Nehemiah 13:17

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?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning 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?

Context of Nehemiah 13:17

15In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? 18Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.” 19It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day.

Nehemiah 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

• reprimandedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
• the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to them, “Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• is thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• you are doingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• by profaningחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:17

• Nehemiah 13:11So I reprimanded the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts.
• Nehemiah 5:7I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.
• Psalms 82:1God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers.
• Proverbs 28:4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But those who keep the law strive with them.
• Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction 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 And the ordinance of their God.” But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke And 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 David’s throne, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates.
• Micah 3:1And I said, “Hear now, 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

• Harvest
• Sabbath
• Traffic
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Evil Thing
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Buying
• Commerce

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