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

1At 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,

2because 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).

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

Original words

At thatהַה֗וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulartimeבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe Bookבְּסֵ֥פֶרH5612Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Mosesמֹשֶׁ֖הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularwas read aloudנִקְרָ֛אH7121Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularin the hearingבְּאָזְנֵ֣יH241Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual constructof the peopleהָעָ֑םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularand in itבּ֔וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularthey foundוְנִמְצָא֙H4672Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe passage statingכָּת֣וּבH3789Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularthatאֲ֠שֶׁרH834Pronoun - relativenoלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleAmmoniteעַמֹּנִ֧יH5984Noun - proper - masculine singularor Moabiteוּמֹאָבִ֛יH4125Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularshould everעַד־H5704Preposition. . .עוֹלָֽם׃H5769Noun - masculine singularenterיָב֨וֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe assemblyבִּקְהַ֥לH6951Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםH430Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

See Deuteronomy 23:3–6.

Verse 2

Cross-references

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

Original words

becauseכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthey had notלֹ֧אH3808Adverb - Negative particlemetקִדְּמ֛וּH6923Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwith foodבַּלֶּ֣חֶםH3899Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand waterוּבַמָּ֑יִםH4325Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralbut had hiredוַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨רH7936Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularBalaamבִּלְעָם֙H1109Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerto call down a curseלְקַֽלְל֔וֹH7043Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularagainst themעָלָ֤יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularalthough our Godאֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralhad turnedוַיַּהֲפֹ֧ךְH2015Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe curseהַקְּלָלָ֖הH7045Article | Noun - feminine singularinto a blessingלִבְרָכָֽה׃H1293Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

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

Original words

As soon asוַיְהִ֖יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular[the people] heardכְּשָׁמְעָ֣םH8085Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthis lawהַתּוֹרָ֑הH8451Article | Noun - feminine singularthey excludedוַיַּבְדִּ֥ילוּH914Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralfrom Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularallכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructof foreign descentעֵ֖רֶבH6154Noun - masculine singular

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