New Living Translation
Nehemiah 5:13
13I shook out the folds of my robe and said, “If you fail to keep your promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property!” The whole assembly responded, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah 5:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.
- New International Version (NIV)I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said "Amen" and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise.
Context of Nehemiah 5:13
11You must restore their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes to them this very day. And repay the interest you charged when you lent them money, grain, new wine, and olive oil.” 12They replied, “We will give back everything and demand nothing more from the people. We will do as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the nobles and officials swear to do what they had promised. I shook out the folds of my robe and said, “If you fail to keep your promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property!” The whole assembly responded, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised. 14For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. 15The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:13 word by word
גַּם־חָצְנִ֣י נָעַ֗רְתִּי וָֽאֹמְרָ֡ה כָּ֣כָה יְנַעֵ֪ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֟ים אֶת־כָּל־הָאִישׁ֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יָקִ֜ים אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה מִבֵּיתוֹ֙ וּמִ֣יגִיע֔וֹ וְכָ֛כָה יִהְיֶ֥ה נָע֖וּר וָרֵ֑ק וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ כָֽל־הַקָּהָ֜ל אָמֵ֗ן וַֽיְהַלְלוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָעָ֖ם כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Also I shookנָעַרnâ‛ar · to shakeH5287
- my lapחֹ֫צֶןchôtsen · bosomH2684
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- So Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- every manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- from his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- and from his labourיְגִיעַyegîya‛ · toilH3018
- that performethקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- not this promiseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: promisedH1697
- and emptiedרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
- And all the congregationקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
- Amenאָמֵן'âmên · amenH543
- and praisedהָלַלhâlal · to boast: praiseH1984
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- And the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- according to this promiseדָּבָרdâbâr · ChroniclesH1697
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:13
- Matthew 10:14If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave.
- Acts 13:51So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.
- Acts 18:6But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”
- 1 Samuel 15:28And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.
- 1 Kings 11:29One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field,
- Zechariah 5:3Then he said to me, “This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side of the scroll says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land.
- Numbers 5:22Now may this water that brings the curse enter your body and cause your abdomen to swell and your womb to shrivel.’ And the woman will be required to say, ‘Yes, let it be so.’
- Deuteronomy 27:14“Then the Levites will shout to all the people of Israel:
- 1 Chronicles 16:36Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
- 2 Kings 23:3The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. In this way, he confirmed all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll, and all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
- Psalms 50:14Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
- Psalms 76:11Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.
- Psalms 119:106I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.
- Ecclesiastes 5:5It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Also I shook my lap - This was a significant action frequent among the Hebrews; and something of the same nature was practiced among other nations. "When the Roman ambassadors entered the senate of Carthage, they had their toga gathered up in their bosom. They said, We carry here peace and war; you may have which you will. The senate answered, You may give which you please. They then shook their toga, and said, We bring you war. To which all the senate…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13I shook my lap - Compare the marginal references. By “lap” is meant a fold in the bosom of the dress, capable of serving as a pocket. Compare Isaiah 49:22 margin.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 Nehemiah knew that, if he built Jerusalem's walls ever so high, so thick, or so strong, the city could not be safe while there were abuses. The right way to reform men's lives, is to convince their consciences. If you walk in the fear of God, you will not be either covetous of worldly gain, or cruel toward your brethren. Nothing exposes religion more to reproach, than the worldliness and hard-heartedness of the professors of it. Those that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13Severe financial problems almost stopped the wall's completion (Nehemiah 5:1–5), but Nehemiah found a solution (5:6–13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-196-12. I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words--When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil. Having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity. He contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or otherwise, had lost their personal liberty in Babylon. He urged the…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 5:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5
- 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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