Nehemiah 13:1–9

Foreigners Separated from Israel

¹³On that day they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,^{* 2}because they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.^{* 3}When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.^*

The Reforms of Nehemiah

⁴Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God and who was related to Tobiah,^{* 5}prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.^{* 6}While this was taking place I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon I went to the king. After some time I asked leave of the king^{* 7}and returned to Jerusalem. I then discovered the wrong that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah, preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.^{* 8}And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the room. ⁹Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.^*