Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 13:17

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

17. Then I contended ] cf. Neh 13:11.

the nobles of Judah ] A different word ( orim) from that used for the rulers in Neh 13:11.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 17. I contended with the nobles] These evils took place through their negligence; and this I proved before them.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The nobles of Judah, i.e. their chief men and rulers; whom he chargeth with this sin, because though others did it, it was by their countenance or connivance, and they should and might have punished and restrained it.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Then I contended with the nobles,…. The rulers of the city, the civil magistrates, sharply reproved them for their neglect of duty:

and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? by suffering servile works to be done in it, and things sold on it.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(17) That ye do.The nobles, in the absence of Nehemiah, had been responsible, and the sin is charged upon them. The appeal supposes their familiarity with the express prediction of Jeremiah and its literal fulfilment (Jer. 17:27).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Neh 13:17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Ver. 17. Then contended I with the nobles ] Heb. With the white ones; that had white clothes, but black souls. The snow drift covers many a muck hill. See Neh 13:11 .

What evil thing is this that ye do ] Or suffer others to do, at least, and are, therefore, worthily disgraced; as Moses also was for like cause, Exo 16:28 .

And profane the sabbath day? ] As if it were a common day, and not God’s enclosure, holy and honourable. Should men thus rob God of his right, unmound his several, make false entry upon his freehold? Hath he not singled out this day for his own, as he did Israel out of all nations, the tree of knowledge out of all the trees of the garden, and out of all the world (which is his) the tenth? This is the day which the Lord hath made, &c., it is a day like that night, Exo 12:42 , to be kept holy unto the Lord; that day of the Lord which all his people must keep throughout their generations. To profane it or wound it is here called an evil thing with an accent, a wickedness with a witness.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

I contended: Neh 13:11, Neh 13:25, Neh 5:7, Psa 82:1, Psa 82:2, Pro 28:4, Isa 1:10, Jer 5:5, Jer 13:18, Jer 22:2-23, Mic 3:1, Mic 3:9

Reciprocal: Ezr 9:2 – the hand Pro 24:25 – them Isa 56:2 – keepeth the Eze 23:38 – and have Mat 12:5 – profane

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Neh 13:17. Then I contended with the nobles Their chief men and rulers; whom he charges with this sin, because, though others committed it, it was done by their countenance or connivance, probably by their example: and if these nobles had exercised their authority, the people durst not have done as they did. If magistrates, nobles, and people in the higher ranks of life, allow themselves in recreations, in idle visits and idle talk on the sabbath day, men of business will profane it by their worldly employments, as the more justifiable practice of the two.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments