Nehemiah 13:21

Nehemiah 13:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
• New International Version (NIV)But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.

Context of Nehemiah 13:21

19Before the day of rest—a holy day, when the gates of Jerusalem were cleared of traffic, I ordered the doors to be shut and not to be reopened until after the day of rest. I stationed some of my men by the gates to make sure that no loads could be brought in on the day of rest. 20Once or twice merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. I warned them. “Why are you spending the night in front of the wall?” I asked them. “If you do it again, I’ll arrest you.” After that, they no longer came on the day of rest—a holy day. 22Then I told the Levites to cleanse themselves and guard the gates to keep the day of rest holy. ⌞Nehemiah prayed,⌟ “Remember me also for this, my God, and spare me, since you are very kind.” 23In those days I saw some Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

Nehemiah 13:21 word by word

וָאָעִ֣ידָה בָהֶ֗ם וָאֹמְרָ֤ה אֲלֵיהֶם֙ מַדּ֜וּעַ אַתֶּ֤ם לֵנִים֙ נֶ֣גֶד הַחוֹמָ֔ה אִם־תִּשְׁנ֕וּ יָ֖ד אֶשְׁלַ֣ח בָּכֶ֑ם מִן־הָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא לֹא־בָ֖אוּ בַּשַּׁבָּֽת׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then I testifiedעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
• against them, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, Why lodgeלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
• ye aboutנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• againשָׁנָהshânâh · to repeatH8138
• I will layשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• on you. From that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• forth cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• on the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:21

• Nehemiah 13:15In those days I saw people in Judah stomping grapes in the winepresses on the day of rest—a holy day. I saw them bringing in loads of wine, grapes, figs, and every other kind of load. They piled the loads on donkeys and brought them into Jerusalem on the day of rest. I warned them about selling food on that day.
• Ezra 7:26Whoever will not strictly follow your God’s Teachings and the king’s orders should be promptly exiled, have his goods confiscated, be imprisoned or be sentenced to die.
• Romans 13:3People who do what is right don’t have to be afraid of the government. But people who do what is wrong should be afraid of it. Would you like to live without being afraid of the government? Do what is right, and it will praise you.
• 1 Peter 2:14Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I will lay hands on you - I will imprison every man of you. This had the desired effect; they came no more.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The lodging of the merchants with their merchandise just outside Jerusalem during the Sabbath, marked their impatience for the moment when they might bring their wares in. This was thought by Nehemiah to be unseemly, and to have an irreligious tendency.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 13:21

• Harvest
• Sabbath
• Traffic
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Buying
• Commerce
• Sabbath
• Sanctification

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