Nehemiah

Nehemiah 13 ©

1 Upon reading the law Israel is separated from the mixed multitude. 4 Eliashib having in Nehemiah's absence prepared a chamber in the temple for Tobiah, Nehemiah on his return is offended, and causeth the chambers to be cleansed. 10 He reformeth certain abuses concerning tithes, 15 the violation of the sabbath, 23 and the marriages with foreign wives.

1

ON that day 1they read in the book of Moses in the 2audience of the people; and therein was found written, athat the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

a De. 23.3-5. ch. 2.10.
2

Because they bmet not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but chired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God dturned the curse into a blessing.

b Mat. 5.42,43.
c Nu. 22.5. Jos. 24.9. De. 23.4. Mi. 6.5. 2Pe. 2.15. Jude 11. Re. 2.14.
d Nu. 23; 24. Ge. 32.6; 33.4; 50.20. Phi. 1.12. Ps. 109.28.
3

Now it came to pass, when they ehad heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the fmixed multitude.

e Ps. 19.7-11; 119.9,11. Pr. 6.23.
f ch. 9.2. Ezr. 10. Ex. 12.38.
4

¶And before this, gEliashib the priest, 3having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto hTobiah:

g ch. 3.1,20; 12.10. v.7,28.
h ch. 2.10,19; 6.18. v.7,28.
5

And he had prepared for him ia great chamber, jwhere *aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the *frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, 4which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

i ch. 10.38,39; 12.41.
j ch. 12.44.
6

But in all this time kwas not I at Jerusalem: for lin the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes mking of Babylon came I unto the king, and 5after certain days 6obtained I leave of the king:

k Ex. 32.1. 2Ch. 24.17. Mat. 13.25.
l ch. 2.6; 5.11,14.
m Ezr. 6.22.
7

And I came to Jerusalem, and nunderstood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the ocourts of the house of God.

n 1Co. 1.11. v.1,5.
o 1Ki. 6.36. Ps. 84.10. v.4,5,8,9.
8

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

p Ps. 69.9. Jn. 2.13-17. Mat. 21.12,13.
9

Then I commanded, and they qcleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the *frankincense.

q 2Ch. 29.15,16,18. ch. 12.30,41. v.5.
10

¶And I perceived that rthe portions of the Levites had not been given them : for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one sto his field.

r Mal. 3.8. ch. 10.37. 1Ti. 5.17,18. 2Ch. 31.4.
s Nu. 35.2. Jos. 21. ch. 12.28,29.
11

Then tcontended I with the rulers, and said, uWhy is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their 7place.

t v.17,25. ch. 5.7. Ga. 2.14.
u ch. 10.39. Mal. 3.8-11.
12

Then vbrought all Judah wthe tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the 8treasuries.

v ch. 12.41,47. Le. 27.30. De. 14.22. Nu. 18.24-30.
w ch. 10.38; 12.44.
13

And xI made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and 9next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted yfaithful, and 10their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

x 2Ch. 31.12,13.
y ch. 7.2. 1Co. 4.2.
14

zRemember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my 11good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the 12offices thereof.

z ch. 5.19. v.22,31. He. 6.10. 1Co. 15.38. Re. 3.5.
15

¶In those days saw I in Judah asome treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all *manner of burdens, bwhich they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold *victuals.

a Ex. 20.8-10. Je. 17.21,22,24. Is. 58.13.
b ch. 10.31.
16

There dwelt cmen 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.

c Jos. 19.29. Am. 1.9. Eze. 27.3. 1Ki. 5.1.
17

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

d v.11,25. ch. 5.7. 1Ti. 5.20,22. Ga. 2.14. Jude 3.
18

eDid not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye 13bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

e Je. 17.21-23,27. Eze. 22.8,26. 2Ch. 36.21. Zec. 1.4,5.
19

And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, fI 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.

f Le. 23.32. Ex. 20.10. Je. 17.20-27.
20

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

21

Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye 14about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

22

And I gcommanded the Levites hthat they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. iRemember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the 15greatness of thy mercy.

g Ro. 13.1-4. Is. 49.23.
h ch. 12.30. 1Ch. 15.12. 2Ch. 29.5,34.
i ch. 5.19. v.14,31. Is. 38.3. Ps. 132.1-5; 130.3-8.
23

¶In those days also saw I Jews that 16had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

24

And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and 17could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language 18of each people.

25

And I contended with them, jand 19cursed them, and ksmote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them lswear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

j ch. 5.13; 10.29,30.
k De. 25.2. Is. 50.6.
l De. 6.13; 7.3. ch. 10.29,30. Ex. 34.16. Ge. 6.2. Ezr. 10.5.
26

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet mamong many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nnevertheless even him did *outlandish women cause to sin.

m 1Ki. 3.13. 2Sa. 12.24,25.
n 1Ki. 11.1-8. Ec. 7.26.
27

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

o Ge. 6.2; 27.46. Ex. 34.16. De. 7.3. Ezr. 9; 10.
p Ezr. 10.2.
28

And one of the sons of qJoiada, the son of rEliashib the high priest, was son in law to sSanballat the Horonite: therefore I tchased him from me.

q ch. 12.10,11,22; 2.19. v.4,5.
r ch. 3.1.
s ch. 2.10.
t v.25. Ro. 13.1-4.
29

uRemember them, O my God, 20because they have vdefiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

u ch. 6.14. 2Ti. 4.14.
v Mal. 2.4,8,12. 1Sa. 2.30. Le. 8.35; 21.1-7.
30

Thus wcleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the xwards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

w ch. 10.30.
x 1Ch. 24-26. ch. 12.2-26.
31

And for the ywood offering, zat times appointed, and for the firstfruits. aRemember me, O my God, for good.

a ch. 5.19. v.14,22. Ps. 106.4; 132.1; 119.132.
y ch. 10.34.
z Ezr. 10.14.