Nehemiah 13

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;

1That day the Book of Moses was read out loud to the people. In it they found a rule. No Ammonite or Moabite could ever join God's gathered people.

2Because 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.

2This was because those nations did not bring food and water to Israel. Instead they paid a man named Balaam to curse Israel. But God turned that curse into a blessing.

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

3As soon as the people heard this law, they sent away everyone who came from other nations.

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

4Before this, a priest named Eliashib was put in charge of the storerooms at God's house. He was a relative of Tobiah.

5And 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.

5He had made a big room ready for Tobiah to use. That room used to hold grain gifts, sweet-smelling incense, and bowls from God's house. It also held a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil that people gave. Those gifts were meant for the Levites, who helped at God's house, and for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the priests.

Note"Meat offerings" in the old wording does not mean meat. These were gifts of grain. Also, a "tithe" means one tenth of what a farmer grew.

6But 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:

6While all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem. I had gone back to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in his thirty-second year as king. Some time later I asked the king to let me leave.

7And 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.

7So I came back to Jerusalem. Then I learned the wrong thing Eliashib had done for Tobiah. He had given him a room in the yards of God's house.

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

8This upset me very much. So I threw all of Tobiah's things out of that room.

9Then 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.

9Then I gave orders to clean the rooms. I brought back the bowls of God's house, the grain gifts, and the incense.

10And 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.

10I also learned that the Levites had not been given their share of food. So the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to their own fields.

11Then 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.

11So I spoke sharply to the leaders. I asked, "Why has God's house been left alone?" Then I gathered the workers and put them back at their places.

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

12After that, all Judah brought a tenth of their grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms.

13And 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.

13I put men in charge of the storerooms. They were Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the writer, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, helped them. I chose these men because people trusted them. Their job was to hand out the supplies to their fellow workers.

14Remember 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.

14Remember me for this, my God. Do not forget the loving things I did for your house and its work.

15In 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.

15In those days I saw people in Judah working on the Sabbath, the weekly day of rest. They squeezed grapes for wine and carried in grain. They loaded donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads. They brought it all into Jerusalem on the rest day. So I warned them not to sell food on that day.

16There 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.

16Men from the city of Tyre lived there too. They brought in fish and all kinds of goods. They sold them in Jerusalem to the people of Judah on the Sabbath.

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

17Then I spoke sharply to the leaders of Judah. I asked them, "Why are you doing this wrong thing? You are treating the holy rest day like any other day."

18Did 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"Your fathers did the very same thing. That is why God brought all this trouble on us and on this city. Now you are making God angry again by spoiling the Sabbath."

19And 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.

19When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I gave an order. The gates were shut and stayed shut until the Sabbath was over. I posted some of my servants at the gates. That way no loads could come in on the rest day.

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

20Once or twice the traders and sellers camped outside the city wall.

21Then 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.

21So I warned them. I said, "Why are you camping by the wall? If you do it again, I will use force to stop you." After that they did not come on the Sabbath.

Note"I will lay hands on you" means Nehemiah would grab them and make them leave.

22And 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.

22Then I told the Levites to make themselves clean. They were to guard the gates and keep the Sabbath holy. Remember me for this too, my God. Be kind to me, because your love is so great.

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

23In those days I also saw Jewish men who had married women from other places. The women came from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

24And 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.

24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of another people. They could not speak the language of Judah at all.

25And 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.

25I spoke sharply to those men and called down curses on them. I hit some of them and pulled out their hair. Then I made them promise before God. I said, "Do not let your daughters marry their sons. Do not take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves."

26Did 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"King Solomon of Israel sinned in just this way. No king among the nations was like him. God loved him and made him king over all Israel. Even so, women from other lands led him into sin."

Note"Outlandish women" in the old wording simply means women from other lands.

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

27"Should we listen to you and let this great evil happen? By marrying foreign women you are turning away from our God."

28And 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.

28One of the sons of Joiada had married the daughter of Sanballat from Horon. Joiada was the son of Eliashib, the high priest, the chief priest of all. So I drove that man away from me.

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

29Remember them, my God. They have spoiled the holy work of the priests. They have broken the promise God made with the priests and the Levites.

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

30So I made the priests and Levites clean from every foreign thing. I gave each one his own job to do.

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

31I also set the right times for people to bring wood for the altar fire. I set times for the first crops of the harvest too. Remember me, my God, and be good to me.