1 The people read God’s book by Moses. They saw a rule: no Ammonite or Moabite may join the meet of God’s people. 2 Long ago Ammon and Moab did not give food or water. They paid Balaam to say bad words to God’s people, but God made the bad words turn to good. ✨ 3 So the people kept away from those who were not from Israel. ♀️↔️♂️ 4 Before this, a priest named Eliashib was over the rooms in God’s house, and he was close to Tobiah. ️ 5 Eliashib gave Tobiah a big room that was for grain, wine, oil, and gifts for God’s house and workers. 6 I, Nehemiah, was not in the city then; I had gone to King Artaxerxes and later I asked to come back. ♂️➡️️ 7 I, Nehemiah, came back and saw the bad thing Eliashib did for Tobiah with the room. 8 I was very mad and I threw all of Tobiah’s things out of the room. ➡️ 9 I said, Clean the rooms! Then we put back the bowls and gifts for God’s house. ️ 10 I found the Levites and singers did not get food, so they went to work in their fields. 11 I scolded the leaders and said, Why leave God’s house? ️ Then I put the Levites back in their spots. ♂️♀️ 12 Then all the people of Judah brought a tenth of grain, wine, and oil to the store. 13 I picked helpers: Shelemiah, Zadok, Pedaiah, and Hanan; they were true and gave food to the workers. ♂️♀️✅ 14 Nehemiah prayed: God, please remember me for this good work; please do not forget. 15 I saw some people work and sell on the Sabbath, God’s rest day, and I told them to stop. ️ 16 Men from Tyre sold fish and many things on the Sabbath in the city. 17 I said to the leaders, Why do you do this bad thing? The Sabbath is holy. ⛔️ 18 I said, Our dads did this and God sent big trouble; do not make God mad again. ⚠️ 19 When the sun went down, I said, Shut the city gates for the Sabbath; my men watched the gates so no loads came in. ♂️ 20 Traders slept outside the wall one or two times. ️ 21 I warned them, Go away! If you come again, I will stop you by force; then they did not come on the Sabbath. ✋ 22 I told the Levites, Make yourselves clean and watch the gates; keep the Sabbath holy; Nehemiah prayed: God, please remember me and be kind to me by God’s love. 23 I saw men of Judah marry women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Half the kids spoke Ashdod talk and could not speak Judah talk. ️❌ 25 I argued, said strong words, hit some, and pulled hair; I made them promise to God: Do not give your girls to them and do not take their girls for your sons or for you. ✋ 26 I said, King Solomon did this and sinned; God loved him and made him a great king, but women from other lands made him sin. ⚠️ 27 I said, Will you do this bad thing and turn from God by marrying women from other lands? ❌ 28 A son of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, married the daughter of Sanballat, so I sent him away from me. ♂️➡️ 29 Nehemiah prayed: God, please remember the ones who hurt the holy priest job and the holy promise for priests and Levites. 30 I made the people clean from wrong ways and set the jobs for priests and Levites, each one. ♂️♀️ 31 I set times to bring wood and first food gifts; Nehemiah prayed: God, please remember me for good.