Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
Parallel translations
- WEB Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
- BSB So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
- NKJV Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
- NASB So I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the taunting of the nations, our enemies?
- NLT Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?
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 rebukes their conduct as wrong, urging them to walk in the fear of God and not bring reproach from watching nations. God's honor is at stake.
Overview
Nehemiah grounds his rebuke in two motives: reverence for God and concern for His name among the surrounding nations. Sin within the covenant community dishonors the Lord before a watching world. This concern for God's reputation through His people's conduct anticipates the New Testament call to let our light shine so others glorify the Father (Matthew 5:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Lev 25:36Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
- Prov 18:5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
- 1 Pet 2:12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- 2 Sam 12:14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
- Rom 2:24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
- Titus 2:5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
- Prov 19:2Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
- Prov 16:29A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
- Gen 13:7–8And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
- Gen 42:18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
- Gen 20:11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
- Neh 4:4Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
- 1 Tim 5:14I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
- Prov 17:26Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
- 1 Sam 2:24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.
- Acts 9:31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
- Prov 24:23These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- Ezek 36:20And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.
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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 5:9 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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