Nehemiah Chapter 13

Separation of the mixed multitude

13:1 On that day they read in the book of Mosesמשה
Meaning of the name: Linguist Abraham Yahuda, based on the spelling given in the Tanakh, argues that it combines “water” or “seed” and “pond, expanse of water,” thus yielding the sense of “child of the Nile” click here in the audience of the people; and in it was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator forever;
13:2 Because they met not the sons of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaamבִּלְעָם
Transliteration bilʿām Pronunciation bil-awm’ Balaam = not (of the) people, i.e. foreigner; Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet:— Balaam, Bileam For more info click here against them, that he should curse them: however our Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator turned the curse into a blessing.
13:3 Now it so happened, when they had heard the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot., they separated  all the mixed multitude from Israel.
13:4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, who was set over of the rooms of the house of our El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, was related to Tobiah:
13:5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where they had in days past laid the food offering, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the offerings of the priests.
13:6 But in all this [time] I wasn’t at Jerusalem: for in the thirty second year of Artaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא
Artaḥšaśtəʾ, אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא ʾArtaḥšastəʾ, or אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא ʾArtaḥšaśtāʾwas the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, from 465 to December 424 BC.He was the third son of Xerxes I. In Greek sources he is also surnamed “long-handed” (Ancient Greek: μακρόχειρ Makrókheir; Latin: Longimanus), allegedly because his right hand was longer than his left. For more info click here king of Babylon, I came to the king, and after some days I asked leave from the king:
13:7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator.
13:8 And it grieved me very much. And I threw all the household stuff to Tobiah out of the room.
13:9 Then I commanded, and they purified the rooms. And I returned the vessels of the house of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator, with the food offering and the frankincense.

Reform of abuses

13:10 And I was aware that the portions of the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here had not been given, for the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here and the singers, who did the work, had fled each one to his field.
13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator forsaken? And I gathered them together, and put them in their place.
13:12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
13:13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here, 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 to their brothers.
13:14 Remember me, O my El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my kindness that I have done for the house of my El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, and its keeping.
13:15 In those days saw I in Judah [ones] treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading 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  they sold food.
13:16 Men of Tyre also lived in it, who brought fish, and all wares, and were selling on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah, even in Jerusalem.
13:17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that ya’ll do, and defiling the Sabbath day?
13:18 Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here bring all this evil on us, and on this city? Yet ya’ll bring more wrath upon Israel by defiling the Sabbath.
13:19 And it so happened, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stood [some] of my servants at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day.
13:20 So the merchants and sellers of all wares stayed the night outside Jerusalem once or twice.
13:21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why are ya’ll staying around the wall? If ya’ll do it again, I will send hand against you. From that time they didn’t come on the Sabbath.
13:22 And I commanded the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here that they should be cleansing themselves, and that they should guarding the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. O my El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, Remember me,  concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy.

Living with foreign women

13:23 In those days also saw I Jews that had lived with women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab:
13:24 And their children spoke half [in the speech] of Ashdod, and there was could no [one] caring to speak Jewish, but according to the language of each people.
13:25 And I contended with them, and put a curse on them, and struck [some] of them, and pulled their hair, and made them swear by the name of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator,[saying], Ya’ll shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters to your sons, or for yourselves.
13:26 Didn’t Solomonשְׁלֹמֹה‎
His two names mean “peaceful” and “friend of God”, both considered “predictive of the character of his reign Reign 970–931 BCE (hypothesized)For more info click here king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, and Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator made him king over all Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin.
13:27 Shall we then listen to you, to do all this great evil, to sin against our El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here in living with foreign women?
13:28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I chased him from me.
13:29 Remember them, O my El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here.
13:30 So cleansed I them from all aliens, and appointed the watches of the priests and the Levitesלְוִיִּם
/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte;romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article “ה” Ha- (‘the’) plus Levi (‘Levite’) is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for ‘daughter’) For more info click here, each one in his business.
13:31 And for the wood offering, at appointed times , and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, for good.