Nehemiah 13
13
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever, 2because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah, 5had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests. 6But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and 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 God’s house. 8It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room. 9Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.
10 I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field. 11Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, 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 the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.
14 Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.
15 In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, 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. 16Some men of Tyre also lived there, 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 do, and profane 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.”
19 It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should 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 do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath. 22I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
23 In 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 the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. 25I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. 26Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet amongst 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 caused even him to sin. 27Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
28 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. 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 duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; 31and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
Currently Selected:
Nehemiah 13: WMBBE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN. "World Messianic Bible" is a trademark.
Nehemiah 13
13
Foreign People Are Sent Away
1On that day they read the Book of Moses to the people. They found that it said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed in the meeting to worship. 2The Ammonites and Moabites had not welcomed the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam to put a curse on Israel. (But our God turned the curse into a blessing.) 3The people heard this teaching. So they separated all foreigners from Israel.
Nehemiah Returns to Jerusalem
4Before that happened, Eliashib the priest was in charge of the Temple storerooms. He was friendly with Tobiah. 5Eliashib let Tobiah use one of the large storerooms. That storeroom had been used for grain offerings, incense and other things for the Temple. It was also used for the tenth offerings of grain, new wine and olive oil. These belonged to the Levites, singers and gatekeepers. It had also been used for gifts for the priests.
6I was not in Jerusalem when this happened. I had gone back to Artaxerxes king of Babylon. I went back in the thirty-second year he was king. Finally I asked the king to let me leave. 7I came to Jerusalem. Then I found out the evil thing Eliashib had done. He had let Tobiah have a room in the Temple courtyard. 8I was very upset at this. I threw all of Tobiah’s goods out of the room. 9I ordered the rooms to be purified. And I brought back the things for God’s Temple, the grain offerings and the incense.
10Then I found out the people were not giving the Levites their shares. So the Levites and singers who served had gone to their own farms. 11So I argued with the officers. I said, “Why haven’t you taken care of the Temple?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers. I put them back at their places.
12Then all the people of Judah brought a tenth of what they had gained in grain, new wine and olive oil. And they brought it to the storerooms. 13I put these men in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the teacher and Pedaiah a Levite. I made Hanan son of Zaccur their helper. (Zaccur was the son of Mattaniah.) Everyone knew they were honest men. They gave out the portions that went to their relatives.
14Remember me, my God, for this. Do not ignore my love for the Temple and its service.
15In those days I saw people in Judah working in the winepresses on the Sabbath day. People were bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys on the Sabbath day. People were bringing loads of wine, grapes and figs into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I warned them about selling food on that day. 16Men from the city of Tyre were living in Jerusalem. They brought in fish and other things. They sold them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath day to the people of Judah. 17I argued with the important men of Judah. I said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing? You are ruining the Sabbath day. 18This is just what your ancestors did. So our God did terrible things to us and this city. Now you are making him even more angry at Israel. You are ruining the Sabbath day.”
19So I ordered the doors shut at sunset before the Sabbath. The gates were not to be opened until the Sabbath was over. I put my servants at the gates. So no load could come in on the Sabbath. 20Once or twice traders and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21So I warned them. I said, “Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do it again, I will force you away.” After that, they did not come back on the Sabbath. 22Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves. I told them to go and guard the city gates. They were to make sure the Sabbath remained holy.
Remember me, my God, for this. Have mercy on me because of your great love.
23In those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24Half their children were speaking the language of Ashdod or some other place. They couldn’t speak the language of Judah. 25I argued with those people. I put curses on them. I hit some of them and pulled out their hair. I forced them to make a promise to God. I said, “Do not let your daughters marry the sons of foreigners. Do not take the daughters of foreigners as wives for your sons or yourselves. 26Foreign women made King Solomon of Israel sin. There was never a king like him in any of the nations. God loved Solomon. God made him king over all Israel. But foreign women made Solomon sin. 27And now you are not obedient when you do this evil thing. You are unfaithful to our God when you marry foreign wives.”
28Joiada was the son of Eliashib the high priest. One of Joiada’s sons married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, who was not a Jew. So I forced Joiada’s son away from me.
29Remember them, my God. They made the priesthood unclean. They made the agreement of the priests and Levites unclean.
30So I purified them of everything that was foreign. I appointed duties for the priests and Levites. Each man had his own job. 31I also made sure wood was brought for the altar at regular times. And I made sure the first fruits were brought.
Remember, my God, to be kind to me.
Nehemiah 1
Nehemiah 3
Nehemiah 8
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.