Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

NEHEMIAH 13:17KJV
Know the Bible

Nehemiah 13:17 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 13:17 mean?

Nehemiah 13:17 describes how Nehemiah confronted the leading men of Judah for allowing actions that he saw as a serious wrongdoing, specifically accusing them of profaning the Sabbath day. Nehemiah directly challenges the nobles, questioning why they are permitting behavior that he considers evil and disrespectful to the holy day.

Nehemiah himself is speaking to the nobles (the influential leaders) of Judah after noticing that people were working and trading on the Sabbath, which was supposed to be a day of rest according to Jewish law. This confrontation happens as part of Nehemiah’s efforts to restore proper religious practices among the returned exiles in Jerusalem. The verse shows Nehemiah’s boldness in holding leaders accountable for actions that went against the community’s covenant with God.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 13:17

  • "contended" (רִיב, riv): This word means to argue, dispute, or bring a charge. Nehemiah is not just mildly objecting; he is formally confronting the nobles, showing the seriousness of the issue.
  • "profane" (חָלַל, chalal): This verb means to make something common or to treat as ordinary what is meant to be set apart as holy. Nehemiah accuses the leaders of turning the Sabbath, a sacred day, into something ordinary by allowing regular work.
  • "sabbath" (שַׁבָּת, shabbat): This word refers to the weekly day of rest, which was central to Jewish identity and law. The use of this term highlights that the issue is not just about any day, but about a key sign of faithfulness to God.

Why Nehemiah 13:17 matters

  • Nehemiah 13:17 clarifies that the responsibility for upholding religious practices rested not just with the general population but especially with the leaders, who were expected to set the standard.
  • The verse emphasizes how seriously Nehemiah viewed the Sabbath, showing that violations were not minor lapses but "evil" actions that threatened the community’s relationship with God.
  • This confrontation fits into the larger theme of Nehemiah’s reforms, where he repeatedly calls the people back to obedience after returning from exile, highlighting the ongoing struggle to maintain distinctiveness and faithfulness.

Where else these words appear

“nobles” Hebrew H2715 · used in 13 verses

  • 1 Kings 21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
  • Nehemiah 4:19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
  • Ecclesiastes 10:17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

“contended” Hebrew H7378 · used in 59 verses

  • Genesis 26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
  • Nehemiah 13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
  • Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

“sabbath” Hebrew H7676 · used in 89 verses

  • Exodus 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
  • Leviticus 26:35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
  • Nehemiah 13:22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

“profane” Hebrew H2490 · used in 131 verses

  • Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
  • Judges 20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
  • Jeremiah 16:18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.