Focused Passage

Nehemiah 13:1-3

Nehemiah Returns to Confront Compromise and Restore Covenant Faithfulness

After the Law exposes the need for separation, Nehemiah returns and confronts temple compromise, restores Levite support, enforces Sabbath holiness, rebukes intermarriage, purifies the priesthood, and repeatedly appeals to God to remember him.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,

2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).

3 As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 23:3 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 6:14 Classic cross-references Nehemiah 9:3 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 10:2 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 23:1 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 1:15-16 OliveGrove study links 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 OliveGrove study links James 4:4 OliveGrove study links

Original words

At that הַה֗וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular time בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular the Book בְּסֵ֥פֶר H5612 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of Moses מֹשֶׁ֖ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular was read aloud נִקְרָ֛א H7121 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular in the hearing בְּאָזְנֵ֣י H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct of the people הָעָ֑ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular and in it בּ֔וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular they found וְנִמְצָא֙ H4672 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular the passage stating כָּת֣וּב H3789 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular that אֲ֠שֶׁר H834 Pronoun - relative no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle Ammonite עַמֹּנִ֧י H5984 Noun - proper - masculine singular or Moabite וּמֹאָבִ֛י H4125 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular should ever עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . עוֹלָֽם׃ H5769 Noun - masculine singular enter יָב֨וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the assembly בִּקְהַ֥ל H6951 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of God הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

See Deuteronomy 23:3–6.

Verse 2

Cross-references

Proverbs 26:2 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 23:5 Classic cross-references Joshua 24:9 Classic cross-references Numbers 23:11 Classic cross-references 2 Peter 2:15 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 1:15-16 OliveGrove study links 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 OliveGrove study links James 4:4 OliveGrove study links

Original words

because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they had not לֹ֧א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle met קִדְּמ֛וּ H6923 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Israelites בְּנֵ֥י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular with food בַּלֶּ֣חֶם H3899 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and water וּבַמָּ֑יִם H4325 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural but had hired וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר H7936 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Balaam בִּלְעָם֙ H1109 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to call down a curse לְקַֽלְל֔וֹ H7043 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular against them עָלָ֤יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular although our God אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural had turned וַיַּהֲפֹ֧ךְ H2015 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the curse הַקְּלָלָ֖ה H7045 Article | Noun - feminine singular into a blessing לִבְרָכָֽה׃ H1293 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Nehemiah 9:2 Classic cross-references Exodus 12:38 Classic cross-references Numbers 11:4 Classic cross-references Nehemiah 10:28 Classic cross-references Ezra 9:2 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 1:15-16 OliveGrove study links 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 OliveGrove study links James 4:4 OliveGrove study links

Original words

As soon as וַיְהִ֖י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular [the people] heard כְּשָׁמְעָ֣ם H8085 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this law הַתּוֹרָ֑ה H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular they excluded וַיַּבְדִּ֥ילוּ H914 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural from Israel מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ H3478 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular all כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct of foreign descent עֵ֖רֶב H6154 Noun - masculine singular

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