Nehemiah, 13

1. On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

1. At that time, the book of the Law of Moses was read in the presence of the people, and they found this written in it: "The Ammonite and Moabite will never enter the assembly of God,

2. Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

2. for they did not welcome the sons of Israel with bread and water. They gave money to Balaam to curse them, but our God turned their curse into a blessing."

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

3. When they heard this Law, they excluded from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4. And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, [was] allied unto Tobiah:

4. Before this, the priest Eliashib had been caretaker of the chambers of the House of God. Since he was related to Tobiah,

5. And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded [to be given] to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

5. he had allotted to him a spacious chamber which used to be the storage room for the offerings, incense, utensils, tithes of the wheat, wine and oil, that is, for what belonged to the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

6. But in all this [time] was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

6. I was not in Jerusalem when this happened, because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, I had gone to see the king. Then after some time, the king allowed me to return.

7. And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

7. I returned to Jerusalem and I was informed of the evil Eliashib had done just to please Tobiah, allotting to him a chamber inside the court to the House of God.

8. And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

8. This made me very angry. So I threw all of Tobiah's furniture out of the chamber and

9. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

9. ordered the chamber to be purified, and had the utensils of the House of God, the offerings and the incense put back in place.

10. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given [them]: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

10. I also learned that the portions were not given to the Levites. And because of this, the Levites and the singers in charge of the ceremonies had gone back to their fields.

11. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

11. I was angry with the counselors and said to them, "Why is the House of God abandoned?" Then I gathered together the Levites and the singers, and sent them back to work according to their respective duties.

12. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

12. With this, all the Jews turned over to the storehouses the tenth part of their wheat, wine and oil.

13. And 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 office [was] to distribute unto their brethren.

13. I entrusted the administration of the storehouses to the priest Shelemiah, to the teacher of the Law Zadok, to the Levite Pedaiah, and to Hanan, son of Zaccur, as assistant. I appointed them since they were regarded as responsible men. Their work consisted in distributing the food to their brothers.

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 the offices thereof.

14. My God, remember the things I have done. Do not forget the good works I did for your House and its ceremonies.

15. In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all [manner of] burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals.

15. In those days, I found men of Judah working in the winepress on the sabbath. Others took sheaves of wheat and loaded them on their asses together with wine, grapes, figs and every kind of produce they wanted to bring into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. I reprimanded them as they were selling their produce.

16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

16. Some Tyrians who had settled in Jerusalem brought in fish and every sort of merchandise to sell to the Jews on the Sabbath day.

17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

17. So I reprimanded the leaders of Judah, saying to them, "You have done great evil by not respecting the sabbath day.

18. Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

18. When your fathers did not observe the sabbath, our God brought all those misfortunes on us and on this city. You increase the wrath of God against Israel by not respecting his sabbaths."

19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, 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.

19. So I ordered that as the shadows were falling on the gates of Jerusalem in the evening before the sabbath, the gates were to be closed and not to be opened until after the sabbath was over. Moreover, I also stationed some of my men by the gates so that no goods would be brought in on the sabbath day.

20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

20. Once or twice, some merchants who sold every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem,

21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do [so] again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no [more] on the sabbath.

21. but I warned them, saying, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? Do this again, and I shall use force against you." From then on, they did not return any more on the sabbath day.

22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and [that] they should come [and] keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, [concerning] this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

22. I also ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to come and guard the gates in order to sanctify the sabbath. For this, too, remember me, my God, and have pity on me according to your great mercy.

23. In those days also saw I Jews [that] had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:

23. In those days, I also saw that some Jews had remarried Ashdodite, Ammonite and Moabite women,

24. And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

24. and half of their children spoke Ashdodite and did not know our own language.

25. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

25. I reprimanded them and cursed them; I had some of them flogged and tore out their hair, and made them swear in the name of Yahweh, saying to them: "You shall not marry your daughters to the sons of those people, nor take any of their daughters as wife, neither you nor your sons.

26. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

26. Did Solomon, king of Israel, not sin in this? Among the many nations, there had not been a king like him. He was loved by God, and God made him king of all Israel. But foreign women also made him sin.

27. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

27. Will it also be said of you that you committed the same grave crime by rebelling against our God in marrying foreign women?"

28. And [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.

28. I also sent away from my side one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, who was the son-in-law of Sanballat, the Horonite.

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

29. Remember this people, my God, for they defiled the priesthood and your covenant with the priests and Levites.

30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

30. So I purified them from everything foreign. And I established regulations for the priests and the Levites, defining the tasks of everyone.

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

31. I also fixed the time for the wood offering and for the firstfruits. Remember me, my God, for my good!