Nehemiah 1:7 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 1:7 mean?

Nehemiah 1:7 is part of Nehemiah’s prayer to God. Nehemiah admits that he and his people have acted wrongly toward God by failing to follow the instructions God gave through Moses.

After naming his own and his family’s wrongdoing in verse 6, Nehemiah speaks of “we.” He places himself among the people whose conduct he is describing. The words “against thee” address God directly, making the admission personal rather than merely a report about the nation.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 1:7

• “very corruptly” — חָבַל (chaval): This word can carry the sense of acting corruptly or doing harm. In the Hebrew sentence, the word is repeated, which gives force to the KJV’s “very.”
• “kept” — שָׁמַר (shamar): This word can mean to guard, observe, or pay careful attention to something. Here, “have not kept” describes a failure to observe the instructions, not simply a failure to remember them.
• “judgments” — מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim): The word can refer to decisions or rules for deciding what is right. Alongside “commandments” and “statutes,” it points to the rules given through Moses.

Why Nehemiah 1:7 matters

• Nehemiah names a standard for the people’s conduct. He refers to the instructions God “commandedst thy servant Moses,” connecting his admission to the teachings associated with Moses.
• Nehemiah’s prayer includes both himself and his people. The repeated “we” and “have not kept” show that he is not standing apart and accusing others from a distance.
• Nehemiah’s admission prepares for his appeal to God’s earlier words. In verses 8–9, he asks God to remember what he had said to Moses about the people’s scattering and return.