Nehemiah

Nehemiah 2:12–16

12I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal with me was the one on which I was riding.

13So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Well of the Serpentc and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire.

14Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to get through; 15so I went up the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I headed back and reentered through the Valley Gate.

16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews or priests or nobles or officials or any other workers.

Footnotes

  • c 2:13 Or Dragon or Jackal

Read all of Nehemiah 2

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 2:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Iאֲנִי֮’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
set outוָאָק֣וּם׀wā·’ā·qūmConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH6965 arise, stand up, stand
at nightלַ֗יְלָהlay·lāhNoun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
withעִמִּי֒‘im·mîPreposition; first person common singularH5973 with
a fewמְעַט֮mə·‘aṭAdjective - masculine singularH4592 a little, fewness, a few
menוַאֲנָשִׁ֣ים׀wa·’ă·nā·šîmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH582 man, mankind
I did notוְלֹא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
tellהִגַּ֣דְתִּיhig·gaḏ·tîVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularH5046 be conspicuous
anyoneלְאָדָ֔םlə·’ā·ḏāmPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
whatמָ֗הmāhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
my Godאֱלֹהַי֙’ĕ·lō·hayNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH430 God
had laidנֹתֵ֣ןnō·ṯênVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
onאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
my heartלִבִּ֔יlib·bîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
to doלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתla·‘ă·śō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH6213 do, make
for Jerusalemלִירוּשָׁלִָ֑םlî·rū·šā·limPreposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singularH3389 Jerusalem
The onlyכִּ֚יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
animalוּבְהֵמָה֙ū·ḇə·hê·māhConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singularH929 beast, animal, cattle
with meעִמִּ֔י‘im·mîPreposition; first person common singularH5973 with
was the oneהַבְּהֵמָ֔הhab·bə·hê·māhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH929 beast, animal, cattle
on whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
Iאֲנִ֖י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
was ridingרֹכֵ֥בrō·ḵêḇVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7392 mount and ride, ride

Nehemiah 2:13

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So I went outוָאֵצְאָ֨הwā·’ê·ṣə·’āhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singularH3318 go or come out
at nightלַ֗יְלָהlay·lāhNoun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
through the Valleyהַגַּ֜יאhag·gayArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1516 valley
Gateבְשַֽׁעַר־ḇə·ša·‘ar-Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8179 gate
towardוְאֶל־wə·’el-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH413 motion to
the Wellעֵ֣ין‘ênNoun - proper - feminine singularH5869 eye
of the Serpentהַתַּנִּ֔יןhat·tan·nînNoun - common pluralH8577 serpent, dragon, sea-monster
and the Dungהָאַשְׁפֹּ֑תhā·’aš·pōṯArticle; Noun - masculine singularH830 ash-heap(?), refuse-heap, dung-hill
Gateשַׁ֖עַרša·‘arNoun - masculine singular constructH8179 gate
and I inspectedשֹׂבֵ֜רśō·ḇêrVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7663 inspect, examine
the wallsבְּחוֹמֹ֤תbə·ḥō·w·mōṯPreposition-b; Noun - feminine plural constructH2346 wall
of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙yə·rū·šā·limNoun - proper - feminine singularH3389 Jerusalem
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
had been broken downהַמְפֹרוָצִיםham·p̄ō·r·wå̄·ṣīmPronoun - third person masculine pluralH6555 break through
and the gatesוּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָū·šə·ʿå̄·rɛ·hå̄Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluralH8179 gate
that had been destroyedאֻכְּל֥וּ’uk·kə·lūVerb - QalPass - Perfect - third person common pluralH398 eat
by fireבָאֵֽשׁ׃ḇā·’êšPreposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH784 fire

Nehemiah 2:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then I went onוָאֶֽעֱבֹר֙wā·’e·‘ĕ·ḇōrConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the Fountainהָעַ֔יִןhā·‘a·yinArticle; Noun - common singularH5869 eye
Gateשַׁ֣עַרša·‘arNoun - masculine singular constructH8179 gate
and the King’sהַמֶּ֑לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Poolבְּרֵכַ֖תbə·rê·ḵaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH1295 pool, pond
butוְאֵין־wə·’ên-Conjunctive waw; AdverbH369 nothing, nought
roomמָק֥וֹםmā·qō·wmNoun - masculine singularH4725 standing, spot, condition
for the animalלַבְּהֵמָ֖הlab·bə·hê·māhPreposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singularH929 beast, animal, cattle
under meתַּחְתָּֽי׃taḥ·tāyPreposition; first person common singularH8478 the under part
to get throughלַעֲבֹ֥רla·‘ă·ḇōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on

Nehemiah 2:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
so Iוָאֱהִ֨יwā·’ĕ·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
went upעֹלֶ֤ה‘ō·lehVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5927 go up, ascend, climb
the valleyבַנַּ֙חַל֙ḇan·na·ḥalPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady
by nightלַ֔יְלָהlay·lāhNoun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
andוָאֱהִ֥יwā·’ĕ·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
inspectedשֹׂבֵ֖רśō·ḇêrVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7663 inspect, examine
the wallבַּחוֹמָ֑הba·ḥō·w·māhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH2346 wall
Then I headed backוָאָשׁ֗וּבwā·’ā·šūḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH7725 turn back, return
and reenteredוָאָב֛וֹאwā·’ā·ḇō·wConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
through the Valleyהַגַּ֖יְאhag·gayArticle; Noun - common singularH1516 valley
Gateבְּשַׁ֥עַרbə·ša·‘arPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8179 gate

Nehemiah 2:16

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The officialsוְהַסְּגָנִ֗יםwə·has·sə·ḡā·nîmConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH5461 prefect, ruler
did notלֹ֤אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
knowיָדְעוּ֙yā·ḏə·‘ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3045 know
whereאָ֣נָה’ā·nāhInterrogativeH575 where?
I had goneהָלַ֔כְתִּיhā·laḵ·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH1980 go, come, walk
or whatוּמָ֖הū·māhConjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
Iאֲנִ֣י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
was doingעֹשֶׂ֑ה‘ō·śehVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH6213 do, make
for I had notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
yetעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
toldהִגַּֽדְתִּי׃hig·gaḏ·tîVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularH5046 be conspicuous
the Jewsוְלַיְּהוּדִ֨יםwə·lay·yə·hū·ḏîmConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - proper - masculine pluralH3064 Jewish
or priestsוְלַכֹּהֲנִ֜יםwə·lak·kō·hă·nîmConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
or noblesוְלַחֹרִ֣יםwə·la·ḥō·rîmConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH2715 noble
or officialsוְלַסְּגָנִ֗יםwə·las·sə·ḡā·nîmConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH5461 prefect, ruler
or any otherוּלְיֶ֙תֶר֙ū·lə·ye·ṯerConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH3499 remainder, excellence, excess
workersהַמְּלָאכָ֔הham·mə·lā·ḵāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH4399 occupation, work

Cross-references

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

Nehemiah 2:12 Ezra 7:27 · Revelation 17:17 · Jeremiah 31:33 · 2 Corinthians 8:16

Nehemiah 2:13 Nehemiah 1:3 · 2 Chronicles 26:9 · Nehemiah 3:13–14 · Nehemiah 2:17 · Nehemiah 2:3 · Nehemiah 2:15 · Nehemiah 12:31

Nehemiah 2:14 Nehemiah 3:15 · 2 Kings 20:20 · 2 Chronicles 32:30

Nehemiah 2:15 2 Samuel 15:23

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.