Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
Parallel translations
- WEB Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
- KJV Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
- BSB Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
- NKJV Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
- NLT Remember them, O my God, for they have defiled the priesthood and the solemn vows of the priests and Levites.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Nehemiah prayed that God would remember those who defiled the priesthood and its covenant. It matters because he entrusts the judgment of covenant-breakers to God rather than mere human resentment.
Overview
Nehemiah brings the priestly defilement before God, asking Him to hold the offenders accountable for violating the covenant of priesthood. He commits justice to the Lord, the rightful Judge. His prayer reflects zeal for God's holiness, and points to the spotless covenant of the priesthood of Christ, who keeps it perfectly forever.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Neh 6:14“Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.”
- Mal 2:4–8You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies.
- Num 16:9–10Is it a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of Yahweh’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;
- Num 25:12–13Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace.
- Lev 21:1–7Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people;
- Mal 2:10–12Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
- Ps 59:5–13You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
- 1 Sam 2:30“Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be lightly esteemed.
- 2 Tim 4:14Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds,
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Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 13:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.