Nechemyah 13 נחמיה י״ג

On that day, the book of Moses was read in the ears of the people, and it was found written in it that an Ammonite or a Moavite may not enter the congregation of G-d [i.e., he may not marry an Israelite woman] forever [viz. Deuteronomy 23:4].

For they did not go out before the children of Israel with bread and water and because they hired against them Bilam to curse them [viz. Ibid. 5]. And G-d turned the curse into a blessing.

And it was, when they heard the Torah, that they separated every admixture [of idolators] from Israel.

And before this, Elyashiv the priest, a kinsman of Toviah [the Ammonite (viz. 2:10)], had placed [(Toviah's belongings)] in a chamber of the house of our G-d.

And he had made him a large chamber where before they had placed the meal [for meal-offerings], the frankincense, the [Temple] vessels, the tithe of the grain, the wine, and the oil, the gifts of the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the terumah of the priests.

And with all this [i.e., while all this was happening], I was not in Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of [the reign of] Artachshast [(Darius)] king of Bavel, I came to the king, and after some time, I asked the king [to permit me to return to Jerusalem].

And I came to Jerusalem and I realized the evil that Elyashiv had done with Toviah, giving him a chamber in the courts of the house of G-d.

And it grieved me greatly, and I threw all the vessels of Toviah's house out of the chamber.

And I ordered that the chambers be purified, and I restored there all the vessels of the house of G-d and the meal and the frankincense.

And I knew that the portions of the Levites had not been placed (there), wherefore each one ran to his field [i.e., to the fields instead of to the chambers to collect his gifts] — the Levites, the singers, the doers of the work [of the Temple].

And I fought with the officers and said: Why is the house of G-d forsaken [of priests and Levites, seeking their gifts abroad!]. And I gathered them [the priests and the Levites] and I restored them to their [usual] stations [in the Temple], whither Israel again brought their gifts as in the past].

And all of Judah brought the tithe of grain, wine and oil to the [Temple] storehouses.

And I placed over the storehouses Shelemyah the priest and Tzaddok the scribe and Pedayah of the Levites, and, assisting them, Chanan the son of Zakkur the son of Matanyah. For they could be trusted to divide [the gifts equably] among their brethren.

Remember me, my G-d, for this, and do not erase my lovingkindnesses which I have done in the house of my G-d and in its watches.

In those days I saw [men] in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing sheaves and loading them on asses, along with wine, grapes, figs and all [other] burdens, and bringing (them) to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I exhorted [them against this] on their market day.

And the Tyrian [merchants] who dwelt there brought fish and all [kinds of] merchandise and sold it on the Sabbath to the children of Judah and in Jerusalem!

And I fought with the nobles of Judah and said to them: What is this evil thing that you are doing, desecrating the Sabbath day!

Did your fathers not do thus and G-d bring all this evil upon us and upon this city! And you are increasing wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath!

And it was, as the shadows [were descending upon] the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered that the doors be closed [(so that merchants not enter the city to sell their wares on the Sabbath)], and I ordered that they not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I posted some of my youths at the gates so that no loads enter (there) on the Sabbath day.

And the merchants and the sellers of all wares slept outside of Jerusalem one or two times [(so that the Jews would open the gates for them and buy from them on the Sabbath)].

And I warned them, saying: Why do you sleep near the wall? If you do this again, I will punish you! From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

And I charged the Levites [(of the incoming watch)] to purify themselves and come to guard the gates [(before the onset of the Sabbath)] to sanctify the Sabbath day. This, too, remember unto me, my G-d, and be compassionate to me in the abundance of Your lovingkindness.

Also, in those days, I saw the Jews taking as wives women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moav.

And, of their children, half [i.e., many] spoke Ashdodian and could not speak the language of Judah, as the language of (all) people.

And I fought with them and I cursed them and I flogged some of the men and tore out their hair, and I beswore them: If you give your daughters to their sons and if you take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves …

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin over these [women]? And in (all of) the many nations there was no king such as he. And he was beloved of his G-d. And G-d had made him king over all of Israel — he, too, was caused to sin by foreign wives!

[And you would take such wives] unto yourselves! Is [such a thing] heard of? To do all of this great evil? To be faithless to our G-d by wedding foreign wives!

And one of the sons of Yoyada the son of Elyashiv, the high-priest, was a son-in-law to Sanvalat the Choronite [(the oppressor of the Jews [viz. 2:10])], and I drove him away from my presence [(so that he not act as a spy for his father-in-law against Jerusalem)].

Remember unto them [(Israel) the good that they did)] in rejecting [(the unqualified from)] the priesthood and (from) the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites [viz. 7:64].

And I cleansed them from all foreign [elements] and I set up watches for the priests and the Levites, each in his function.

And [I instituted] the bringing of wood [for the altar] at set times, and, [likewise] for the [bringing of] first-fruits. Remember [these things] unto me for good, my G-d.