Nehemiah 13

1On that day there was a reading from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and they saw that it said in the book that no Ammonite or Moabite might ever come into the meeting of God;

1On 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,

1On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation ofGod for ever;

2Because they did not give the children of Israel bread and water when they came to them, but got Balaam to put a curse on them: though the curse was turned into a blessing by our God.

2because 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.

2because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and with water, and had hired Balaam against them, to curse them; but ourGod turned the curse into blessing.

3So after hearing the law, they took out of Israel all the mixed people.

3And it cometh to pass, at their hearing the law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.

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

4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who had been placed over the rooms of the house of our God, being a friend of Tobiah,

4And before this Eliashib the priest, appointed over chambers of the house of our God, <FI>is<Fi> a relation of Tobiah,

4And before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of ourGod, a kinsman of Tobijah,

5Had made ready for him a great room, where at one time they kept the meal offerings, the perfume, and the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil which were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the door-keepers, and the lifted offerings for the priests.

5and 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.

5had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they laid the oblations, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine and the oil, which was commanded for the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers, and the heave-offerings of the priests.

6But all this time I was not at Jerusalem: for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, I went to the king; and after some days, I got the king to let me go,

6And 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,

6And during all that [time] I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two-and-thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king; and after some time I obtained leave of the king.

7And I came to Jerusalem; and it was clear to me what evil Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in making ready for him a room in the buildings of the house of God.

7and 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,

7And I came to Jerusalem, and observed the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobijah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house ofGod.

8And it was evil in my eyes: so I had all Tobiah's things put out of the room.

8and it is very displeasing to me, and I cast all the vessels of the house of Tobiah without, out of the chamber,

8And it grieved me much, and I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobijah out of the chamber.

9Then I gave orders, and they made the rooms clean: and I put back in them the vessels of the house of God, with the meal offerings and the perfume.

9and 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.

9And I commanded, and they purified the chambers; and thither brought I again the vessels of the house ofGod, the oblation and the frankincense.

10And I saw that the Levites had not been given what was needed for their support; so that the Levites and the music-makers, who did the work, had gone away, everyone to his field.

10And 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.

10And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.

11Then I made protests to the chiefs, and said, Why has the house of God been given up? And I got them together and put them in their places.

11And 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;

11Then I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is the house ofGod forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place.

12Then all Judah came with the tenth part of the grain and wine and oil and put it into the store-houses.

12and all Judah have brought in the tithe of the corn, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the treasuries.

12And all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil into the storehouses.

13And I made controllers over the store-houses, Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and with them was Hanan, the son of Zaccur the son of Mattaniah: they were taken to be true men and their business was the distribution of these things to their brothers.

13And I appoint treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and by their hand <FI>is<Fi> Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for stedfast they have been reckoned, and on them <FI>it is<Fi> to give a portion to their brethren.

13And I made storekeepers over the storehouses: Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and subordinate to them, Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were esteemed faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brethren.

14Keep me in mind, O my God, in connection with this, and do not let the good which I have done for the house of my God and its worship go from your memory completely.

14Be 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.

14Remember me, O myGod, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds which I have done for the house of myGod, and for the charges thereof!

15In those days, I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes on the Sabbath, and getting in grain and putting it on asses; as well as wine and grapes and figs and all sorts of goods which they took into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I gave witness against them on the day when they were marketing food.

15In 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.

15In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading them on asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens; and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested in the day on which they sold the victuals.

16And there were men of Tyre there, who came with fish and all sorts of goods, trading with the children of Judah and in Jerusalem on the Sabbath.

16And the Tyrians have dwelt in it, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.

16Men of Tyre also dwelt therein, who brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold it on the sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

17Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them, What is this evil which you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy?

17And I strive with the freemen of Judah, and say to them, `What <FI>is<Fi> this evil thing that ye are doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?

17And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning the sabbath day?

18Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? but you are causing more wrath to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy.

18Thus 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.'

18Did not your fathers thus, and did not ourGod bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? And ye will bring more wrath against Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19And so, when the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut and not to be open again till after the Sabbath: and I put some of my servants by the door so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day.

19And 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.

19And it came to pass, that when it began to be dark in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut; and I commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath. And I set [some] of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.

20So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice.

20And they lodge--the merchants and sellers of all ware--at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice,

20And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.

21Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath.

21and I testify against them, and say unto them, `Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye repeat <FI>it<Fi> , a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in on the sabbath.

21And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath.

22And I gave the Levites orders to make themselves clean and come and keep the doors and make the Sabbath holy. Keep this in mind to my credit, O my God, and have mercy on me, for great is your mercy.

22And 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.

22And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. Remember this also for me, myGod, and spare me according to thy great loving-kindness!

23And in those days I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab:

23Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews <FI>who<Fi> have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.

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

24And their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples.

24And of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish--and are not knowing to speak Jewish--and according to the language of people and people.

24And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

25And I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair; and I made them take an oath by God, saying, You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

25And 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.

25And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them byGod [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

26Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? among a number of nations there was no king like him, and he was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel: but even he was made to do evil by strange women.

26`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.

26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of hisGod, andGod made him king over all Israel; but even him did foreign wives cause to sin.

27Are we then without protest to let you do all this great evil, sinning against our God by taking strange women for your wives?

27And to you do we hearken to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?'

27And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to ourGod by marrying foreign wives?

28And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the chief priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: so I sent him away from me.

28And <FI>one<Fi> of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, <FI>is<Fi> son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.

28And [one] of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me.

29Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites.

29Be mindful of them, O my God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

29Remember them, myGod, for they are polluters of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!

30So I made them clean from all strange people, and had regular watches fixed for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;

30And I have cleansed them from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in his work,

30And I purified them from all foreigners, and appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service;

31And for the wood offering, at fixed times, and for the first fruits. Keep me in mind, O my God, for good.

31and for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.

31and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O myGod, for good!