Nehemiah:13:1-31
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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 ;
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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 .
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Now it came to pass ,
when they had heard the law ,
that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude .
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And before this ,
Eliashib the priest ,
having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God ,
was allied unto Tobiah :
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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 show #
er #;
and the offerings of the priests .
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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 :
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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 .
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And it grieved me sore m @#
od #:
therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber .
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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 .
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And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them :
for the Levites and the singers ,
that did the work m @
la #
kah #,
were fled every one to his field .
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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 .
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Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries .
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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 .
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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 .
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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 t @#
en #,
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 .
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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 .
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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 ?
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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 .
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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 sha #
ar #,
that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day .
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So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice .
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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 .
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And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves ,
and that they should come and keep the gates sha #
ar #,
to sanctify the sabbath day .
Remember me ,
O my God ,
concerning this also ,
and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy .
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In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod ,
of Ammon ,
and of Moab Mow #
abiy #:
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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 .
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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 .
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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 Yisra #
el #:
nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin .
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Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil ,
to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives ?
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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 .
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Remember them ,
O my God ,
because they have defiled the priesthood ,
and the covenant of the priesthood ,
and of the Levites .
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Thus cleansed I them from all strangers ,
and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites ,
every one in his business m @
la #
kah #;
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And for the wood offering ,
at times appointed ,
and for the firstfruits .
Remember me ,
O my God ,
for good .