Nehemiah 2:20

Nehemiah 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I replied to them, "The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

Context of Nehemiah 2:20

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?” I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Nehemiah 2:20 word by word

וָאָשִׁ֨יב אוֹתָ֜ם דָּבָ֗ר וָאוֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ה֚וּא יַצְלִ֣יחַֽ לָ֔נוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ עֲבָדָ֖יו נָק֣וּם וּבָנִ֑ינוּ וְלָכֶ֗ם אֵֽין־חֵ֧לֶק וּצְדָקָ֛ה וְזִכָּר֖וֹן בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then answeredדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• Then answeredשׁוּבshûb · to return: replyH7725
• I them, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, The Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• he will prosperצָלֵחַtsâlach tsâlêach · to prosperH6743
• us; therefore we his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• will ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• and buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• but ye have no portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
• nor rightצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• nor memorialזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
• in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389

Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:20

• Nehemiah 2:4The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
• 2 Chronicles 26:5He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.
• Psalms 20:5May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.
• Psalms 35:27May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
• Psalms 102:13You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.
• Psalms 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.
• Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
• Ezra 4:3But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”
• Acts 8:21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
• Exodus 28:29“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord.
• Leviticus 2:2and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
• Leviticus 24:7By each stack put some pure incense as a memorial portion to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord.
• Numbers 10:10Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”
• Isaiah 56:5to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.
• Zechariah 6:14The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord.
• Acts 10:4Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Ye have no portion, nor right - To be a citizen of Jerusalem was a high honor; and they would not permit those who did not belong to the tribes of Israel to dwell there. Zerubbabel gave the same answer to the Samaritans, Ezra 4:3.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-20Verses 19-20 The enmity of the serpent's seed against the cause of Christ is confined to no age or nation. The application to ourselves is plain. The church of God asks for our help. Is it not desolate, and exposed to assaults? Does the consideration of its low estate cause you any grief? Let not business, pleasure, or the support of a party so engage attention, as that Zion and her welfare shall be nothing to you.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20The title God of heaven showed Persian audiences that Israel's true God was not just a local god. Nehemiah focused on obeying his ruler by building the walls.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. it came to pass in the month Nisan--This was nearly four months after he had learned the desolate and ruinous state of Jerusalem (Ne 1:1). The reasons for so long a delay cannot be ascertained. I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king--Xenophon has particularly remarked about the polished and graceful manner in which the cupbearers of the Median, and consequently the Persian, monarchs performed their duty of presenting the wine to their royal…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 2:20

• Country
• Faith

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jerusalem
• Laugh
• Reproach
• Scorn
• Ezra-Nehemiah
• Memorial; Memory
• Right
• Arabia, Arabian

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