Nehemiah 13:1-22

Nehemiah's Final Reforms

1 On that day r they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written s that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them - yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, t they separated from Israel all u those of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, v Eliashib the priest, who w was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to x Tobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, y which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for z in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes a king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, b preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they c cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that d the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each e to his field. 11 f So I confronted the officials and said, g "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought h the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And i I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, j for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 k Remember 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 his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses l on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, m which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And n I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 17 o Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, p profaning the Sabbath day? 18 q Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster 1 on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

19 As soon as it r began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 s But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites t that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. u Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

  1. Cross References
    Nehemiah 8:3
    And he read from it facing the square before th...
    Nehemiah 8:8 - 9
    They read from the book, from the Law of God, c...
    Nehemiah 8:18
    And day by day, from the first day to the last ...
    Nehemiah 9:3
    And they stood up in their place and read from ...
    Deuteronomy 31:11 - 12
    When all Israel comes to appear before the Lord...
    2 Kings 23:2
    And the king went up to the house of the Lord, ...
  2. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 23:3 - 5
    No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever.
  3. Cross References
    Nehemiah 9:2
    And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 12:38
    A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.
    Numbers 11:4
    Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!
  5. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:28
    And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.
    Nehemiah 3:1
    Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.
  6. Cross References
    Nehemiah 12:44
    On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.
  7. Cross References
    Nehemiah 2:10
    But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 18:21
    To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting.
    Numbers 18:24
    For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel.
  9. Cross References
    Nehemiah 5:14
    Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.
  10. Cross References
    Ezra 6:22
    And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
  11. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:5
    Prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
  12. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:15 - 16
    They gathered their brothers and consecrated themselves and went in as the king had commanded, by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord.
    2 Chronicles 29:18
    Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said, "We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the showbread and all its utensils.
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 31:4
    And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord.
    Malachi 3:8
    Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions.
  14. Cross References
    Nehemiah 12:28 - 29
    And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.
  15. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:17
    Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
    Nehemiah 13:25
    And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take oath in the name of God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
  16. Cross References
    Nehemiah 10:39
    For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, as well as the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.
  17. Cross References
    Nehemiah 10:38 - 39
    And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes. And the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse.
    Nehemiah 12:44
    On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.
  18. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 31:12 - 13
    And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with Shimei his brother as second.
  19. Cross References
    Nehemiah 7:2
    I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.
    1 Corinthians 4:2
    Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.
  20. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:22
    Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
    Nehemiah 13:31
    And I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
    Nehemiah 5:19
    Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 20:10
    But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.
  22. Cross References
    Nehemiah 10:31
    And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.
  23. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:21
    But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.
  24. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:11
    So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.
  25. Cross References
    Matthew 12:5
    Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
  26. Cross References
    Jeremiah 17:19 - 23
    Thus said the Lord to me: "Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem.
  27. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:32
    It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.
  28. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:15
    In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.
  29. Cross References
    Nehemiah 12:30
    And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.
  30. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:14
    Remember 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 his service.
    Nehemiah 13:31
    And I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.