בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נִקְרָא בְּסֵפֶר מֹשֶׁה בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וְנִמְצָא כָּתוּב בּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָבוֹא עַמֹּנִי וּמֹאָבִי בִּקְהַל הָאֱלֹהִים עַד־עוֹלָם

On that day, on one of those days, they read in, from, the scroll of Moses in the ears of the people, and it was found written in it that an Amonite and a Moavite may not enter into the assembly of God forever,

כִּי לֹא קִדְּמוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמָּיִם וַיִּשְׂכֹּר עָלָיו אֶת־בִּלְעָם לְקַלְלוֹ וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה

because they, the Amonites and Moavites, did not greet the children of Israel on their path through the wilderness with bread and with water, and instead Moav hired Bilam against them, Israel, to curse them, and our God transformed the curse into a blessing.

וַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעָם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וַיַּבְדִּילוּ כָל־עֵרֶב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל

It was when they heard this section read from the Torah that they separated from Israel all the intermingled, all the foreigners from the nations of Amon and Moav.

וְלִפְנֵי מִזֶּה אֶלְיָשִׁיב הַכֹּהֵן נָתוּן בְּלִשְׁכַּת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵינוּ קָרוֹב לְטוֹבִיָּה

Before this, Elyashiv the priest had been appointed over the chambers of the House of our God; he was close with Toviya the Amonite, an enemy of Judah,

וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ לִשְׁכָּה גְדוֹלָה וְשָׁם הָיוּ לְפָנִים נֹתְנִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה הַלְּבוֹנָה וְהַכֵּלִים וּמַעְשַׂר הַדָּגָן הַתִּרוֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָר מִצְוַת הַלְוִיִּם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים וּתְרוּמַת הַכֹּהֲנִים

and Elyashiv had made for him, Toviya, a great chamber on the Temple Mount, where earlier they would place the meal offerings, the frankincense, white pellets extracted from the resin of the frankincense tree, which is used for meal offerings, the showbread, and the incense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that which was the commandment for the Levites, they were the Levites’ rightful dues, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the gifts for the priests.

וּב כָל־זֶה לֹא הָיִיתִי בִּירוּשָׁלִָם כִּי בִּשְׁנַת שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל בָּאתִי אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וּלְקֵץ יָמִים נִשְׁאַלְתִּי מִן־הַמֶּלֶךְ

During all this time, while all this was happening, I had not been in Jerusalem, as in the thirty-second year of Artahshasta king of Babylon, who was actually the king of Persia, but was also called the king of Babylon, I came to the king to fulfill my duties after spending twelve years in Jerusalem (see 2:1, 6, 5:14), and at the conclusion of a certain period of time, perhaps a year, I requested from the king to return to Jerusalem;

וָאָבוֹא לִירוּשָׁלִָם וָאָבִינָה בָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶלְיָשִׁיב לְטוֹבִיָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ נִשְׁכָּה בְּחַצְרֵי בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים

and I came to Jerusalem, and I understood, observed, the evil that Elyashiv had performed for Toviya, our enemy, to prepare a chamber for him in the courtyards of the House of God.

וַיֵּרַע לִי מְאֹד וָאַשְׁלִיכָה אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי בֵית־טוֹבִיָּה הַחוּץ מִן־הַלִּשְׁכָּה

I was greatly displeased, and I cast all the vessels of Toviya’s household out of the chamber. Nehemiah did not sit back and wait for events to unfold. When he saw that this man had illicitly appropriated for himself a chamber in the House of God, he threw out all of his belongings.

וָאֹמְרָה וַיְטַהֲרוּ הַלְּשָׁכוֹת וָאָשִׁיבָה שָּׁם כְּלֵי בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה וְהַלְּבֹנָה

I said, issued a command, and they purified the chambers, and I returned to there the vessels of the House of God, the meal offerings, and the frankincense.

וָאֵדְעָה כִּי־מְנָיוֹת הַלְוִיִּם לֹא נִתָּנָה וַיִּבְרְחוּ אִישׁ־לְשָׂדֵהוּ הַלְוִיִּם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה

Another act of Nehemiah: I knew that the portions of the Levites had not been given. The tithes that used to be brought to that chamber for the Levites had ceased to arrive, and each of the Levites and the singers, the craftsmen, had fled to his field. Those who were supposed to serve in the Temple had left because no one was providing them with sustenance. Instead, they had returned to work their fields for their livelihoods.

וָאָרִיבָה אֶת הַסְּגָנִים וָאֹמְרָה מַדּוּעַ נֶעֱזַב בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים וָאֶקְבְּצֵם וָאַעֲמִדֵם עַל־עָמְדָם

I quarreled with the prefects, and said: Why is the House of God forsaken? I gathered them, the Levites, together once again, and set them in their former place.

וְכָל־יְהוּדָה הֵבִיאוּ מַעְשַׂר הַדָּגָן וְהַתִּירוֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָר לָאוֹצָרוֹת

All Judah again brought the tithe of the grain and the wine and the oil to the treasuries.

וָאוֹצְרָה עַל אוֹצָרוֹת שֶׁלֶמְיָה הַכֹּהֵן וְצָדוֹק הַסּוֹפֵר וּפְדָיָה מִן־הַלְוִיִּם וְעַל־יָדָם חָנָן בֶּן־זַכּוּר בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה כִּי נֶאֱמָנִים נֶחְשָׁבוּ וַעֲלֵיהֶם לַחֲלֹק לַאֲחֵיהֶם

I appointed treasurers over the treasuries; Shelemya the priest, and Tzadok the scribe, and Pedaya from the Levites, next to them, to assist them, was Hanan, son of Zakur, son of Matanya, as they were considered faithful, and it was incumbent upon them to distribute the tithe to their brethren.

זָכְרָה־לִּי אֱלֹהַי עַל־זֹאת וְאַל־תֶּמַח חֲסָדַי אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּבֵית אֱלֹהַי וּבְמִשְׁמָרָיו

Remember me, my God, for this, and do not expunge my kindnesses that I performed in the House of my God, and in its watches, by restoring the orders and watches to their proper places.

בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה רָאִיתִי בִיהוּדָה דֹּרְכִים־גִּתּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת וּמְבִיאִים הָעֲרֵמוֹת וְעֹמְסִים עַל־הַחֲמֹרִים וְאַף־יַיִן עֲנָבִים וּתְאֵנִים וְכָל־מַשָּׂא וּמְבִיאִים יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וָאָעִיד בְּיוֹם מִכְרָם צָיִד

In those days I saw in Judah some people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and transporting heaps of produce, and loading on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, and figs, and all burdens, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; I warned them on the day that they sold provisions.

וְהַצֹּרִים יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ מְבִיאִים דָּאג וְכָל־מֶכֶר וּמוֹכְרִים בַּשַּׁבָּת לִבְנֵי יְהוּדָה וּבִירוּשָׁלִָם

Tyrians, merchants from the maritime city of Tyre, were residing in it, the city and the surrounding area, bringing fish and all merchandise, and selling them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

וָאָרִיבָה אֵת חֹרֵי יְהוּדָה וָאֹמְרָה לָהֶם מָה־הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹשִׂים וּמְחַלְּלִים אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת

I quarreled with the nobles of Judah, and said to them: What is this evil matter that you are doing, and desecrating the Sabbath day?

הֲלוֹא כֹה עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם וַיָּבֵא אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת וְעַל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת וְאַתֶּם מוֹסִיפִים חָרוֹן עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחַלֵּל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת

Didn’t your fathers do so, and our God brought all this evil upon us and upon this city because of such actions? Yet you exacerbate wrath upon Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.

וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר צָלְלוּ שַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם לִפְנֵי הַשַּׁבָּת וָאֹמְרָה וַיִּסָּגְרוּ הַדְּלָתוֹת וָאֹמְרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִפְתָּחוּם עַד אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת וּמִנְּעָרַי הֶעֱמַדְתִּי עַל־הַשְּׁעָרִים לֹא־יָבוֹא מַשָּׂא בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת

It was when the gates of Jerusalem began to be shadowed before the Sabbath, when the sun was setting on Friday, I said, issued an order, and the doors were shut, and I said that they should not open them until after the Sabbath, so that no one should enter the city on the holy day; I positioned some of my lads, the military personnel at my disposal, at the gates, to ensure that no burden should come on the Sabbath day.

וַיָּלִינוּ הָרֹכְלִים וּמֹכְרֵי כָל־מִמְכָּר מִחוּץ לִירוּשָׁלִָם פַּעַם וּשְׁתָּיִם

The peddlers and merchants of all merchandise stayed the night outside Jerusalem on Friday night, in order to sell to the residents of the city who would come out of the city early in the morning of the Sabbath. They did this once or twice.

וָאָעִידָה בָהֶם וָאֹמְרָה אֲלֵיהֶם מַדּוּעַ אַתֶּם לֵנִים נֶגֶד הַחוֹמָה אִם־תִּשְׁנוּ יָד אֶשְׁלַח בָּכֶם מִן־הָעֵת הַהִיא לֹא בָאוּ בַּשַּׁבָּת

I warned them and said to them: Why are you staying the night opposite the wall? If you do so again, I will send against you and harm you. Thus, from that time, they did not come on the Sabbath.

וָאֹמְרָה לַלְוִיִּם אֲשֶׁר יִהְיוּ מִטַּהֲרִים וּבָאִים שֹׁמְרִים הַשְּׁעָרִים לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת גַּם־זֹאת זָכְרָה־לִּי אֱלֹהַי וְחוּסָה עָלַי כְּרֹב חַסְדֶּךָ

Also with regard to the Sabbath, I said to, commanded, the Levites that they should purify themselves beforehand, and come guard the gates, in order to sanctify the Sabbath day. Nehemiah instructed them to ritually purify themselves in honor of the Sabbath when they came to guard at the Temple gates. Remember this also for me, to my merit, my God, that I enhanced the sanctity of the Sabbath, and have mercy on me, in accordance with Your abounding mercy.

גַּם בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם רָאִיתִי אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים הֹשִׁיבוּ נָשִׁים אַשְׁדֳּדִיּוֹת עַמֳּנִיּוֹת מוֹאֲבִיּוֹת

Also in those days I saw that the Judeans had married Ashdodite, Amonite, and Moavite women; they had taken for themselves foreign wives who were forbidden to them;

וּבְנֵיהֶם חֲצִי מְדַבֵּר אַשְׁדּוֹדִית וְאֵינָם מַכִּירִים לְדַבֵּר יְהוּדִית וְכִלְשׁוֹן עַם וָעָם

and half their children of mixed heritage spoke Ashdodite, like the residents of Ashdod, and did not know to speak the Judean language, even though they were children of Judeans, but rather, being the offspring of mothers from the various nations, they would speak each and every people according to its language.

וָאָרִיב עִמָּם וָאֲקַלְלֵם וָאַכֶּה מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים וָאֶמְרְטֵם וָאַשְׁבִּיעֵם בֵּאלֹהִים אִם־תִּתְּנוּ בְנֹתֵיכֶם לִבְנֵיהֶם וְאִם־תִּשְׂאוּ מִבְּנֹתֵיהֶם לִבְנֵיכֶם וְלָכֶם

I quarreled with them, and cursed them, and I struck some men from among them, and pulled out their hair. Nehemiah responded very differently from Ezra, who wept when faced with a similar situation. By contrast, Nehemiah acted in a most decisive, forceful manner. And I administered an oath to them by God: You shall not give your Judean daughters to their sons of the foreign nations, and you shall not marry their daughters to your sons, or to yourselves.

הֲלוֹא עַל־אֵלֶּה חָטָא־שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבַגּוֹיִם הָרַבִּים לֹא־הָיָה מֶלֶךְ כָּמֹהוּ וְאָהוּב לֵאלֹהָיו הָיָה וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ אֱלֹהִים מֶלֶךְ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם־אוֹתוֹ הֶחֱטִיאוּ הַנָּשִׁים הַנָּכְרִיּוֹת

Wasn’t it over these, the foreign women whom he married, that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king wise and influential like him, and he was beloved to his God, and God set him king over all Israel; even him, the foreign women caused to sin.

וְלָכֶם הֲנִשְׁמַע לַעֲשֹׂת אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת לִמְעֹל בֵּאלֹהֵינוּ לְהֹשִׁיב נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת

Shall it be heard of you, performing all this great evil? Do you wish to repeat that same mistake, to trespass against our God to marry foreign women?

וּמִבְּנֵי יוֹיָדָע בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִׁיב הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל חָתָן לְסַנְבַלַּט הַחֹרֹנִי וָאַבְרִיחֵהוּ מֵעָלָי

From the sons of Yoyada, son of Elyashiv the High Priest, there was a son-in-law of Sanbalat the Horonite. The leaders of the Samaritans married into the best families of Judah (see 6:18). And I drove him away from me; I banished him from my presence. Apparently, the descendants of this High Priest ultimately became priests for the Samaritans.

זָכְרָה לָהֶם אֱלֹהָי עַל־גָּאֳלֵי הַכְּהֻנָּה וּבְרִית הַכְּהֻנָּה וְהַלְוִיִּם

Remember it for them, my God, their defiling of the priesthood, and how they profaned the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

וְטִהַרְתִּים מִכָּל־נֵכָר וָאַעֲמִידָה מִשְׁמָרוֹת לַכֹּהֲנִים וְלַלְוִיִּם אִישׁ בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ

I purified them, the Judeans, from everything foreign, and appointed watches for the priests and for the Levites, each at his task.

וּלְקֻרְבַּן הָעֵצִים בְּעִתִּים מְזֻמָּנוֹת וְלַבִּכּוּרִים זָכְרָה־לִּי אֱלֹהַי לְטוֹבָה

And for the wood offering, I took pains that it should come at appointed times, on fixed dates, and did likewise for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, favorably. Nehemiah concludes his book with a description of all the deeds he performed to restore the proper functioning of the House of God and to reinforce the people’s observance of the commandments of the Torah. Unusually for a great leader, he explicitly asks God to remember his merits. As Nehemiah was one of those who molded the way of life in the Kingdom of Judah for future generations, he is worthy of being remembered for the good.