Nehemiah 13:17

Nehemiah 13:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
• New International Version (NIV)I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?

Context of Nehemiah 13:17

15In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. 16Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? 18Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!” 19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.

Nehemiah 13:17 word by word

וָאָרִ֕יבָה אֵ֖ת חֹרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֗ם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֨ר הָרָ֤ע הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וּֽמְחַלְּלִ֖ים אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃Read the interlinear

• Then I rebukedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
• Then I rebukedאֵת'êth · withH854
• the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• Whatדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• is thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• youאַתֶּם'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.p.)H859
• are doingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• profaningחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the Sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:17

• Nehemiah 13:11So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
• Nehemiah 5:7and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them
• Psalms 82:1God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
• Proverbs 28:4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.
• Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
• Jeremiah 5:5I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.
• Jeremiah 13:18Say to the king and to the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”
• Jeremiah 22:2saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David—you and your officials and your people who enter these gates.
• Micah 3:1Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I contended with the nobles - These evils took place through their negligence; and this I proved before them.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The keeping holy the Lord's day forms an important object for their attention who would promote true godliness. Religion never prospers while sabbaths are trodden under foot. No wonder there was a general decay of religion, and corruption of manners among the Jews, when they forsook the sanctuary and profaned the sabbath. Those little consider what an evil they do, who profane the sabbath. We must answer for the sins others are led to commit…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-31Nehemiah made two more changes to bring back correct Sabbath observance (Nehemiah 13:15–22) and correct marriage practices (13:23–31). These two sections follow a similar pattern: Nehemiah found a problem, fixed it, and then asked God for a blessing.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-3115-22. In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the sabbath--The cessation of the temple services had been necessarily followed by a public profanation of the Sabbath, and this had gone so far that labor was carried on in the fields, and fish brought to the markets on the sacred day. Nehemiah took the decisive step of ordering the city gates to be shut, and not to be opened, till the Sabbath was past; and in order to ensure the faithful…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 13:17

• Harvest
• Sabbath
• Traffic
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Evil Thing
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Buying
• Commerce

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings