English Bible Presentation Sharing - Nehemiah Book, chapter 13, verse 53 in Nlv Version

Nehemiah 13 : 1 (NLV)

On that day they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever gather together to worship with the people of God.

Nehemiah 13 : 2 (NLV)

It was because they did not meet the sons of Israel with food and water, but paid Balaam to curse them. Yet our God turned the curse into good.

Nehemiah 13 : 3 (NLV)

When the people heard the Law, they kept out all those of other nations from Israel.

Nehemiah 13 : 4 (NLV)

Before this, Eliashib the religious leader, who watched over the storerooms of the house of our God, being close to Tobiah,

Nehemiah 13 : 5 (NLV)

made a room for him. They had before used the room to store the grain gifts, special perfume, dishes, and the tenth part of grain, wine and oil to be given to the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the gifts for the religious leaders.

Nehemiah 13 : 6 (NLV)

But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I had gone to the king. Then after some time, I asked the king to let me go,

Nehemiah 13 : 7 (NLV)

and came to Jerusalem. I learned about the sinful thing Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by giving a room for him in the house of God.

Nehemiah 13 : 8 (NLV)

I was very angry, and threw all the things of Tobiah's house out of the room.

Nehemiah 13 : 9 (NLV)

Then I said that the rooms must be made clean, and put back the things of the house of God with the grain gifts and the special perfume.

Nehemiah 13 : 10 (NLV)

I also learned that what was to be given to the Levites had not been given. So the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to their own fields.

Nehemiah 13 : 11 (NLV)

So I spoke sharp words to the leaders and said, "Why is the house of God no longer cared for?" Then I gathered them together and returned them to their duties.

Nehemiah 13 : 12 (NLV)

All the people of Judah then brought the tenth part of the grain, wine and oil into the store-houses.

Nehemiah 13 : 13 (NLV)

I had Shelemiah the religious leader, Zadok the writer, and Pedaiah of the Levites, watch over the storehouses. With them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah. For they were trusted, and it was their duty to give the needed things to their brothers.

Nehemiah 13 : 14 (NLV)

Remember me for this, O my God. Do not forget my good works which I have done for the house of my God and His worship.

Nehemiah 13 : 15 (NLV)

In those days I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes to make wine on the Day of Rest. I saw them bringing in bags of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads. And they brought them into Jerusalem on the Day of Rest. So I spoke sharp words to them on the day they sold food.

Nehemiah 13 : 16 (NLV)

Men of Tyre were living there who brought in fish and all kinds of things to sell. They sold them to the people of Judah on the Day of Rest, even in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 13 : 17 (NLV)

Then I spoke sharp words to the leaders of Judah, saying, "What is this sinful thing you are doing by not keeping the Day of Rest holy?

Nehemiah 13 : 18 (NLV)

Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought all this trouble to us and to this city? Yet you are bringing more anger to Israel by not keeping the Day of Rest holy."

Nehemiah 13 : 19 (NLV)

Just as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Day of Rest, I had them shut the doors. And I would not let them be opened until after the Day of Rest. Then I had some of my servants watch the gates, that no load should come in on the Day of Rest.

Nehemiah 13 : 20 (NLV)

Once or twice the traders and sellers stayed the night outside Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 13 : 21 (NLV)

Then I spoke sharp words to them, saying, "Why do you stay the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will send men out to make you leave." From that time on they did not come on the Day of Rest.

Nehemiah 13 : 22 (NLV)

Then I told the Levites to make themselves free from sin and come and watch the gates to keep the Day of Rest holy. Remember me for this also, O my God. Be good to me because of Your great loving-kindness.

Nehemiah 13 : 23 (NLV)

In those days I saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

Nehemiah 13 : 24 (NLV)

Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod. They could not speak the language of Judah, but the language of their own people.

Nehemiah 13 : 25 (NLV)

So I fought with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them promise in the name of God, saying, "You must not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

Nehemiah 13 : 26 (NLV)

Did not King Solomon of Israel sin because of these women? Yet 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 the women from other nations caused even him to sin.

Nehemiah 13 : 27 (NLV)

Should we hear now that you also are sinning in the same way by not being faithful to our God, by marrying women from other nations?"

Nehemiah 13 : 28 (NLV)

Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the religious leader, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I drove him away from me.

Nehemiah 13 : 29 (NLV)

Remember them, O my God, because they have brought sin to the religious leaders and to the agreement of the religious leaders and the Levites.

Nehemiah 13 : 30 (NLV)

So I made them free from the sin of other nations. I gave the religious leaders and the Levites their duties, each in his work.

Nehemiah 13 : 31 (NLV)

And I saw to it that wood would be brought at the right times, and also the first-fruits. O my God, remember me for good.