Nehemiah 1:7 kjv

We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

Nehemiah 1:7 nkjv

We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.

Nehemiah 1:7 niv

We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

Nehemiah 1:7 esv

We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.

Nehemiah 1:7 nlt

We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.

Nehemiah 1 verses

Nehemiah 1 7 Meaning

Nehemiah 1:7 expresses a deep, corporate confession of sin by Nehemiah on behalf of the nation of Israel. It states that the people, over generations, have profoundly corrupted themselves and consistently failed to obey God's entire Law—the commandments, statutes, and ordinances—which God had divinely given through His servant Moses. This verse underscores the pervasive and destructive nature of their disobedience, linking their current suffering directly to their collective abandonment of the covenant.

Nehemiah 1 7 Context

Nehemiah 1:7 is embedded within Nehemiah’s profound prayer of lament, confession, and petition (Neh 1:5-11). The chapter opens with Nehemiah hearing the distressing news that Jerusalem's walls were broken down and its gates burned, leaving the Jewish remnant in great distress and disgrace (Neh 1:3). This grim report serves as the immediate catalyst for his prayer. Nehemiah’s prayer itself follows a common structure found in biblical lament and intercession: praising God's character, confessing sin, recounting God's past dealings, and finally, making a request. Verse 7 specifically serves as the heart of the confession, taking corporate responsibility for the historical and ongoing disobedience of Israel. Historically, Nehemiah lives during the post-exilic period, over a century after the first wave of exiles returned, and over a millennium after Moses received the Law. Their current state of vulnerability is understood by Nehemiah not as an arbitrary misfortune, but as a direct consequence of the nation’s systemic failure to uphold the covenant made at Sinai.

Nehemiah 1 7 Word analysis

• We have acted very corruptly (הַשְׁחֵת הִשְׁחַתְנוּ - hashchet hishchatnu): This is an intensive form in Hebrew (infinitive absolute + finite verb of the same root שׁ.ח.ת - shachath). It signifies "we have thoroughly corrupted," "we have truly dealt corruptly," or "we have utterly ruined ourselves/our way." The root shachath means to spoil, ruin, decay, or destroy. In a moral context, it indicates deep moral perversion, degradation, or depravity. This is not a slight transgression but a comprehensive moral rot, often used in relation to corrupting the covenant (e.g., Dt 4:16, Judg 2:19). It emphasizes the severity and pervasiveness of Israel’s sin.
• against You (לָךְ - lakh): This preposition indicates that the sin is not merely a social failure or breaking of rules, but a direct offense and rebellion against God Himself. It highlights the relational and theological nature of sin, making God the offended party.
• and have not kept (וְלֹא שָׁמַרְנוּ - v'lo shāmarnu): The verb shamar means "to guard," "observe," "preserve," or "keep." This signifies a conscious and active failure to uphold, maintain, or be attentive to God's commands. It denotes a negligent and disobedient non-adherence.
• the commandments (הַמִּצְוֹת - hamitzvot): Mitzvot refers to general divine precepts, instructions, or specific injunctions. These are God's direct spoken commands.
• nor the statutes (וְהַחֻקִּים - veha-chukkim): Chuqqim denotes established rules, fixed decrees, or specific ordinances. Often ceremonial or ritual laws, they also encompass specific moral pronouncements, implying laws with definite bounds or regulations.
• nor the ordinances (וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים - veha-mishpatim): Mishpatim refers to judicial decisions, righteous judgments, legal principles, or societal regulations that establish justice. These deal with applying righteousness in societal and judicial contexts.
• commanded Your servant Moses (צִוִּיתָ אֶת מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ - tzivita et Mosheh avdekha): This phrase underscores the divine authority and origin of the Law. It was not a human invention but directly from God, given through Moses as His faithful mediator. Calling Moses "Your servant" affirms his role as God's chosen channel of revelation, adding weight to the binding nature of the commands.
• "commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances": This three-part enumeration ("mitzvot, chuqqim, mishpatim") is a common biblical expression (e.g., Dt 4:1, Dt 6:1) signifying the totality and comprehensiveness of God’s Law. It means Israel had failed in every aspect of God’s revealed will—moral, ceremonial, and civil—demonstrating a wholesale abandonment of their covenant responsibilities. This group of words emphasizes the breadth of the nation's spiritual negligence.

Nehemiah 1 7 Bonus section

• Corporate Identification: Nehemiah, though seemingly personally righteous, includes himself in the "we" who "acted very corruptly." This highlights the biblical concept of corporate solidarity, where leaders identify with the sins of their community. This contrasts with an individualistic mindset and demonstrates true leadership through shared burden and responsibility.
• Polemic Against Idolatry/Syncretism: The affirmation that "You commanded Your servant Moses" functions as a subtle polemic. It reaffirms the unique, singular authority of God's revelation through Moses over any contemporary pagan cults or syncretistic practices that might have influenced Jewish communities during the exile and return. It states, in essence, that there is one divine Law, given through one divine channel, and deviation from it is grave corruption.
• Foundation for Hope: By thoroughly confessing their profound disobedience to the Law (Dt 28), Nehemiah positions himself to appeal to God's promises related to return from exile upon repentance (Dt 30), establishing a clear theological basis for his subsequent requests. The intensity of the sin ("very corruptly") emphasizes the profound need for God's extraordinary grace and covenant faithfulness.

Nehemiah 1 7 Commentary

Nehemiah 1:7 is a profound declaration of corporate repentance, foundational to Nehemiah’s appeal for God's mercy and restoration. It is not merely a complaint about their present hardship but a deep, unvarnished admission that their plight is a direct, just consequence of Israel's systemic, intergenerational disobedience. Nehemiah takes the nation's sin personally, identifying himself as part of the "we," even though he was not individually corrupt. This collective confession highlights the covenantal nature of Israel's relationship with God, where national blessing and curse are tied to national obedience and disobedience to the comprehensive Law given through Moses. By detailing their failure to observe "the commandments, statutes, and ordinances," Nehemiah affirms the divine perfection and justice of God’s law, thereby vindicating God's righteous judgment upon them, while also laying the theological groundwork for a renewed plea for mercy based on God's covenant promises (recalled in the subsequent verses). This confession is essential because true restoration begins with a humble acknowledgment of sin and God's justice. For us, this exemplifies the necessity of identifying with our community's failures and the importance of thorough self-examination in the light of God’s revealed truth, acknowledging our own shortcomings in keeping His Word.