| Chapter
13 |
| 1 | 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; |
| 2 | 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. |
|
3 | Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law,
that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. |
| 4 | And before this, Eliashib the priest,
having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto
Tobiah: |
| 5 | 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; and the offerings of the priests. |
|
6 | 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: |
| 7 | 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. |
| 8 |
And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff to
Tobiah out of the chamber. |
| 9 |
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. |
| 10 | And I
perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the
Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his
field. |
| 11 | 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. |
| 12 | Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the
new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. |
| 13 | 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. |
| 14 | 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. |
| 15
| 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, 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. |
| 16 | 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. |
| 17 | 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? |
| 18 | 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. |
| 19 | 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, that there
should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. |
|
20 | So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware
lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. |
| 21 | 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. |
| 22 | 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 thy mercy. |
| 23 | In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of
Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: |
| 24
| 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. |
| 25 | 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. |
| 26 | 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: nevertheless even
him did outlandish women cause to sin. |
| 27 | Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great
evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? |
| 28 | 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. |
|
29 | Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the
priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. |
| 30 | Thus cleansed I them from all
strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in
his business; |
| 31 | And for
the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O
my God, for good. |
