Ezra v'Nechemia (עזרא ונחמיה) - Neemia 13

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW JERUSALEM
1 בַּיֹּום הַהוּא נִקְרָא בְּסֵפֶר מֹשֶׁה בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וְנִמְצָא כָּתוּב בֹּו אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָבֹוא עַמֹּנִי וּמֹאָבִי בִּקְהַל הָאֱלֹהִים עַד־עֹולָם	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,
2 כִּי לֹא קִדְּמוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמָּיִם וַיִּשְׂכֹּר עָלָיו אֶת־בִּלְעָם לְקַלְלֹו וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה	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.'
3 וַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעָם אֶת־הַתֹּורָה וַיַּבְדִּילוּ כָל־עֵרֶב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל	3 Having heard the Law, they excluded al foreigners from Israel.
4 וְלִפְנֵי מִזֶּה אֶלְיָשִׁיב הַכֹּהֵן נָתוּן בְּלִשְׁכַּת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵינוּ קָרֹוב לְטֹובִיָּה	4 Earlier, Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the rooms of the Temple of our God, and who wasclose to Tobiah,
5 וַיַּעַשׂ לֹו לִשְׁכָּה גְדֹולָה וְשָׁם הָיוּ לְפָנִים נֹתְנִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה הַלְּבֹונָה וְהַכֵּלִים וּמַעְשַׂר הַדָּגָן הַתִּירֹושׁ וְהַיִּצְהָר מִצְוַת הַלְוִיִּם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִים וּתְרוּמַת הַכֹּהֲנִים	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.
6 וּבְכָל־זֶה לֹא הָיִיתִי בִּירוּשָׁלִָם כִּי בִּשְׁנַת שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל בָּאתִי אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וּלְקֵץ יָמִים נִשְׁאַלְתִּי מִן־הַמֶּלֶךְ	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,
7 וָאָבֹוא לִירוּשָׁלִָם וָאָבִינָה בָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶלְיָשִׁיב לְטֹובִיָּה לַעֲשֹׂות לֹו נִשְׁכָּה בְּחַצְרֵי בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים	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.
8 וַיֵּרַע לִי מְאֹד וָאַשְׁלִיכָה אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי בֵית־טֹובִיָּה הַחוּץ מִן־הַלִּשְׁכָּה	8 I was extremely displeased and threw al Tobiah's household goods out of the room and into thestreet.
9 וָאֹמְרָה וַיְטַהֲרוּ הַלְּשָׁכֹות וָאָשִׁיבָה שָּׁם כְּלֵי בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה וְהַלְּבֹונָה׃ פ	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.
10 וָאֵדְעָה כִּי־מְנָיֹות הַלְוִיִּם לֹא נִתָּנָה וַיִּבְרְחוּ אִישׁ־לְשָׂדֵהוּ הַלְוִיִּם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה	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.
11 וָאָרִיבָה אֶת־הַסְּגָנִים וָאֹמְרָה מַדּוּעַ נֶעֱזַב בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים וָאֶקְבְּצֵם וָאַעֲמִדֵם עַל־עָמְדָם	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;
12 וְכָל־יְהוּדָה הֵבִיאוּ מַעְשַׂר הַדָּגָן וְהַתִּירֹושׁ וְהַיִּצְהָר לָאֹוצָרֹות	12 and al Judah then delivered the tithe of corn, wine and oil to the storehouses.
13 וָאֹוצְרָה עַל־אֹוצָרֹות שֶׁלֶמְיָה הַכֹּהֵן וְצָדֹוק הַסֹּופֵר וּפְדָיָה מִן־הַלְוִיִּם וְעַל־יָדָם חָנָן בֶּן־זַכּוּר בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה כִּי נֶאֱמָנִים נֶחְשָׁבוּ וַעֲלֵיהֶם לַחֲלֹק לַאֲחֵיהֶם׃ פ	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.
14 זָכְרָה־לִּי אֱלֹהַי עַל־זֹאת וְאַל־תֶּמַח חֲסָדַי אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּבֵית אֱלֹהַי וּבְמִשְׁמָרָיו	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!
15 בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה רָאִיתִי בִיהוּדָה ׀ דֹּרְכִים־גִּתֹּות ׀ בַּשַּׁבָּת וּמְבִיאִים הָעֲרֵמֹות וְעֹמְסִים עַל־הַחֲמֹרִים וְאַף־יַיִן עֲנָבִים וּתְאֵנִים וְכָל־מַשָּׂא וּמְבִיאִים יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּיֹום הַשַּׁבָּת וָאָעִיד בְּיֹום מִכְרָם צָיִד	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.
16 וְהַצֹּרִים יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ מְבִיאִים דָּאג וְכָל־מֶכֶר וּמֹכְרִים בַּשַּׁבָּת לִבְנֵי יְהוּדָה וּבִירוּשָׁלִָם	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.
17 וָאָרִיבָה אֵת חֹרֵי יְהוּדָה וָאֹמְרָה לָהֶם מָה־הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹשִׂים וּמְחַלְּלִים אֶת־יֹום הַשַּׁבָּת	17 So I also reprimanded the leading men of Judah, saying to them, 'What a wicked way to behave,profaning the Sabbath day!
18 הֲלֹוא כֹה עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם וַיָּבֵא אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת וְעַל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת וְאַתֶּם מֹוסִיפִים חָרֹון עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחַלֵּל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת׃ פ	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!'
19 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר צָלֲלוּ שַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם לִפְנֵי הַשַּׁבָּת וָאֹמְרָה וַיִּסָּגְרוּ הַדְּלָתֹות וָאֹמְרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִפְתָּחוּם עַד אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת וּמִנְּעָרַי הֶעֱמַדְתִּי עַל־הַשְּׁעָרִים לֹא־יָבֹוא מַשָּׂא בְּיֹום הַשַּׁבָּת	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.
20 וַיָּלִינוּ הָרֹכְלִים וּמֹכְרֵי כָל־מִמְכָּר מִחוּץ לִירוּשָׁלִָם פַּעַם וּשְׁתָּיִם	20 So the traders and dealers in goods of al kinds spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice,
21 וָאָעִידָה בָהֶם וָאֹמְרָה אֲלֵיהֶם מַדּוּעַ אַתֶּם לֵנִים נֶגֶד הַחֹומָה אִם־תִּשְׁנוּ יָד אֶשְׁלַח בָּכֶם מִן־הָעֵת הַהִיא לֹא־בָאוּ בַּשַּׁבָּת׃ ס	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.
22 וָאֹמְרָה לַלְוִיִּם אֲשֶׁר יִהְיוּ מִטַּהֲרִים וּבָאִים שֹׁמְרִים הַשְּׁעָרִים לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־יֹום הַשַּׁבָּת גַּם־זֹאת זָכְרָה־לִּי אֱלֹהַי וְחוּסָה עָלַי כְּרֹב חַסְדֶּךָ׃ פ	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.
23 גַּם ׀ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם רָאִיתִי אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים הֹשִׁיבוּ נָשִׁים [אַשְׁדֹּודִיֹּות כ] (אַשְׁדֳּדִיֹּות ק) [עַמֹּונִיֹּות כ] (עַמֳּנִיֹּות ק) מֹואֲבִיֹּות	23 At that time too, I saw Jews who had married wives from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab;
24 וּבְנֵיהֶם חֲצִי מְדַבֵּר אַשְׁדֹּודִית וְאֵינָם מַכִּירִים לְדַבֵּר יְהוּדִית וְכִלְשֹׁון עַם וָעָם	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.
25 וָאָרִיב עִמָּם וָאֲקַלְלֵם וָאַכֶּה מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים וָאֶמְרְטֵם וָאַשְׁבִּיעֵם בֵּאלֹהִים אִם־תִּתְּנוּ בְנֹתֵיכֶם לִבְנֵיהֶם וְאִם־תִּשְׂאוּ מִבְּנֹתֵיהֶם לִבְנֵיכֶם וְלָכֶם	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!
26 הֲלֹוא עַל־אֵלֶּה חָטָא־שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבַגֹּויִם הָרַבִּים לֹא־הָיָה מֶלֶךְ כָּמֹהוּ וְאָהוּב לֵאלֹהָיו הָיָה וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ אֱלֹהִים מֶלֶךְ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם־אֹותֹו הֶחֱטִיאוּ הַנָּשִׁים הַנָּכְרִיֹּות	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!
27 וְלָכֶם הֲנִשְׁמַע לַעֲשֹׂת אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַגְּדֹולָה הַזֹּאת לִמְעֹל בֵּאלֹהֵינוּ לְהֹשִׁיב נָשִׁים נָכְרִיֹּות	27 Were you obedient when you committed this very grave crime: breaking faith with our God bymarrying foreign wives?'
28 וּמִבְּנֵי יֹויָדָע בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִׁיב הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדֹול חָתָן לְסַנְבַלַּט הַחֹרֹנִי וָאַבְרִיחֵהוּ מֵעָלָי	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.
29 זָכְרָה לָהֶם אֱלֹהָי עַל גָּאֳלֵי הַכְּהֻנָּה וּבְרִית הַכְּהֻנָּה וְהַלְוִיִּם	29 Remember them, my God, for having defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests andLevites!
30 וְטִהַרְתִּים מִכָּל־נֵכָר וָאַעֲמִידָה מִשְׁמָרֹות לַכֹּהֲנִים וְלַלְוִיִּם אִישׁ בִּמְלַאכְתֹּו	30 And so I purged them of everything foreign; I drew up regulations for the priests and Levites, definingeach man's duty,
31 וּלְקֻרְבַּן הָעֵצִים בְּעִתִּים מְזֻמָּנֹות וְלַבִּכּוּרִים זָכְרָה־לִּי אֱלֹהַי לְטֹובָה	31 as wel as for the deliveries of wood at the proper times, and for the first-fruits. Remember this, myGod, to my credit!