Nehemiah 9:13
New International Version
“You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good.

New Living Translation
“You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and decrees and commands that were good.

English Standard Version
You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments,

Berean Standard Bible
You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

King James Bible
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

New King James Version
“You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

New American Standard Bible
“Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

NASB 1995
“Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

NASB 1977
“Then Thou didst come down on Mount Sinai, And didst speak with them from heaven; Thou didst give to them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them upright judgments and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

Amplified Bible
“Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; And You gave them fair ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

Christian Standard Bible
You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them impartial ordinances, reliable instructions, and good statutes and commands.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them impartial ordinances, reliable instructions, and good statutes and commands.

American Standard Version
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,

Contemporary English Version
At Sinai you came down from heaven, and you gave your people good laws and teachings that are fair and honest.

English Revised Version
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You came from heaven to Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them fair rules, trustworthy teachings, and good laws and commandments.

Good News Translation
At Mount Sinai you came down from heaven; you spoke to your people and gave them good laws and sound teachings.

International Standard Version
"You also came down to Mount Sinai, spoke with them from heaven, and gave them impartial regulations, true laws, statutes, and good commands.

Majority Standard Bible
You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

NET Bible
"You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You provided them with just judgments, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

New Heart English Bible
"You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

World English Bible
“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And on Mount Sinai You have come down, "" Even to speak with them from the heavens, "" And You give to them right judgments, "" And true laws, good statutes and commands.

Young's Literal Translation
'And on mount Sinai Thou hast come down, even to speak with them from the heavens, and Thou dost give to them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commands.

Smith's Literal Translation
And upon mount Sinai thou camest down, and speaking with them from the heavens, and thou wilt give to them right judgments, and laws of truth, good laws and commands.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou camest down also to mount Sinai, and didst speak with them from heaven, and thou gavest them right judgments, and the law of truth, ceremonies, and good precepts.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You also descended to mount Sinai, and you spoke with them from heaven. And you gave them upright judgments, and the law of truth, and ceremonies, and good precepts.

New American Bible
On Mount Sinai you came down, you spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances, true laws, good statutes and commandments;

New Revised Standard Version
You came down also upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thou didst come down also upon mount Sinai and speak with them from heaven, and didst give them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And upon the Mountain of Sinai you came down and you spoke with them from Heaven, and you gave them upright judgments and the laws of the truth and statutes and commandments that are good.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and laws of truth, good statutes and commandments;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Also thou camest down upon mount Sina, and thou spakest to them out of heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and laws of truth, ordinances, and good commandments.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The People Confess Their Sins
12You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel. 13You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, TRUE laws, and good statutes and commandments. 14You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.…

Cross References
Exodus 19:18-20
Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. / And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. / The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up,

Exodus 20:1-17
And God spoke all these words: / “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. / You shall have no other gods before Me. ...

Deuteronomy 4:10-13
The day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, “Gather the people before Me to hear My words, so that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach them to their children.” / You came near and stood at the base of the mountain, a mountain blazing with fire to the heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. / And the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of the words but saw no form; there was only a voice. ...

Deuteronomy 5:4-22
The LORD spoke with you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. / At that time I was standing between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain. And He said: / “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ...

Psalm 19:7-9
The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple. / The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. / The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.

Psalm 119:1-2
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD. / Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart.

Psalm 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Isaiah 33:22
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.

Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Ezekiel 20:11
And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.

Matthew 5:17-19
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. / So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ / This is the first and greatest commandment. / And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ...

Mark 12:29-31
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. / Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ / The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Luke 16:17
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.


Treasury of Scripture

You came down also on mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

camest

Exodus 19:11,16-20
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai…

Deuteronomy 33:2
And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Isaiah 64:1,3
Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, …

spakest

Exodus 20:1,22
And God spake all these words, saying, …

Deuteronomy 4:10-13,33
Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children…

Deuteronomy 5:4,22-26
The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, …

gavest

Deuteronomy 4:8
And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

Deuteronomy 10:12,13
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, …

Psalm 19:7-11
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple…

true laws.

Psalm 119:160
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

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Camest Commandments Commands Decisions Decrees Gavest Good Heaven Heavens Judgments Laws Mount Orders Ordinances Regulations Right Rules Sinai Spakest Speak Spokest Statutes True. Truth Voice
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Camest Commandments Commands Decisions Decrees Gavest Good Heaven Heavens Judgments Laws Mount Orders Ordinances Regulations Right Rules Sinai Spakest Speak Spokest Statutes True. Truth Voice
Nehemiah 9
1. A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4. The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness














You came down on Mount Sinai
This phrase highlights the divine initiative and presence of God in the history of Israel. The Hebrew root for "came down" (יָרַד, yarad) signifies a deliberate action of God entering into the human realm. Mount Sinai is historically and archaeologically significant as the place where God revealed Himself to Moses and the Israelites. This event underscores God's willingness to engage with His people and establish a covenant relationship with them.

and spoke with them from heaven
The act of speaking from heaven emphasizes the transcendence and authority of God. The Hebrew word for "spoke" (דִּבֶּר, dibber) conveys communication that is clear and authoritative. This divine communication from heaven signifies that the laws and commandments given are not of human origin but are divinely ordained, carrying the weight and authority of God Himself.

You gave them just ordinances
The term "just ordinances" reflects the fairness and righteousness of God's laws. The Hebrew word for "ordinances" (מִשְׁפָּטִים, mishpatim) refers to judgments or decisions that are equitable and just. These ordinances are designed to guide the community in living a life that reflects God's justice and righteousness, ensuring that society functions in a way that honors God and respects each individual.

true laws
The phrase "true laws" underscores the reliability and faithfulness of God's commandments. The Hebrew word for "true" (אֱמֶת, emet) conveys a sense of firmness, stability, and faithfulness. God's laws are not arbitrary but are grounded in His unchanging nature. They are trustworthy and provide a solid foundation for moral and ethical living.

and good statutes
The word "good" (טוֹב, tov) in Hebrew implies that the statutes are beneficial and lead to the well-being of those who follow them. The statutes (חֻקִּים, chukim) are decrees that are meant to promote the flourishing of individuals and the community. They are designed to lead to a life that is pleasing to God and fulfilling for His people.

and commandments
The term "commandments" (מִצְוֹת, mitzvot) refers to the specific directives given by God to His people. These commandments are not burdensome but are intended to guide the Israelites in their relationship with God and with one another. They are expressions of God's will and are meant to be followed out of love and reverence for Him.

(13) Right judgements.--Five of the names given to the law of God in Psalms 119 are singled out and applied to the Sinaitic legislation first, and then to the subsequent ordinances of Moses generally. But the emphasis here is on the adjectives "right," "true," "good," as belonging rather to the eternal principles of the Decalogue.

Verse 13. - Right judgments, true laws, good statutes, etc., are expressions which imply an immutable morality, a standard of right and wrong antecedent to command or precept, which standard is doubtless the eternal goodness of God himself. The repetition of the epithets here shows the composer of the form to be penetrated with the spirit of admiration for God's commandments which breathes so remarkably through the whole of Psalm 119.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You came down
יָרַ֔דְתָּ (yā·raḏ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

on
וְעַ֤ל (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Mount
הַר־ (har-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

Sinai,
סִינַי֙ (sî·nay)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5514: Sinai -- the mountain where the law was given

and spoke
וְדַבֵּ֥ר (wə·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to them
עִמָּהֶ֖ם (‘im·mā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

from heaven.
מִשָּׁמָ֑יִם (miš·šā·mā·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

You gave
וַתִּתֵּ֨ן (wat·tit·tên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

them
לָהֶ֜ם (lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

just
יְשָׁרִים֙ (yə·šā·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 3477: Straight, right

ordinances,
מִשְׁפָּטִ֤ים (miš·pā·ṭîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

TRUE
אֱמֶ֔ת (’ĕ·meṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 571: Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthiness

laws,
וְתוֹר֣וֹת (wə·ṯō·w·rō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law

and good
טוֹבִֽים׃ (ṭō·w·ḇîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

statutes
חֻקִּ֥ים (ḥuq·qîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2706: Something prescribed or owed, a statute

and commandments.
וּמִצְוֺ֖ת (ū·miṣ·wōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4687: Commandment


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OT History: Nehemiah 9:13 You came down also on Mount Sinai (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 9:12
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