Nehemiah 2:17
New International Version
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”

New Living Translation
But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”

English Standard Version
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”

New American Standard Bible
Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates have been burned by fire. Come, let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

NASB 1995
Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.”

NASB 1977
Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer be a reproach.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I said to them, “You see the calamity we are in, that Jerusalem lies waste and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.”

Amplified Bible
Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in—how Jerusalem is desolate and lies in ruins and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, and let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

Christian Standard Bible
So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

American Standard Version
Then 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And I said to them: “You see the afflictions that we are in; behold, Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned up in fire! Come, we will build up the wall of Jerusalem and therefore we will not be a reproach!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Then I said to them, Ye see this evil, in which we are, how Jerusalem is desolate, and her gates have been set on fire: come, and let us build throughout the wall of Jerusalem, and we shall be no longer a reproach.

Contemporary English Version
But when I got back, I said to them, "Jerusalem is truly in a mess! The gates have been torn down and burned, and everything is in ruins. We must rebuild the city wall so that we can again take pride in our city."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then I said to them: You know the affliction wherein we are, because Jerusalem is desolate, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire: come, and let us build up the walls of Jerusalem, and let us be no longer a reproach.

English Revised Version
Then 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then I told them, "You see the trouble we're in. Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are burned down. Let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be insulted."

Good News Translation
But now I said to them, "See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed! Let's rebuild the city walls and put an end to our disgrace."

International Standard Version
Later I told them, "You all are watching the predicament we're in, how Jerusalem lies desolate, with its gates burned by fire. Let's rebuild the Jerusalem wall so we're no longer a disgrace."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then 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.'

Literal Standard Version
and I say to them, “You are seeing the evil that we are in, in that Jerusalem [is] desolate, and its gates have been burned with fire; come and we build the wall of Jerusalem, and we are not a reproach anymore.”

Majority Standard Bible
Then 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.”

New American Bible
Afterward I said to them: “You see the trouble we are in: how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been gutted by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be a reproach!”

NET Bible
Then I said to them, "You see the problem that we have: Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on! Let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach will not continue."

New Revised Standard Version
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace.”

New Heart English Bible
Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won't be disgraced."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then 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.

World English Bible
Then 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.”

Young's Literal Translation
and 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.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nehemiah Inspects the Walls
16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews or priests or nobles or officials or any other workers. 17Then 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.” 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me, and what the king had said to me. “Let us start rebuilding,” they replied, and they set their hands to this good work.…

Cross References
Nehemiah 1:3
And they told me, "The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire."

Nehemiah 2:13
So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Well of the Serpent and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire.

Nehemiah 2:16
The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews or priests or nobles or officials or any other workers.

Nehemiah 3:15
The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofed it, and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king's garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said I to them, You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies 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.

Ye see

Lamentations 2:2,8,9
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…

Lamentations 3:51
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

come

Ezra 5:1,2
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them…

Ezra 10:2-4
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing…

Isaiah 35:3,4
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees…

a reproach

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.

1 Samuel 11:2
And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

Psalm 44:13
Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

Jump to Previous
Bad Build Burned Case Disgrace Distress Evil Fire Gates Jerusalem Lies Rebuild Reproach Ruins Situation Suffer Thereof Trouble Wall Waste
Jump to Next
Bad Build Burned Case Disgrace Distress Evil Fire Gates Jerusalem Lies Rebuild Reproach Ruins Situation Suffer Thereof Trouble Wall Waste
Nehemiah 2
1. Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness,
6. sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem
9. Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem
12. He views secretly the ruins of the walls
17. He incites the Jews to build














(17) Then.--There is no note of time. When his plans were matured, Nehemiah made an earnest appeal to their patriotism.

Verse 17. - Then said I unto them. Ewald boldly assumes that this happened the next day; but there is nothing to show that it was so soon. The original contains, no note of time - not even the word "then." Nehemiah simply says, "And I said to them." The distress. Or "affliction," as the word is translated in Nehemiah 1:3. No special suffering seems to be intended, beyond that of lying open to attack, and being a "reproach" in the sight of the heathen. Lieth waste. On this hyperbole see the comment upon ver. 3.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then I said
וָאוֹמַ֣ר (wā·’ō·w·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them,
אֲלֵהֶ֗ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“You
אַתֶּ֤ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

see
רֹאִים֙ (rō·’îm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

the trouble
הָרָעָה֙ (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

we are in.
אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

lies in ruins,
חֲרֵבָ֔ה (ḥă·rê·ḇāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2717: To parch, to desolate, destroy, kill

and its gates
וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ (ū·šə·‘ā·re·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

have been burned down.
נִצְּת֣וּ (niṣ·ṣə·ṯū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3341: To burn, set on fire, to desolate

Come,
לְכ֗וּ (lə·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

let us rebuild
וְנִבְנֶה֙ (wə·niḇ·neh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 1129: To build

the wall
חוֹמַ֣ת (ḥō·w·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

of Jerusalem,
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

so that we will no
וְלֹא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

longer
ע֖וֹד (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

be
נִהְיֶ֥ה (nih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a disgrace.”
חֶרְפָּֽה׃ (ḥer·pāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2781: Contumely, disgrace, the pudenda


Links
Nehemiah 2:17 NIV
Nehemiah 2:17 NLT
Nehemiah 2:17 ESV
Nehemiah 2:17 NASB
Nehemiah 2:17 KJV

Nehemiah 2:17 BibleApps.com
Nehemiah 2:17 Biblia Paralela
Nehemiah 2:17 Chinese Bible
Nehemiah 2:17 French Bible
Nehemiah 2:17 Catholic Bible

OT History: Nehemiah 2:17 Then said I to them You see (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 2:16
Top of Page
Top of Page