The Meaning of Nehemiah 13:1 Explained

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;

YLT: On that day there was read in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it hath been found written in it that an Ammonite and Moabite doth not come into the assembly of God -- unto the age,

Darby: On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

ASV: On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God for ever,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does Nehemiah 13:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 13:1-14 - Neglect Of Religious Duties
In Nehemiah 12:44-47 we have recorded the care that was manifested for the worthy maintenance of those who ministered in sacred things. As a result there were glad outbursts of minstrelsy and holy joy. Make room in your life for songs and praises, Psalms 33:1. In the opening of Nehemiah 13:1-31 we see how the Word of God cuts like a two-edged sword against evil. Happy are they who attend to its solemn warnings. The law referred to here was Deuteronomy 23:3-5. Tobiah was an Ammonite, and it was a scandalous thing that the high priest was not only allied to him by marriage, but had cast out the stores of the Temple in order to make room for him in the sacred edifice. Tobiah's influence was so great that the rest shrank from putting the law of separation into operation against him. When Nehemiah returned from a long sojourn in Persia he cast out all of Tobiah's goods, and restored the chamber to its proper use. If we have given up a chamber in our heart to any Tobiah, we must be prepared to do likewise. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 13

1  Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude
4  Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed
10  He reforms the offices in the house of God;
15  the violation of the Sabbath;
23  and the marriages with the strange wives

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 13:1 mean?

On day that they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people and was found written in it that no should come Ammonite or Moabite into the assembly of God for ever
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נִקְרָ֛א בְּסֵ֥פֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְנִמְצָא֙ כָּת֣וּב בּ֔וֹ אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־ יָב֨וֹא עַמֹּנִ֧י וּמֹאָבִ֛י בִּקְהַ֥ל הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־ עוֹלָֽם

בַּיּ֣וֹם  On  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
נִקְרָ֛א  they  read 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְּסֵ֥פֶר  from  the  Book 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  of  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בְּאָזְנֵ֣י  in  the  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
הָעָ֑ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְנִמְצָא֙  and  was  found 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
כָּת֣וּב  written 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
בּ֔וֹ  in  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
אֲ֠שֶׁר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָב֨וֹא  should  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עַמֹּנִ֧י  Ammonite 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּונִי  
Sense: descendants of Ammon and inhabitants of Ammon.
וּמֹאָבִ֛י  or  Moabite 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹואָבִי  
Sense: an citizen of Moab.
בִּקְהַ֥ל  into  the  assembly 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עוֹלָֽם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.