God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 1:2
2one of my brothers, Hanani, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had survived captivity and about Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
- New International Version (NIV)Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
- English Standard Version (ESV)that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem.
- New King James Version (NKJV)that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
Context of Nehemiah 1:2
1These are the words of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah: During the month of Chislev, in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year as king, while I was in the fortress at Susa, one of my brothers, Hanani, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had survived captivity and about Jerusalem. 3They told me, “Those who survived captivity are in the province. They are enduring serious troubles and being insulted. The wall of Jerusalem has been broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” 4When I heard this, I sat down and cried. I mourned for days. I continued to fast and pray to the God of heaven.
Read all of Nehemiah 1Nehemiah 1:2 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֨א חֲנָ֜נִי אֶחָ֧ד מֵאַחַ֛י ה֥וּא וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞ם עַל־הַיְּהוּדִ֧ים הַפְּלֵיטָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ מִן־הַשֶּׁ֖בִי וְעַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That Hananiחֲנָנִיchănânîy · HananiH2607
- oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of my brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- and I askedשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- them concerning the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
- that had escapedפְּלֵיטָהpelêyţâh pelêţâh · survivorH6413
- which were leftשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- of the captivityשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
- and concerning Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
Cross-references for Nehemiah 1:2
- Nehemiah 7:2I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a trustworthy man, and he feared God more than most people do.
- Psalms 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper.
- Psalms 137:5If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget ⌞how to play the lyre⌟.
- Ezra 9:8And now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been kind enough to leave us a few survivors from Babylon and to give us a secure hold on his holy place. Our God has made our eyes light up and has given us new opportunities while we were slaves.
- Jeremiah 44:14None of the people of Judah who went to live in Egypt will survive or return to Judah, where they long to return and live. Only a few refugees will return there.
- Ezekiel 6:9Then those who escape will remember me among the nations where they are taken captive. I was hurt by their adulterous hearts, which turned away from me, and by their eyes, which lusted after idols. They will hate themselves for the evil and disgusting things that they have done.
- Ezekiel 7:16Those who survive will escape to the mountains. They will moan like doves in the valleys. They will moan because of their sins.
- Ezekiel 24:26On that day a refugee will come to you to tell you the news.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 1:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2I asked them concerning the Jews - Josephus gives a probable account of this business: "Nehemiah, being somewhere out of Susa, seeing some strangers, and hearing them converse in the Hebrew tongue, he went near; and finding they were Jews from Jerusalem, he asked them how matters went with their brethren in that city, and what was their state?" And the answer they gave him is, in substance, that recorded in the text; though with several aggravations in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Hanani seems to have been an actual brother of Nehemiah Nehemiah 7:2.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Hanani might have been one of Nehemiah’s actual brothers. In Hebrew, this word can also mean a fellow countryman (for example, Deuteronomy 1:16). the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile: See Ezra 2:64–65; 8:1–14.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah--Hanani is called his brother (Ne 7:2). But as that term was used loosely by Jews as well as other Orientals, it is probable that no more is meant than that he was of the same family. According to Josephus, Nehemiah, while walking around the palace walls, overheard some persons conversing in the Hebrew language. Having ascertained that they had lately returned from Judea, he was informed…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 1:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 1
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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