Nehemiah 13:1

Bible in Basic English (1941)

On that day there was a reading from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and they saw that it said in the book that no Ammonite or Moabite might ever come into the meeting of God;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נִקְרָ֛א בְּסֵ֥פֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְנִמְצָא֙ כָּת֣וּב בּ֔וֹ אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־יָב֨וֹא עַמֹּנִ֧י וּמֹאָבִ֛י בִּקְהַ֥ל הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

Transliteration

In yôm the hû' was niqrā' in sēfer Mošeh in 'oznê the 'ām; and was nimṣā' kāṯûḇ in bô that not yāḇô' 'ammōnî and mō'āḇî in qəhal the 'ĕlōhîm until 'ôlām.

Grammar Details

• *yôm*: masculine singular noun with definite article prefix - day
• *hû'*: demonstrative pronoun - that
• *niqrā'*: Niphal perfect 3rd masculine singular - was read/called
• *sēfer*: masculine singular construct - book/scroll of
• *Mošeh*: proper name - Moses
• *'oznê*: dual construct noun - ears of
• *'ām*: masculine singular noun with definite article - people
• *nimṣā'*: Niphal perfect 3rd masculine singular - was found
• *kāṯûḇ*: Qal passive participle - written
• *bô*: preposition with 3rd masculine singular suffix - in it
• *yāḇô'*: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - shall enter/come
• *'ammōnî*: gentilic adjective - Ammonite
• *mō'āḇî*: gentilic adjective - Moabite
• *qəhal*: masculine singular construct - assembly/congregation of
• *'ĕlōhîm*: masculine plural noun - God
• *'ôlām*: masculine singular noun - forever/eternity

Word Meanings

• *niqrā'*: was read/was called
• *sēfer*: book/scroll/document
• *'ĕlōhîm*: God/gods/divine beings (plural form used for singular deity)
• *'ôlām*: forever/perpetuity/ancient time

Referenced Verses

• Neh 9:3 : 3 And for a fourth part of the day, upright in their places, they were reading from the book of the law of their God; and for a fourth part of the day they were requesting forgiveness and worshipping the Lord their God.
• Deut 23:3-5 : 3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their people to the tenth generation may come into the meeting of the Lord's people: 4 Because they gave you no bread or water on your way, when you came out of Egypt: and they got Balaam, the son of Peor, from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to put curses on you. 5 But the Lord your God would not give ear to Balaam, but let the curse be changed into a blessing to you, because of his love for you.
• Deut 31:11-12 : 11 When all Israel has come before the Lord your God in the place named by him, let a reading be given of this law in the hearing of all Israel. 12 Make all the people come together, men and women and children, and anyone from another country who is with you, so that hearing they may become wise in the fear of the Lord your God, and take care to do all the words of this law;
• Neh 13:23 : 23 And in those days I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab:
• 2 Kgs 23:2 : 2 And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and all the people of Jerusalem, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, small and great; and they were present at his reading of the book of the law which had come to light in the house of the Lord.
• Neh 2:10 : 10 And Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, hearing of it, were greatly troubled because a man had come to the help of the children of Israel.
• Neh 2:19 : 19 But Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, hearing of it, made sport of us, laughing at us and saying, What are you doing? will you go against the king?
• Neh 4:3 : 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Such is their building that if a fox goes up it, their stone wall will be broken down.
• Neh 8:3-8 : 3 He was reading it in the wide place in front of the water-doorway, from early morning till the middle of the day, in the hearing of all those men and women whose minds were able to take it in; and the ears of all the people were open to the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe took his place on a tower of wood which they had made for the purpose; and by his side were placed Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on the right; and on the left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra took the book, opening it before the eyes of all the people (for he was higher than the people); and when it was open, all the people got to their feet: 6 And Ezra gave praise to the Lord, the great God. And all the people in answer said, So be it, so be it; lifting up their hands; and with bent heads they gave worship to the Lord, going down on their faces to the earth. 7 And Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah and Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites made the law clear to the people: and the people kept in their places. 8 And they gave out the words of the book the law of God, clearly, and gave the sense of it, so that their minds were able to take it in.
• Ps 83:7-9 : 7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek; the Philistines and the people of Tyre; 8 Assur is joined with them; they have become the support of the children of Lot. (Selah.) 9 Do to them what you did to the Midianites; what you did to Sisera and Jabin, at the stream of Kishon:
• Isa 15:1-9 : 1 The word about Moab. For in a night Ar of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer; for in a night Kir of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer. 2 The daughter of Dibon has gone up to the high places, weeping: Moab is sounding her cry of sorrow over Nebo, and over Medeba: everywhere the hair of the head and of the face is cut off. 3 In their streets they are covering themselves with haircloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their public places, there is crying and bitter weeping. 4 Heshbon is crying out, and Elealeh; their voice is sounding even to Jahaz: for this cause the heart of Moab is shaking; his soul is shaking with fear. 5 My heart is crying out for Moab; her people go in flight to Zoar, and to Eglath-shelishiyah: for they go up with weeping by the slope of Luhith; on the way to Horonaim they send up a cry of destruction. 6 The waters of Nimrim will become dry: for the grass is burned up, the young grass is coming to an end, every green thing is dead. 7 For this cause they will take away their wealth, and the stores they have got together, over the stream of the water-plants. 8 For the cry has gone round the limits of Moab; as far as to Eglaim and Beer-elim. 9 For the waters of Dimon are full of blood: and I'm sending even more on Moab, a lion on those of Moab who go in flight, and on the rest of the land.
• Isa 34:16 : 16 See what is recorded in the book of the Lord: all these will be there, not one without the other: the mouth of the Lord has given the order, and his spirit has made them come together.
• Jer 48:1-49:6 : 1 Of Moab. The Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: Sorrow on Nebo, for it has been made waste; Kiriathaim has been put to shame and is taken: the strong place is put to shame and broken down. 2 The praise of Moab has come to an end; as for Heshbon, evil has been designed against her; come, let us put an end to her as a nation. But your mouth will be shut, O Madmen; the sword will go after you. 3 There is the sound of crying from Horonaim, wasting and great destruction; 4 Moab is broken; her cry has gone out to Zoar. 5 For by the slope of Luhith they will go up, weeping all the way; for on the way down to Horonaim the cry of destruction has come to their ears. 6 Go in flight, get away with your lives, and let your faces be turned to Aroer in the Arabah. 7 For because you have put your faith in your strong places, you, even you, will be taken: and Chemosh will go out as a prisoner, his priests and his rulers together. 8 And the attacker will come against every town, not one will be safe; and the valley will be made waste, and destruction will come to the lowland, as the Lord has said. 9 Put up a pillar for Moab, for she will come to a complete end: and her towns will become a waste, without anyone living in them. 10 Let him be cursed who does the Lord's work half-heartedly; let him be cursed who keeps back his sword from blood. 11 From his earliest days, Moab has been living in comfort; like wine long stored he has not been drained from vessel to vessel, he has never gone away as a prisoner: so his taste is still in him, his smell is unchanged. 12 So truly, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will send to him men who will have him turned over till there is no more wine in his vessels, and his wine-skins will be completely broken. 13 And Moab will be shamed on account of Chemosh, as the children of Israel were shamed on account of Beth-el their hope. 14 How say you, We are men of war and strong fighters? 15 He who makes Moab waste has gone up against her; and the best of her young men have gone down to their death, says the King, whose name is the Lord of armies. 16 The fate of Moab is near, and trouble is coming on him very quickly. 17 All you who are round about him, give signs of grief for him, and all you who have knowledge of his name, say, How is the strong rod broken, even the beautiful branch! 18 Come down from your glory, O people of Dibon, and take your seat in the place of the waste; for the attacker of Moab has gone up against you, sending destruction on your strong places. 19 O daughter of Aroer, take your station by the way, on the watch: questioning him who is in flight, and her who has got away safe, say, What has been done? 20 Moab has been put to shame, she is broken: make loud sounds of grief, crying out for help; give the news in Arnon, that Moab has been made waste. 21 And punishment has come on the lowlands; on Holon and Jahzah, and on Mephaath, 22 And on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Beth-diblathaim, 23 And on Kiriathaim, and on Beth-gamul, and on Beth-meon, 24 And on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the towns of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the Lord. 26 Make him full of wine, for his heart has been lifted up against the Lord: and Moab will be rolling in the food he was not able to keep down, and everyone will be making sport of him. 27 For did you not make sport of Israel? was he taken among thieves? for whenever you were talking about him, you were shaking your head over him. 28 O people of Moab, go away from the towns and take cover in the rock; be like the dove of the Arabah, which makes her living-place in holes. 29 We have had word of the pride of Moab, how great it is; how he is lifted up in pride; and his great opinion of himself, and that his heart is lifted up. 30 I have knowledge of his wrath, says the Lord, that it is nothing; his high-sounding words have done nothing. 31 For this cause I will give cries of grief for Moab, crying out for Moab, even for all of it; I will be sorrowing for the men of Kir-heres. 32 My weeping for you, O vine of Sibmah, will be more than the weeping of Jazer: your branches have gone over the sea, stretching even to Jazer: destruction has come down on your summer fruits and your cut grapes. 33 All joy is gone; no longer are they glad for the fertile field and for the land of Moab; I have made the wine come to an end from the crushing vessels: no longer will the grapes be crushed with the sound of glad voices. 34 The cry of Heshbon comes even to Elealeh; to Jahaz their voice is sounding; from Zoar even to Horonaim and to Eglath-shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim will become dry. 35 And I will put an end in Moab, says the Lord, to him who is making offerings in the high place and burning perfumes to his gods. 36 So my heart is sounding for Moab like the sound of pipes, and my heart is sounding like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: for the wealth he has got for himself has come to an end. 37 For everywhere the hair of the head and the hair of the face is cut off: on every hand there are wounds, and haircloth on every body. 38 On all the house-tops of Moab and in its streets there is weeping everywhere; for Moab has been broken like a vessel in which there is no pleasure, says the Lord. 39 How is it broken down! how is Moab's back turned in shame! so Moab will be a cause of sport and of fear to everyone round about him. 40 For the Lord has said, See, he will come like an eagle in flight, stretching out his wings against Moab. 41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong places have been forced, and the hearts of Moab's men of war in that day will be like the heart of a woman in birth-pains. 42 And Moab will come to an end as a people, because he has been lifting himself up against the Lord. 43 Fear and death and the net have come on you, O people of Moab, says the Lord. 44 He who goes in flight from the fear will be overtaken by death; and he who gets free from death will be taken in the net: for I will make this come on Moab, even the year of their punishment, says the Lord. 45 Those who went in flight from the fear are waiting under the shade of Heshbon: for a fire has gone out from Heshbon and a flame from the house of Sihon, burning up the pride of Moab and the crown of the head of the violent ones. 46 Sorrow is yours, O Moab! the people of Chemosh are overcome: for your sons have been taken away as prisoners, and your daughters made servants. 47 But still, I will let the fate of Moab be changed in the last days, says the Lord. 1 About the children of Ammon. These are the words of the Lord: Has Israel no sons? has he no one to take the heritage? why then has Milcom taken Gad for himself, putting his people in its towns? 2 Because of this, see, the days are coming when I will have a cry of war sounded against Rabbah, the town of the children of Ammon; it will become a waste of broken walls, and her daughter-towns will be burned with fire: then Israel will take the heritage of those who took his heritage, says the Lord. 3 Make sounds of grief, O Heshbon, for Ai is wasted; give loud cries, O daughters of Rabbah, and put haircloth round you: give yourselves to weeping, running here and there and wounding yourselves; for Milcom will be taken prisoner together with his rulers and his priests. 4 Why are you lifted up in pride on account of your valleys, your flowing valley, O daughter ever turning away? who puts her faith in her wealth, saying, Who will come against me? 5 See, I will send fear on you, says the Lord, the Lord of armies, from those who are round you on every side; you will be forced out, every man straight before him, and there will be no one to get together the wanderers. 6 But after these things, I will let the fate of the children of Ammon be changed, says the Lord.
• Ezek 25:1-9 : 1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, let your face be turned to the children of Ammon, and be a prophet against them: 3 And say to the children of Ammon, Give ear to the word of the Lord; this is what the Lord has said: Because you said, Aha! against my holy place when it was made unclean, and against the land of Israel when it was made waste, and against the people of Judah when they were taken away as prisoners; 4 For this cause I will give you up to the children of the east for their heritage, and they will put their tent-circles in you and make their houses in you; they will take your fruit for their food and your milk for their drink. 5 And I will make Rabbah a place for housing camels, and the children of Ammon a resting-place for flocks: and you will be certain that I am the Lord. 6 For the Lord has said, Because you have made sounds of joy with your hands, stamping your feet, and have been glad, putting shame with all your soul on the land of Israel; 7 For this cause my hand has been stretched out against you, and I will give up your goods to be taken by the nations; I will have you cut off from the peoples and will put an end to you among the countries: I will give you up to destruction; and you will be certain that I am the Lord. 8 This is what the Lord has said: Because Moab and Seir are saying, See, the people of Judah are like all the nations; 9 For this cause, I will let the side of Moab be uncovered, and his towns on every side, the glory of the land, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon and as far as Kiriathaim. 10 To the children of the east I have given her for a heritage, as well as the children of Ammon, so that there may be no memory of her among the nations: 11 And I will be the judge of Moab; and they will see that I am the Lord.
• Amos 1:13-2:3 : 13 These are the words of the Lord: For three crimes of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not let its fate be changed; because in Gilead they had women with child cut open, so that they might make wider the limits of their land. 14 And I will make a fire in the wall of Rabbah, burning up its great houses, with loud cries in the days of war, with a storm in the day of the great wind: 15 And their king will be made prisoner, he and his captains together, says the Lord. 1 These are the words of the Lord: For three crimes of Moab, and for four, I will not let its fate be changed; because he had the bones of the king of Edom burned to dust. 2 And I will send a fire on Moab, burning up the great houses of Kerioth: and death will come on Moab with noise and outcries and the sound of the horn: 3 And I will have the judge cut off from among them, and all their captains I will put to death with him, says the Lord.
• Luke 4:16-19 : 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been as a child, and he went, as his way was, into the Synagogue on the Sabbath, and got up to give a reading. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him and, opening the book, he came on the place where it is said, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, and the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains, 19 To give knowledge that the year of the Lord's good pleasure is come.
• Luke 10:26 : 26 And he said to him, What does the law say, in your reading of it?
• Acts 13:15 : 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the Synagogue sent to them, saying, Brothers, if you have a word of comfort for the people, say on.
• Acts 15:21 : 21 For Moses, from times long past, has his preachers in every town, reading his law in the Synagogues every Sabbath.