Nehemiah 13:26-31

26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.

27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.

29 Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

30 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task.

31 I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, my God.

Nehemiah 13:26-31 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.

Cross References

• 1. S 1 Kings 3:13; S 2 Chronicles 1:12
• 2. 2 Samuel 12:25
• 3. S Exodus 34:16; S 1 Kings 11:3
• 4. Ezra 9:14; Ezra 10:2
• 5. S Ezra 10:24
• 6. S Nehemiah 2:10
• 7. S Nehemiah 1:8; Nehemiah 6:14
• 8. S Numbers 3:12
• 9. S Nehemiah 9:2; Nehemiah 10:30
• 10. Nehemiah 10:34
• 11. Nehemiah 10:35-36
• 12. ver 14,22; S Genesis 8:1; S Nehemiah 1:8