Nehemiah 2:17

Nehemiah 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”

Context of Nehemiah 2:17

15so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work. Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

Nehemiah 2:17 word by word

וָאוֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֤ם רֹאִים֙ הָרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנַ֣חְנוּ בָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ חֲרֵבָ֔ה וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ נִצְּת֣וּ בָאֵ֑שׁ לְכ֗וּ וְנִבְנֶה֙ אֶת־חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְלֹא־נִהְיֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד חֶרְפָּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I unto them, Ye seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the distressרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
• in, how Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• wasteחָרֵבchârêb · desolateH2720
• and the gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• thereof are burnedיָצַתyâtsath · to kindleH3341
• with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• comeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and let us build upבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• that we be no more a reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781

Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:17

• Lamentations 2:2Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of Daughter Judah. He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor.
• Lamentations 3:51What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of my city.
• Ezra 5:1Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
• Ezra 10:2Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.
• Isaiah 35:3Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
• Nehemiah 1:3They 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.”
• 1 Samuel 11:2But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
• Psalms 44:13You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.
• Psalms 79:4We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.
• Psalms 89:50Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
• 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.
• Lamentations 3:45You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.
• Ezekiel 5:14“I will make you a ruin and a reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all who pass by.
• Ezekiel 22:4you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:17

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 When Nehemiah had considered the matter, he told the Jews that God had put it into his heart to build the wall of Jerusalem. He does not undertake to do it without them. By stirring up ourselves and one another to that which is good, we strengthen ourselves and one another for it. We are weak in our duty, when we are cold and careless.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17Nehemiah kept his inspection and rebuilding plans secret from both the Persian and Jewish leaders to prevent organized opposition. Now, Nehemiah was ready to lead the rebuilding effort. the trouble we are in: The broken walls brought disgrace to the city and reflected poorly on God. Jerusalem certainly did not resemble the city of the great King (Psalm 48:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1816-18. the rulers knew not--The following day, having assembled the elders, Nehemiah produced his commission and exhorted them to assist in the work. The sight of his credentials, and the animating strain of his address and example, so revived their drooping spirits that they resolved immediately to commence the building, which they did, despite the bitter taunts and scoffing ridicule of some influential men.Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 2:17

• Country

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Laugh
• Reproach
• Scorn
• Ezra-Nehemiah
• Gate

Commentaries on Nehemiah 2

• 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