Christian Standard Bible
Nehemiah 2:20
20I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah 2:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
- New International Version (NIV)I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then I replied to them, "The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
Context of Nehemiah 2:20
18I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me. They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened to do this good work. 19When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
Read all of Nehemiah 2Nehemiah 2:20 word by word
וָאָשִׁ֨יב אוֹתָ֜ם דָּבָ֗ר וָאוֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ה֚וּא יַצְלִ֣יחַֽ לָ֔נוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ עֲבָדָ֖יו נָק֣וּם וּבָנִ֑ינוּ וְלָכֶ֗ם אֵֽין־חֵ֧לֶק וּצְדָקָ֛ה וְזִכָּר֖וֹן בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then answeredדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- Then answeredשׁוּבshûb · to return: replyH7725
- I them, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, The Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- he will prosperצָלֵחַtsâlach tsâlêach · to prosperH6743
- us; therefore we his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- will ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- but ye have no portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
- nor rightצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- nor memorialזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
- in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:20
- Nehemiah 2:4Then the king asked me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of the heavens
- 2 Chronicles 26:5He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear of God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success.
- Psalms 20:5Let us shout for joy at your victory and lift the banner in the name of our God. May the Lord fulfill all your requests.
- Psalms 35:27Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.”
- Psalms 102:13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her — the appointed time has come.
- Psalms 122:6Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure;
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.
- Ezra 4:3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”
- Acts 8:21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
- Exodus 28:29“Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord.
- Leviticus 2:2and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
- Leviticus 24:7Place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread and a food offering to the Lord.
- Numbers 10:10You are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your fellowship sacrifices and on your joyous occasions, your appointed festivals, and the beginning of each of your months. They will serve as a reminder for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
- Isaiah 56:5I will give them, in my house and within my walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off.
- Zechariah 6:14The crown will reside in the Lord’s temple as a memorial to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen son of Zephaniah.
- Acts 10:4Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Ye have no portion, nor right - To be a citizen of Jerusalem was a high honor; and they would not permit those who did not belong to the tribes of Israel to dwell there. Zerubbabel gave the same answer to the Samaritans, Ezra 4:3.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-20Verses 19-20 The enmity of the serpent's seed against the cause of Christ is confined to no age or nation. The application to ourselves is plain. The church of God asks for our help. Is it not desolate, and exposed to assaults? Does the consideration of its low estate cause you any grief? Let not business, pleasure, or the support of a party so engage attention, as that Zion and her welfare shall be nothing to you.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20The title God of heaven showed Persian audiences that Israel's true God was not just a local god. Nehemiah focused on obeying his ruler by building the walls.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. it came to pass in the month Nisan--This was nearly four months after he had learned the desolate and ruinous state of Jerusalem (Ne 1:1). The reasons for so long a delay cannot be ascertained. I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king--Xenophon has particularly remarked about the polished and graceful manner in which the cupbearers of the Median, and consequently the Persian, monarchs performed their duty of presenting the wine to their royal…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 2:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2
- 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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries