< Nehemiah 13 >
1 On that day there was read in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it hath been found written in it that an Ammonite and Moabite doth not come into the assembly of God — unto the age,
At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
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 turneth the reviling into a blessing.
because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
3 And it cometh to pass, at their hearing the law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.
As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
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, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God
5 and he maketh for him a great chamber, and there they were formerly putting the present, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, the new wine, and the oil — the commanded thing of the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers — and the heave-offering of the priests.
and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
6 And during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon did I come unto the king, and at the end of days I have asked of the king,
While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king
7 and I come in to Jerusalem, and understand concerning the evil that Eliashib hath done for Tobiah, to make to him a chamber in the courts of the house of God,
to return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room 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 without, out of the chamber,
And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
9 and I speak, and they cleanse the chambers, and I bring back thither the vessels of the house of God with the present and the frankincense.
Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and 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.
I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.
11 And I strive with the prefects, and say, 'Wherefore hath the house of God been forsaken?' and I gather them, and set them on their station;
So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
12 and all Judah have brought in the tithe of the corn, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the treasuries.
and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
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 stedfast they have been reckoned, and on them [it is] to give a portion to their brethren.
I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
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 for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
15 In those days I have seen in Judah those treading wine-vats on sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and lading on the asses, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, yea, they are bringing in to Jerusalem on the sabbath-day, and I testify in the day of their selling provision.
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
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.
Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17 And I strive with the freemen of Judah, and say to them, 'What [is] this evil thing that ye are doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?
Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
18 Thus did not your fathers do? and our God bringeth in on us all this evil, and on this city, and ye are adding fierceness on Israel, to pollute the sabbath.'
Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19 And it cometh to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the sabbath, that I speak, and the doors are shut, and I say, that they do not open them till after the sabbath; and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there doth not come in a burden on the sabbath-day.
When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
20 And they lodge — the merchants and sellers of all ware — at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,
Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
21 and I testify against them, and say unto them, 'Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye repeat [it], a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in on the sabbath.
but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
22 And I say 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 Thy kindness.
Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.
23 Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews [who] have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.
In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and 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.
Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
25 And I strive with them, and declare them vile, and smite certain of them, and pluck off their hair, and cause them to swear by God, 'Ye do not give your daughters to their sons, nor do ye take of their daughters to your sons, and to yourselves.
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
26 'By these did not Solomon king of Israel sin? and among the many nations there was no king like him, and beloved by his God he was, and God maketh him king over all Israel — even him did the strange women cause to sin.
Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
27 And to you do we hearken to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?'
Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
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.
Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away 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, because they have defiled 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,
Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
31 and for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.
I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.