NEHEMIAH
Nehemiah Chapter
13
1
¶ On that day they read in the book of Moses while the people were listening;
and in it was found written, that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into
the congregation of God;
2
Because they did not meet the children of
3
Now when they had heard the law, they separated from
4
Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who had been put in charge of the rooms
of the house of our God, was related to Tobiah:
5
And he had prepared for him a large room, where they had previously placed the
food offerings, incense, utensils, and the tithes of grain, the new wine, and
the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the
singers, and the gatekeepers; and the offerings to the priests.
6
But during all this time I was not at
7
And I came to
8
And I was very unhappy: so I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the
room.
9
Then they cleansed the rooms as I directed: and brought the vessels of the
house of God back there, with the food offering and the incense.
10
¶ Then I learned that the Levites’ portions had not been given to them:
for each of the Levites and singers, who did the work, had fled to his field.
11
Then I contended with the officials, and said, Why is the house of God
neglected? And I gathered them together, and set them in their stations.
12
Then all of
13
And I set treasurers over the storerooms, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the
scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and assisting them was Hanan the
son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their
task was to distribute to their brethren.
14
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out the devout things
that I have done for the house of my God, and for its service.
15
¶ In those days I saw some in Judah treading wine presses on the
sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; and also wine, grapes,
and figs, and all sort of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on
the sabbath day: and I protested to them at that time about selling
food.
16
People from
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Then I contended with the nobles of
18
Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God bring all this evil upon
us, and upon this city? yet you bring more wrath upon
19
So before the sabbath, when it began to get dark at the gates of
20
So the merchants and sellers of all kind of goods lodged outside
21
Then I reproved them, and said, Why are you staying outside the wall? if you do
it again, I will arrest you. From that time forth they no longer came on
the sabbath.
22
And I commanded the Levites to cleanse themselves, and come and guard
the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning
this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy.
23
¶ In those days also I saw Jews who had married wives from
24
And their children spoke half in the speech of
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And I rebuked them, cursed them, and beat some of them, and pulled out their
hair, and made them swear by God, saying, You shall not give your
daughters to their sons in marriage, or take their daughters as wives
for your sons, or for yourselves.
26
Did not Solomon the king of
27
Must we hear the same about you doing this great evil, being disloyal to our
God by marrying foreign wives?
28
And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was
the son in law of Sanballat the Horonite: so I chased him away from me.
29
Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the
covenant of the priests, and Levites.
30
So I cleansed them from everything foreign, and set up the duties of the
priests and the Levites, each one in the work he should do;
31
And I provided for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the
first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.