but I warned them, "Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath. But I warned themThe phrase "But I warned them" indicates a direct and assertive action taken by Nehemiah. The Hebrew root for "warned" is "עָנַף" (anaph), which conveys a sense of expressing anger or displeasure. Nehemiah's leadership is characterized by his willingness to confront wrongdoing directly. This reflects a biblical principle of accountability and the importance of addressing sin within the community. Nehemiah's warning is not just a verbal reprimand but a call to repentance and obedience to God's law. Why are you spending the night by the wall?
This question highlights the behavior of merchants who were attempting to sell goods on the Sabbath by staying near the city walls. The Hebrew context suggests a deliberate attempt to circumvent the Sabbath restrictions. Nehemiah's question is rhetorical, emphasizing the absurdity and impropriety of their actions. It serves as a reminder of the sanctity of the Sabbath, a day set apart for rest and worship, as commanded in Exodus 20:8-11. The wall, a symbol of protection and separation, is being misused, and Nehemiah seeks to restore its intended purpose. If you do it again, I will lay hands on you
The phrase "I will lay hands on you" is a strong expression of Nehemiah's resolve to enforce the Sabbath observance. The Hebrew verb "שָׁלַח" (shalach) means to send or stretch out, often implying a forceful action. Nehemiah's commitment to uphold God's law is unwavering, and he is prepared to take physical action if necessary. This reflects the seriousness with which the Sabbath was regarded and the lengths to which leaders must sometimes go to ensure obedience to God's commands. From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath
This statement indicates the effectiveness of Nehemiah's intervention. The Hebrew phrase suggests a permanent change in behavior, highlighting the impact of godly leadership and decisive action. The Sabbath, a covenant sign between God and Israel, is restored to its rightful place in the community's life. Nehemiah's success in this matter serves as an inspiration for believers to stand firm in their convictions and to trust that God will honor their efforts to uphold His commandments. Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahThe central figure in this passage, Nehemiah was a Jewish leader and governor of Jerusalem who led the rebuilding of the city's walls and instituted religious reforms. 2. JerusalemThe city where these events take place, significant as the center of Jewish worship and the location of the Temple. 3. SabbathThe day of rest and worship commanded by God, which Nehemiah is striving to protect from commercial activities. 4. Merchants and SellersThese individuals were attempting to sell goods on the Sabbath, violating the sanctity of the day. 5. The Wall of JerusalemThe physical barrier that Nehemiah rebuilt, which also serves as a symbol of spiritual and communal boundaries. Teaching Points The Importance of Sabbath ObservanceNehemiah's actions underscore the importance of setting aside time for rest and worship, as commanded by God. In today's busy world, Christians are reminded to prioritize spiritual rest and renewal. Leadership and AccountabilityNehemiah demonstrates strong leadership by holding the community accountable to God's laws. Believers are encouraged to uphold biblical standards in their own communities and families. Boundaries and HolinessThe wall of Jerusalem symbolizes the need for boundaries in our spiritual lives. Christians are called to establish and maintain boundaries that protect their faith and values. Courage in ConfrontationNehemiah's willingness to confront those who violated the Sabbath teaches the importance of courageously addressing sin and disobedience in our lives and communities. The Role of Warnings in ScriptureNehemiah's warning to the merchants serves as a reminder of the role of warnings in Scripture, which are meant to guide and protect us from harm. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Nehemiah's approach to enforcing the Sabbath challenge or inspire your own views on observing a day of rest and worship? 2. In what ways can you apply Nehemiah's leadership qualities in your own life, particularly in upholding biblical principles? 3. What boundaries do you need to establish or reinforce in your life to protect your spiritual well-being? 4. How can you practice courage in confronting issues that compromise your faith or the faith of your community? 5. Reflect on a time when a warning from Scripture or a spiritual leader helped guide you. How can you be more receptive to such guidance in the future? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20:8-11This passage provides the original commandment to keep the Sabbath holy, which Nehemiah is enforcing. Isaiah 58:13-14These verses emphasize the blessings of honoring the Sabbath, aligning with Nehemiah's efforts to restore proper observance. Mark 2:27-28Jesus' teaching on the Sabbath highlights its purpose for humanity, offering a broader understanding of its significance. People Artaxerxes, Balaam, Eliashib, Hanan, Israelites, Joiada, Levites, Mattaniah, Pedaiah, Sanballat, Shelemiah, Solomon, Tobiah, Tobijah, Tyrians, ZaccurPlaces Ammon, Ashdod, Babylon, Jerusalem, MoabTopics Force, Forewarned, Forth, Front, Hands, Lay, Lodge, Lodging, Longer, Over-against, Pass, Prisoners, Repeat, Sabbath, Spend, Stay, Testified, Testify, Waiting, Wall, Warned, Wherefore, WitnessDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 13:21 7372 hands, laying on Nehemiah 13:15-21 5818 contempt Nehemiah 13:15-22 5242 buying and selling
5407 merchants Nehemiah 13:15-27 5345 influence
8466 reformation Nehemiah 13:19-21 5433 occupations Nehemiah 13:19-22 5323 gate Library Sabbath Observance
'In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Two Famous Versions of the Scriptures
[Illustration: (drop cap B) Samaritan Book of the Law] By the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, on the coast of Egypt, lies Alexandria, a busy and prosperous city of to-day. You remember the great conqueror, Alexander, and how nation after nation had been forced to submit to him, until all the then-known world owned him for its emperor? He built this city, and called it after his own name. About a hundred years before the days of Antiochus (of whom we read in our last chapter) a company of Jews …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 The Formation of the Old Testament Canon
[Sidenote: Israel's literature at the beginning of the fourth century before Christ] Could we have studied the scriptures of the Israelitish race about 400 B.C., we should have classified them under four great divisions: (1) The prophetic writings, represented by the combined early Judean, Ephraimite, and late prophetic or Deuteronomic narratives, and their continuation in Samuel and Kings, together with the earlier and exilic prophecies; (2) the legal, represented by the majority of the Old Testament …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Nehemiah 13:21 NIVNehemiah 13:21 NLTNehemiah 13:21 ESVNehemiah 13:21 NASBNehemiah 13:21 KJV
Nehemiah 13:21 Commentaries
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