Nehemiah 13:1-3

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

1 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,
2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)
3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.

Nehemiah 13:1-3 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 13

This chapter relates the reformation of various abuses crept in among the Jews by Nehemiah, who removed the Moabites and Ammonites, mixed with them, Ne 13:1-3, threw the household goods of Tobiah out of a chamber of the temple, and restored it to its former use, Ne 13:4-9, took care that the Levites had their portion given them which had been kept from them, Ne 13:10-14 prevented the profanation of the sabbath by selling goods on that day, Ne 13:15-22, and put a stop to the marrying of strange wives, which had prevailed again among them, Ne 13:23-31.

Cross References 5

  • 1. ver 23; Deuteronomy 23:3
  • 2. Numbers 22:3-11
  • 3. S Numbers 23:7; S Deuteronomy 23:3
  • 4. S Numbers 23:11; Deuteronomy 23:4-5
  • 5. ver 23; S Nehemiah 9:2
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