Nehemiah 13:1-5

1 Forsooth in that day it was read in the book of Moses, in (the) hearing of the people; and it was found written therein, that Ammonites and Moabites ought not to enter into the church of God till into without end; (And on that day they read from The Book of Moses, in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it, that Ammonites and Moabites should never enter into the congregation of God, that is, should never become part of their community;)
2 for they met not the sons of Israel with bread and water, and they hired against the sons of Israel Balaam, for to curse them; and our God turned the cursing into blessing. (for they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water, but instead they hired Balaam against the Israelites, to curse them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing.)
3 And it was done, when the people had heard the law, they separated each alien from Israel (they set apart, or excluded, all foreigners from the Israelite community).
4 And upon these things was Eliashib, the priest, that was sovereign in the chamber of the house of our God, and was the neighbour of Tobiah . (And upon these things was the High Priest Eliashib, who was the ruler, or the overseer, of the storerooms of the House of our God, and was the neighbour, or the friend, of Tobiah.)
5 Therefore he made to him a great chamber in the house of God; and there before him were men that kept the gifts that were offered, and incense, and diverse vessels, and the tithe of wheat, of wine, and of oil, and the parts of deacons, and of singers, and of porters, and the first fruits of priests. (And so Eliashib gave Tobiah a large room at the House of God, that was used to store the grain offerings, and the incense, and the Temple vessels, and the tithes of corn, and of wine, and of oil, that is, the portions, or the contributions, for the Levites, and the singers, and the guards, or the doorkeepers, and the first fruits for the priests.)

Nehemiah 13:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 13

This chapter relates the reformation of various abuses crept in among the Jews by Nehemiah, who removed the Moabites and Ammonites, mixed with them, Ne 13:1-3, threw the household goods of Tobiah out of a chamber of the temple, and restored it to its former use, Ne 13:4-9, took care that the Levites had their portion given them which had been kept from them, Ne 13:10-14 prevented the profanation of the sabbath by selling goods on that day, Ne 13:15-22, and put a stop to the marrying of strange wives, which had prevailed again among them, Ne 13:23-31.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.