Nehemiah 13:1–9

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13On that day ^rthey read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written ^sthat no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, ²for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³As soon as the people heard the law, ^tthey separated from Israel all ^uthose of foreign descent.

⁴Now before this, ^vEliashib the priest, who ^wwas appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to ^xTobiah, ⁵prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, ^ywhich were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. ⁶While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for ^zin the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes ^aking of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king ⁷and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, ^bpreparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. ⁸And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. ⁹Then I gave orders, and they ^ccleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.