Nehemiah 2:20
in Nehemiah 2So I answered them and said, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
KJV
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
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This verse in Nehemiah 2
Commentary
6 notes on this verseYe have no portion, nor right - To be a citizen of Jerusalem was a high honor; and they would not permit those who did not belong to the tribes of Israel to dwell there. Zerubbabel gave the same answer to the Samaritans, Ezr 4:3.
This site's exposition
they mocked us and ridiculed us
on Nehemiah 2:19-20
Geshem the Arab stands with Sanballat and Tobiah. Nehemiah answers, "The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success," and denies them any "portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem" (2:20). Wesley reads the three words as no claim by birth, religion or kindness done.
This site's exposition
The God of heaven is the One
Nehemiah answers the charge of rebelling against the king by naming the God of heaven. Clarke notes that to be a citizen of Jerusalem was a high honour kept for the tribes, and the three denials shut these officials out. The builders are His servants.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
No portion - You have no authority over us, nor interest in our church and state, but are aliens from the common-wealth of Israel. Memorial - No testimony, or monument, either of your relation to us by birth or religion, or of your kindness to us, or to this place.
They represented the undertaking also as a wicked thing, no better than treason: Will you rebel against the king? Because this was the old invidious charge, though now they had a commission from the king and were taken under his protection, yet still they must be called rebels. [2.] See also with what good reason the Jews slighted these discouragements.
Then answered I them, and said unto them,....
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאָשִׁ֨יב | vaashiv | and I brought back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אוֹתָ֜ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דָּבָ֗ר | davar | word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| וָאוֹמַ֤ר | vaomar | and I said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | to them | ||
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| ה֚וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יַצְלִ֣יחַֽ | yatzliach | he will grant success | H6743 → | |
| לָ֔נוּ | lanu | to us | ||
| וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ | vaanachnu | and we | H587 → | 120 times |
| עֲבָדָ֖יו | ʾavadav | servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| נָק֣וּם | nakum | we will arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| וּבָנִ֑ינוּ | uvaninu | and we will rebuild | H1129 → | 376 times |
| וְלָכֶ֗ם | velakhem | and [belongs] to you | ||
| אֵֽין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| חֵ֧לֶק | chelek | a share | H2506 → | |
| וּצְדָקָ֛ה | utzedakah | and a right | H6666 → | |
| וְזִכָּר֖וֹן | vezikaron | and a memorial | H2146 → | |
| בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ | birushalim | in Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
וָאָשִׁ֨יבand I brought back
vaashivH7725 →1056 times
אוֹתָ֜ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
דָּבָ֗רword
davarH1697 →1440 times
וָאוֹמַ֤רand I said
vaomarH559 →5305 times
לָהֶם֙to them
lahem
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
ה֚וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יַצְלִ֣יחַֽhe will grant success
yatzliachH6743 →
לָ֔נוּto us
lanu
וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּand we
vaanachnuH587 →120 times
עֲבָדָ֖יוservants his
ʾavadavH5650 →799 times
נָק֣וּםwe will arise
nakumH6965 →628 times
וּבָנִ֑ינוּand we will rebuild
uvaninuH1129 →376 times
וְלָכֶ֗םand [belongs] to you
velakhem
אֵֽין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
חֵ֧לֶקa share
chelekH2506 →
וּצְדָקָ֛הand a right
utzedakahH6666 →
וְזִכָּר֖וֹןand a memorial
vezikaronH2146 →
בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃in 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
Isaiah 56:5I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be…
it leads to
- Revelation 3:12
The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the…
- Revelation 3:5
Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His…
- 1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is…
- 1 Timothy 3:15
in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
- Revelation 3:12
Through
Acts 10:31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
it leads to
- Acts 10:4
Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
- Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
- Daniel 9:23
At the beginning of your petitions, an answer went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly precious. So consider the message and understand the vision:
- Acts 10:4
Through
Nehemiah 2:4“What is your request?” replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven
it leads to
- Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Philippians 4:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
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; 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.