Nehemiah 13

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 At that time they were reading to the people from the Book of Moses, when they found this written in it,'No Ammonite or Moabite is to be admitted to the assembly of God, and this is for al time,	1 At that time, when there was reading from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people, it was found written there that "no Ammonite or Moabite may ever be admitted into the assembly of God;
2 since they did not come to meet the Israelites with bread and water, and even hired Balaam to opposethem by cursing them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing.'	2 for they would not succor the Israelites with food and water, but they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing."
3 Having heard the Law, they excluded al foreigners from Israel.	3 When they had heard the law, they separated from Israel every foreign element.
4 Earlier, Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the rooms of the Temple of our God, and who wasclose to Tobiah,	4 Before this, the priest Eliashib, who had been placed in charge of the chambers of the house of our God and who was an associate of Tobiah,
5 had provided him with a large room where they previously used to store the meal offerings, incense,utensils, tithes of corn, wine and oil, that is, the part of the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and thecontributions for the priests.	5 had set aside for the latter's use a large chamber in which had previously been stored the cereal offerings, incense and utensils, the tithes in grain, wine, and oil allotted to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the offerings due the priests.
6 While al this was going on I was away from Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes kingof Babylon I had gone to see the king. But after some time I asked the king for permission to leave,	6 During all this time I had not been in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After due time, however, I asked leave of the king
7 and returned to Jerusalem, where I learned about the crime which Eliashib had committed for Tobiah'sbenefit, by providing him with a room in the courts of the Temple of God.	7 and returned to Jerusalem, where I discovered the evil thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in setting aside for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8 I was extremely displeased and threw al Tobiah's household goods out of the room and into thestreet.	8 This displeased me very much, and I had all of Tobiah's household goods thrown outside the chamber.
9 I then gave orders for the room to be purified, and had the utensils of the Temple of God, the mealofferings and the incense, all replaced.	9 Then I gave orders to purify the chambers, and I had them replace there the utensils of the house of God, the cereal offerings, and the incense.
10 I also learned that the Levites had not been receiving their al ocations, as a result of which theLevites and singers who performed the liturgy had al withdrawn to their farms.	10 I learned, too, that the portions due the Levites were no longer being given, so that the Levites and the singers who should have been carrying out the services had deserted, each man to his own field.
11 I then reprimanded the officials. 'Why is the Temple of God deserted?' I asked. And I col ected themtogether again and brought them back to their posts;	11 I took the magistrates to task, demanding, "Why is the house of God abandoned?" Then I brought the Levites together and had them resume their stations.
12 and al Judah then delivered the tithe of corn, wine and oil to the storehouses.	12 All Judah once more brought in the tithes of grain, wine, and oil to the storerooms;
13 As supervisors of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah oneof the Levites and, as their assistant, Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, since they were consideredreliable people; their duty was to make the distributions to their kinsmen.	13 and in charge of the storerooms I appointed the priest Shelemiah, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, together with Hanan, son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, as their assistant; for these men were held to be trustworthy. It was their duty to make the distribution to their brethren.
14 Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out the good deeds which I have done for theTemple of my God and its observances!	14 Remember this to my credit, O my God! Let not the devotion which I showed for the house of my God and its services be forgotten!
15 At the same time I saw people in Judah treading the winepress, bringing in sacks of grain andloading donkeys on the Sabbath; they were also bringing wine, grapes, figs and every kind of merchandise intoJerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I forbade them to sel the food.	15 In those days I perceived that men in Judah were treading the winepresses on the sabbath; that they were bringing in sheaves of grain, loading them on their asses, together with wine, grapes, figs, and every other kind of burden, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the sabbath day. I warned them to sell none of these victuals.
16 Tyrians living there were bringing in fish and every kind of merchandise which they were sel ing tothe Judaeans on the Sabbath in Jerusalem itself.	16 In Jerusalem itself the Tyrians who were resident there were importing fish and every other kind of merchandise and selling it to the Judahites on the sabbath.
17 So I also reprimanded the leading men of Judah, saying to them, 'What a wicked way to behave,profaning the Sabbath day!	17 I took the nobles of Judah to task, demanding of them: "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?
18 Was this not exactly what your ancestors did, with the result that our God brought al this miserydown on us and on this city? And now you are adding to the wrath hanging over Israel by profaning the Sabbathyourselves!'	18 Did not your fathers act in this same way, with the result that our God has brought all this evil upon us and upon this city? Would you add to the wrath against Israel by once more profaning the sabbath?"
19 So when the gates of Jerusalem were getting dark at the approach of the Sabbath, I gave orders forthe doors to be shut and directed that they were not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationedsome of my attendants at the gates to make sure that no merchandise was brought in on the Sabbath day.	19 When the shadows were falling on the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I ordered the doors to be closed and forbade them to be reopened till after the sabbath. I posted some of my own men at the gates so that no burden might enter on the sabbath day.
20 So the traders and dealers in goods of al kinds spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice,	20 The merchants and sellers of various kinds of merchandise spent the night once or twice outside Jerusalem,
21 until I reprimanded them. I said to them, 'Why are you spending the night in front of the wal ? Do itagain, and I shal use force on you.' After this, they did not come on the Sabbath.	21 but then I warned them, saying to them: "Why do you spend the night alongside the wall? If you keep this up, I will lay hands on you!" From that time on, they did not return on the sabbath.
22 I then ordered the Levites to purify themselves and act as guards at the gates, so that the Sabbathday might be kept holy. Remember this also to my credit, have pity on me in the greatness of your faithful love.	22 Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to go and watch the gates, so that the sabbath day might be kept holy. This, too, remember in my favor, O my God, and have mercy on me in accordance with your great mercy!
23 At that time too, I saw Jews who had married wives from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab;	23 Also in those days I saw Jews who had married Ashdodite, Ammonite, or Moabite wives.
24 as regards their children, half of them spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of theother peoples, but could no longer speak the language of Judah.	24 Of their children, half spoke Ashdodite, and none of them knew how to speak Jewish; and so it was in regard to the languages of the various other peoples.
25 I reprimanded them, I cursed them, I struck several of them and tore out their hair and adjured themby God, 'You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons or let their daughters marry your sons, ormarry them yourselves!	25 I took them to task and cursed them; I had some of them beaten and their hair pulled out; and I adjured them by God: "You shall not marry your daughters to their sons nor take any of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves!
26 Was it not because of women like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Although among manynations there was no king like him and he was loved by his God, and God made him king of al Israel, even thenforeign women led him into sinning!	26 Did not Solomon, the king of Israel, sin because of them? Though among the many nations there was no king like him, and though he was beloved of his God and God had made him king over all Israel, yet even he was made to sin by foreign women.
27 Were you obedient when you committed this very grave crime: breaking faith with our God bymarrying foreign wives?'	27 Must it also be heard of you that you have done this same very great evil, betraying our God by marrying foreign women?"
28 One of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanbal at theHoronite; I drove him from my presence.	28 One of the sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite! I drove him from my presence.
29 Remember them, my God, for having defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests andLevites!	29 Remember against them, O my God, how they defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites!
30 And so I purged them of everything foreign; I drew up regulations for the priests and Levites, definingeach man's duty,	30 Thus I cleansed them of all foreign contamination. I established the various functions for the priests and Levites, so that each had his appointed task.
31 as wel as for the deliveries of wood at the proper times, and for the first-fruits. Remember this, myGod, to my credit!	31 I also provided for the procurement of wood at stated times and for the first fruits. Remember this in my favor, O my God!