Nehemiah 13:22 - Prayer Tents

Enemies of Israel Excluded

13Later that day the book of Moses was read aloud so the people could hear it, and a written command was discovered therein permanently prohibiting the Ammonites and Moabites from coming into the congregation of GodH3117H7121H5612H4872H241H5971H4672H3789H5984H4125H935H6951H430H5704H5769

2because they did not greet the Israelites with food and water, but instead hired Balaam to oppose them by cursing them, even though our God turned the curse into a blessing.H6923H1121H3478H3899H4325H7936H1109H7043H430H2015H7045H1293

3When they heard the law, they separated all those of foreign descent from Israel.H8085H8451H914H3478H6154

Tobiah Evicted from the Temple

4Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who supervised the store rooms of the temple of our God and who was related to Tobiah,H6440H475H3548H5414H3957H1004H430H7138H2900

5had prepared a great chamber for him, in the place where they used to place the grain offerings, incense, and vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that was mandated for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the priests' offerings.H6213H1419H3957H6440H5414H4503H3828H3627H4643H1715H8492H3323H4687H3881H7891H7778H8641H3548

6During all of this time, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to the king in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. After a while I obtained permission from the kingH3389H8147H7970H8141H783H4428H894H935H4428H7093H3117H7592H4428

7to return to Jerusalem. I learned of the evil thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah in furnishing him with a room in the courts of the temple of God.H935H3389H995H7451H475H6213H2900H6213H5393H2691H1004H430

8I was greatly upset, so I threw out all of Tobiah's property from the room.H3415H3966H7993H1004H3627H2900H2351H3957

9I ordered them to purify the chambers, and then they brought back the vessels from the temple of God, along with the grain offerings and incense.7H559H2891H3957H7725H3627H1004H430H4503H3828

Neglecting Levitical Allotments

10I also learned that the allotments for the Levites had not been distributed. As a result, the Levites and singers who were responsible for the service had each left to go back to their fields.H3045H4521H3881H5414H3881H7891H6213H4399H1272H376H7704

11So I confronted the officials and asked, "Why is the temple of God neglected?" Then I gathered them together and put them back in their places.H7378H5461H559H1004H430H5800H6908H5975H5977

12Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil into the storerooms.H935H3063H4643H1715H8492H3323H214

13I appointed over the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the Levites; and next to them Zaccur's son Hanan, the grandson of Mattaniah, because they had been considered faithful. Their duties were to distribute to their associates.10H686H214H8018H3548H6659H5608H3881H6305H3027H2605H1121H2139H1121H4983H2803H539H2505H251

14Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not erase my faithful deeds that I have undertaken for the temple of my God, and for its services.H2142H430H4229H2617H6213H1004H430H4929

Prohibiting Work on the Sabbath

15At that time I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the Sabbath, bringing in sacks of grain, loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads. They brought them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I rebuked them on the day on which they were selling food.H3117H7200H3063H1869H1660H7676H935H6194H6006H2543H3196H6025H8384H4853H935H3389H7676H3117H5749H3117H4376H6718

16Furthermore, Tyrians were living there who were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise, selling them to the people of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem.H3427H6876H935H1709H1709H4377H4376H7676H1121H3063H3389

17I rebuked the officials of Judah, saying to them, "What's this evil thing that you're doing by profaning the Sabbath day?H7378H2715H3063H559H7451H1697H6213H2490H7676H3117

18Didn't your ancestors do the same?And didn't our God bring on us and on this city all of this trouble?Now you're adding to the wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!"H6213H1H935H430H935H7451H5892H935H3254H2740H3478H2490H7676

19As the Sabbath approached and it began to get dark at the gates of Jerusalem, I gave word to shut the gates, charging that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I stationed some of my men at the gates to ensure that no loads would be brought in on the Sabbath day.H8179H3389H6751H6440H7676H559H1817H5462H559H6605H310H7676H5288H5975H8179H4853H935H7676H3117

20As a result, the merchants and sellers of all sorts of goods remained outside Jerusalem a couple of times.H7402H4376H4465H3885H2351H3389H6471H8147

21I argued with them, "Why are you staying outside the wall?If you do this again, I'll arrest you." From that time on, they didn't come anymore on the Sabbath.H5749H559H3885H5048H2346H8138H7971H3027H6256H935H7676

22Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to come as gate keepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, my God, and show mercy to me according to the greatness of your gracious love.H559H3881H2891H935H8104H8179H6942H7676H3117H2142H430H2347H7230H2617

Removing Foreign Spouses

23At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.H3117H7200H3064H3427H802H796H5984H4125

24Furthermore, their children spoke half of the time in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah. Instead, they spoke in the languages of various peoples.H1121H1696H2677H797H5234H1696H3066H3956H5971H5971

25So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: "You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.H7378H7043H5221H582H4803H7650H430H5414H1323H1121H5375H1323H1121

26Didn't Solomon, king of Israel, sin by doing these things, even though among many nations there was no king like him who was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Even so, foreign women caused him to sin.H8010H4428H3478H2398H7227H1471H4428H157H430H430H5414H4428H3478H1571H5237H802H2398

27Should we listen to you and do all of this terrible evil by transgressing against our God to marry foreign wives?"H8085H6213H1419H7451H4603H430H3427H5237H802

28One of the sons of Eliashib the high priest's son Joiada was a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me.H1121H3111H1121H475H1419H3548H2860H5571H2772H1272

29Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.H2142H430H1352H3550H1285H3550H3881

30I purified them from everything foreign, arranged duties for the priests and the Levites, each to his task, 31and I arranged at the appointed time for the supply of wood, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, with favor.H2891H5236H5975H4931H3548H3881H376H4399