Nehemiah 13:21 bbe — Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have yo…

Bible in Basic English

"Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath."

— Nehemiah 13:21, Bible in Basic English

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Nehemiah 13:21 in Other Translations

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Nehemiah 13 — Context

18

Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? but you are causing more wrath to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy.

19

And so, when the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut and not to be open again till after the Sabbath: and I put some of my servants by the door so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day.

20

So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice.

21

Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath.

22

And I gave the Levites orders to make themselves clean and come and keep the doors and make the Sabbath holy. Keep this in mind to my credit, O my God, and have mercy on me, for great is your mercy.

23

And in those days I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab:

24

And their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples.

Nehemiah 13:21 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Nehemiah 13:21 say?
Nehemiah 13:21 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath.”
Where is Nehemiah 13:21 in the Bible?
Nehemiah 13:21 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Nehemiah, chapter 13, verse 21.
Who wrote Nehemiah?
Nehemiah is traditionally attributed to Nehemiah (largely from his memoirs). It was written c. 445–425 BC.
What is the book of Nehemiah about?
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, leads the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls against fierce opposition. The book combines stirring leadership with covenant renewal, ending with reform of priesthood, sabbath, and intermarriage.
What are the major themes of Nehemiah?
Nehemiah explores themes including Leadership, Prayer, Rebuilding, Opposition, Covenant Renewal. These themes shape the meaning and context of Nehemiah 13:21.
What translation should I read Nehemiah 13:21 in?
Nehemiah 13:21 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Nehemiah 13:21?
Nehemiah 13:21 reads (BBE): “Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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