30 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task.
30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work;
30 All in all I cleansed them from everything foreign. I organized the orders of service for the priests and Levites so that each man knew his job.
30 Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service,
30 So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Nehemiah 13:30
Commentary on Nehemiah 13:23-31
(Read Nehemiah 13:23-31)
If either parent be ungodly, corrupt nature will incline the children to take after that one; which is a strong reason why Christians should not be unequally yoked. In the education of children, great care should be taken about the government of their tongues; that they learn not the language of Ashdod, no impious or impure talk, no corrupt communication. Nehemiah showed the evil of these marriages. Some, more obstinate than the rest, he smote, that is, ordered them to be beaten by the officers according to the law, Deuteronomy 25:2,3. Here are Nehemiah's prayers on this occasion He prays, "Remember them, O my God." Lord, convince and convert them; put them in mind of what they should be and do. The best services to the public have been forgotten by those for whom they were done, therefore Nehemiah refers himself to God, to recompense him. This may well be the summary of our petitions; we need no more to make us happy than this; Remember me, O my God, for good. We may humbly hope that the Lord will remember us and our services, although, after lives of unwearied activity and usefulness, we shall still see cause to abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes, and to cry out with Nehemiah, Spare me, O my God, according to the greatness of they mercy.