What abuses did Nehemias report and what actions did he take?

When the book of Moses was read before the assembly, the people discovered the command that Ammonites and Moabites were barred from the assembly of God forever because they had refused Israel bread and water and had hired Balaam to curse them, though God transformed the curse into a blessing. In response, the community separated all foreign elements from Israel. However, during Nehemias's absence in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, Eliasib the priest, who oversaw the temple treasury and was near akin to Tobias, committed a grave fault. A textual annotation notes that the phrase 'over this thing' indicates Eliasib was faulty in this matter. He cleared a large chamber previously reserved for sacred vessels, frankincense, offerings, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil belonging to the Levites, singers, and priests, converting it into a great storeroom for Tobias. Returning to Jerusalem after obtaining leave from the king, Nehemias was outraged by this evil, threw all of Tobias's household goods out of the storeroom, ordered the chambers purified, and restored the holy vessels, offerings, and frankincense to their rightful place.

Nehemias discovered that the community had stopped providing the mandated portions for the Levites, forcing the Levites and singers to abandon temple service and flee each to his own country. Nehemias confronted the magistrates, asking why the house of God had been forsaken, gathered the dispersed ministers, and reinstated them at their stations. With order restored, all Judah brought the tithes of corn, wine, and oil back to the storerooms. For the portions of their brethren, Nehemias appointed reliable overseers over the storehouses: Selemias the priest, Sadoc the scribe, Phadaia the Levite, and Hanan son of Zachur (grandson of Mathania), men recognized for their fidelity who were charged with distributing portions among their brethren. Nehemias prayed that God would remember his deeds and not blot out his devotion to the temple and its ceremonial worship.

Nehemias observed widespread desecration of the Sabbath throughout Judah, where people trod winepresses, transported grain sheaves, loaded donkeys with wine, grapes, and figs, and carried merchandise into Jerusalem on the holy day. Tyrian merchants residing in the city also sold fish and various wares to the people of Judah on the Sabbath. Rebuking the nobles of Judah, Nehemias reminded them that their ancestors had incurred divine wrath and the destruction of their city through similar transgressions. He ordered the gates of Jerusalem shut on the Sabbath day and commanded that they remain closed until the sacred day had ended, stationing his personal servants to prevent any loads from entering. When foreign merchants camped outside the city walls once or twice, Nehemias warned them that he would lay hands on them if they repeated the offense, putting an end to their Sabbath visits. He then charged the purified Levites to guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath, praying again that God would remember him and show mercy.

Nehemias confronted Jewish men who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, noting that their children spoke half in the speech of Azotus and could no longer speak the language of Judah. He rebuked and cursed the offenders, struck several of them, shaved off their hair, and made them swear by God not to exchange sons and daughters with foreign nations. He cited the historical fall of King Solomon, pointing out that although no sovereign surpassed Solomon in greatness or divine favor, foreign wives had led even him into idolatrous sin. Discovering that a son of Joiada, grandson of the high priest Eliasib, had married the daughter of Sanaballat the Horonite, Nehemias banished him from his presence for defiling the priesthood and the law of priests and Levites. Nehemias concluded his reforms by cleansing the community of foreign alliances, reorganizing the ministerial duties of priests and Levites, and regulating the wood offerings and firstfruits, asking God to remember him for good.