Nehemiah 13

On that day they read in the Book1 of Musa2 in the audience of the people; and therein was found written,

“An Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever, 2because they did not meet Bani-Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing.” 3

3It came to pass, when they had heard the Taurat,4 that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 

4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the House of our God, being allied to Tobiah, 5had prepared for him a large room, where before they laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites5, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings for the priests. 6But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. After some days I asked leave of the king, 7and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of the House of God. 8It grieved me much: so I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room. 9Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms: and I brought the vessels of the House of God, with the meal-offerings and frankincense back into the room.

10I realized 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 everyone to his field. 11Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the House of God forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries. 13I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers. 

14Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the House of my God, and for its observances. 

15In those days I saw in Judah some men treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; as also wine, grapes, and 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. 16There lived men of Tyre also therein, who brought in fish, and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 18Didn’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.” 

19It came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut, and not be opened until after the Sabbath: and some of my servants I set over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why are you camping around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time forth they came no more on the Sabbath. 22I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness. 

23In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in Hebrew, but according to the language of each people. 25I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck some of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. 26Did not Sulayman6 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 even caused him to sin. 27Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?” 

28One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 

30Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed charges for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; 31and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

Next Page

  1. 13:1 the Book, that is, the Taurat proper, the five books of Prophet Musa. ↩︎
  2. 13:1 Musa, this Arabic name is derived from the Hebrew name Moses meaning “to pull out” or “draw out” (of water); referring to the biblical story where he was rescued from the Nile River by Firaun’s daughter. ↩︎
  3. 13:2 A summary quotation from the Taurat, Deuteronomy 23:3-5 which says: “An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of YAHWEH; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of YAHWEH forever: because they did not meet you with bread and with water in the way, when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam Ibn Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. Nevertheless YAHWEH your God would not listen to Balaam; but YAHWEH your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because YAHWEH your God loved you.” ↩︎
  4. 13:3 Taurat, this Arabic term is derived from the Hebrew word Torah, which means “instruction” or “teaching.” In this context, Taurat refers to the revelation given to Prophet Musa, that is, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, sometimes called the Pentateuch. Pentateuch is a Greek word meaning “five books” and includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These five books are attributed to Prophet Musa himself. This is the traditional and most common meaning given to Taurat or Torah. The term Taurat here can also refer more specifically to the Law of Musa found within the Pentateuch, with its hundreds of rules and regulations covering many aspects of daily life for the people of Israel. The most famous of these laws are the Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20. ↩︎
  5. 13:5 Levites, the descendants of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Prophet Yaqub (Jacob), from whose family line came all the priests who served in the Holy House of God, the Temple at Jerusalem. ↩︎
  6. 13:26 Sulayman, this Arabic name and the name Solomon are both derived from the Hebrew name Shlomo which means “peace.” ↩︎