Nehemiah 13:22
New International Version
Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

New Living Translation
Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath. Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.

English Standard Version
Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

Berean Standard Bible
Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.

King James Bible
And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

New King James Version
And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

New American Standard Bible
And I ordered the Levites that they were to purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. For this also remember me, my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your mercy.

NASB 1995
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

NASB 1977
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Thy lovingkindness.

Legacy Standard Bible
And I said to the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and come as gatekeepers to keep the sabbath day holy. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

Amplified Bible
And I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates to keep the Sabbath day holy. O my God, remember me concerning this also and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

Christian Standard Bible
Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the city gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and look on me with compassion according to the abundance of your faithful love.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and look on me with compassion in keeping with Your abundant, faithful love.

American Standard Version
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy lovingkindness.

Contemporary English Version
I ordered the Levites to make themselves holy and to guard the gates on the Sabbath, so that it would be kept holy. God is truly merciful, and I pray that he will treat me with kindness and bless me for doing this.

English Revised Version
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then I told the Levites to cleanse themselves and guard the gates to keep the day of worship holy. [Nehemiah prayed,] "Remember me also for this, my God, and spare me, since you are very kind."

Good News Translation
I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to go and guard the gates to make sure that the Sabbath was kept holy. Remember me, O God, for this also, and spare me because of your great love.

International Standard Version
Then I commanded the descendants of Levi to purify themselves and to come as gate keepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, my God, and show mercy to me according to the greatness of your gracious love.

Majority Standard Bible
Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.

NET Bible
Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.

New Heart English Bible
I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I commanded the Levites, that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

World English Bible
I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I command to the Levites that they be cleansed, and coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Your kindness.

Young's Literal Translation
And I say to the Levites, that they be cleansed, and, coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the sabbath-day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Thy kindness.

Smith's Literal Translation
And saying to the Levites that they shall be purifying, and coming, watching the gates to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Also this remember for me, O my God, and spare upon me according to the multitude of thy mercy.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I spoke also to the Levites that they should be purified, and should come to keep the gates, and to sanctify the sabbath day: for this also remember me, O my God, and spare me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I also spoke to the Levites, so that they would be cleansed, and would arrive to guard the gates and to sanctify the day of the Sabbath. Because of this also, O my God, remember me and spare me, in accord with the multitude of your mercies.

New American Bible
Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to watch the gates, so that the sabbath day might be kept holy. This, too, remember in my favor, my God, and have mercy on me in accordance with your great mercy!

New Revised Standard Version
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and that the guards and the porters should come and keep the gates to sanctify the sabbath day. O my God, remember me concerning this also, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I said to the Levites that they would purify themselves, and the Guards and the Porters were going into hallow the Sabbath, ‘Also remember me, my God, and have pity on me according to the abundance of your mercy!’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and I told the Levites who were purifying themselves, and came and kept the gates, that they should sanctify the sabbath-day. Remember me, O God, for these things, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sabbath Restored
21but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath. 22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.

Cross References
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. ...

Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Isaiah 58:13-14
If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, / then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Jeremiah 17:21-27
This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. / Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. ...

Ezekiel 20:12-24
I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. / Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness. / But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ...

Leviticus 19:30
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 26:2
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. ...

2 Chronicles 36:21
So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Psalm 92:1-2
A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, / to proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning and Your faithfulness at night

Mark 2:27-28
Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. / Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:5
Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Hebrews 4:9-10
There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.


Treasury of Scripture

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy.

I commanded.

Nehemiah 7:64,65
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood…

Nehemiah 12:30
And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

2 Kings 23:4
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.

cleanse.

Nehemiah 12:10
And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

sanctify.

Deuteronomy 5:12
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Remember.

Nehemiah 13:14,31
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof…

Nehemiah 5:19
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Psalm 132:1-5
A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions: …

spare me.

Psalm 25:6,7
Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old…

Psalm 51:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 130:3,4,7
If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? …

greatness.

Psalm 5:7
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

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Cleanse Commanded Compassion Gatekeepers Gates Greatness Kindness Levites Mercy Purify Remember Sabbath Sanctify Spare Themselves
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Cleanse Commanded Compassion Gatekeepers Gates Greatness Kindness Levites Mercy Purify Remember Sabbath Sanctify Spare Themselves
Nehemiah 13
1. Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude.
4. Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed.
10. He reforms the offices in the house of God;
15. the violation of the Sabbath;
23. and the marriages with the strange wives.














Then I instructed
The Hebrew root for "instructed" is "tsavah," which means to command or give orders. Nehemiah, as a leader, takes decisive action to ensure the observance of the Sabbath. This reflects his commitment to God's law and his role as a reformer. In a historical context, Nehemiah's leadership was crucial in re-establishing the religious and social order of Jerusalem after the exile.

the Levites
The Levites were members of the tribe of Levi, set apart for religious duties. They played a crucial role in the temple and in teaching the law. Nehemiah's focus on the Levites underscores the importance of spiritual leadership and purity in worship. Historically, the Levites were integral to maintaining the spiritual health of the nation.

to purify themselves
The concept of purification is rooted in the Hebrew word "taher," meaning to be clean or pure. This purification was both physical and spiritual, symbolizing holiness and readiness to serve God. In the context of Nehemiah's reforms, it highlights the need for spiritual renewal and dedication to God's commandments.

and guard the gates
The gates of Jerusalem were significant both physically and symbolically. They represented the city's security and the people's commitment to God's laws. By instructing the Levites to guard the gates, Nehemiah emphasizes the protection of the Sabbath from secular influences. This act is a metaphor for guarding one's heart and life against spiritual compromise.

in order to keep the Sabbath day holy
The Sabbath, a day of rest and worship, is central to Jewish identity and obedience to God. The Hebrew word for holy, "qadosh," means set apart or sacred. Nehemiah's insistence on keeping the Sabbath holy reflects a return to covenant faithfulness and a rejection of the surrounding culture's secularism.

Remember me for this also, O my God
Nehemiah's prayer for remembrance is a personal appeal to God, reflecting his desire for divine approval and acknowledgment. The phrase "remember me" is a recurring theme in Nehemiah's prayers, showing his reliance on God's grace and his hope for eternal reward.

and show me mercy
The Hebrew word for mercy, "chesed," is often translated as loving-kindness or steadfast love. Nehemiah seeks God's mercy, recognizing that his efforts, though earnest, are dependent on God's grace. This plea underscores the biblical theme of God's covenantal love and faithfulness.

according to Your abundant loving devotion
The phrase "abundant loving devotion" highlights God's limitless and faithful love. The Hebrew word "chesed" again emphasizes God's covenantal loyalty. Nehemiah's appeal to God's character is a reminder of the assurance believers have in God's unchanging nature and His promises.

(22) Cleanse themselves.--As for a sacred duty, not without reference to their past neglect, which required to be forgiven. This was a high tribute to the Sabbath ordinance, and as such in harmony with all the details of this episode.

Remember me.--In this prayer also Nehemiah commits his fidelity to the merciful estimate of God. But something in connection with the Sabbath, or with his retrospect of his own conduct, gives the passing prayer a peculiar pathos of humility.

Verse 22. - And I commanded the Levites... that they should come and keep the gates. Assigning the duty to his servants was probably a temporary arrangement. The permanent charge was committed to the Levites, who had been intrusted with the duty when the gates were first set up (Nehemiah 7:1). They were to "cleanse," or purify, themselves, because the charge was considered a sacred one. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also. Compare ver. 14. And spare me. It is worthy of notice that Nehemiah does not regard his good deeds as sufficient for his justification, but throws himself unreservedly on God's mercy.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then I instructed
וָאֹמְרָ֣ה (wā·’ō·mə·rāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

the Levites
לַלְוִיִּ֗ם (lal·wî·yim)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

to purify themselves
מִֽטַּהֲרִים֙ (miṭ·ṭa·hă·rîm)
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2891: To be clean or pure

and guard
שֹׁמְרִ֣ים (šō·mə·rîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the gates
הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים (haš·šə·‘ā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

in order to keep the Sabbath
הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת (haš·šab·bāṯ)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath

day
י֣וֹם (yō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3117: A day

holy.
לְקַדֵּ֖שׁ (lə·qad·dêš)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6942: To be set apart or consecrated

Remember
זָכְרָה־ (zā·ḵə·rāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male

me for this
זֹאת֙ (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

as well,
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

O my God,
אֱלֹהַ֔י (’ĕ·lō·hay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and {show} me
עָלַ֖י (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

mercy
וְח֥וּסָה (wə·ḥū·sāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2347: To pity, look upon with compassion

according to Your abundant
כְּרֹ֥ב (kə·rōḇ)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7230: Multitude, abundance, greatness

loving devotion.
חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ (ḥas·de·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2617: Kindness, piety, reproof, beauty


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OT History: Nehemiah 13:22 I commanded the Levites that they should (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 13:21
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