I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal with me was the one on which I was riding.
Parallel translations
- WEB I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on.
- KJV And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
- NKJV Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.
- NASB And I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem, and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding.
- NLT I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.
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
By night Nehemiah secretly surveys the city with a few men, telling no one what God had put in his heart. He guards the plan carefully while crediting its origin to God.
Overview
Nehemiah conducts a private nighttime inspection, keeping his God-given burden hidden until the right moment to reveal it. He recognizes that the impulse to rebuild was something "my God put into my heart," not merely his own idea. His discretion shows wise leadership, while his attribution of the vision to God reminds us that holy purposes are inspired and sustained by the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Rev 17:17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
- Ezra 7:27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
- Jer 31:33“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.
- 2 Cor 8:16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
- Jer 32:40I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me.
- Ps 51:18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
- Jas 1:16–17Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
- Eccl 3:7a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
- Amos 5:13Therefore, the prudent keep silent in such times, for the days are evil.
- Judg 9:32Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.
- Judg 6:27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than in the daytime.
- Ps 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper.
- Mic 7:5Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
- Gen 32:22–24During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
- Matt 2:14So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
- Matt 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
- Josh 10:9After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 2:12 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
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