English Standard Version
Nehemiah 13:17
17Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
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?
- 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?
- New Living Translation (NLT)So I confronted the nobles of Judah. “Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?” I asked.
Context of Nehemiah 13:17
15In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 18Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath." 19As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.
Read all of Nehemiah 13Nehemiah 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then I contendedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
- with the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, What evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- this that ye doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- and profaneחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
- the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:17
- Nehemiah 13:11So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.
- Nehemiah 5:7I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his brother." And I held a great assembly against them
- Psalms 82:1God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
- Proverbs 28:4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them.
- Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Jeremiah 5:5I will go to the great and will speak to them, for they know the way of the Lord, the justice of their God." But they all alike had broken the yoke; they had burst the bonds.
- Jeremiah 13:18Say to the king and the queen mother: "Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head."
- Jeremiah 22:2and say, 'Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.
- Micah 3:1And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries