13 1 The Law is read. 3 They separate from them all strangers. 15 Nehemiah reproveth them that break the Sabbath. 30 An ordinance to serve God.
1 And on that day they did read in the book of Moses, in the audience of the people, and it was found written therein, that the Ammonite, and the Moabite (A)should not enter into the Congregation of God,
2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, (B)but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: and our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 Now when they had heard the Law, they separated from Israel [a]all those that were mixed.
4 ¶ And before [b]this had the Priest Eliashib the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, being [c]kinsman to Tobiah:
5 And he had made him a great chamber, and there had they aforetime laid the offerings, the incense, and the vessels, and the tithes of corn, of wine, and of oil (appointed for the Levites, and the singers, and the porters) and the offerings of the Priests.
6 But in all this time was not I in Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of [d]Artachshashta King of Babel, came I unto the King, and [e]after certain days I obtained of the King.
7 And when I was come to Jerusalem, I understood [f]the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in that he had made him a chamber in the court of the house of God,
8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobiah out of the chamber.
9 And I commanded them to cleanse the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God with the meat offering and the incense.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that everyone was fled to his land, even the Levites and singers that executed the work.
11 Then reproved I the rulers and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I assembled them, and set them in their place.
12 Then brought all Judah the tithes of corn and of wine, and of oil unto the treasures.
13 And I made treasurers over the treasures, Shelemiah the Priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah, and under their hand Hanan the son of Zaccur the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.
14 Remember me, O my God, herein, and wipe not out my [g]kindness that I have showed on the house of my God, and on the offices thereof.
15 In those days saw I in Judah them, that trod wine presses on the Sabbath, and that brought in sheaves, and which laded asses also with wine, grapes, and figs, and all burdens, and brought them into Jerusalem upon the Sabbath day: and [h]I protested to them in the day that they sold vittles.
16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all wares, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah even in Jerusalem.
17 Then reproved I the rulers of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and break the Sabbath day?
18 Did not your fathers [i]thus, and our God brought all this plague upon us, and upon this city? yet ye increase the wrath upon Israel, in breaking the Sabbath.
19 And when the gates of Jerusalem began to be [j]dark before the Sabbath, I commanded to shut the gates, and charged, that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath, and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20 So the chapmen and merchants of all merchandise remained once or twice all night without Jerusalem.
21 And I protested among them, and said unto them, Why tarry ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once again, I will lay hands upon you. From that time came they no more on the Sabbath.
22 ¶ And I said unto the Levites, that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and [k]keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and pardon me according to thy great mercy.
23 In those days also I saw Jews that married wives of [l]Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab.
24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, and according to the language of the one people, and of the other people.
25 Then I reproved them, and [m]cursed them, and smote certain of them, and pulled off their hair, and took an oath of them by God, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, neither shall ye take of their daughters unto your sons nor for yourselves.
26 (C)Did not Solomon the king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no King like him: for he was (D)beloved of his God, and God had made him King over Israel: (E)yet strange women caused him to sin.
27 Shall we then obey unto you, to do all this great evil, and to transgress against our God, even to marry strange wives?
28 And one of the sons of Joiada the son of Eliashib the high Priest was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite: but I chased him from me.
29 Remember them, O my God, that [n]defile the Priesthood, and the covenant of the Priesthood, and of the Levites.
30 Then cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the Priests and of the Levites, every one in his office,
31 And for the offering of the wood at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, [o]in goodness.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 13:3 That is, all such which had joined in unlawful marriage, and also those with whom God had forbidden them to have society.
- Nehemiah 13:4 That the separation was made.
- Nehemiah 13:4 He was joined in affinity with Tobiah the Ammonite and enemy of the Jews.
- Nehemiah 13:6 Called also Darius, Ezra 7:1.
- Nehemiah 13:6 Or, at the year’s end.
- Nehemiah 13:7 Thus we see to what inconveniences the people fall into, when they are destitute of one that hath the fear of God, seeing that their chief governor was but a while absent, and yet they fell into such great absurdities: as appeareth also, Exod. 32:1.
- Nehemiah 13:14 He protesteth that he did his duty with a good conscience, yet he doth not justify himself in therein, but desireth God to favor him and to be merciful unto him for his own goodness sake, as verse 22 and 31.
- Nehemiah 13:15 I declared unto them, that God would not suffer such transgressors of his Law to be unpunished.
- Nehemiah 13:18 Was not this a great cause, why God plagued us in times past: meaning, that if they transgressed now in the same again, their plague should be greater.
- Nehemiah 13:19 About the time that the Sun went down: for the Sabbath lasted from the Sun going down of the one day, to the Sun setting of the other.
- Nehemiah 13:22 Meaning, of the Temple, that none that was unclean, should enter.
- Nehemiah 13:23 Which was a city of the Philistines, and they had married wives thereof, and so had corrupted their speech and Religion.
- Nehemiah 13:25 That is, I did excommunicate them, and drive them out of the congregation.
- Nehemiah 13:29 Punish them according to their fault and evil example, which they have given to the rest of thy people contrary to their vocation.
- Nehemiah 13:31 That is, to show mercy unto me.