Nehemiah 13:17

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Complete Jewish Bible:

I disputed with the nobles of Y'hudah, demanding of them, "What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat?

Berean Standard Bible:

Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

American Standard Version:

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then I contended^{H7378} with the nobles^{H2715} of Judah^{H3063}, and said^{H559} unto them, What evil^{H7451} thing^{H1697} is this that ye do^{H6213}, and profane^{H2490} the sabbath^{H7676} day^{H3117}?

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Commentary for Nehemiah 13:17

Nehemiah 13:17 is a verse that captures a moment of confrontation and religious reform in the post-exilic period of Judah. The historical context is set after the Jews had returned from exile in Babylon, during the time when Nehemiah, a Persian-appointed governor, was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and seeking to restore the religious and social order of the city according to the Law of Moses.

In this verse, Nehemiah is addressing the "nobles of Judah," the leading figures of the community, who were evidently violating the Sabbath. The Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, was a day of rest and sanctification, a cornerstone of Jewish religious identity and practice, as outlined in the Torah (Exodus 20:8-11). Nehemiah's rebuke, "What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?" reflects his deep concern over the desecration of this holy day. His use of the word "evil" underscores the gravity of the sin in the eyes of God and highlights the importance of adhering to divine commandments.

The themes present in this verse include the sanctity of the Sabbath, the responsibility of leaders to model righteous behavior, the necessity of religious observance for the community's identity and covenant faithfulness, and the role of prophetic figures like Nehemiah in calling the people back to God's laws. Nehemiah's actions demonstrate the tension between religious ideals and societal practices, as well as the challenge of maintaining religious integrity in the face of cultural assimilation and laxity. This moment of confrontation is part of a broader narrative of reform and revival, as Nehemiah seeks to reestablish the distinctiveness of Israel's worship and societal structures in a time of restoration and transition.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7378
   There are 59 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רִיב
   Transliteration: rîyb
   Pronunciation: reeb
   Description: or רוּב; a primitive root; properly, to toss, i.e. grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e. hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend; adversary, chide, complain, contend, debate, [idiom] ever, [idiom] lay wait, plead, rebuke, strive, [idiom] thoroughly.
   
2. Strong's Number: H2715
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֹר
   Transliteration: chôr
   Pronunciation: khore
   Description: or (fully) חוֹר; from חָרַר; (compare חֹרִי); properly, white or pure (from the cleansing or shining power of fire; hence (figuratively) noble (in rank); noble.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3063
   There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהוּדָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
   Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah.
   
4. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
5. Strong's Number: H7451
   There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רַע
   Transliteration: raʻ
   Pronunciation: rah
   Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).
   
6. Strong's Number: H1697
   There are 1290 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָּבָר
   Transliteration: dâbâr
   Pronunciation: daw-baw'
   Description: from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work.
   
7. Strong's Number: H6213
   There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָשָׂה
   Transliteration: ʻâsâh
   Pronunciation: aw-saw'
   Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
   
8. Strong's Number: H2490
   There are 131 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָלַל
   Transliteration: châlal
   Pronunciation: khaw-lal'
   Description: a primitive root (compare חָלָה); also denominative (from חָלִיל); properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an 'opening wedge'); to play (the flute); begin ([idiom] men began), defile, [idiom] break, defile, [idiom] eat (as common things), [idiom] first, [idiom] gather the grape thereof, [idiom] take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.
   
9. Strong's Number: H7676
   There are 89 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שַׁבָּת
   Transliteration: shabbâth
   Pronunciation: shab-bawth'
   Description: intensive from שָׁבַת; intermission, i.e (specifically) the Sabbath; ([phrase] every) sabbath.
   
10. Strong's Number: H3117
    There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יוֹם
    Transliteration: yôwm
    Pronunciation: yome
    Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.