Nehemiah 13
13:1In that day they read in the scroll of Moses into the ears of the people. And it was found written in it how that the Ammonite and Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God unto the eon.
13:2For they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, and they hired against them Balaam to curse them. And our God turned the curse into a blessing.
13:3And it came to pass as they heard the law, that they separated all the intermixed in Israel.
13:4And before this Eliashib the priest lived in the treasury of the house of our God, near Tobiah.
13:5And he made for him a great treasury, and there they were formerly giving the sacrifice offering, and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tenth of the grain, and of the wine, and of the olive oil, a commandment of the Levites, and of the singers, and of the gatekeepers, and the first-fruits of the priests.
13:6And during all this I was not in Jerusalem. For in the thirtieth and second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king, and after the end of the days I asked things of the king.
13:7And I came into Jerusalem, and I perceived the wickedness which Eliashib did for Tobiah, to make for him a treasury in the courtyard of the house of God.
13:8And it appeared exceedingly wicked to me, and I tossed all the items of the house of Tobiah outside of the treasury.
13:9And I spoke, and they cleansed the treasuries. And I returned there the vessels of the house of God for the sacrifice offering and the frankincense.
13:10And I knew that the portions of the Levites were not given them; and every man fled unto his own field, the Levites and the singers, and ones doing the work.
13:11And I quarreled with the commandants, and said, Why did it abandon the house of God? And I gathered them, and set them at their station.
13:12And all Judah brought a tenth of the wheat and of the wine and of the olive oil into the treasuries.
13:13And I gave charge unto the hand of Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and near their hand was Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah. For they were considered trustworthy, as it was upon them to portion out to their brethren.
13:14Remember me, O God, in this! that my acts of mercy should not be wiped away, which I did in the house of the lord my God, and in his watches.
13:15In those days I beheld in Judah ones treading the wine vats on the Sabbath, and bringing sheaves, and loading upon the donkeys; even wine, and the grape cluster, and figs, and every burden, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath. And I attested to them in the day of their sale.
13:16For even the ones of Tyre sold provision, and sat by it bringing fish, and selling every item for sale on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
13:17And I quarreled with the free men of Judah, and I said to them, What is this wicked matter which you do, and profane the day of the Sabbath?
13:18Did not your fathers do thus, and our God brought upon them and upon us all these evils, even upon this city? And you add to the anger upon Israel to profane the Sabbath.
13:19And it came to pass when the gates were stood in Jerusalem before the Sabbath, that I spoke, and they locked the gates. And I spoke so as to not open them until after the Sabbath. And I stood some of my young men at the gates, so as to not lift burdens on the day of the Sabbath.
13:20And all the traders lodged and did business outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
13:21And I testified to them, and I said to them, Why do you lodge before the wall? If you repeat it a second time, I will stretch out my hand against you. From that time they did not come on the Sabbath.
13:22And I spoke to the Levites who were being cleansed, and the ones coming guarding the gates to sanctify the day of the Sabbath. For these things remember me, O my God, and spare me according to the magnitude of your mercy!
13:23And in those days I saw the Jews who settled with wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and Moab.
13:24And their sons were speaking half Ashdodish, and are not knowing to speak Jewish, but spoke according to the language of this people and that people.
13:25And I quarreled with them, and cursed them, and I struck some of their men, and I plucked their hair, and I bound them to an oath by God, You shall not give your daughters to their sons, and you shall not indeed take of their daughters for your sons, and to yourselves.
13:26Did not Solomon king of Israel thus sin? and among many nations there was not a king likened to him, and he was one being loved by God, and God appointed him as king over all Israel, and in this the alien wives turned him aside.
13:27So should we not hearken with you to do this wickedness, to break contract with our God, and to settle with alien wives?
13:28And from the sons of Joiada, Eliashib the great priest, in-law to Sanballat the Horonite -- even I threw him from me.
13:29Remember them, O my God, for they were against the right of inheritance of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites!
13:30And I cleansed them from all alien connection, and I set the daily rotations for the priests and for the Levites, every man according to his work;
13:31even for the gift of the wood offerings in seasons, from times, and in the first produce. Remember me, O our God, for goodness!