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Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah book home•Chapter 13 of 13•31 verses

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Nehemiah 13 Overview

After a period away from Jerusalem, Nehemiah returns and finds several reforms already breaking down. Tobiah has been given a room in the temple courts, Levites have not received their portions, merchants are violating the Sabbath, and mixed marriages again threaten covenant faithfulness. Nehemiah acts forcefully to correct each abuse and closes with repeated prayers that God remember him.

NehemiahBook

13Chapter

31Verses

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Before you read Nehemiah 13

Coming from

Chapter 12 celebrated the completed wall and established support for temple worship, giving the restoration story a high point of public joy.

In this chapter

Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, discovers serious backsliding, and carries out reforms involving temple space, Levite support, Sabbath commerce, and unlawful marriages.

Leads into

Nehemiah closes without pretending that walls, ceremonies, or signed commitments permanently solved Israel’s heart problem; Esther follows in the English Bible with another account of Jews living under Persian rule.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Nehemiah had returned to the Persian king and later obtained permission to come back to Jerusalem. The chapter therefore exposes what developed during his absence. His actions can be severe—throwing out Tobiah’s goods, shutting gates, threatening merchants, contending with offenders, and even striking some men and pulling hair—but these actions are narrated in his role as governor enforcing covenant reforms, not prescribed as ordinary pastoral methods.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

External restoration does not guarantee lasting internal faithfulness; reforms can deteriorate when vigilance disappears.

Truth 2

Neglect of Levite support directly damages worship because workers leave their posts to provide for themselves.

Truth 3

Nehemiah addresses compromise concretely, but the book’s ending also shows the limits of external reform to produce enduring obedience.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Nehemiah 10 records explicit commitments concerning temple support, Sabbath commerce, and intermarriage—the very areas that deteriorate here.

Connection 2

Ezra 9–10 confronted an earlier version of the mixed-marriage crisis.

Connection 3

Malachi, from the broader post-exilic period, also condemns corrupt worship, unfaithfulness, and neglect of covenant responsibilities.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Nehemiah’s physical treatment of offenders is descriptive of this governor’s enforcement in a specific covenant setting; it is not a New Testament model for pastoral discipline.

Keep this clear 2

Do not make Sabbath gate enforcement a salvation requirement or directly impose Israel’s civil Sabbath rules on the church.

Keep this clear 3

The repeated need for reform should not be interpreted as people repeatedly gaining and losing eternal life; the chapter addresses covenant faithfulness and community order.

Read Nehemiah 13 watching for…

What Nehemiah finds in the chamber prepared for Tobiah.

Why the Levites had returned to their fields.

How Sabbath commerce had resumed.

The connection between mixed marriages and Solomon’s example.

Nehemiah’s repeated prayers to be remembered by God.

Chapter outline6 sections

1-3The law is read, and Israel separates from the mixed multitude 4-9Nehemiah removes Tobiah from a chamber in the house of God and restores the room 10-14Nehemiah restores support for the Levites and puts faithful men over the treasuries 15-22Nehemiah stops Sabbath buying and selling and orders the gates guarded 23-29Nehemiah confronts mixed marriages and corruption connected to the priesthood 30-31Nehemiah cleanses the people, appoints temple duties, and asks God to remember him

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;

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.

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

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

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.

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:

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.

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

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

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Nehemiah 13:18

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