(KJV) Nehemiah 131
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⥃Foreigners Excluded
[1] On that day2 they read3 in the book of Moses in the audience4 of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite5 and the Moabite6 should not come into the congregation of God for ever; [2] Because7 they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam8 against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God9 turned the curse into a blessing. [3] Now it came to pass, when they10 had heard the law, that they11 separated from Israel all the mixed12 multitude.
⥃The Temple Cleansed
[4] [¶]And before this, Eliashib13 the priest, having the oversight of14 the chamber of the house of our God, [was] allied15 unto Tobiah: [5] And he had prepared for him a great16 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 the17 Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests. [6] But18 in all this [time] was19 not I at Jerusalem: for in the two20 and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days21 obtained I22 leave of the king: [7] And I came to Jerusalem, and understood23 of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing24 him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. [8] And it grieved25 me sore: therefore I cast26 forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. [9] Then I commanded, and they cleansed27 the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
⥃Tithes Restored [ Leviticus 27:30–34 † Deuteronomy 14:22–29 † Deuteronomy 26:1–15 ]
[10] And I perceived that the portions28 of the Levites had not been given [them]: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field29. [11] Then contended30 I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house31 of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place32. [12] Then brought33 all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries34. [13] And I made35 treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah36 the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah37: and next to them38 [was] Hanan the son of Zaccur39, the son of Mattaniah40: for they were counted41 faithful, and their office42 [was] to distribute43 unto their brethren. [14] Remember me44, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not45 out my good deeds46 that I have done for the house47 of my God, and for the offices48 thereof.
⥃The Sabbath Restored [ Jeremiah 17:19–27 ]
[15] In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine49 presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all [manner of] burdens50, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified51 [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals. [16] There dwelt men of Tyre52 also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. [17] Then I contended53 with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? [18] Did not your54 fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more55 wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. [19] And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be56 dark before the sabbath, I commanded57 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. [20] So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. [21] Then I testified58 against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall59? if ye do [so] again, I will lay60 hands on you. From that time forth came they no [more] on the sabbath. [22] And I commanded61 the Levites that they should cleanse62 themselves, and [that] they should come [and] keep the gates, to sanctify63 the sabbath day. Remember64 me, O my God, [concerning] this also, and spare me65 according to the greatness66 of thy mercy.
⥃Intermarriage Forbidden [ Ezra 9:1–4 ]
[23] In those days also saw I Jews [that] had married67 wives of Ashdod68, of Ammon69, [and] of Moab: [24] And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak70 in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people71. [25] And I contended72 with them, and cursed73 them, and smote74 certain of them, and plucked75 off their hair, and made them76 swear by God, [saying], Ye shall not77 give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. [26] Did not Solomon78 king of Israel sin by these things? yet among79 many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved80 of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. [27] Shall we then81 hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress82 against our God in marrying strange wives? [28] And [one83] of the sons of Joiada84, the son of Eliashib85 the high priest, [was] son in law86 to Sanballat87 the Horonite: therefore I chased88 him from me. [29] Remember89 them, O my God, because they have defiled90 the priesthood, and the covenant91 of the priesthood, and of the Levites. [30] Thus cleansed92 I them from all strangers, and appointed93 the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; [31] And for the wood94 offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember95 me, O my God, for good.
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Neh 13:1, Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude; Neh 13:4, Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed; Neh 13:10, He reforms the offices in the house of God; Neh 13:15, the violation of the sabbath; Neh 13:23, and the marriages with the strange wives. ↩
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Some suppose that the events recorded in these verses took place several years after those related in the preceding chapter, while Nehemiah was absent at the Persian court; but the introductory language, on that day, seems rather to imply that they occurred immediately, or at least about that time. ↩
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Heb. there was read, Neh 8:3-8, Neh 9:3; Deut 31:11-12; 2Kgs 23:2; Isa 34:16; Luke 4:16-19, Luke 10:26; Acts 13:15, Acts 15:21 ↩
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Heb. ears ↩
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Neh 13:23; Deut 23:3-5; Isa. 15:1-16:14; Jer 48:1-47; Ezek 25:1-11; Amos 2:1-3 ↩
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Neh 2:10, Neh 2:19, Neh 4:3; Ps 83:7-9; Jer 49:1-6; Amos 1:13-15 ↩
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Num 23:8-11, Num 23:18, Num 24:5-10; Deut 23:5; Ps 109:28; Mic 6:5 ↩
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Heb. the commandment of the, Num 18:21-24 ↩
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Nehemiah came to Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, and remained there till the thirty-second, being twelve years; then returned to Babylon; and probably, after about a year, got leave to revisit his brethren, and found matters as here stated. ↩
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or, I earnestly requested ↩
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Neh 13:1, Neh 13:5; Lam 1:10; Matt 21:12-13; Acts 21:28-29 ↩
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Heb. standing ↩
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Neh 10:37-39, Neh 12:44; Lev 27:30; Num 18:20-26; Deut 14:22 ↩
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Heb. at their hand ↩
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Neh 7:2; 2Kgs 12:15, 2Kgs 22:7; Luke 12:42, Luke 16:10-12; Acts 6:3; 1Cor 4:2; 1Tim 1:12; 1Tim 3:10 ↩
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Heb. it was upon them ↩
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Neh 13:22, Neh 13:31, Neh 5:19; Ps 122:6-9; Heb 6:10; Rev 3:5 ↩
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If thou wert strict to mark what is done amiss, even my good deeds must be wiped out. But, Lord, remember me in thy mercy, and let my upright conduct be acceptable to Thee! By some, Nehemiah has been thought to deal too much with God on the principle of merit. That he wished God to remember him for good is sufficiently evident, and who does not wish the same? But that he expected heaven for his good deeds does not appear; for it is perfectly clear that he expected nothing from God but through the greatness of his mercy. Neh 13:22 ↩
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Heb. kindnesses ↩
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1Chr 29:3; 2Chr 24:16, 2Chr 31:20-21; Ezra 7:20, Ezra 7:24, Ezra 7:27; Ps 122:6-9 ↩
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or, observations ↩
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Exod 20:8-11, Exod 34:21, Exod 35:2; Isa 58:13; Ezek 20:13 ↩
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Neh 10:31; Num 15:32-36; Jer 17:21-22, Jer 17:24, Jer 17:27 ↩
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Neh 13:21, Neh 9:29; Deut 8:19; 2Chr 24:19; Ps 50:7; Jer 42:19; Mic 6:3; Acts 2:40; Acts 20:21; Gal 5:3; Eph 4:17; 1Thess 4:6; Rev 22:18-19 ↩
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Neh 13:11, Neh 13:25, Neh 5:7; Ps 82:1-2; Prov 28:4; Isa 1:10; Jer 5:5, Jer 13:18, Jer 22:2-23; Mic 3:1, Mic 3:9 ↩
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Ezra 9:13-15; Jer 17:21-23, Jer 17:27, Jer 44:9, Jer 44:22; Ezek 23:8, Ezek 23:26; Zech 1:4-6 ↩
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Heb. before the wall ↩
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Neh 7:64-65, Neh 12:30; 2Kgs 23:4; 1Chr 15:12-14; 2Chr 29:4-5, 2Chr 29:24, 2Chr 29:27, 2Chr 29:30; Isa 49:23 ↩
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Neh 13:14, Neh 13:31, Neh 5:19; Ps 132:1-5; Isa 38:3; 2Cor 1:12; 2Tim 4:7-8 ↩
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Heb. made to dwell with them, Neh 10:30; Ezra 9:2, Ezra 9:11-12, Ezra 10:10, Ezra 10:44; 2Cor 6:14 ↩
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Heb. they discerned not to speak ↩
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or, reviled, Neh 5:13; Deut 27:14-26; Ps 15:4; Luke 11:45-46 ↩
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Josephus relates, that this young man was named Manasseh; and that at his request, Sanballat and the Samaritans built their temple upon mount Gerizim, in opposition to that at Jerusalem, at which he officiated, in some measure, according to the Mosaic ritual. ↩
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Heb. for the defilings of, Lev 21:1-7 ↩
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Num 16:9-10, Num 25:12-13; 1Sam 2:30; Mal 2:4-8, Mal 2:10-12 ↩
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Neh 12:1-26; 1Chr. 23:1-26:32 ↩
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Neh 13:14, Neh 13:22; Ps 25:7, Ps 26:8-9, Ps 106:4; Luke 23:42 ↩