Nehemiah 2:12
in Nehemiah 2I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal with me was the one on which I was riding.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
KJV
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
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This verse in Nehemiah 2
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3364: “Surveying the Field” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
NEHEMIAH, it seems, prepared himself for action by taking a survey of the necessities of the case. Although he lived before our Savior's day, he certainly acted upon one of our Savior's maxims about counting the cost, lest, after having begun to build, we should not be able to finish.
This site's exposition
had been there three days
on Nehemiah 2:11-12
Nehemiah rests three days before he moves, the same pause Ezra took on arrival at Jerusalem (Ezra 8:32). Then he sets out "at night with a few men" and tells no one. He surveys the field before any building begins, the counting of the cost the Lord would later teach.
This site's exposition
I set out at night
Only one animal went, and Nehemiah rode it. Matthew Henry observes that men who bring the greatest good often come without show or noise. The plan was God's gift to Nehemiah's heart, and he kept it there until the survey of the wall was done.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Wise men, and those who are worthy of double honour, yet covet not to come with observation, to make a show, or make a noise, no, not when they come with the greatest blessings. Those that shortly are to have the dominion in the morning the world now knows not, but they lie hid, 1 John iii.
And I arose in the might, I and some few men with me,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3364: “Surveying the Field” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
NEHEMIAH, it seems, prepared himself for action by taking a survey of the necessities of the case. Although he lived before our Savior's day, he certainly acted upon one of our Savior's maxims about counting the cost, lest, after having begun to build, we should not be able to finish. I like to picture to myself that man of God going by moonlight round all the waste places of the city, compelled here and there to dismount by reason of rubbish, clambering over the fallen stones, leaping, sometimes, with agility from crag to crag of the city's walls—getting in his mind a clear idea of all the city's desolation—and feeling in his heart the pressing, heavy weight and burden of the responsibility which God had thrust upon him. If he had begun his work carelessly and thoughtlessly, he might have failed in it, but having begun months before with prayer, having been guided by Providence so far, yet even now the very first step he must take is a personal survey of the work and a thorough personal acquaintance with the necessities of the case. Now, I know that there are here, on the weeknight at the service, many who love the Master and are anxious to do something in His cause. And I thought I might very profitably commend to them the example of Nehemiah in this respect. We shall consider Nehemiah, then, first as a fine example to those who would seek the good of the Church at large. Secondly, a pattern to any of us laboring in any one distinct sphere. And thirdly, I think I may apply the same principle in reference to the personal work which is being done in our own hearts.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and there were no animals with me The few men who were with me went by foot and I alone rode on an animal. They did not ride their horses because they wanted to leave the city in secret, without anyone knowing.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
and I was there for three days I was in Jerusalem for three days, and at the end of three days, I and a few men with me arose at night, and I did not tell any person what the Holy One, blessed be He, had put into my heart.
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. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאָק֣וּם׀ | vaakum | and I arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| לַ֗יְלָה | laylah | night | H3915 → | 233 times |
| אֲנִי֮ | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| וַאֲנָשִׁ֣ים׀ | vaanashim | and men | H582 → | 566 times |
| מְעַט֮ | meat | a few | H4592 → | |
| עִמִּי֒ | ʾimi | with me | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִגַּ֣דְתִּי | higadti | I had told | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לְאָדָ֔ם | leadam | to anyone | H120 → | 551 times |
| מָ֗ה | mah | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| אֱלֹהַי֙ | ʾelohai | [was] God my | H430 → | 2601 times |
| נֹתֵ֣ן | noten | putting | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לִבִּ֔י | libi | heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | lirushalim | for Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וּבְהֵמָה֙ | uvehemah | and an animal | H929 → | 190 times |
| אֵ֣ין | ʾein | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| עִמִּ֔י | ʾimi | [was] with me | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| כִּ֚י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה | habehemah | the animal | H929 → | 190 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֲנִ֖י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| רֹכֵ֥ב | rokhev | [was] riding | H7392 → | |
| בָּֽהּ׃ | bah | on it |
וָאָק֣וּם׀and I arose
vaakumH6965 →628 times
לַ֗יְלָהnight
laylahH3915 →233 times
אֲנִי֮I
ʾaniH589 →874 times
וַאֲנָשִׁ֣ים׀and men
vaanashimH582 →566 times
מְעַט֮a few
meatH4592 →
עִמִּי֒with me
ʾimiH5973 →1050 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
הִגַּ֣דְתִּיI had told
higadtiH5046 →370 times
לְאָדָ֔םto anyone
leadamH120 →551 times
מָ֗הwhat?
mahH4100 →752 times
אֱלֹהַי֙[was] God my
ʾelohaiH430 →2601 times
נֹתֵ֣ןputting
notenH5414 →2011 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
לִבִּ֔יheart my
libiH3820 →595 times
לַעֲשׂ֖וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑םfor Jerusalem
lirushalimH3389 →643 times
וּבְהֵמָה֙and an animal
uvehemahH929 →190 times
אֵ֣יןthere not
ʾeinH369 →789 times
עִמִּ֔י[was] with me
ʾimiH5973 →1050 times
כִּ֚יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
הַבְּהֵמָ֔הthe animal
habehemahH929 →190 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֲנִ֖יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
רֹכֵ֥ב[was] riding
rokhevH7392 →
בָּֽהּ׃on it
bah
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
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…
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:16
“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 3:3
It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on…
- Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And…
- Ezekiel 11:19–20
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,
- Hebrews 10:16
Through
Jeremiah 32:40I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 31:31–33
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
- Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
- Jeremiah 31:31–33
Through
2 Corinthians 8:16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
it leads to
- Revelation 17:17
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 17:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
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About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3364: “Surveying the Field” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, Surveying the Field (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, No. 3364); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.