1 O n that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God,

¶ On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and it was found written therein that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not come into the congregation of God forever

2 b ecause they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them; howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 S o it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel. The Reforms of Nehemiah

Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

4 N ow before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah.

And before this, Eliashib, the priest, had been the overseer of the chamber of the house of our God, and was related to Tobiah,

5 A nd he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests.

and he had prepared for him a great chamber, where before they had kept the present, the frankincense, the vessels, the tithe of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, to the singers and the porters and the offerings of the priests.

6 B ut during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king,

But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, I went unto the king, and after certain days I was sent by the king.

7 a nd I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.

And I came to Jerusalem and understood the evil that Eliashib had done attending Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8 A nd it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room.

And it grieved me sore; therefore, I cast forth all the household vessels of Tobiah out of the chamber.

9 T hen I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers; and I caused the vessels of the house of God to be brought there again, with the present and the frankincense.

10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field.

¶ And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them and that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, had fled each one to his inheritance.

11 S o I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place.

Then I contended with the rulers and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place.

12 T hen all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse.

Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil unto the store houses.

13 A nd I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse 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 considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.

And I made treasurers over the store houses, 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 office was to distribute unto their brethren.

14 R emember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my mercies that I have done for the house of my God and for its wards.

15 I n those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions.

¶ In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath and bringing in sheaves and lading asses with wine, grapes, figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested unto them the day in which they sold the food.

16 M en of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought fish and all manner of merchandise, and sold on the sabbath to the sons of Judah in Jerusalem.

17 T hen I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do and profane thus the sabbath day?

18 D id not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

Did not your fathers do this, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19 S o it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.

And it came to pass, that when shadow came to the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut and charged that they should not be opened until after the sabbath; and I set some of my servants at the gates, that no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

20 N ow the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

21 T hen I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.

Then I testified and protested against them and said unto them, Why do ye lodge about the wall? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath.

22 A nd I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

And I told the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and that they should come and guard the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

23 I n those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

¶ In those days I also saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;

24 A nd half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.

and their sons spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and according to the language of each people; for they could not speak in the Jews’ language.

25 S o I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.

And I contended with them and cursed them and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

26 D id not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin.

Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless, strange women caused even him to offend.

27 S hould we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?”

Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange women?

28 A nd one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.

And 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.

29 R emember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

Remember them, O my God because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

30 T hus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service,

Thus I cleansed them from all strangers and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, each one in his work,

31 a nd to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!

and for the wood offering, at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.