Nehemiah 2 · Verse 17

Nehemiah 2:17

Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Nehemiah 2:17, King James Version

Nehemiah 2:17 in other translations

BSBThen I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned down. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”
WEBThen I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let’s build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.”
ASVThen said I unto them, Ye see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
YLTand I say unto them, ‘Ye are seeing the evil that we are in, in that Jerusalem is waste, and its gates have been burnt with fire; come and we build the wall of Jerusalem, and we are not any more a reproach.'
DARBYAnd I said to them, Ye see the distress that we are in, that Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
BBEThen I said to them, You see what a bad condition we are in; how Jerusalem is a waste, and its doorways burned with fire: come, let us get to work, building up the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be put to shame.
WebsterThen said I to them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and its gates are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we may be no more a reproach.

What does Nehemiah 2:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 2:16-18

16-18. the rulers knew not--The following day, having assembled the elders, Nehemiah produced his commission and exhorted them to assist in the work. The sight of his credentials, and the animating strain of his address and example, so revived their drooping spirits that they resolved immediately to commence the building, which they did, despite the bitter taunts and scoffing ridicule of some influential men.

Read the full comment on Nehemiah 2:16-18 →

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nehemiah 2:9-18

When Nehemiah had considered the matter, he told the Jews that God had put it into his heart to build the wall of Jerusalem. He does not undertake to do it without them. By stirring up ourselves and one another to that which is good, we strengthen ourselves and one another for it. We are weak in our duty, when we are cold and careless.

Read the full comment on Nehemiah 2:9-18 →

Nehemiah 2:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאוֹמַ֣רva.'o.Marand I saidH559
אֲלֵהֶ֗ם'a.le.Hemto themH413
אַתֶּ֤ם'a.TemyouH859
רֹאִים֙ro.'Im[are] seeingH7200
הָרָעָה֙ha.ra.'Ahthe troubleH7451
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
אֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuweH587
בָ֔הּVah[are] in it
אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.SherthatH834
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ye.ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389
חֲרֵבָ֔הcha.re.Vah[is] desolateH2720
וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָu.she.'a.Rei.haand gates itsH8179
נִצְּת֣וּni.tze.Tuthey have been burnedH3341
בָאֵ֑שׁva.'Eshwith <the> fireH784
לְכ֗וּle.KhucomeH1980
וְנִבְנֶה֙ve.niv.Nehso we may rebuildH1129
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
חוֹמַ֣תcho.Mat[the] wall ofH2346
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םye.ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
נִהְיֶ֥הnih.Yehwe will beH1961
ע֖וֹדodagainH5750
חֶרְפָּֽה\׃cher.Paha reproachH2781

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Nehemiah 2:17

  • Ezekiel 5:14

    Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

  • Isaiah 35:3-4

    Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

  • Psalms 79:4

    We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

  • Lamentations 3:51

    Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

  • Nehemiah 1:3

    And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

  • Lamentations 3:45-46

    Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

  • Psalms 89:50-51

    Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

  • Ezekiel 22:4-5

    Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries. Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed.

  • Lamentations 2:8-9

    The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together. Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the Lord.

  • Lamentations 2:2

    The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.

  • Jeremiah 24:9

    And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.

  • Psalms 44:13

    Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ye see.
La 2:2,8,9; 3:51
come.
Ezr 5:1,2; 10:2-4; Isa 35:3,4
a reproach.
1:3; 1Sa 11:2; Ps 44:13; 79:4,12; 89:50,51; Jer 24:9; La 3:45,46
Eze 5:14; 22:4,5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Nehemiah 2:16

    And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

  • Nehemiah 2:17

    Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

  • Nehemiah 2:18

    Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

Read all of Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah 2:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Díjeles pues: Vosotros veis el mal en que estamos, que Jerusalem está desierta, y sus puertas consumidas del fuego: venid, y edifiquemos el muro de Jerusalem, y no seamos más en oprobio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et je leur dis: Vous voyez la misère dans laquelle nous sommes, que Jérusalem est dévastée et que ses portes sont brûlées par le feu. Venez et bâtissons la muraille de Jérusalem, afin que nous ne soyons plus dans l’opprobre.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und ich sprach zu ihnen: Ihr sehet das Unglück, in welchem wir sind, daß Jerusalem wüste liegt und seine Tore mit Feuer verbrannt sind. Kommt und laßt uns die Mauer Jerusalems wieder aufbauen, daß wir nicht länger zum Hohne seien!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixi eis: Vos nostis afflictionem in qua sumus: quia Jerusalem deserta est, et portæ ejus consumptæ sunt igni: venite, et ædificemus muros Jerusalem, et non simus ultra opprobrium.