Nehemiah 13:22

Nehemiah 13:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
• New International Version (NIV)Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

Context of Nehemiah 13:22

20The merchants and tradesmen with a variety of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21But I spoke sharply to them and said, “What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!” And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath. Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love. 23About the same time I realized that some of the men of Judah had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24Furthermore, half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of some other people and could not speak the language of Judah at all.

Nehemiah 13:22 word by word

וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לַלְוִיִּ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְי֤וּ מִֽטַּהֲרִים֙ וּבָאִים֙ שֹׁמְרִ֣ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים לְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת גַּם־זֹאת֙ זָכְרָה־לִּ֣י אֱלֹהַ֔י וְח֥וּסָה עָלַ֖י כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I commandedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• that they should cleanseטָהֵרţâhêr · be pureH2891
• they should comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• the gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• to sanctifyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
• the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• Rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• me, O my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• this also, and spareחוּסchûs · to pityH2347
• me according to the greatnessרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
• of thy mercyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:22

• Nehemiah 7:64They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests.
• Nehemiah 12:30The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
• 2 Kings 23:4Then the king instructed Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the Temple gatekeepers to remove from the Lord’s Temple all the articles that were used to worship Baal, Asherah, and all the powers of the heavens. The king had all these things burned outside Jerusalem on the terraces of the Kidron Valley, and he carried the ashes away to Bethel.
• 1 Chronicles 15:12He said to them, “You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
• 2 Chronicles 29:4He summoned the priests and Levites to meet him at the courtyard east of the Temple.
• Isaiah 49:23Kings and queens will serve you and care for all your needs. They will bow to the earth before you and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”
• Nehemiah 12:10Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim. Joiakim was the father of Eliashib. Eliashib was the father of Joiada.
• Deuteronomy 5:12“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.
• Nehemiah 13:14Remember this good deed, O my God, and do not forget all that I have faithfully done for the Temple of my God and its services.
• Nehemiah 5:19Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.
• Psalms 132:1Lord, remember David and all that he suffered.
• Isaiah 38:3“Remember, O Lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
• 2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
• Psalms 25:6Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.
• Psalms 51:1Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy - By some Nehemiah has been thought to deal with God too much on the principle of merit. That he wished God to remember him for good, is sufficiently evident; and who does not wish the same? But that he expected heaven because of his good deeds, does not appear. Indeed, the concluding clause of this verse proves the contrary, and shows that he expected nothing from God but through the greatness of his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22I commanded the Levites - At first Nehemiah had employed his own retinue Nehemiah 13:19 in the work of keeping the gates. He now assigned the duty to the Levites, as one which properly belonged to them, since the object of the regulation was the due observance of the Sabbath.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. 22show me mercy: Nehemiah's prayer suggests he felt the pressure of this unpopular decision. He knew God's unfailing love, not his popularity, would sustain him.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 13:22

• Gates
• Harvest
• Sabbath
• Traffic
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Buying
• Commerce
• Remember; Remembrance
• Sabbath

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