Nehemiah 13:21

Nehemiah 13:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
• New International Version (NIV)But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.

Context of Nehemiah 13:21

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. 20Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath. 22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion. 23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

Nehemiah 13:21 word by word

וָאָעִ֣ידָה בָהֶ֗ם וָאֹמְרָ֤ה אֲלֵיהֶם֙ מַדּ֜וּעַ אַתֶּ֤ם לֵנִים֙ נֶ֣גֶד הַחוֹמָ֔ה אִם־תִּשְׁנ֕וּ יָ֖ד אֶשְׁלַ֣ח בָּכֶ֑ם מִן־הָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא לֹא־בָ֖אוּ בַּשַּׁבָּֽת׃ סRead the interlinear

• but I warnedעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
• ·אָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• ·אֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Whyמַדּוּעַmaddûa‛ maddûa‛ · why?H4069
• are youאַתֶּם'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.p.)H859
• campingלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
• in front ofנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• you do it againשָׁנָהshânâh · to repeatH8138
• I will layשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• Fromמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• thatהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• time onעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• they did notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• returnבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• on the Sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:21

• Nehemiah 13:15In 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.
• Ezra 7:26If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
• Romans 13:3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.
• 1 Peter 2:14or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I will lay hands on you - I will imprison every man of you. This had the desired effect; they came no more.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The lodging of the merchants with their merchandise just outside Jerusalem during the Sabbath, marked their impatience for the moment when they might bring their wares in. This was thought by Nehemiah to be unseemly, and to have an irreligious tendency.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 13:21

• Harvest
• Sabbath
• Traffic
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Buying
• Commerce
• Sabbath
• Sanctification

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