Nehemiah 13

1 In that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not enter into the congregation of God for ever;

On that day there was read in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it hath been found written in it that an Ammonite and Moabite doth not come into the assembly of God — unto the age,

2 because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.

because they have not come before the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and hire against them Balaam to revile them, and our God turneth the reviling into a blessing.

3 And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they were separated, [even] every alien in Israel.

And it cometh to pass, at their hearing the law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.

4 And before this time Eliasib the priest dwelt in the treasury of the house of our God, connected with Tobias;

And before this Eliashib the priest, appointed over chambers of the house of our God, [is] a relation of Tobiah,

5 and he made himself a great treasury, and there they were formerly in the habit of bestowing the offerings, and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil, the ordered portion of the Levites, and singers, and porters; and the first-fruits of the priests.

and he maketh for him a great chamber, and there they were formerly putting the present, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, the new wine, and the oil — the commanded thing of the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers — and the heave-offering of the priests.

6 But in all this [time] I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after a certain time I made my request of the king;

And during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon did I come unto the king, and at the end of days I have asked of the king,

7 and I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the mischief which Eliasib had done in the case of Tobias, in making for him a treasury in the court of the house of God.

and I come in to Jerusalem, and understand concerning the evil that Eliashib hath done for Tobiah, to make to him a chamber in the courts of the house of God,

8 And it appeared very evil to me: so I cast forth all the furniture of the house of Tobias from the treasury.

and it is very displeasing to me, and I cast all the vessels of the house of Tobiah without, out of the chamber,

9 And I gave orders, and they purified the treasuries: and I restored thither the vessels of the house of God, [and] the offerings, and the frankincense.

and I speak, and they cleanse the chambers, and I bring back thither the vessels of the house of God with the present and the frankincense.

10 And I understood that the portion of the Levites had not been given: and they had fled every one to his field, the Levites and the singers doing the work.

And I know that the portions of the Levites have not been given, and they flee each to his field — the Levites and the singers, doing the work.

11 And I strove with the commanders, and said, Wherefore has the house of God been abandoned? and I assembled them, and set them in their place.

And I strive with the prefects, and say, 'Wherefore hath the house of God been forsaken?' and I gather them, and set them on their station;

12 And all Juda brought a tithe of the wheat and the wine and the oil into the treasuries,

and all Judah have brought in the tithe of the corn, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the treasuries.

13 to the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and Phadaea of the Levites: and next to them [was] Anan the son of Zacchur, son of Matthanias; for they were accounted faithful: [it was] their office to distribute to their brethren.

And I appoint treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and by their hand [is] Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for stedfast they have been reckoned, and on them [it is] to give a portion to their brethren.

14 Remember me, O God, in this, and let not my kindness be forgotten which I have wrought in [regard to] the house of the Lord God.

Be mindful of me, O my God, for this, and do not blot out my kind acts that I have done, for the house of my God, and for its charges.

15 In those days I saw in Juda [men] treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and loading asses with both wine, and grapes, and figs, and every [kind of] burden, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day:

In those days I have seen in Judah those treading wine-vats on sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and lading on the asses, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, yea, they are bringing in to Jerusalem on the sabbath-day, and I testify in the day of their selling provision.

16 and I testified in the day of their sale. Also their dwelt in it [men] bringing fish, and selling every [kind of] merchandise to the children of Juda and in Jerusalem on the sabbath.

And the Tyrians have dwelt in it, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.

17 And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What [is] this evil thing which ye do, and profane the sabbath-day?

And I strive with the freemen of Judah, and say to them, 'What [is] this evil thing that ye are doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?

18 Did not your fathers thus, and our God brought upon them and upon us and upon this city all these evils? and do ye bring additional wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath?

Thus did not your fathers do? and our God bringeth in on us all this evil, and on this city, and ye are adding fierceness on Israel, to pollute the sabbath.'

19 And it came to pass, when the gates were set up in Jerusalem, before the sabbath, that I spoke, and they shut the gates; and I gave orders that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set [some] of my servants at the gates, that none should bring [in] burdens on the sabbath-day.

And it cometh to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the sabbath, that I speak, and the doors are shut, and I say, that they do not open them till after the sabbath; and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there doth not come in a burden on the sabbath-day.

20 So all [the merchants] lodged, and carried on traffic without Jerusalem once or twice.

And they lodge — the merchants and sellers of all ware — at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye lodge in front of the wall? if ye do so again, I will stretch out my hand upon you. From that time they came not on the sabbath.

and I testify against them, and say unto them, 'Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye repeat [it], a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in on the sabbath.

22 and I told the Levites who were purifying themselves, and came and kept the gates, that they should sanctify the sabbath-day. Remember me, O God, for these things, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy.

And I say to the Levites, that they be cleansed, and, coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the sabbath-day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Thy kindness.

23 And in those days I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:

Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews [who] have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.

24 and their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and did not know how to speak in the Jewish language.

And of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish — and are not knowing to speak Jewish — and according to the language of people and people.

25 And I strove with them and cursed them; and I smote some of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying, ]Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, and ye shall not take of their daughters to your sons.

And I strive with them, and declare them vile, and smite certain of them, and pluck off their hair, and cause them to swear by God, 'Ye do not give your daughters to their sons, nor do ye take of their daughters to your sons, and to yourselves.

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin thus? though there was no king like him among many nations, and he was beloved of God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet strange women turned him aside.

'By these did not Solomon king of Israel sin? and among the many nations there was no king like him, and beloved by his God he was, and God maketh him king over all Israel — even him did the strange women cause to sin.

27 So we will not hearken to you to do all this evil, to break covenant with our God, —to marry strange wives.

And to you do we hearken to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?'

28 and Elisub the high priest, [one] of the sons of Joada, [being] son-in-law of Sanaballat the Uranite, I chased him away from me.

And [one] of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, [is] son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.

29 Remember them, O God, for their [false] connection with the priesthood, and [the breaking] the covenant of the priesthood, and [for defiling] the Levites.

Be mindful of them, O my God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 So I purged them from all foreign connection, and established courses for the priests and the Levites, [every] man according to his work.

And I have cleansed them from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in his work,

31 And the offering of the wood-bearers [was] at certain set times, and in the [times of the] first-fruits. Remember me, O our God, for good.

and for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.