Nehemiah 13 21

Nehemiah 13:21 kjv

Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

Nehemiah 13:21 nkjv

Then I warned them, and said to them, "Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!" From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.

Nehemiah 13:21 niv

But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.

Nehemiah 13:21 esv

But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

Nehemiah 13:21 nlt

But I spoke sharply to them and said, "What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!" And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath.

Nehemiah 13 verses

Nehemiah 13 21 Meaning

Nehemiah chapter 13, verse 21 records Governor Nehemiah's direct and authoritative confrontation with foreign traders who persisted in lingering outside Jerusalem's walls on the Sabbath, intending to sell their goods once the holy day passed. Nehemiah issued a stern warning, demanding they cease their practice and threatening them with forceful intervention if they returned. This decisive action immediately stopped their Sabbath presence near the city, upholding the sanctity of the Sabbath rest for the community.

Nehemiah 13 21 Context

Nehemiah 13 begins with Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem after being away as the Persian king's cupbearer. Upon his return, he finds that many of the reforms he had previously implemented, particularly regarding the temple, the Levites' support, Sabbath observance, and the purity of the community, had deteriorated. Chapter 13 focuses on Nehemiah's swift and strong actions to restore these covenant obligations. Verses 15-22 specifically address the profanation of the Sabbath. Local Jews and even leading officials (v. 17) were neglecting the Sabbath, engaging in trade and ordinary labor. Foreign merchants from Tyre (v. 16), among others, saw this laxity as an opportunity and brought their wares into Jerusalem, and when the gates were shut on the Sabbath, they began waiting outside, ready to sell immediately after sunset. This act, although not inside the city, still tempted the people and encouraged an economic mindset that undermined the holy day. Nehemiah's previous warnings to the Jewish nobles (v. 17) proved insufficient against the external merchants. Therefore, Nehemiah personally took direct and forceful action against these persistent foreign traders in verse 21.

Nehemiah 13 21 Word analysis

• Then I warned them (וָאָעִידָה בָהֶם, wa’a‘īḏāh bāhem): The Hebrew word wa’a‘īḏāh comes from the root ‘ūd (עוּד), meaning to warn, to testify, or to protest strongly. It is a legal-forensic term, suggesting a formal, binding testimony or admonition. Nehemiah's "warning" was not a mere suggestion but a severe, official rebuke, indicating potential consequences if ignored. It emphasizes the gravity of the transgression.
• and said to them (וָאֹמְרָה אֲלֵהֶם, wa’ōmerāh ’ălehém): Follows the formal warning, providing the specific content of the threat.
• 'Why do you spend the night (מַדּוּעַ אַתֶּם לֵנִים, maddûa‘ ’attem lēnîm): Lēnîm (לֵנִים) comes from lîn (לִין), meaning to lodge, spend the night, or remain. This highlights their intentional, persistent defiance. They were not merely passing by; they were actively encamping, waiting to resume business, signaling their disrespect for the Sabbath even outside the city gates.
• around the wall? (נֶגֶד הַחוֹמָה, neged haḥômāh): Literally "opposite the wall" or "facing the wall." This specific location indicates their deliberate proximity to the city, ready to capitalize on any relaxation of the rules, showing an overt challenge to the Sabbath law even in their "off-limits" location.
• If you do so again (אִם־תִּשְׁנוּ עוֹד, ’im-tišhnû ‘ôḏ): This sets a clear condition for the threat. Tišhnû (תִּשְׁנוּ) means "you repeat" or "you do again." Nehemiah provides a direct ultimatum.
• I will lay hands on you.' (אֶשְׁלַח יָדִי בָכֶם, ’ešlaḥ yāḏî bākem): Literally, "I will send my hand upon you." This is an idiom indicating physical, forceful intervention. It implies an intention to physically apprehend them, perhaps to arrest, expel them, or otherwise forcefully deal with them, rather than mere verbal scolding. This threat shows Nehemiah's determination to physically enforce the law and remove the disruptive presence.
• From that time on (וּמִן־הַיּוֹם הַהוּא, ûmin-hayyôm hahû’): Signifies the immediate and complete effectiveness of Nehemiah's decisive action and direct warning.
• they did not come on the Sabbath. (לֹא־בָאוּ בַשַׁבָּת, lō’-vā’û vaššabāt): The objective result: their persistent challenge to the Sabbath sanctity ceased. Nehemiah's uncompromising stance achieved immediate obedience.

Nehemiah 13 21 Bonus section

Nehemiah's actions here highlight the responsibility of spiritual and civic leaders to actively enforce divine standards within the community they lead. His firmness prevented further erosion of God's law. This specific threat, "I will lay hands on you," demonstrates Nehemiah's administrative and legal authority as governor. He wasn't merely expressing anger, but stating his intent to use legitimate force through his officers or guards if necessary. The incident also serves as a polemic against pragmatic accommodation with unholy practices, especially when external influences tempt people to compromise their covenant with God for economic gain. Nehemiah shows that true commitment to God requires boundaries and decisive action against those who would break them, whether from within or without.

Nehemiah 13 21 Commentary

Nehemiah's confrontation in this verse encapsulates his zealous leadership and unwavering commitment to God's covenant laws, especially Sabbath observance, which was a core identity marker for post-exilic Israel. The foreign traders, likely Phoenicians from Tyre who traded fish (v. 16), exploited the local Jewish negligence, demonstrating a pattern of economic activity prioritized over divine command. Nehemiah's method, while stern and threatening physical intervention ("lay hands on you"), underscores the seriousness of Sabbath desecration in his eyes and God's. This was not a passive warning but a declaration of punitive action against persistent, defiant law-breakers who sought to corrupt the holy atmosphere of Jerusalem. His action was preventative, aimed at removing external temptations and maintaining the purity of the Sabbath for God's people. This highlights that godly leaders sometimes must use strong measures to uphold righteousness and protect the community from spiritual and moral compromise, just as Jesus cleansed the temple of commercial activity that profaned a holy space.