Nehemiah 13

Eliashib's Compromise Nehemiah 13:4–9

⁴Verse 4. Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah, ⁵Verse 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. ⁶Verse 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,

⁷Verse 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. ⁸Verse 8. It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room. ⁹Verse 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.

Restoration of Levite Provisions Nehemiah 13:10–14

¹⁰Verse 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. ¹¹Verse 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. ¹²Verse 12. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries. ¹³Verse 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.

¹⁴Verse 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.

Sabbath Violations Addressed Nehemiah 13:15–22

¹⁵Verse 15. In those days saw I in Judah some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; also 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. ¹⁶Verse 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. ¹⁷Verse 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?

¹⁸Verse 18. Didn’t your fathers do thus, 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.” ¹⁹Verse 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. ²⁰Verse 20. So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

²¹Verse 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. ²²Verse 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 to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.

Intermarriage Concerns Nehemiah 13:23–29

²³Verse 23. In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab; ²⁴Verse 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. ²⁵Verse 25. I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and 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. ²⁶Verse 26. Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

²⁷Verse 27. Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?” ²⁸Verse 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. ²⁹Verse 29. Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

Final Cleansing and Remembrance Nehemiah 13:30–31

³⁰Verse 30. Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; ³¹Verse 31. and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.