Nehemiah

Nehemiah 13:17–20

¹⁷Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing— profaning the Sabbath day? ¹⁸Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”

¹⁹When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.

²⁰Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,

Read all of Nehemiah 13

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Nehemiah 13:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then I rebuked	וָאָרִ֕יבָה	wā·’ā·rî·ḇāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H7378 strive, contend
the nobles	חֹרֵ֣י	ḥō·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H2715 noble
of Judah	יְהוּדָ֑ה	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
and asked	וָאֹמְרָ֣ה	wā·’ō·mə·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
What	מָֽה־	māh-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
is this	הַזֶּה֙	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
evil	הָרָ֤ע	hā·rā‘	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
you	אַתֶּ֣ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
are doing	עֹשִׂ֔ים	‘ō·śîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H6213 do, make
profaning	וּֽמְחַלְּלִ֖ים	ū·mə·ḥal·lə·lîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H2490 bore, pierce
the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
day	י֥וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day

Nehemiah 13:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Did not	הֲל֨וֹא	hă·lō·w	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
your forefathers	אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם	’ă·ḇō·ṯê·ḵem	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H1 father
do	עָשׂוּ֙	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
the same things	כֹ֤ה	ḵōh	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
so that our God	אֱלֹהֵ֜ינוּ	’ĕ·lō·hê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H430 God
brought	וַיָּבֵ֨א	way·yā·ḇê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
this	הַזֹּ֔את	haz·zōṯ	Article; Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
disaster	הָרָעָ֣ה	hā·rā·‘āh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
on us	עָלֵ֗ינוּ	‘ā·lê·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5921 height
and on	וְעַ֖ל	wə·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
this	הַזֹּ֑את	haz·zōṯ	Article; Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
city	הָעִ֣יר	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
And now	וְאַתֶּ֞ם	wə·’at·tem	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
you are rekindling	מוֹסִיפִ֤ים	mō·w·sî·p̄îm	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H3254 add
His wrath	חָרוֹן֙	ḥā·rō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H2740 (burning of) anger
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
by profaning	לְחַלֵּ֖ל	lə·ḥal·lêl	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H2490 bore, pierce
the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃פ	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath

Nehemiah 13:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the evening shadows	צָֽלֲלוּ֩	ṣā·lă·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6751 be or grow dark
began to fall on the gates	שַׁעֲרֵ֨י	ša·‘ă·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H8179 gate
of Jerusalem	יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם	yə·rū·šā·lim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
just before	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּ֗ת	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
I ordered	וָאֹֽמְרָה֙	wā·’ō·mə·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
that the gates	הַדְּלָת֔וֹת	had·də·lā·ṯō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H1817 door
be shut	וַיִּסָּגְר֣וּ	way·yis·sā·ḡə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5462 shut, close
and not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
opened	יִפְתָּח֔וּם	yip̄·tā·ḥūm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine plural	H6605 open
until	עַ֖ד	‘aḏ	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
after	אַחַ֣ר	’a·ḥar	Adverb	H310 behind
the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
I posted	הֶֽעֱמַ֙דְתִּי֙	he·‘ĕ·maḏ·tî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
some of my servants	וּמִנְּעָרַ֗י	ū·min·nə·‘ā·ray	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H5288 a shaking, scattering
at	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the gates	הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים	haš·šə·‘ā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8179 gate
so that no	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
load	מַשָּׂ֖א	maś·śā	Noun - masculine singular	H4853 load, burden, lifting, bearing, tribute
could enter	יָב֥וֹא	yā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
on the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
day	בְּי֥וֹם	bə·yō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day

Nehemiah 13:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Once	פַּ֥עַם	pa·‘am	Noun - feminine singular	H6471 beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
or twice	וּשְׁתָּֽיִם׃	ū·šə·tā·yim	Conjunctive waw; Number - fd	H8147 two
the merchants	הָרֹכְלִ֜ים	hā·rō·ḵə·lîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7402 go about, from one to another
and those who sell	וּמֹכְרֵ֧י	ū·mō·ḵə·rê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H4376 sell
all kinds	כָל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
of goods	מִמְכָּ֛ר	mim·kār	Noun - masculine singular	H4465 sale, ware
camped	וַיָּלִ֨ינוּ	way·yā·lî·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3885 lodge, pass the night
outside	מִח֥וּץ	mi·ḥūṣ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H2351 the outside
Jerusalem	לִירוּשָׁלִָ֖ם	lî·rū·šā·lim	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Nehemiah 13:17 Nehemiah 13:11 · Nehemiah 13:25

Nehemiah 13:18 Jeremiah 17:21–23

Nehemiah 13:19 Leviticus 23:32 · Exodus 31:14–17

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.