement that you made with the priests and with the [other] descendants of Levi [who help the priests])!

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 I did all that to make sure that there were no more foreign people among the [Israeli] people [who would encourage them to worship idols]. I also established regulations for the priests and [other] descendants of Levi, in order that they would know what work they should do.

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

31 I also arranged for people to bring the firewood [that was needed to burn on the altar, as Moses had declared] that we should [do]. I also arranged for the people to bring the first part of what they harvested [each year]. My God, do not forget [that] I [have done all these things], and bless me [for doing them]!

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