God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 1:3
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.”
Nehemiah 1:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
- New International Version (NIV)They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
Context of Nehemiah 1:3
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, 2one of my brothers, Hanani, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had survived captivity and about Jerusalem. They 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. 5I said, “Lord God of heaven, great and awe-inspiring God, you faithfully keep your promise and show mercy to those who love you and obey your commandments.
Read all of Nehemiah 1Nehemiah 1:3 word by word
וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ לִי֒ הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֞ים אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֤וּ מִן־הַשְּׁבִי֙ שָׁ֣ם בַּמְּדִינָ֔ה בְּרָעָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּבְחֶרְפָּ֑ה וְחוֹמַ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ מְפֹרָ֔צֶת וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ נִצְּת֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, The remnantשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- of the captivityשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
- there in the provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- in greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- afflictionרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
- and reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
- the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- broken downפָּרַץpârats · to break throughH6555
- and the gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- thereof are burnedיָצַתyâtsath · to kindleH3341
- with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
Cross-references for Nehemiah 1:3
- Nehemiah 7:6These were the people in the province. They were the ones who left the place where the exiles had been taken captive. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities.
- Nehemiah 11:3These were the officials of the province who settled in Jerusalem. Some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants settled in the cities of Judah. They lived on their own property in their own cities.
- Ezra 2:1These were the people in the province. They were the ones who left the place where the exiles had been taken captive. (King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them to Babylon.) These exiles returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities.
- Ezra 5:8Your Majesty should know that we went to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The temple is being built with large stones and with wooden beams laid in its walls. The builders are doing an excellent job and making rapid progress.
- Esther 1:1In the days of Xerxes the following events took place. This was the same Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Sudan.
- Nehemiah 9:36Look ⌞at us⌟ now. We’re slaves! In the land you gave our ancestors, they could eat its produce and ⌞enjoy⌟ its good things. But now we’re slaves!
- Psalms 44:11You hand us over to be butchered like sheep and scatter us among the nations.
- Psalms 137:1By the rivers of Babylon, we sat down and cried as we remembered Zion.
- Isaiah 32:9Get up, and listen to me, you pampered women. Hear what I say, you overconfident daughters.
- Lamentations 1:7“Now, during its suffering and oppression, Jerusalem remembers all the treasures it had from ancient times, when its people fell into the power of their enemies with no one to help them. Their opponents looked on, and they laughed at Jerusalem’s downfall.
- Lamentations 3:61Listen to their insults, all their plots against me.
- Lamentations 5:1“Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us. Take a look at our disgrace!
- 1 Kings 9:7then I will cut Israel out of the land I gave them. I will reject this temple that I declared holy for my name. Israel will be an example and an object of ridicule for all the people of the world.
- Psalms 79:4We have become a disgrace to our neighbors, an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.
- Isaiah 43:28That is why I will corrupt the leaders of the holy place. I will claim Jacob for destruction. I will set up Israel for ridicule.
- Jeremiah 24:9I will make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms of the earth. They will be a disgrace and an example. They will become something ridiculed and cursed wherever I scatter them.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 1:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down - This must refer to the walls, which had been rebuilt after the people returned from their captivity: for it could not refer to the walls which were broken down and levelled with the dust by Nebuchadnezzar; for to hear of this could be no news to Nehemiah.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The attempt to rebuild the wall in the time of the Pseudo-Smerdis Ezra 4:12-24 had been stopped. It still remained in ruins. The Assyrian sculptures show that it was the usual practice to burn the gates.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The wall of Jerusalem is broken down: This likely refers to a recent event in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:6–23), not the Babylonian conquest in 586 BC. disgrace: Foreigners could mock the destroyed city, claiming it showed that Israel’s God was too weak to protect it (compare Joel 2:17; Micah 7:8–10).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 1:3
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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