Nehemiah 13:1 kjv
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;
Nehemiah 13:1 nkjv
On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God,
Nehemiah 13:1 niv
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,
Nehemiah 13:1 esv
On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
Nehemiah 13:1 nlt
On that same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God.
Nehemiah 13 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 23:3-6 | No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD... because they did not meet you with bread and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam... | Original Law prohibiting entry due to hostility. |
| Num 22:1-7 | Balak king of Moab sent messengers to Balaam to curse Israel... | Moabite king hiring Balaam against Israel. |
| Num 24:17 | A star shall come out of Jacob; A scepter shall rise out of Israel, And shatter the temples of Moab... | Balaam's prophecy including judgment on Moab. |
| Judg 3:12-30 | Eglon king of Moab, against Israel; and Ehud delivered Israel... | Moabite oppression of Israel in the Judges period. |
| 1 Sam 11:1-11 | Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead... | Ammonite hostility and threat against Israel. |
| 2 Sam 10:1-19 | Hanun the king of the Ammonites disgraced David's servants... | Ammonite insult and war with David. |
| Ezra 9:1-2 | The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with their abominations... they have taken some of their daughters as wives... | Post-exilic warning against intermarriage and foreign influence. |
| Ezra 10:11 | Now then, make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives. | Call for separation from unholy foreign elements. |
| Neh 13:28 | One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite... | Violation of separation laws, a catalyst for Nehemiah's reforms. |
| Isa 52:11 | Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her! Be clean... | Prophetic call for ceremonial and spiritual separation from impurity. |
| Ezr 6:21 | The people of Israel... and all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate the Passover. | Examples of righteous separation for true worship. |
| Psa 1:1 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. | General principle of separation from wicked influences. |
| Prov 4:14-15 | Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. | Wisdom literature's call for moral separation. |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? | New Covenant principle of spiritual separation and purity for believers. |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." | New Covenant command echoing OT separation principles. |
| Rev 18:4 | And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." | Ultimate spiritual separation from global spiritual Babylon. |
| Ruth 1:4 | And they took Moabite wives: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. | Ruth, a Moabitess, shows individual repentance/faith, exception to general rule. |
| Ruth 4:13-17 | Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, bore a son (Obed, ancestor of David)... | God's grace in incorporating a believing Moabitess into Israel's lineage. |
| Acts 10:34-35 | Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." | New Covenant emphasis on individual faith over national origin. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | In Christ, distinctions based on ethnicity are superseded for salvation. |
| Eph 2:19 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. | Believers, once alien, are welcomed into God's spiritual household in Christ. |
| Mal 3:6 | For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. | God's unchangeable character supports His unchanging laws/principles. |
| Rom 3:29 | Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also. | God's universal sovereignty applies to all people groups. |
Nehemiah 13 verses
Nehemiah 13 1 Meaning
Nehemiah 13:1 records the public reading of the Law of Moses to the people, specifically a statute prohibiting Ammonites and Moabites from entering the assembly of God forever. This decree was rooted in their historical animosity and lack of hospitality towards Israel during the Exodus, highlighting God's righteous standard for the purity and distinctiveness of His chosen people and the community gathered for worship. The immediate purpose of this reading was to remind the people of a long-standing divine command that demanded separation from those identified as historical adversaries to God's plan and people.
Nehemiah 13 1 Context
Nehemiah 13 begins dramatically following a period of Nehemiah's absence from Jerusalem, having returned to Persia as required by his commission. Upon his return, Nehemiah finds significant reforms that he had instituted have fallen apart, signaling widespread compromise and neglect of God's law. This verse, Nehemiah 13:1, specifically highlights the immediate catalytic event for his renewed zeal for reform: the reading of a foundational Mosaic Law regarding the exclusion of Ammonites and Moabites. The broader chapter context shows various covenant violations including profanation of the Temple by Tobiah the Ammonite (Neh 13:4-9), neglect of Levitical support (Neh 13:10-14), Sabbath breaking (Neh 13:15-22), and intermarriage (Neh 13:23-29). The reading of this particular law serves as a potent reminder of the principle of holiness and separation that was being severely violated, triggering Nehemiah's vigorous efforts to restore order and purity within the assembly.
Nehemiah 13 1 Word analysis
- On that day (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא – bayyôm hahûʾ): Signifies a specific and critical juncture, emphasizing an immediate response to hearing the divine command. This wasn't a casual event but a public assembly with significant implications.
- they read (קָרְאוּ – qārʾū): Implies a public, authoritative proclamation of God's Word. It suggests intentionality and commitment from those leading the people. The people actively heard and were meant to act on what was read.
- in the Book of Moses (בְּסֵפֶר מֹשֶׁה – bəṣēper Mōšeh): Establishes the divine authority of the decree. This was not a new rule invented by Nehemiah or the priests but an ancient law directly from the Torah (Pentateuch), reinforcing its unchanging validity for Israel.
- in the hearing of the people (בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם – bəʾoznê hāʿām): Underscores the public, communal nature of the event. Everyone was made aware, holding them accountable to the Law's requirements and preventing any claim of ignorance.
- no Ammonite or Moabite (לֹא־יָבֹא עַמּוֹנִי וּמוֹאָבִי – lōʾ-yābōʾ ʿAmmōnî ûMôʾābî): This is a direct prohibition. These specific groups were singled out due to their distinct historical acts of hostility against Israel during their Exodus from Egypt (Deut 23:4), rather than simply their ethnicity. They denied provision and actively sought Israel's destruction.
- should ever enter (לֹא־יָבֹא ... עַד עוֹלָם – lōʾ-yābōʾ ... ʿad ʿôlām): The phrase ʿad ʿôlām means "forever" or "for eternity." While strong, its interpretation within the biblical narrative allows for nuance, as seen in the story of Ruth (a Moabitess) who through faith and conversion was incorporated into Israel. However, as a national decree, it served to perpetually remind Israel of these nations' treachery and to preserve the holiness of the qahal.
- the assembly of God (בִּקְהַל אֱלֹהִים – biqhal ʾělōhîm): The term qahal refers to the summoned congregation or community of Israel, a distinctive, covenantal body set apart for God's purposes. Entering it implies full membership, participation in its worship, governance, and communal life, not just physical presence within its boundaries. It emphasized maintaining the ritual and social purity of this sacred community.
- "On that day, they read in the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people": This phrase highlights the importance of grounding reform and obedience in the divine, authoritative Word. The immediacy ("on that day") and public nature of the reading ("in the hearing of the people") imply an urgent and widespread commitment to adhere to previously neglected commandments, indicating a communal awakening or re-commitment to God's law. This was the foundational step before taking any action.
- "that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God": This statement, taken directly from Deut 23:3-6, underscores the principle of separation essential for the holiness and integrity of the covenant community. The specific naming of these two groups signifies a remembrance of their persistent enmity towards Israel and divine judgment against those who oppose God's chosen people. It was a standing testimony against unrighteous alliances and hostile intentions, emphasizing the purity required for participation in God's dedicated community.
Nehemiah 13 1 Bonus section
This specific decree (Deut 23:3-6) was unique because it applied to specific nationalities based on their historic actions and continuous national character towards Israel, distinguishing them from other gentile groups who could enter the assembly after multiple generations. While the term "forever" (ʿad ʿôlām) might imply an absolute ban, the Old Testament itself provides the example of Ruth, a Moabitess, whose personal faith and repentance allowed her full integration and even elevated her lineage within Israel, illustrating God's grace and acceptance of individuals from any nation who genuinely turn to Him. The principle here for the returning exiles was less about ethnic discrimination and more about safeguarding the spiritual and moral integrity of the "assembly of God" from corrupting foreign influences that had historically undermined their covenant relationship. The prompt reading of this specific law, immediately impacting the situation with Tobiah, highlighted the spiritual consequences of failing to adhere to divine boundaries and served as a blueprint for purging foreign elements.
Nehemiah 13 1 Commentary
Nehemiah 13:1 marks a crucial turning point, where the renewed focus on God's Word ignites a new wave of reforms. The public reading of the Law regarding the exclusion of Ammonites and Moabites from the "assembly of God" served as a powerful reminder of Israel's foundational identity as a holy and separated people. This command, rooted in their historical treachery against Israel, underscored God's demand for purity within His covenant community. The qahal, the assembly of God, was not merely a social gathering but a divinely ordained body meant to reflect God's holiness. This verse sets the stage for Nehemiah's decisive actions in the rest of the chapter, particularly his expulsion of Tobiah the Ammonite from the Temple precincts, showing that adherence to God's Word requires tangible actions of separation from compromising influences. It illustrates the enduring principle that proximity to God requires spiritual and relational distinction from those whose ways are antithetical to His covenant.