Nehemiah:13

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* On that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people . And in it was found written that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever , * because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and with water , but hired Balaam against them so that he should curse them . But our God turned the curse into a blessing . * And it happened when they had heard the Law , they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel . * And before this , Eliashib the priest , who was set over the rooms of the house of our God , and who [was ] related to Tobiah . * and he had prepared for himself a large room where they had in days of old laid the food offering , the frankincense , and the vessels , and the tithes of the grain , the new wine , and the oil , which was commanded [to be given ] to the Levites , and the singers , and the gatekeepers , and the offerings of the priests . * But in all this [time ] I was not at Jerusalem . For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon , I came to the king . And after some days I was given permission to leave the king . * And I came to Jerusalem , and understood the evil which Eliashib did for Tobiah in preparing him a room in the courts of the house of God . * And it grieved me very much . And I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room . * Then I commanded , and they purified the rooms . And I brought there again the vessels of the house of God , with the food offering and the frankincense . * And I saw that the portions of the Levites had not been given [to them ]; for the Levites and the singers , who did the work , had fled each one to his field . * And 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 . * And all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil into the treasuries . * 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 to their brothers . * Remember me , O my God , concerning this , and do not wipe out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God , and for the offices of it . * In those days I saw in Judah [some ] treading winepresses on the Sabbath , and bringing in sheaves , and loading asses and also wine , grapes , and figs , and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day . And I testified [against them ] in the day in which they sold food . * And men of Tyre lived in it , who brought fish and all kinds of goods , and sold on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem . * And I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them , What evil thing [is ] this that you do , and defile the Sabbath day ? * Did not your fathers do this , and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city ? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel by defiling the Sabbath . * And it happened when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath , I commanded that the gates should be shut , and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath . And I set [some ] of my servants at the gates , so that there should be no burden brought in on the Sabbath day . * And the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods stayed the night outside Jerusalem once or twice . * And I testified against them , and said to them , Why do you stay around the wall ? If you do [so ] again , I will lay hands on you . From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath . * 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 Your mercy . * In those days I also saw Jews who lived with women [from ] Ashdod , Ammon , [and ] from Moab . * And their sons spoke half Ashdod 's speech , and there was no caring to speak Jewish , but according to the language of each people . * And I contended with them , and cursed them , and struck [certain ] of them , and plucked off their hair . And I made them swear by the name of God , [saying ], You shall not give your daughters to their sons , or take their daughters to your sons , or for yourselves . * Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things ? Yet among many nations there was no king like him , who was beloved by his God , and God made him king over all Israel . But women from other lands caused even him to sin . * Shall we then listen to you , to do all this great evil , to sin against our God in living with 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 . * Remember them , O my God , because they have defiled the priesthood , and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites . * So I cleansed them from all strangers , and appointed charges to the priests and the Levites , every one in his business , * and for the wood offering , at chosen times , and for the firstfruits . Remember me , O my God , for good !

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