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Nehemiah 13:1

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

2

Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3

Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

4

And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

5

And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

6

But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

7

And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8

And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

Nehemiah 13:3

13:3 mixed multitude. The “mixed multitude” (see Exodus 12:38) consisted of descendants of mixed marriages between the children of Israel and those from other nations. Those in the original mixed multitude (from Egypt or Edom) were accepted in the family of Israel after the third generation (Deuteronomy 23:7,8). However, those from such marriages with Moabites and Ammonites (Tobiah was an Ammonite) had been precluded from acceptance until the tenth generation (note Nehemiah 2:19; Deuteronomy 23:3).

Nehemiah 13:4

13:4 before this. “Before this” probably refers to the considerable length of time it must have taken to accomplish the annulment of all the mixed marriages after the renewed covenant. Nehemiah had to go back to Babylon after serving some twelve years in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 13:6) and, while he was away, many people had already broken the promises of their covenant.

Nehemiah 13:4

13:4 Tobiah. Tobiah was an Ammonite (Nehemiah 2:10) and an inveterate enemy of the Israelites. It is amazing that Eliashib, the chief priest, would actually give Tobiah a residence in the temple chamber where the tithes and offerings of the people were supposed to be stored. Nehemiah cast Tobiah out as soon as he heard of it.

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