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,

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and in it was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

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 met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: but our God 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.

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

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

And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah:

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 he had prepared for him a great chamber, where before they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of 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,

But in all this 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 certain days I obtained leave of 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,

And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did 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 without, out of the chamber,

And it grieved me greatly: therefore I cast forth all the household goods of Tobiah out of the chamber.

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 commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and there I brought again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat 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.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, had fled every one to his field.

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;

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 Judah have brought in the tithe of the corn, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the treasuries.

Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to 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 stedfast they have been reckoned, and on them [it is] to give a portion to their brethren.

And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were accounted faithful, and their office was to distribute to 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 wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its offices.

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 in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and putting them on donkeys; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day when they sold food.

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.

There dwelt men of Tyre also in the city, who brought fish, and all kinds of wares, and sold on the sabbath to the children of Judah, and 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 contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane 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 fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon 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.

And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set some of my servants at the gates, that there should no burden 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,

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

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.

Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why lodge ye before 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 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.

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

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

In those days also I saw Jews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and 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 spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.

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.

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to 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 Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.

27 And to you do we hearken to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?'

Shall we then hearken to you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in 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.

And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was 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 cleansed them from all strangers, and appointed the duties of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

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

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