Nehemiah 1:3 - They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Nehemiah 1:3" mean?
This verse from Nehemiah 1:3 describes the dire situation of the Jewish people who remained in the province of Judah (where Jerusalem is located) after the Babylonian exile. Let's break it down:
"They said to me..." This refers to some men who had traveled from Jerusalem to Susa (where Nehemiah was), bringing news to Nehemiah.
"The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province..." A "remnant" is a small group of people remaining after a larger group has been destroyed or dispersed. These are the Jews who were not exiled to Babylon and remained in their homeland. "In the province" specifies that they are located in the Persian province of Judah.
"...are in great affliction and reproach." "Affliction" means they are suffering hardship, distress, and pain. "Reproach" means they are facing shame, disgrace, and humiliation. This indicates that they are suffering both physically and emotionally, likely due to poverty, attacks from enemies, and a general sense of hopelessness.
"The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire." This is the critical detail that explains why they are so vulnerable and humiliated. The walls and gates of a city provided protection and security. Without them, the city is open to attack from enemies, and its inhabitants are defenseless. The burned gates are a symbol of defeat and destruction.
In summary, this verse conveys the following:
The Jewish people who remained in Jerusalem are suffering greatly and are vulnerable.
The city of Jerusalem is in ruins, without protection or security.
The people feel humiliated and disgraced because of their situation.
This information deeply troubles Nehemiah and motivates him to take action to rebuild the wall and restore the city and the people's dignity. It sets the stage for the rest of the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 1:3 - They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
What does "Nehemiah 1:3" mean?
This verse from Nehemiah 1:3 describes the dire situation of the Jewish people who remained in the province of Judah (where Jerusalem is located) after the Babylonian exile. Let's break it down:
"They said to me..." This refers to some men who had traveled from Jerusalem to Susa (where Nehemiah was), bringing news to Nehemiah.
"The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province..." A "remnant" is a small group of people remaining after a larger group has been destroyed or dispersed. These are the Jews who were not exiled to Babylon and remained in their homeland. "In the province" specifies that they are located in the Persian province of Judah.
"...are in great affliction and reproach." "Affliction" means they are suffering hardship, distress, and pain. "Reproach" means they are facing shame, disgrace, and humiliation. This indicates that they are suffering both physically and emotionally, likely due to poverty, attacks from enemies, and a general sense of hopelessness.
"The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire." This is the critical detail that explains why they are so vulnerable and humiliated. The walls and gates of a city provided protection and security. Without them, the city is open to attack from enemies, and its inhabitants are defenseless. The burned gates are a symbol of defeat and destruction.
In summary, this verse conveys the following:
The Jewish people who remained in Jerusalem are suffering greatly and are vulnerable.
The city of Jerusalem is in ruins, without protection or security.
The people feel humiliated and disgraced because of their situation.
This information deeply troubles Nehemiah and motivates him to take action to rebuild the wall and restore the city and the people's dignity. It sets the stage for the rest of the book of Nehemiah.