Nehemiah 13
1ON reading that day in the book of Moses in the audience of the people, it was found written therein, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not enter into the congregation of God forever;
2because they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water; but hired Balaam against them to curse them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3And when they heard the law, they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
4Now before this, Eliasib the priest, made his dwelling in a storehouse of the house of our God. Having an affinity with Tobias,
5he had fitted up for himself a large storehouse in which they formerly stored up the sacrifice and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine and the oil, the allotment of the Levites and the musicians, and the keepers of the gates, and the oblations which belonged to the priest.
6But during all that time I was not at Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha, [Persian] king of Babylon, I went to the king. And at the end of the year, having obtained the king’s leave,
7I came to Jerusalem. When I was informed of the wickedness which Eliasib had committed for the sake of Tobias, in fitting up for him a treasure-house in the court of the house of God,
8it grieved me exceedingly; therefore I threw all the furniture of Tobias out of the treasure-house.
9And when by my orders they had purified the rooms, I caused to be brought there again the utensils of the house of God, and the sacrifice and the incense.
10And when I understood that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; and that the Levites and the musicians who were employed in the service had fled, every man to his field,
11I quarrelled with the officers and said, Why is the house of God forsaken?
12Then I brought them together and set them in their station; and all Juda brought in the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil into the treasuries,
13under the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadok the scribe, and Phadaia, one of the Levites (who had for assistants Anan, son of Zakchur, son of Mathanias) because they were accounted faithful. And it was their business to make distribution among their brethren.
14Remember me, O God, for this; and let not the observance I have paid to the house of the Lord God be blotted out.
15In those days I saw in Juda some treading wine-presses on the sabbath day, and some carrying sheaves, and loading their asses with wine and grapes and figs, and all kinds of burdens, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the sabbath day. Whereupon I testified against them, touching the day of their selling.
16Some also dwelt there who brought fish, and sold all sorts of wares on the sabbath, to the children of Juda, even in Jerusalem.
17Upon this I chided the freemen of Juda, and said to them, What evil is this which you do in profaning the sabbath?
18Did not your fathers do so, and did not our God bring upon them and upon us, and upon this city, all these evils? And are you bringing more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath?
19And when the gates of Jerusalem were set up, I ordered them to be shut before the sabbath, and gave a charge that they should not be opened till after the sabbath; and I stationed some of my servants at the gates that no burdens might be brought in on the sabbath day.
20Upon this they all lodged and carried on their traffic without Jerusalem; once or twice.
21Then I testified against them and said to them, Why do you lodge before the walls? If you do so any more I will lay hands on you. From that time they did not come on the sabbath.
22Then I ordered the Levites who were sanctified and come to guard the gates, to keep holy the sabbath day. For these things remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to thy abundant mercy.
23In those days also I saw the Jews who had married wives of Azotus, of Ammon, and of Moab;
24and their children spoke half in the dialect of Azotus, and did not know how to speak the Jewish language;
25and I quarrelled with them, and reproached them, and smote some men among them, and caused some of them to be shaved, and adjured them by God, saying, You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take any of their daughters for your sons.
26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by doing so? Though among many nations there was not a king like him? Though he was beloved by God, and God had made him king over all Israel, yet strange women led him astray.
27Let us not therefore hear of your committing all this iniquity, breaking covenant with our God, and marrying strange women.
28And one of the sons of Joada, the son of Elisub the high priest, being the son-in-law of Sauabalfat the Ouranite, I drove him from me.
29Put them in mind, O God, of their near relation to the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood.
30As for the Levites I purified them from all connexion with strangers, and appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites, every man according to his business, and the offering of the wood-carriers at stated periods, and at the festivals. Remember me, O God, for good.