Nehemiah 13:30

Nehemiah Summarizes his Work under the heads of purification and organization

cleansed I them i.e. the people of Israel.

all strangers R.V. marg. -Or, every strange thing". LXX. ἀπὸ πάσης ἀλλοτριώσεως; the foreign element, which threatened to encroach upon the separateness of Israel and become the renewed source of idolatry. Vulg. -ab omnibus alienigenis."

the wards of R.V. wards for. Nehemiah did not originate the duties of the priests and Levites; he only set on foot a more systematic distribution of their work. The word -wards" may here indicate the successive relays or -watches" of priests and Levites (LXX. ἐφημερίας. Vulg. -ordines"); or, in a more general sense, their -duties" and -observances," as in Nehemiah 13:13, which seems to agree best with the following clause: -each one in his work."

in his business R.V. in his work, Nehemiah 13:10; Nehemiah 10:33; Nehemiah 11:12. As generally in these books, except Nehemiah 11:16; Nehemiah 11:22, where -business" is retained. Cf. Proverbs 22:29, -Seest thou a man diligent in his business?"