Nehemiah 11:2
in Nehemiah 11And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.
KJV
And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
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This verse in Nehemiah 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBlessed - Because they denied themselves, and their own safety and profit for the publick good; for this city was the butt of all the malicious plots of their enemies; and for the present it was rather chargeable than beneficial to its inhabitants.
This site's exposition
to bring one out of ten
on Nehemiah 11:1-2
The wall now stood, but Jerusalem stood thin. Verse 2 honors the volunteers: "the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem" (11:2). The Hebrew verb behind volunteered is the verb of the freewill offering, so settling in the exposed city is named as a gift.
This site's exposition
blessed all the men who volunteered
Wesley gives the reason the people blessed the men who volunteered: Jerusalem was the mark of every plot of its enemies. Henry adds that the lots of verse 1 fell as the LORD chose. The people blessed them for it.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
The people blessed all the men, etc. And we must make the exalted life of the elect, which we cannot follow by imitation, our own by rejoicing and venerating it. It should be noted, according to the faith of sacred History, that those who are …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
God and man will bless those that are public blessings, which should encourage us to be zealous in doing good. They, finding that yet there was room, concluded upon a review of their whole body to bring one in ten to dwell in Jerusalem; who they should be was determined by lot, the disposal whereof, all knew, was of the Lord.
And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
All the men that willingly offered - Some volunteered their services, which was considered a sacrifice to patriotism at that time, as Jerusalem afforded very few advantages, and was a place of considerable danger; hence the people spoke well of them, and no doubt prayed for God’s blessing upon them.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
one of ten of Israel, so that they should dwell in Jerusalem to guard the city.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ | vayvarakhu | and they blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| הָעָ֑ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לְכֹל֙ | lekhol | <to> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔ים | hamitnadevim | who volunteered | H5068 → | |
| לָשֶׁ֖בֶת | lashevet | to dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ | birushalim | in Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּand they blessed
vayvarakhuH1288 →330 times
הָעָ֑םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
לְכֹל֙<to> all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔יםwho volunteered
hamitnadevimH5068 →
לָשֶׁ֖בֶתto dwell
lashevetH3427 →1079 times
בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פin Jerusalem
birushalimH3389 →643 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Judges 5:9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
it leads to
- Judges 5:2
“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
- 2 Corinthians 8:17
For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
- 1 Chronicles 29:9
And the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given to the LORD freely and wholeheartedly. And King David also rejoiced greatly.
- Judges 5:2
Through
Job 29:13The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:16–18
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 1:16–18
Through
Deuteronomy 24:13be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your…
it leads to
- Daniel 4:27
Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be…
- Deuteronomy 6:25
And if we are careful to observe every one of these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us, then that will be our righteousness.”
- Exodus 22:26–27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
- Daniel 4:27
Through
Job 31:20if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 24:13
be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your…
- Deuteronomy 24:13
About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.