Nehemiah 13

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1 In that day they read from the book of Moses in the ears of the people, and found written that the Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of God for ever,
2 because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, and hired Balaam against them, to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 After hearing the law, they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, set over the rooms of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah,
5 I trimmed for him a large room, in which the first laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the grain, of the law for the Levites, wine, and oil, singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings of the priests.
6 When all this [happened], I was not in Jerusalem, because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king, and after a few days [again] earnestly asked leave of the king.
7 When I came to Jerusalem and learned about lean practice, that Eliashib had done, finished for Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God,
8 Then I was very uncomfortable, and I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room
9 and he is said to have cleared the room and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers, that did [his] work, had fled each to his field.
eleven I made [for it] rulers, and said, Why is the house of God? And I gathered them together and set them in their place.
12 And all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses.
13 And put me to the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and with them was Hanan, son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were counted faithful. And they [the responsibility] to distribute unto their brethren.
14 Remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and to serve under him!

15 In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of cargo, and transported to the Sabbath in Jerusalem. And I warned [them] in the day when they sold food.
16 And they of Tyre lived in [Judea], which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath to the Jews and in Jerusalem.
17 And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, Why do you do such evil and profane the sabbath day?
18 Was it not your fathers thus, and our God brought on us and on this city all this evil? And you bring more wrath [him] upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.
19 After this, when the dusk the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors shut and that they should not be opened up [in the morning] 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.
20 And slept merchants and sellers of all goods outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
21 But I warned them and said to them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you. Since that time, they did not come on Saturday.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they cleared and come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. And for this remember me, O my God, and spare me according to thy great mercy!

23 In those days also I saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and Moab;
24 and because their sons half speak Ashdod or the language of other people, and could not speak in the Jews.
25 I made for it and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God that they did not give their daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
26 Not because of them there, [I said] sinned Solomon king of Israel? In many nations was there no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; and yet did outlandish women cause to sin.
27 Shall we then hear about you that you do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28 And of the sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite. I chased him from me.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!
thirty Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31 And for the wood at times appointed, and the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for the sake of [me]!

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