# Nehemiah 13.22

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-10-13 | updated: 2026-10-13 -->

**Book:** [Nehemiah](/codex/nehemiah/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
>
> **22. And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy lovingkindness.**
>
> 23. In those days also saw I the Jews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24. and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. (Nehemiah 13:20-24, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 20. So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21. Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath.
>
> **22. I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.**
>
> 23. In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab; 24. and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. (Nehemiah 13:20-24, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. <sup>about: Heb. before</sup>
>
> **22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. <sup>greatness: or, multitude</sup>**
>
> 23. In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: <sup>had: Heb. had made to dwell with them</sup> 24. And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. <sup>could: Heb. they discerned not to speak</sup> <sup>of each: Heb. of people and people</sup> (Nehemiah 13:20-24, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 20. And they lodge, the merchants and sellers of all ware, at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice, 21. and I testify against them, and say unto them, 'Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye repeat [it], a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in on the sabbath.
>
> **22. And I say to the Levites, that they be cleansed, and, coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the sabbath-day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Thy kindness.**
>
> 23. Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews [who] have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab. 24. And of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish, and are not knowing to speak Jewish, and according to the language of people and people. (Nehemiah 13:20-24, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.