At that time they read to the people from the Book of Moses, and it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite might ever enter the congregation of God,
since they did not meet Israel with bread and water, and hired Balaam against them to curse them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
Word-by-Word Analysis
כי
30
לא
31
קדמו
150
אתבני
463
ישראל
541
בלחם
80
ובמים
98
וישכר
536
עליו
116
אתבלעם
543
לקללו
196
ויהפך
121
אלהינו
102
הקללה
170
לברכה
257
Nehemiah 13:3
Gematria: 2489
ויהיכשמעםאתהתורהויבדילוכלערבמישראל
When they heard the Teaching, they separated all those who had intermingled with Israel.athey separated all those who had intermingled with Israel Or “they separated from Israel all those of mixed descent.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויהי
31
כשמעם
470
אתהתורה
1017
ויבדילו
68
כלערב
322
מישראל
581
Nehemiah 13:4
Gematria: 2803
ולפנימזהאלישיבהכהןנתוןבלשכתביתאלהינוקרובלטוביה
Earlier, the priest Eliashib, a relative of Tobiah’s who had been appointed over the rooms in the House of our God,
had assigned to him a large room where they used to store the grain offering, the frankincense, the equipment, the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, the dues of the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and the gifts for the priests.
During all this time, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I went to the king, and only after a while did I ask leave of the king [to return].
When I arrived in Jerusalem, I learned of the outrage perpetrated by Eliashib in behalf of Tobiah in assigning him a room in the courts of the House of God.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ואבוא
16
לירושלם
616
ואבינה
74
ברעה
277
אשר
501
עשה
375
אלישיב
353
לטוביה
62
לעשות
806
לו
36
נשכה
375
בחצרי
310
בית
412
האלהים
91
Nehemiah 13:8
Gematria: 2257
וירעלימאדואשליכהאתכלכליביתטוביההחוץמןהלשכה
I was greatly displeased, and had all the household gear of Tobiah thrown out of the room;
I then discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been contributed, and that the Levites and the singers who performed the [temple] service had made off, each to his fields.
I censured the prefects, saying, “How is it that the House of God has been neglected?” Then I recalled [the Levites] and installed them again in their posts;
Word-by-Word Analysis
ואריבה
224
אתהסגנים
569
ואמרה
252
מדוע
120
נעזב
129
ביתהאלהים
503
ואקבצם
239
ואעמדם
161
עלעמדם
254
Nehemiah 13:12
Gematria: 2758
וכליהודההביאומעשרהדגןוהתירושוהיצהרלאוצרות
and all Judah brought the tithes of grain, wine, and oil into the treasuries.
I put the treasuries in the charge of the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and assisting them was Hanan son of Zaccur son of Mattaniah—for they were regarded as trustworthy persons, and it was their duty to distribute the portions to their brothers.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ואוצרה
308
עלאוצרות
803
שלמיה
385
הכהן
80
וצדוק
206
הסופר
351
ופדיה
105
מןהלוים
181
ועלידם
160
חנן
108
בןזכור
285
בןמתניה
557
כי
30
נאמנים
191
נחשבו
366
ועליהם
161
לחלק
168
לאחיהםפ
174
Nehemiah 13:14
Gematria: 3748
זכרהליאלהיעלזאתואלתמחחסדיאשרעשיתיבביתאלהיובמשמריו
O my God, remember me favorably for this, and do not blot out the devotion I showed toward the House of my God and its attendants.
At that time I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the sabbath, and others bringing heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, also wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of goods, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath. I admonished them there and then for selling provisions.
This is just what your ancestors did, and for it God brought all this misfortune on this city; and now you give cause for further wrath against Israel by profaning the sabbath!”
When shadows filled the gateways of Jerusalem at the approach of the sabbath, I gave orders that the doors be closed, and ordered them not to be opened until after the sabbath. I stationed some of my servants at the gates, so that no goods should enter on the sabbath.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויהי
31
כאשר
521
צללו
156
שערי
580
ירושלם
586
לפני
170
השבת
707
ואמרה
252
ויסגרו
285
הדלתות
845
ואמרה
252
אשר
501
לא
31
יפתחום
544
עד
74
אחר
209
השבת
707
ומנערי
376
העמדתי
529
עלהשערים
725
לאיבוא
50
משא
341
ביום
58
השבת
707
Nehemiah 13:20
Gematria: 2749
וילינוהרכליםומכריכלממכרמחוץלירושלםפעםושתים
Once or twice the merchants and the vendors of all sorts of wares spent the night outside Jerusalem,
but I warned them, saying, “What do you mean by spending the night alongside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands upon you!” From then on they did not come on the sabbath.
I gave orders to the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to preserve the sanctity of the sabbath.This too, O my God, remember to my credit, and spare me in accord with your abundant faithfulness.
I censured them, cursed them, flogged certain ones, tore out their hair, and adjured them by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, or take any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves.
It was just in such things that King Solomon of Israel sinned! Among the many nations there was not a king like him, and so well loved was he by his God that God made him king of all Israel, yet foreign wives caused even him to sin.