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1. On that day they read the Book of Mosesto the people, and they found that it said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed in the meeting to worship.
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1. On that H1931 day H3117 they read H7121 in the book H5612 of Moses H4872 in the audience H241 of the people H5971 ; and therein was found H4672 written H3789 , that H834 the Ammonite H5984 and the Moabite H4125 should not H3808 come H935 into the congregation H6951 of God H430 forever H5704 H5769 ;
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2. The Ammonites and Moabites had not welcomed the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they had hired Balaam to put a curse on Israel. (But our God turned the curse into a blessing.)
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2. Because H3588 they met H6923 not H3808 H853 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 with bread H3899 and with water H4325 , but hired H7936 H853 Balaam H1109 against H5921 them , that he should curse H7043 them : howbeit our God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing H1293 .
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3. When the people heard this teaching, they separated all foreigners from Israel.
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3. Now it came to pass H1961 , when they had heard H8085 H853 the law H8451 , that they separated H914 from Israel H4480 H3478 all H3605 the mixed multitude H6154 .
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4. Before that happened, Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the Temple storerooms, was friendly with Tobiah.
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4. And before H6440 this H4480 H2088 , Eliashib H475 the priest H3548 , having the oversight H5414 of the chamber H3957 of the house H1004 of our God H430 , was allied H7138 unto Tobiah H2900 :
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5. Eliashib let Tobiah use one of the large storerooms. Earlier it had been used for grain offerings, incense, the utensils, and the tenth offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil that belonged to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers. It had also been used for gifts for the priests.
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5. And he had prepared H6213 for him a great H1419 chamber H3957 , where H8033 formerly H6440 H1961 they laid H5414 H853 the meat offerings H4503 , the frankincense H3828 , and the vessels H3627 , and the tithes H4643 of the corn H1715 , the new wine H8492 , and the oil H3323 , which was commanded H4687 to be given to the Levites H3881 , and the singers H7891 , and the porters H7778 ; and the offerings H8641 of the priests H3548 .
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6. I was not in Jerusalem when this happened. I had gone back to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year he was king. Finally I asked the king to let me leave.
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6. But in all H3605 this H2088 time was H1961 not H3808 I at Jerusalem H3389 : for H3588 in the two H8147 and thirtieth H7970 year H8141 of Artaxerxes H783 king H4428 of Babylon H894 came H935 I unto H413 the king H4428 , and after H7093 certain days H3117 obtained I leave H7592 of H4480 the king H4428 :
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7. When I returned to Jerusalem, I found out the evil Eliashib had done by letting Tobiah have a room in the Temple courtyard.
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7. And I came H935 to Jerusalem H3389 , and understood H995 of the evil H7451 that H834 Eliashib H475 did H6213 for Tobiah H2900 , in preparing H6213 him a chamber H5393 in the courts H2691 of the house H1004 of God H430 .
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8. I was very upset at this, so I threw all of Tobiah's goods out of the room.
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8. And it grieved H7489 me sore H3966 : therefore I cast forth H7993 H853 all H3605 the household H1004 stuff H3627 of Tobiah H2900 out H2351 of H4480 the chamber H3957 .
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9. I ordered the rooms to be purified, and I brought back the utensils for God's Temple, the grain offerings, and the incense.
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9. Then I commanded H559 , and they cleansed H2891 the chambers H3957 : and thither H8033 brought I again H7725 the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of God H430 , with H854 the meat offering H4503 and the frankincense H3828 .
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10. Then I found out the people were not giving the Levites their shares. So the Levites and singers who served had gone back to their own farms.
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10. And I perceived H3045 that H3588 the portions H4521 of the Levites H3881 had not H3808 been given H5414 them : for the Levites H3881 and the singers H7891 , that did H6213 the work H4399 , were fled H1272 every one H376 to his field H7704 .
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11. I argued with the officers, saying, "Why haven't you taken care of the Temple?" Then I gathered the Levites and singers and put them back at their places.
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11. Then contended H7378 I with H854 the rulers H5461 , and said H559 , Why H4069 is the house H1004 of God H430 forsaken H5800 ? And I gathered them together H6908 , and set H5975 them in H5921 their place H5977 .
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12. All the people of Judah then brought to the storerooms a tenth of their crops, new wine, and olive oil.
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12. Then brought H935 all H3605 Judah H3063 the tithe H4643 of the corn H1715 and the new wine H8492 and the oil H3323 unto the treasuries H214 .
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13. I put these men in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the teacher, and Pedaiah a Levite. I made Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, their helper. Everyone knew they were honest men. They gave out the portions that went to their relatives.
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13. And I made treasurers H686 over H5921 the treasuries H214 , Shelemiah H8018 the priest H3548 , and Zadok H6659 the scribe H5608 , and of H4480 the Levites H3881 , Pedaiah H6305 : and next to H5921 H3027 them was Hanan H2605 the son H1121 of Zaccur H2139 , the son H1121 of Mattaniah H4983 : for H3588 they were counted H2803 faithful H539 , and their office H5921 was to distribute H2505 unto their brethren H251 .
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14. Remember me, my God, for this. Do not ignore my love for the Temple and its service.
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14. Remember H2142 me , O my God H430 , concerning H5921 this H2063 , and wipe not out H4229 H408 my good deeds H2617 that H834 I have done H6213 for the house H1004 of my God H430 , and for the offices H4929 thereof.
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15. In those days I saw people in Judah working in the winepresses on the Sabbath day. They were bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys. And they were bringing loads of wine, grapes, and figs into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them about selling food on that day.
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15. In those H1992 days H3117 saw H7200 I in Judah H3063 some treading H1869 wine presses H1660 on the sabbath H7676 , and bringing in H935 sheaves H6194 , and lading H6006 H5921 asses H2543 ; as also H637 wine H3196 , grapes H6025 , and figs H8384 , and all H3605 manner of burdens H4853 , which they brought into H935 Jerusalem H3389 on the sabbath H7676 day H3117 : and I testified H5749 against them in the day H3117 wherein they sold H4376 victuals H6718 .
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16. People from the city of Tyre who were living in Jerusalem brought in fish and other things and sold them there on the Sabbath day to the people of Judah.
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16. There dwelt H3427 men of Tyre H6876 also therein , which brought H935 fish H1709 , and all H3605 manner of ware H4377 , and sold H4376 on the sabbath H7676 unto the children H1121 of Judah H3063 , and in Jerusalem H3389 .
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17. I argued with the important men of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing? You are ruining the Sabbath day.
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17. Then I contended H7378 with H854 the nobles H2715 of Judah H3063 , and said H559 unto them, What H4100 evil H7451 thing H1697 is this H2088 that H834 ye H859 do H6213 , and profane H2490 H853 the sabbath H7676 day H3117 ?
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18. This is just what your ancestors did. So our God did terrible things to us and this city. Now you are making him even more angry at Israel by ruining the Sabbath day."
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18. Did H6213 not H3808 your fathers H1 thus H3541 , and did not our God H430 bring H935 H853 all H3605 this H2063 evil H7451 upon H5921 us , and upon H5921 this H2063 city H5892 ? yet ye H859 bring more H3254 wrath H2740 upon H5921 Israel H3478 by profaning H2490 H853 the sabbath H7676 .
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19. So I ordered that the doors be shut at sunset before the Sabbath and not be opened until the Sabbath was over. I put my servants at the gates so no load could come in on the Sabbath.
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19. And it came to pass H1961 , that when H834 the gates H8179 of Jerusalem H3389 began to be dark H6751 before H6440 the sabbath H7676 , I commanded H559 that the gates H1817 should be shut H5462 , and charged H559 that H834 they should not H3808 be opened H6605 till H5704 after H310 the sabbath H7676 : and some of my servants H4480 H5288 set H5975 I at H5921 the gates H8179 , that there should no H3808 burden H4853 be brought in H935 on the sabbath H7676 day H3117 .
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20. Once or twice traders and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem.
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20. So the merchants H7402 and sellers H4376 of all H3605 kind of ware H4465 lodged H3885 without H4480 H2351 Jerusalem H3389 once H6471 or twice H8147 .
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21. So I warned them, "Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do it again, I will force you away." After that, they did not come back on the Sabbath.
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21. Then I testified H5749 against them , and said H559 unto H413 them, Why H4069 lodge H3885 ye H859 about H5048 the wall H2346 ? if H518 ye do so again H8138 , I will lay H7971 hands H3027 on you. From H4480 that H1931 time H6256 forth came H935 they no H3808 more on the sabbath H7676 .
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22. Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the city gates to make sure the Sabbath remained holy. Remember me, my God, for this. Have mercy on me because of your great love.
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22. And I commanded H559 the Levites H3881 that H834 they should H1961 cleanse themselves H2891 , and that they should come H935 and keep H8104 the gates H8179 , to sanctify H6942 H853 the sabbath H7676 day H3117 . Remember H2142 me , O my God H430 , concerning this H2063 also H1571 , and spare H2347 H5921 me according to the greatness H7230 of thy mercy H2617 .
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23. In those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
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23. In those H1992 days H3117 also H1571 saw H7200 I H853 Jews H3064 that had married H3427 wives H802 of Ashdod H796 , of Ammon H5984 , and of Moab H4125 :
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24. Half their children were speaking the language of Ashdod or some other place, and they couldn't speak the language of Judah.
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24. And their children H1121 spoke H1696 half H2677 in the speech of Ashdod H797 , and could H5234 not H369 speak H1696 in the Jews' language H3066 , but according to the language H3956 of each H5971 people H5971 .
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25. I argued with those people, put curses on them, hit some of them, and pulled out their hair. I forced them to make a promise to God, saying, "Do not let your daughters marry the sons of foreigners, and do not take the daughters of foreigners as wives for your sons or yourselves.
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25. And I contended H7378 with H5973 them , and cursed H7043 them , and smote H5221 certain H376 of H4480 them , and plucked off their hair H4803 , and made them swear H7650 by God H430 , saying , Ye shall not H518 give H5414 your daughters H1323 unto their sons H1121 , nor H518 take H5375 their daughters H4480 H1323 unto your sons H1121 , or for yourselves.
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26. Foreign women made King Solomon of Israel sin. There was never a king like him in any of the nations. God loved Solomon and made him king over all Israel, but foreign women made him sin.
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26. Did not H3808 Solomon H8010 king H4428 of Israel H3478 sin H2398 by H5921 these things H428 ? yet among many H7227 nations H1471 was H1961 there no H3808 king H4428 like him H3644 , who was H1961 beloved H157 of his God H430 , and God H430 made H5414 him king H4428 over H5921 all H3605 Israel H3478 : nevertheless H1571 even him did outlandish H5237 women H802 cause to sin H2398 .
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27. And now you are not obedient when you do this evil thing. You are unfaithful to our God when you marry foreign wives."
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27. Shall we then hearken H8085 unto you to do H6213 H853 all H3605 this H2063 great H1419 evil H7451 , to transgress H4603 against our God H430 in marrying H3427 strange H5237 wives H802 ?
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28. Joiada was the son of Eliashib the high priest. One of Joiada's sons married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, so I sent him away from me.
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28. And one of the sons H4480 H1121 of Joiada H3111 , the son H1121 of Eliashib H475 the high H1419 priest H3548 , was son in law H2860 to Sanballat H5571 the Horonite H2772 : therefore I chased H1272 him from H4480 H5921 me.
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29. Remember them, my God, because they made the priesthood unclean and the agreement of the priests and Levites unclean.
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29. Remember H2142 them , O my God H430 , because H5921 they have defiled H1352 the priesthood H3550 , and the covenant H1285 of the priesthood H3550 , and of the Levites H3881 .
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30. So I purified them of everything that was foreign. I appointed duties for the priests and Levites, giving each man his own job.
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30. Thus cleansed H2891 I them from all H4480 H3605 strangers H5236 , and appointed H5975 the wards H4931 of the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 , every one H376 in his business H4399 ;
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31. I also made sure wood was brought for the altar at regular times and that the first fruits were brought. Remember me, my God; be kind to me.
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31. And for the wood H6086 offering H7133 , at times H6256 appointed H2163 , and for the firstfruits H1061 . Remember H2142 me , O my God H430 , for good H2896 .
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