Nehemiah 1:8
New International Version
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

New Living Translation
“Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations.

English Standard Version
Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,

Berean Standard Bible
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

King James Bible
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

New King James Version
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;

New American Standard Bible
Remember, please, the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples;

NASB 1995
“Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;

NASB 1977
“Remember the word which Thou didst command Thy servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;

Legacy Standard Bible
Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples;

Amplified Bible
Please remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful and violate your obligations to Me I will scatter you [abroad] among the peoples;

Christian Standard Bible
Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.

American Standard Version
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:

Contemporary English Version
Please remember the promise you made to Moses. You told him that if we were unfaithful, you would scatter us among foreign nations.

English Revised Version
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Please remember what you told us through your servant Moses: 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations.

Good News Translation
Remember now what you told Moses: 'If you people of Israel are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the other nations.

International Standard Version
Please remember what you spoke in commanding your servant Moses. You said, 'If you rebel, I will scatter you among the nations

Majority Standard Bible
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

NET Bible
Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: 'If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations.

New Heart English Bible
"Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples;

Webster's Bible Translation
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

World English Bible
“Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you among the peoples;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Please remember the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, You trespass—I scatter you among peoples;

Young's Literal Translation
'Remember, I pray Thee, the word that Thou didst command Moses Thy servant, saying, Ye -- ye trespass -- I scatter you among peoples;

Smith's Literal Translation
Remember now the word that thou didst command Moses thy servant, saying, Ye will transgress; I will scatter you among the nations:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Remember the word that thou commandedst to Moses thy servant, saying: If you shall transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Remember the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse you among the nations.

New American Bible
But remember the admonition which you addressed to Moses, your servant, when you said: If you prove faithless, I will scatter you among the peoples;

New Revised Standard Version
Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Remember now all the commandments which thou didst command thy servant Moses, saying, If you transgress against me, I will scatter you among the nations;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Remember all the commandments that you commanded Moshe your Servant, and you said to him: “You all shall deny me, and I shall scatter you among the nations.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Remember, I beseech Thee, the word that Thou didst command Thy servant Moses, saying: If ye deal treacherously, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Remember, I pray thee, the word wherewith thou didst charge thy servant Moses, saying, If ye break covenant with me, I will disperse you among the nations.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nehemiah's Prayer
7We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses. 8Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 30:1-5
“When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you, / and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and all your soul according to everything I am giving you today, / then He will restore you from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you. ...

Leviticus 26:33-45
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste. / Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths all the days it lies desolate, while you are in the land of your enemies. At that time the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths. / As long as it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not receive during the Sabbaths when you lived in it. ...

Deuteronomy 4:25-31
After you have children and grandchildren and you have been in the land a long time, if you then act corruptly and make an idol of any form—doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God and provoking Him to anger— / I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live long upon it, but will be utterly destroyed. / Then the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. ...

Jeremiah 29:10-14
For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place. / For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. / Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ...

2 Chronicles 7:13-14
If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, / and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Daniel 9:4-19
And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, / we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances. / We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land. ...

Ezekiel 11:16-20
Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’ / Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries to which you have been scattered, and I will give back to you the land of Israel.’ / When they return to it, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations. ...

1 Kings 8:46-53
When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near, / and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ / and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, ...

Psalm 106:44-47
Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress. / And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion. / He made them objects of compassion to all who held them captive. ...

Isaiah 11:11-12
On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. / He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Acts 3:19-21
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, / that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you. / Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.

Luke 21:24
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Romans 11:25-27
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. / And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. / And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Hebrews 8:10-12
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 I will be their God, and they will be My people. / No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. / For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”


Treasury of Scripture

Remember, I beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

Remember

Psalm 119:49
ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

Luke 1:72
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

If ye transgress

Leviticus 26:33
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Deuteronomy 4:25-27
When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: …

Deuteronomy 28:64
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

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Nehemiah 1
1. Nehemiah, understanding by Hanani the misery of Jerusalem, mourns, fasts, and prays
5. His prayer














Remember the word
The Hebrew word for "remember" is "זָכַר" (zakar), which implies more than just recalling information; it involves an active, intentional bringing to mind with the purpose of action. In the context of Nehemiah, this is a plea for God to act upon His promises. Nehemiah is invoking God's covenant faithfulness, reminding God of His own words, which is a common practice in Hebrew prayers. This reflects a deep trust in God's character and His commitment to His people.

that You commanded
The word "commanded" comes from the Hebrew "צָוָה" (tsavah), which means to give an order or directive. This highlights the authoritative nature of God's words to Moses. It underscores the idea that God's instructions are not mere suggestions but are binding and carry the weight of divine authority. Nehemiah is appealing to the divine mandate given to Moses, which is foundational for the identity and conduct of Israel.

Your servant Moses
Moses is referred to as "Your servant," which is a title of honor and humility. The Hebrew word "עֶבֶד" (eved) signifies one who serves another, often used for those who serve God with faithfulness. By invoking Moses, Nehemiah is connecting his prayer to the historical and spiritual legacy of Israel. Moses is a central figure in the Jewish faith, representing the law and the covenant. Nehemiah is aligning himself with this legacy, seeking to continue the work and faithfulness of Moses.

saying, ‘If you are unfaithful
The phrase "If you are unfaithful" is a conditional statement that reflects the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. The Hebrew root "מָעַל" (ma'al) for "unfaithful" implies a breach of trust or betrayal. This condition is part of the Deuteronomic covenant, where blessings and curses are contingent upon Israel's faithfulness. Nehemiah acknowledges the reality of Israel's past unfaithfulness, which led to their current state of exile.

I will scatter you among the nations
The consequence of unfaithfulness is "I will scatter you among the nations," a phrase that echoes the warnings found in Leviticus 26:33 and Deuteronomy 28:64. The Hebrew word "פּוּץ" (puts) for "scatter" conveys the idea of dispersal and exile. This scattering is both a physical and spiritual separation from the land and presence of God. Historically, this was fulfilled in the Babylonian exile, a pivotal event in Jewish history. Nehemiah's reference to this scattering is a recognition of the just consequences of sin, yet it also sets the stage for his plea for restoration and return, grounded in God's mercy and promises.

Verse 8. - If ye transgress, etc. This is not a quotation, but a reference to the general sense of various passages, as, for instance, Leviticus 26:27-45; Deuteronomy 30:1-5, etc. The sacred historians habitually refer to the older Scriptures in this way, quoting them in the spirit rather than in the letter.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Remember,
זְכָר־ (zə·ḵār-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male

I pray,
נָא֙ (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

the word
הַדָּבָ֔ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

You commanded
צִוִּ֛יתָ (ṣiw·wî·ṯā)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

Your servant
עַבְדְּךָ֖ (‘aḇ·də·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

Moses
מֹשֶׁ֥ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

when You said,
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘If you
אַתֶּ֣ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are unfaithful,
תִּמְעָ֔לוּ (tim·‘ā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 4603: To cover up, to act covertly, treacherously

I
אֲנִ֕י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will scatter
אָפִ֥יץ (’ā·p̄îṣ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered

you
אֶתְכֶ֖ם (’eṯ·ḵem)
Direct object marker | second person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

among the nations,
בָּעַמִּֽים׃ (bā·‘am·mîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT History: Nehemiah 1:8 Remember I beg you the word that (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 1:7
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