New International Version
Nehemiah 1:3
3They 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
Context of Nehemiah 1:3
1The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2Hanani, 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. 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.” 4When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his 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 are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
- Nehemiah 11:3These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns,
- Ezra 2:1Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town,
- Ezra 5:8The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.
- Esther 1:1This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush:
- Nehemiah 9:36“But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.
- Psalms 44:11You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.
- Psalms 137:1By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
- Isaiah 32:9You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!
- Lamentations 1:7In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands, there was no one to help her. Her enemies looked at her and laughed at her destruction.
- Lamentations 3:61Lord, you have heard their insults, all their plots against me—
- Lamentations 5:1Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace.
- 1 Kings 9:7then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.
- Psalms 79:4We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.
- Isaiah 43:28So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple; I consigned Jacob to destruction and Israel to scorn.
- Jeremiah 24:9I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish 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
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