Nehemiah 2:12

Nehemiah 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
• New International Version (NIV)I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.

Context of Nehemiah 2:12

10But two important men were not happy when they heard that I had come to help the Israelite people. They were Sanballat, who came from Horon, and Tobiah, an Ammonite officer. 11I arrived in Jerusalem city. After three days, I went out at night. I took a few of my friends with me. I was riding on a donkey. That was the only animal that we took with us. I did not tell anyone the idea that God had put in my mind about Jerusalem. 13I went through the Valley Gate to the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate. As I went, I looked carefully at Jerusalem's walls. They were broken. Fire had destroyed the city's gates. 14I went to the Fountain Gate and then to the King's Pool. The path there was too narrow for my donkey to pass through.

Nehemiah 2:12 word by word

וָאָק֣וּם׀ לַ֗יְלָה אֲנִי֮ וַאֲנָשִׁ֣ים׀ מְעַט֮ עִמִּי֒ וְלֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתִּי לְאָדָ֔ם מָ֗ה אֱלֹהַי֙ נֹתֵ֣ן אֶל־לִבִּ֔י לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וּבְהֵמָה֙ אֵ֣ין עִמִּ֔י כִּ֚י אִם־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י רֹכֵ֥ב בָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• in the nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• I and someמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• with me; neither toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• what my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• had putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• in my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• at Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
• that I rode uponרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392

Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:12

• Genesis 32:22During the night Jacob took with him his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons. They went across the Jabbok river where there was a place to cross.
• Joshua 10:9The Israelite soldiers marched all night from Gilgal. When they reached Gibeon, they quickly attacked the Amorite armies by surprise.
• Judges 6:27So Gideon took ten of his servants, and he did what the Lord had said. He was afraid of the people in his father's family and the men of the town. So he did this at night, not in the day.
• Judges 9:32So you must come here in the night with your men. Hide in the fields outside the city.
• Matthew 2:14So Joseph got up and he took the child and his mother with him. They started on the journey to Egypt that night.
• Ecclesiastes 3:7There is a time to tear our clothes. There is a time to mend them. There is a time to say nothing. There is a time to speak.
• Amos 5:13This is such an evil time that clever people say nothing. That is how they keep themselves safe.’
• Micah 7:5Do not believe anyone, even somebody that you know well. You cannot be sure that your friend will always be honest with you. Be careful what you say to your wife. Be careful even when you are hugging her.
• Matthew 10:16Jesus then said to his disciples, ‘Listen well. I am sending you to people who will want to kill you. You will be like sheep among wild animals. You must watch carefully, like snakes do. But you must also be good and kind like doves.
• Ezra 7:27I praise the Lord, the God that our ancestors worshipped. He has caused the king to give honour to him. He made the king decide to make the Lord's temple in Jerusalem very great.
• Psalms 51:18God, please be kind and help Zion. Make the walls of Jerusalem strong again.
• Psalms 122:6Pray that there will be peace in Jerusalem. Pray that people who love Jerusalem will be safe.
• Jeremiah 31:33‘Yes, I will make a new covenant with Israel's people at that time. It will be like this: I will put my law deep inside them, in their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ That is what the Lord says.
• Jeremiah 32:40I will make a covenant with them that will continue for ever. I will promise always to do good things for them. They will want to respect me and obey me so that they never turn away from me again. That is what I will do for them.
• 2 Corinthians 8:16Titus wants to help you just as much as we do. We thank God that he has made Titus ready to do that.
• James 1:16My Christian friends, do not make a mistake.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:12

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 When Nehemiah had considered the matter, he told the Jews that God had put it into his heart to build the wall of Jerusalem. He does not undertake to do it without them. By stirring up ourselves and one another to that which is good, we strengthen ourselves and one another for it. We are weak in our duty, when we are cold and careless.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-15Nehemiah needed to see the walls himself to make strong plans for rebuilding and to gather the workers he needed. He secretly checked the walls at night to avoid being seen by his enemies. He only inspected the southern part of the city.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1211-12. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days--Deeply affected with the desolations of Jerusalem, and uncertain what course to follow, he remained three days before informing any one of the object of his mission [Ne 2:17, 18]. At the end of the third day, accompanied with a few attendants, he made, under covert of night, a secret survey of the walls and gates [Ne 2:13-15].Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 2:12

• Country
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jerusalem
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Laugh
• Reproach
• Scorn
• Ezra-Nehemiah

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