NE-13:1  On that day they read in the book of Moses in the

audience of the

people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the

Moabite

should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

NE-13:2  Because they met not the children 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.

NE-13:3  Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that

they separated

from Israel all the mixed multitude.

NE-13:4  And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the

oversight of the

chamber of the house of our God, [was] allied unto Tobiah:

NE-13:5  And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where

aforetime they

laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and

the tithes of

the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded [to be

given] to the

Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of

the priests.

NE-13:6  But in all this [time] was not I at Jerusalem: for in

the two and

thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the

king, and after

certain days obtained I leave of the king:

NE-13:7  And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil

that Eliashib did

for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the

house of God.

NE-13:8  And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the

household

stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

NE-13:9  Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and

thither brought

I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering

and the

frankincense.

NE-13:10  And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had

not been given

[them]: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were

fled every

one to his field.

NE-13:11  Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the

house of God

forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their

place.

NE-13:12  Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the

new wine and

the oil unto the treasuries.

NE-13:13  And 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 office [was] to distribute unto their brethren.

NE-13:14  Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not

out my good

deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the

offices thereof.

NE-13:15  In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine

presses on the

sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine,

 grapes, and

figs, and all [manner of] burdens, which they brought into

Jerusalem on the

sabbath day: and I testified [against them] in the day wherein

they sold

victuals.

NE-13:16  There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought

fish, and all

manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of

Judah, and in

Jerusalem.

NE-13:17  Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said

unto them, What

evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

NE-13:18  Did not your fathers thus, 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.

NE-13:19  And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem

began to be

dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be

shut, and

charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath:

and [some] of

my servants set I at the gates, [that] there should no burden be

brought in on

the sabbath day.

NE-13:20  So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware

lodged without

Jerusalem once or twice.

NE-13:21  Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why

lodge ye

about the wall? if ye do [so] again, I will lay hands on you.

From that time

forth came they no [more] on the sabbath.

NE-13:22  And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse

themselves, and

[that] they should come [and] keep 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.

NE-13:23  In those days also saw I Jews [that] had married wives

of Ashdod, of

Ammon, [and] of Moab:

NE-13:24  And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod,

and could not

speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of

each people.

NE-13:25  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.

NE-13:26  Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things?

yet among many

nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God,

and God made

him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish

women cause to

sin.

NE-13:27  Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great

evil, to

transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

NE-13:28  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.

NE-13:29  Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the

priesthood,

and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

NE-13:30  Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed

the wards of

the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

NE-13:31  And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for

the

firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

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