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;
On that day they read from the book of Moses out loud to all the people. In it they found it written that the Ammonites and Moabites should never be allowed to join the assembly of God's people.
The writer is describing how the people discovered in Moses' law that certain foreign nations were permanently excluded from joining Israel's religious community.
📚 Historical Context
During the era of Nehemiah, the Jewish people had returned from Babylonian exile and were in the process of rebuilding their community in Jerusalem, focusing on spiritual renewal and adherence to God's law. As they publicly read from the Book of Moses, they encountered a specific prohibition against Ammonites and Moabites entering the congregation of God, which originated from earlier events in Israel's history as described in Deuteronomy 23, due to these nations' opposition to the Israelites during their wilderness journey. This discovery highlighted the importance of maintaining ethnic and spiritual purity in the restored nation.
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