Nehemiah, 13

1. At that time they were reading to the people from the Book of Moses, when they found this written in it, 'No Ammonite or Moabite is to be admitted to the assembly of God, and this is for all time,

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. since they did not come to meet the Israelites with bread and water, and even hired Balaam to oppose them by cursing them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing.'

2. for they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them -- yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3. Having heard the Law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.

3. When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4. Earlier, Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the rooms of the Temple of our God, and who was close to Tobiah,

4. Now before this, Eli'ashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was connected with Tobi'ah,

5. had provided him with a large room where they previously used to store the meal offerings, incense, utensils, tithes of corn, wine and oil, that is, the part of the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

5. prepared for Tobi'ah a large chamber where they had previously put the cereal 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 all this was going on I was away from Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to see the king. But after some time I asked the king for permission to leave,

6. While this was taking place I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king

7. and returned to Jerusalem, where I learned about the crime which Eliashib had committed for Tobiah's benefit, by providing him with a room in the courts of the Temple of God.

7. and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eli'ashib had done for Tobi'ah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8. I was extremely displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room and into the street.

8. And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobi'ah out of the chamber.

9. I then gave orders for the room to be purified, and had the utensils of the Temple of God, the meal offerings and the incense, all replaced.

9. Then I gave orders and they cleansed the chambers; and I brought back thither the vessels of the house of God, with the cereal offering and the frankincense.

10. I also learned that the Levites had not been receiving their allocations, as a result of which the Levites and singers who performed the liturgy had all withdrawn to their farms.

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. I then reprimanded the officials. 'Why is the Temple of God deserted?' I asked. And I collected them together again and brought them back to their posts;

11. So I remonstrated with the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.

12. and all Judah then delivered the tithe of corn, wine and oil to the storehouses.

12. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.

13. As supervisors of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah one of the Levites and, as their assistant, Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, since they were considered reliable people; their duty was to make the distributions to their kinsmen.

13. And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemi'ah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedai'ah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattani'ah, for they were counted faithful; and their duty was to distribute to their brethren.

14. Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out the good deeds which I have done for the Temple of my God and its observances!

14. 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 his service.

15. At the same time I saw people in Judah treading the winepress, bringing in sacks of grain and loading donkeys on the Sabbath; they were also bringing wine, grapes, figs and every kind of merchandise into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I forbade them to sell the food.

15. In those days I saw in Judah men treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on asses; and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I warned them on the day when they sold food.

16. Tyrians living there were bringing in fish and every kind of merchandise which they were selling to the Judaeans on the Sabbath in Jerusalem itself.

16. Men of Tyre also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of wares and sold them on the sabbath to the people of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

17. So I also reprimanded the leading men of Judah, saying to them, 'What a wicked way to behave, profaning the Sabbath day!

17. Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing which you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?

18. Was this not exactly what your ancestors did, with the result that our God brought all this misery down on us and on this city? And now you are adding to the wrath hanging over Israel by profaning the Sabbath yourselves!'

18. Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath."

19. So when the gates of Jerusalem were getting dark at the approach of the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut and directed that they were not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my attendants at the gates to make sure that no merchandise was brought in on the Sabbath day.

19. When it began to be 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 set some of my servants over the gates, that no burden might be brought in on the sabbath day.

20. So the traders and dealers in goods of all kinds spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice,

20. Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

21. until I reprimanded them. I said to them, 'Why are you spending the night in front of the wall? Do it again, and I shall use force on you.' After this, they did not come on the Sabbath.

21. But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge before 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. I then ordered the Levites to purify themselves and act as guards at the gates, so that the Sabbath day might be kept holy. Remember this also to my credit, have pity on me in the greatness of your faithful love.

22. And 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 thy steadfast love.

23. At that time too, I saw Jews who had married wives from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab;

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

24. as regards their children, half of them spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, but could no longer speak the language of Judah.

24. and half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but the language of each people.

25. I reprimanded them, I cursed them, I struck several of them and tore out their hair and adjured them by God, 'You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons or let their daughters marry your sons, or marry them yourselves!

25. And I contended with 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. Was it not because of women like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Although among many nations there was no king like him and he was loved by his God, and God made him king of all Israel, even then foreign women led him into sinning!

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. Were you obedient when you committed this very grave crime: breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign wives?'

27. Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?"

28. One of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; I drove him from my presence.

28. And one of the sons of Jehoi'ada, the son of Eli'ashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanbal'lat the Hor'onite; therefore I chased him from me.

29. Remember them, my God, for having defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests and Levites!

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

30. And so I purged them of everything foreign; I drew up regulations for the priests and Levites, defining each man's duty,

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

31. as well as for the deliveries of wood at the proper times, and for the first-fruits. Remember this, my God, to my credit!

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