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Foreigners Excluded
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and with water, and had hired Balaam against them, to curse them; but our God turned the curse into blessing.
For they had not provided the Israelites with food and water in the wilderness. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.
And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly.
The Temple Cleansed
And before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of our God, a kinsman of Tobijah,
And before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of our God, a kinsman of Tobijah,
Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of Tobiah,
had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they laid the oblations, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine and the oil, which was commanded for the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers, and the heave-offerings of the priests.
had converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah’s disposal. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, the frankincense, various articles for the Temple, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil (which were prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers), as well as the offerings for the priests.
And during all that [time] I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two-and-thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king; and after some time I obtained leave of the king.
And I came to Jerusalem, and observed the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobijah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib’s evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God.
And it grieved me much, and I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobijah out of the chamber.
I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room.
And I commanded, and they purified the chambers; and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, the oblation and the frankincense.
Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.
Tithes Restored
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.
I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields.
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.
I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, “Why has the Temple of God been neglected?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties.
And all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil into the storehouses.
And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms.
And I made storekeepers over the storehouses: Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and subordinate to them, Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were esteemed faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brethren.
I assigned supervisors for the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. And I appointed Hanan son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and it was their job to make honest distributions to their fellow Levites.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for the charges thereof!
Remember this good deed, O my God, and do not forget all that I have faithfully done for the Temple of my God and its services.
The Sabbath Restored
In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading them on asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens; and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested in the day on which they sold the victuals.
In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading them on asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens; and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested in the day on which they sold the victuals.
In those days I saw men of Judah treading out their winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in grain, loading it on donkeys, and bringing their wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce to Jerusalem to sell on the Sabbath. So I rebuked them for selling their produce on that day.
Men of Tyre also dwelt therein, who brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold it on the sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Some men from Tyre, who lived in Jerusalem, were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise. They were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah — and in Jerusalem at that!
And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning the sabbath day?
So I confronted the nobles of Judah. “Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?” I asked.
Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? And ye will bring more wrath against Israel by profaning the sabbath.
“Wasn’t it just this sort of thing that your ancestors did that caused our God to bring all this trouble upon us and our city? Now you are bringing even more wrath upon Israel by permitting the Sabbath to be desecrated in this way!”
And it came to pass, that when it began to be dark in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut; and I commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath. And I set [some] of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.
And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.
The merchants and tradesmen with a variety of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.
And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath.
But I spoke sharply to them and said, “What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!” And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath.
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. Remember this also for me, my God, and spare me according to thy great loving-kindness!
Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath.
Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.
Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.
Intermarriage Forbidden
In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab.
In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab.
About the same time I realized that some of the men of Judah had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
Furthermore, half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of some other people and could not speak the language of Judah at all.
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them by God [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
So I confronted them and called down curses on them. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear in the name of God that they would not let their children intermarry with the pagan people of the land.
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; but even him did foreign wives cause to sin.
“Wasn’t this exactly what led King Solomon of Israel into sin?” I demanded. “There was no king from any nation who could compare to him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel. But even he was led into sin by his foreign wives.
And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign wives?
How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?”
And [one] of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me.
One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, so I banished him from my presence.
Remember them, my God, for they are polluters of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!
Remember them, O my God, for they have defiled the priesthood and the solemn vows of the priests and Levites.
And I purified them from all foreigners, and appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service;
So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.