Nehemiae - Caput 13

Nehemiae 13.1 in die autem illo lectum est in volumine Mosi audiente populo et inventum est scriptum in eo quod non debeat introire Ammanites et Moabites in ecclesiam Dei usque in aeternum Nehemiae 13.2 eo quod non occurrerint filiis Israhel cum pane et aqua et conduxerint adversum eum Balaam ad maledicendum ei et convertit Deus noster maledictionem in benedictionem Nehemiae 13.3 factum est autem cum audissent legem separaverunt omnem alienigenam ab Israhel Nehemiae 13.4 et super hoc erat Eliasib sacerdos qui fuerat positus in gazofilacio domus Dei nostri et proximus Tobiae Nehemiae 13.5 fecit ergo sibi gazofilacium grande et ibi erant ante eum reponentes munera et tus et vasa et decimam frumenti et vini et olei partes Levitarum et cantorum et ianitorum et primitias sacerdotales Nehemiae 13.6 in omnibus autem his non fui in Hierusalem quia in anno tricesimo secundo Artarxersis regis Babylonis veni ad regem et in fine dierum rogavi regem Nehemiae 13.7 et veni in Hierusalem et intellexi malum quod fecerat Eliasib Tobiae ut faceret ei thesaurum in vestibulis domus Dei Nehemiae 13.8 et malum mihi visum est valde et proieci vasa domus Tobiae foras de gazofilacio Nehemiae 13.9 praecepique et mundaverunt gazofilacia et rettuli ibi vasa domus Dei sacrificium et tus Nehemiae 13.10 et cognovi quoniam partes Levitarum non fuissent datae et fugisset unusquisque in regionem suam de Levitis et de cantoribus et de his qui ministrabant Nehemiae 13.11 et egi causam adversus magistratus et dixi quare dereliquimus domum Dei et congregavi eos et feci stare in stationibus suis Nehemiae 13.12 et omnis Iuda adportabat decimam frumenti et vini et olei in horrea Nehemiae 13.13 et constituimus super horrea Selemiam sacerdotem et Sadoc scribam et Phadaiam de Levitis et iuxta eos Anan filium Zacchur filium Matthaniae quoniam fideles conprobati sunt et ipsis creditae sunt partes fratrum suorum Nehemiae 13.14 memento mei Deus meus pro hoc et ne deleas miserationes meas quas feci in domo Dei mei et in caerimoniis eius Nehemiae 13.15 in diebus illis vidi in Iuda calcabant torcularia in sabbato portantes acervos et onerantes super asinos vinum et uvas et ficus et omne onus et inferentes Hierusalem in die sabbati et contestatus sum ut in die qua vendere liceret venderent Nehemiae 13.16 et Tyrii habitaverunt in ea inferentes pisces et omnia venalia et vendebant in sabbatis filiis Iuda et in Hierusalem Nehemiae 13.17 et obiurgavi optimates Iuda et dixi eis quae est res haec mala quam vos facitis et profanatis diem sabbati Nehemiae 13.18 numquid non haec fecerunt patres nostri et adduxit Deus noster super nos omne malum hoc et super civitatem hanc et vos additis iracundiam super Israhel violando sabbatum Nehemiae 13.19 factum est itaque cum quievissent portae Hierusalem die sabbati dixi et cluserunt ianuas et praecepi ut non aperirent eas usque post sabbatum et de pueris meis constitui super portas ut nullus inferret onus in die sabbati Nehemiae 13.20 et manserunt negotiatores et vendentes universa venalia foris Hierusalem semel et bis Nehemiae 13.21 et contestatus sum eos et dixi eis quare manetis ex adverso muri si secundo hoc feceritis manum mittam in vos itaque ex tempore illo non venerunt in sabbato Nehemiae 13.22 dixi quoque Levitis ut mundarentur et venirent ad custodiendas portas et sanctificandum diem sabbati et pro hoc ergo memento mei Deus meus et parce mihi secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum Nehemiae 13.23 sed et in diebus illis vidi Iudaeos ducentes uxores azotias ammanitidas et moabitidas Nehemiae 13.24 et filii eorum ex media parte loquebantur azotice et nesciebant loqui iudaice et loquebantur iuxta linguam populi et populi Nehemiae 13.25 et obiurgavi eos et maledixi et cecidi ex ipsis viros et decalvavi eos et adiuravi in Deo ut non darent filias suas filiis eorum et non acciperent de filiabus eorum filiis suis et sibimet ipsis dicens Nehemiae 13.26 numquid non in huiuscemodi re peccavit Salomon rex Israhel et certe in gentibus multis non erat rex similis ei et dilectus Deo suo erat et posuit eum Deus regem super omnem Israhel et ipsum ergo ad peccatum duxerunt mulieres alienigenae Nehemiae 13.27 numquid et nos inoboedientes faciemus omne malum grande hoc ut praevaricemur in Deo nostro et ducamus uxores peregrinas Nehemiae 13.28 de filiis autem Ioiada filii Eliasib sacerdotis magni gener erat Sanaballat Horonitis quem fugavi a me Nehemiae 13.29 recordare Domine Deus meus adversum eos qui polluunt sacerdotium iusque sacerdotale et leviticum Nehemiae 13.30 igitur mundavi eos ab omnibus alienigenis et constitui ordines sacerdotum et Levitarum unumquemque in ministerio suo Nehemiae 13.31 et in oblatione lignorum in temporibus constitutis et in primitiis memento mei Deus meus in bonum

Nehemiae : Caput 13

Nehemiah's Final Reforms

Chapter 13 of the book of Nehemiah takes us to the heart of the final reforms undertaken by this spiritual leader. How did Nehemiah deal with his people's spiritual backsliding? This crucial text evokes his return to Jerusalem and his decisive actions to counter the desecration of the temple, neglect of tithing, Sabbath violation, and intermarriage.

Spiritual Purity and Obedience to God's Law

This chapter highlights the perseverance necessary to maintain spiritual purity and obedience to God's law. Through his reforms, Nehemiah teaches us the importance of living according to God's precepts, and invites us to examine, with him, five biblical passages that resonate with the themes of reform and faithfulness.

Biblical Passages Correlated with Reform Themes

Malachi 2:11-12: "Judah has acted treacherously. A detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has defiled the sanctuary that the Lord loves by marrying women who worship foreign gods. May the Lord separate all who do this from the tents of Jacob, whether they are awake and aware or unaware, even if they bring offerings to the Lord Almighty!" This passage addresses the issue of mixed marriages, a problem that Nehemiah firmly combats.

Exodus 20:8-10: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath dedicated to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work—you, your sons, your daughters, your male or female servants, your livestock, or the foreigners who live in your towns." This commandment, concerning the Sabbath, is fundamental to Nehemiah's reforms.

Deuteronomy 23:3-4: "Neither the Ammonites nor the Moabites, nor any of their descendants, even after the tenth generation, may enter the assembly of the Lord. For they did not meet you with bread and water on the way when you came out of Egypt. Moreover, they hired Balaam son of Beor at Pethor in Syrian Mesopotamia to curse you." This law is essential to understanding Nehemiah's actions regarding foreign influence on Israel.

Ezra 10:11: "Now therefore, confess to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the neighboring peoples and from their foreign women." This passage highlights the need to distance ourselves from intermarriage, a challenge that Nehemiah must address.

Amos 8:5: "You say, 'When will the new moon end, that we may sell grain? And when will the Sabbath end, that we may sell wheat, reducing the measure, raising the price, and deceiving with dishonest scales?'" This verse criticizes business practices that violate the Sabbath, themes also addressed by Nehemiah in his reforms.

Through these passages, we are called to reflect on our own lives and engage in spiritual reform, conforming to God's will and diligently preserving our faith.