The Book of Nehemiah

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 13 -

The principles of separation

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,

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.

And it comes to pass, at their hearing the Law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.

The reforms of Nehemiah

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

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.

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,

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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?

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.”

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 they lodge—the merchants and sellers of all ware—at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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.

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

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.

Be mindful of them, O my God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

And I have cleansed them from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in his work,

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

The principles of separation

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,

because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

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

The reforms of Nehemiah

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,

had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests.

But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and after some days I asked leave of the king,

and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of God’s house.

It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.

I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field.

Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

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

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 counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.

Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food.

Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.

So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath.

I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.

In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;

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.

I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”

One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me.

Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;

and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.