13
1 On
that day they
read in the
book of Moses
in the hearing of
the people; and
it was found
written in it
that an Ammonite
and a Moabite
should not enter
into the assembly
of God forever,
2 because
they didn’t meet
the children of
Israel with bread
and with water,
but hired Balaam
against them to
curse them;
however, our God
turned the curse
into a blessing.
3 It
came to pass,
when they had
heard the law,
that they separated
all the mixed
multitude from
Israel.
4 Now
before this, Eliashib
the priest, who
was appointed over
the rooms of
the house of
our God, being
allied to Tobiah,
5 had
prepared for him
a great room,
where before they
laid the meal
offerings, the
frankincense, the
vessels, and the
tithes of the
grain, the new
wine, and the
oil, which were
given by
commandment to the
Levites, the
singers, and the
gatekeepers; and
the wave offerings
for the priests.
6 But
in all this,
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 asked
leave of the
king,
7 and
I came to
Jerusalem, and understood
the evil
that Eliashib had
done for Tobiah,
in preparing him
a room in
the courts of God’s
house.
8 It
grieved me
severely. Therefore I
threw all Tobiah’s
household stuff
out of the
room.
9 Then
I commanded, and
they cleansed the
rooms. I brought
into them the
vessels of God’s
house, with the
meal offerings and
the frankincense
again.
10 I
perceived that the
portions of the
Levites had not
been given them,
so that the
Levites and the
singers, who did
the work, had
each fled to
his field.
11 Then
I contended with
the rulers,
and said, “Why
is God’s house
forsaken?” I
gathered them
together, and set
them in their
place.
12 Then
all Judah brought
the tithe of
the grain, the
new wine, and
the oil to
the treasuries.
13 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 business was
to distribute to
their brothers.
14 Remember
me, my God,
concerning this,
and don’t wipe out
my good deeds
that I have
done for the
house of my God,
and for
its observances.
15 In
those days I
saw some men
treading wine
presses on the
Sabbath in Judah,
bringing in sheaves,
and loading
donkeys with wine,
grapes, figs, and
all kinds of
burdens which
they brought into
Jerusalem on the
Sabbath day; and
I testified
against them in
the day in
which they sold
food.
16 Some
men of Tyre
also lived there,
who brought in
fish and all
kinds of wares,
and sold on
the Sabbath to
the children of
Judah, and in
Jerusalem.
17 Then
I contended with
the nobles of
Judah, and said
to them, “What
evil thing is
this that you
do, and profane
the Sabbath day?
18 Didn’t
your fathers do
this, and didn’t
our God bring
all this evil
on us and
on this city?
Yet you bring
more wrath on
Israel by
profaning the
Sabbath.”
19 It
came to pass
that when the
gates of Jerusalem
began to be
dark before the
Sabbath, I commanded
that the doors
should be shut,
and commanded that
they should not
be opened until
after the Sabbath.
I set some
of my servants
over the gates,
so that no
burden should be
brought in on
the Sabbath day.
20 So the
merchants and
sellers of all
kinds of wares camped
outside of
Jerusalem once or
twice.
21 Then
I testified
against them,
and said to them,
“Why do you
stay around the
wall? If you
do so again,
I will lay
hands on you.”
From that time
on, they didn’t
come on the
Sabbath.
22 I
commanded the
Levites that they
should purify
themselves, and
that they should
come and keep
the gates, to
sanctify the
Sabbath day.
Remember me for
this also, my God,
and spare me
according to the
greatness of
your loving kindness.
23 In
those days I
also saw the
Jews who had
married women
of Ashdod, of
Ammon, and of
Moab;
24 and
their children
spoke half in
the speech
of Ashdod, and
could not speak
in the Jews’
language, but according
to the language
of each people.
25 I
contended with
them, cursed them,
struck certain of
them, plucked off
their hair, and
made them swear
by God, “You
shall not give
your daughters to
their sons, nor
take their
daughters for your
sons, or for
yourselves.
26 Didn’t
Solomon king of
Israel sin by
these things? Yet
among many nations
there was no
king like him,
and he was loved
by his God,
and God made
him king over
all Israel.
Nevertheless foreign women
caused even him
to sin.
27 Shall
we then listen
to you to
do all this
great evil, to
trespass against
our God in
marrying foreign
women?”
28 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.
29 Remember
them, my God,
because they have
defiled the
priesthood and the
covenant of the
priesthood and of
the Levites.
30 Thus I
cleansed them from
all foreigners and
appointed duties
for the priests
and for the
Levites, everyone
in his work;
31 and
for the wood
offering, at
appointed times,
and for the
first fruits.
Remember me,
my God, for good.