Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah's Final Reforms

1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah,5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber.9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field.11 So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers.14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disastert on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.21 But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take oath in the name of God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin.27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?"

28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work;

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

Nehemiah 13

Further Reforms by Nehemiah

1 On that day the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearingt of the people. They foundt written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever enter the assembly of God,2 for they had not met the Israelites with foodt and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.)

3 When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.
4 But prior to this time, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been appointed over the storeroomss of the temple of our God.

5 He made for himself a large storeroom where previously they had been keepingt the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil as commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the offering for the priests.
6 During all this time I was not in Jerusalem,s for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some timet I had requested leave of the king,7 and I returned to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by supplying him with a storeroom in the courts of the temple of God.8 I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the storeroom.

9 Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipmentt of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.
10 I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields.

11 So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions.t
12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms.

13 I gave instructionss that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge oft the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant,t for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues.t

14 Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services!
15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions.16 The people from Tyres who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah – and in Jerusalem, of all places!t17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

18 Isn’t this the way your ancestorst acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”
19 When the evening shadowst began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I orderedt the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positionedt some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice.21 But I warned them and said,t “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!”t From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath.s

22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.
23 Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentionedt) and were unable to speak the language of Judah.25 So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, “You will not marry offt your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God madet him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin!

27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marryingt foreign wives?”

28 Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight.

29 Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood,s and the Levites.
30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specifict duties to the priests and the Levites.

31 I also provided fort the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits.
Please remember me for good, O my God.