Nehemiah 1:9

Nehemiah 1:9 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

King James Version KJV

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

American Standard Version ASV

but if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.

Bible in Basic English BBE

But if you come back to me and keep my orders and do them, even if those of you who have been forced out are living in the farthest parts of heaven, I will get them from there, and take them back to the place marked out by me for the resting-place of my name.

Free Bible Version FBV

but if you come back to me and follow my commandments and obey them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will gather them together and bring them to the place I have chosen where I will be honored.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

But if ye turne vnto me, and keepe my commandements, and doe them, though your scattering were to the vttermost part of the heauen, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen to place my Name there.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

and ye have turned back unto Me, and kept My commands, and done them — if your outcast is in the end of the heavens, thence I gather them, and have brought them in unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to tabernacle there.

World English Bible WEB

but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’

Noah Webster Bible WBS

But if ye turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you driven to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

But if you return to me, and keep my commandments, and do them, though you should be led away to the uttermost parts of the world, I will gather you from thence, and bring you back to the place which I have chosen for my name to dwell there.

Translation for Translators T4T

But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here to Israel, the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’

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Berean Amplified Bible — Nehemiah 1:9

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Nehemiah 1:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB וְ/שַׁבְתֶּ֣ם אֵלַ֔/י וּ/שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔/י וַ/עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑/ם אִם יִהְיֶ֨ה נִֽדַּחֲ/כֶ֜ם בִּ/קְצֵ֤ה הַ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִ/שָּׁ֣ם אֲקַבְּצֵ֔/ם ו/הבואתי/ם וַ/הֲבִֽיאוֹתִי/ם֙ אֶל הַ/מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתִּי לְ/שַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶת שְׁמִ֖/י שָֽׁם

וְ/שַׁבְתֶּ֣ם shûwb H7725 to return Conj | V-Qal-2mp

אֵלַ֔/י ʼêl H413 to(wards) Prep | Suff

וּ/שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ shâmar H8104 to keep Conj | V-Qal-2mp

מִצְוֺתַ֔/י mitsvâh H4687 commandment N-fp | Suff

וַ/עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם ʻâsâh H6213 to make Conj | V-Qal-2mp

אֹתָ֑/ם ʼêth H853 Obj. DirObjM | Suff

אִם ʼim H518 if Conj

יִהְיֶ֨ה hâyâh H1961 to be V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

נִֽדַּחֲ/כֶ֜ם nâdach H5080 to banish V-Niphal-Inf-c | Suff

בִּ/קְצֵ֤ה qâtseh H7097 end Prep | N-cs

הַ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ shâmayim H8064 heaven Art | N-mp

מִ/שָּׁ֣ם shâm H8033 there Prep | Adv

אֲקַבְּצֵ֔/ם qâbats H6908 to gather V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff

ו/הבואתי/ם bôwʼ H935 Lebo Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs | Suff

וַ/הֲבִֽיאוֹתִי/ם֙ bôwʼ H935 Lebo Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs | Suff

אֶל ʼêl H413 to(wards) Prep

הַ/מָּק֔וֹם mâqôwm H4725 place Art | N-ms

אֲשֶׁ֣ר ʼăsher H834 which Rel

בָּחַ֔רְתִּי bâchar H977 to choose V-Qal-Perf-1cs

לְ/שַׁכֵּ֥ן shâkan H7931 to dwell Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a

אֶת ʼêth H853 Obj. DirObjM

שְׁמִ֖/י shêm H8034 name N-ms | Suff

שָֽׁם shâm H8033 there Adv

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Nehemiah 1:9

וְ/שַׁבְתֶּ֣ם shûwb H7725 "to return" Conj | V-Qal-2mp

This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.

Definition: : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back 1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment 1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore 1d3) to bring back, report to, answer 1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense) 1d5) to turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse 1d6) to turn away (face), turn toward 1d7) to turn against 1d8) to bring back to mind 1d9) to show a turning away 1d10) to reverse, revoke 1e) (Hophal) to be returned, be restored, be brought back 1f) (Pulal) brought back

Usage: Occurs in 953 OT verses. KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. See also: Genesis 3:19; Numbers 8:25; Judges 8:13.

אֵלַ֔/י ʼêl H413 "to(wards)" Prep | Suff

This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.

Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.

וּ/שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ shâmar H8104 "to keep" Conj | V-Qal-2mp

To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.

Definition: : obey/observe 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded 1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed 1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

Usage: Occurs in 440 OT verses. KJV: beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man). See also: Genesis 2:15; Deuteronomy 11:1; 1 Kings 14:8.

מִצְוֺתַ֔/י mitsvâh H4687 "commandment" N-fp | Suff

This Hebrew word means a command or law given by God or humans, as seen in the Bible's rules and guidelines. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy. The commandments guide people's actions.

Definition: 1) commandment 1a) commandment (of man) 1b) the commandment (of God) 1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)

Usage: Occurs in 177 OT verses. KJV: (which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept. See also: Genesis 26:5; 1 Chronicles 28:8; Psalms 19:9.

וַ/עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם ʻâsâh H6213 "to make" Conj | V-Qal-2mp

This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.

Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made

Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.

אֹתָ֑/ם ʼêth H853 "Obj." DirObjM | Suff

In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.

Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.

אִם ʼim H518 "if" Conj

This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.

Definition: : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

Usage: Occurs in 931 OT verses. KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), though, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] unless, [phrase] verily, when, whereas, whether, while, [phrase] yet. See also: Genesis 4:7; Exodus 22:3; Leviticus 27:27.

יִהְיֶ֨ה hâyâh H1961 "to be" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.

Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.

נִֽדַּחֲ/כֶ֜ם nâdach H5080 "to banish" V-Niphal-Inf-c | Suff

To banish or drive away, used in various contexts, such as expelling someone from a community, as seen in the story of David and Absalom.

Definition: 1) to impel, thrust, drive away, banish 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to impel 1a2) to thrust away, banish 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be impelled 1b2) to be thrust out, be banished 1b2a) banished, outcast (participle) 1b3) to be driven away 1b4) to be thrust away, thrust aside 1c) (Pual) to be thrust into 1c1) thrust (participle) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to thrust, move, impel 1d2) to thrust out, banish 1d3) to thrust away, thrust aside 1e) (Hophal) to be chased, be hunted 1e1) chased, hunted (participle)

Usage: Occurs in 51 OT verses. KJV: banish, bring, cast down (out), chase, compel, draw away, drive (away, out, quite), fetch a stroke, force, go away, outcast, thrust away (out), withdraw. See also: Deuteronomy 4:19; Isaiah 27:13; Psalms 5:11.

בִּ/קְצֵ֤ה qâtseh H7097 "end" Prep | N-cs

In the book of Joshua, this word refers to an end or border of a territory. It can also mean the edge or brink of something. This concept is used to describe the boundaries of the Promised Land.

Definition: 1) end, extremity 1a) end, mouth, extremity 1b) border, outskirts 1c) the whole (condensed term for what is included within extremities) 1d) at the end of (a certain time) Also means: qe.tseh (קֵ֫צֶה "end" H7097B)

Usage: Occurs in 87 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, border, brim, brink, edge, end, (in-) finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore, (out-) side, [idiom] some, ut(-ter-) most (part). See also: Genesis 8:3; Judges 7:19; Psalms 19:5.

הַ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ shâmayim H8064 "heaven" Art | N-mp

The Hebrew word for heaven or sky, it refers to the visible universe and the abode of God. It is often used in the Bible to describe the dwelling place of celestial bodies.

Definition: 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible heavens, sky 1a1) as abode of the stars 1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc 1b) Heaven (as the abode of God) Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)

Usage: Occurs in 395 OT verses. KJV: air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s). See also: Genesis 1:1; 1 Samuel 2:10; Job 28:21.

מִ/שָּׁ֣ם shâm H8033 "there" Prep | Adv

The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.

Definition: 1) there, thither 1a) there 1b) thither (after verbs of motion) 1c) from there, thence 1d) then (as an adverb of time) Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

Usage: Occurs in 732 OT verses. KJV: in it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither. See also: Genesis 2:8; Exodus 21:33; Deuteronomy 19:4.

אֲקַבְּצֵ֔/ם qâbats H6908 "to gather" V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff

To gather or collect people or things, like when the Israelites assembled in the book of Numbers. It's about bringing things or people together in one place.

Definition: 1) to gather, assemble 1a) (Qal) to gather, collect, assemble 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to assemble, gather 1b2) to be gathered 1c) (Piel) to gather, gather together, take away 1d) (Pual) to be gathered together 1e) (Hithpael) to gather together, be gathered together

Usage: Occurs in 121 OT verses. KJV: assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, [idiom] surely, take up. See also: Genesis 41:35; Proverbs 28:8; Psalms 41:7.

ו/הבואתי/ם bôwʼ H935 "Lebo" Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs | Suff

This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.

Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter

Usage: Occurs in 2307 OT verses. KJV: abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. See also: Genesis 2:19; Genesis 32:7; Exodus 1:19.

וַ/הֲבִֽיאוֹתִי/ם֙ bôwʼ H935 "Lebo" Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs | Suff

Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter

אֶל ʼêl H413 "to(wards)" Prep

הַ/מָּק֔וֹם mâqôwm H4725 "place" Art | N-ms

Maqom means a place or location, like a city or a region. It can also refer to a condition of the body or mind. This term is used to describe a wide range of locations and situations.

Definition: 1) standing place, place 1a) standing place, station, post, office 1b) place, place of human abode 1c) city, land, region 1d) place, locality, spot 1e) space, room, distance 1f) region, quarter, direction 1g) give place to, instead of

Usage: Occurs in 379 OT verses. KJV: country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever). See also: Genesis 1:9; Deuteronomy 12:3; 1 Kings 20:24.

אֲשֶׁ֣ר ʼăsher H834 "which" Rel

This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.

Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.

בָּחַ֔רְתִּי bâchar H977 "to choose" V-Qal-Perf-1cs

To choose or select is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which appears in Deuteronomy. It can also mean to be chosen or elected. The KJV translates it as 'choose' or 'acceptable'.

Definition: 1) to choose, elect, decide for 1a) (Qal) to choose 1b) (Niphal) to be chosen 1c) (Pual) to be chosen, selected

Usage: Occurs in 162 OT verses. KJV: acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require. See also: Genesis 6:2; 2 Kings 23:27; Psalms 25:12.

לְ/שַׁכֵּ֥ן shâkan H7931 "to dwell" Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a

This Hebrew word means to live or stay in a place, like when God dwells among his people. It appears in books like Exodus and Psalms, describing God's presence. It's about making a home or resting place.

Definition: 1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to settle down to abide 1a2) to abide, dwell, reside 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make settle down, establish 1b2) to make or cause to dwell 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix 1c2) to cause to dwell or abide Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)

Usage: Occurs in 123 OT verses. KJV: abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up). See also: Genesis 3:24; Psalms 55:7; Psalms 7:6.

אֶת ʼêth H853 "Obj." DirObjM

Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.

שְׁמִ֖/י shêm H8034 "name" N-ms | Suff

In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.

Definition: 1) name 1a) name 1b) reputation, fame, glory 1c) the Name (as designation of God) 1d) memorial, monument Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Usage: Occurs in 771 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report. See also: Genesis 2:11; Exodus 3:15; Deuteronomy 16:6.

שָֽׁם shâm H8033 "there" Adv

Definition: 1) there, thither 1a) there 1b) thither (after verbs of motion) 1c) from there, thence 1d) then (as an adverb of time) Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

Usage: Occurs in 732 OT verses. KJV: in it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither. See also: Genesis 2:8; Exodus 21:33; Deuteronomy 19:4.

Study Notes — Nehemiah 1:9

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Nehemiah 1:9 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Nehemiah 1:9
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 1:9
Trapp's Commentary on Nehemiah 1:9
Ellicott's Commentary on Nehemiah 1:9
Cambridge Bible on Nehemiah 1:9
Sermons on Nehemiah 1:9

Context — Nehemiah’s Prayer

7We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses. 8Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

9but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

10They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand. 11O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Jeremiah 29:11–14	For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
2	Deuteronomy 30:2–5	and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and all your soul according to everything I am giving you today, then He will restore you from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the farthest horizon, He will gather you and return you from there. And the LORD your God will bring you into the land your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will cause you to prosper and multiply more than your fathers.
3	Deuteronomy 4:29–31	But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers, which He swore to them by oath.
4	Jeremiah 32:37	I will surely gather My people from all the lands to which I have banished them in My furious anger and great wrath, and I will return them to this place and make them dwell in safety.
5	Leviticus 26:39–42	Those of you who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away in their iniquity and will decay in the sins of their fathers. But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me— and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.
6	Ezra 6:12	May God, who has caused His Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with diligence.
7	Isaiah 56:8	Thus declares the Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered.”
8	Jeremiah 12:15	But after I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land.
9	Matthew 24:31	And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
10	Psalms 147:2	The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel.

Nehemiah 1:9 Summary

[This verse is a promise from God that if we turn back to Him and follow His commands, He will bring us back to Himself, no matter how far away we may have wandered. This is similar to what we see in Deuteronomy 30:2, where God promises to restore His people if they return to Him. By following God's commands, we can experience His love and restoration in our lives, just like the Israelites did when they obeyed God's laws in the book of Joshua. As we seek to obey God's commands, we can trust in His promise to gather and restore us, just as He did for the Israelites in Isaiah 43:5-7.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to 'return to' God in Nehemiah 1:9?

To return to God means to turn away from sin and back to Him, seeking forgiveness and a renewed relationship, as seen in Deuteronomy 30:2 and 1 John 1:9.

What are the 'commandments' mentioned in this verse?

The commandments refer to God's laws and teachings given to the Israelites through Moses, such as the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 and the ordinances in Leviticus 1:1-7:38.

What does it mean for God to 'gather' His people from the 'farthest horizon'?

This refers to God's promise to bring back His scattered people from exile, as prophesied in Isaiah 43:5-7 and Ezekiel 36:24, and to restore them to their homeland.

How does this verse relate to our lives today?

This verse reminds us that God is a faithful and merciful God who desires to restore and redeem His people, and that our obedience to His commandments is essential for experiencing His blessings, as seen in Psalm 119:2 and Matthew 22:37-40.

Reflection Questions

What are some ways I have 'banished' myself from God's presence through my actions or attitudes, and how can I 'return' to Him?
How can I 'keep and practice' God's commandments in my daily life, and what difference will this make in my relationship with Him?
What are some ways I can trust in God's promise to 'gather' and restore His people, even when circumstances seem impossible or hopeless?
How can I apply the principle of seeking God's mercy and forgiveness, as seen in this verse, to my own life and relationships?

Gill's Exposition on Nehemiah 1:9

But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them,.... Return by repentance, and, as a proof of the genuineness of it, yield obedience to the commands of God, and continue therein:

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 1:9

And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: No JFB commentary on these verses.

Trapp's Commentary on Nehemiah 1:9

Nehemiah 1:9 But [if] ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, [yet] will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.Ver. 9. But if ye turn unto me] By sin men do wickedly depart from God; as by repentance they return unto him, and close with him. And keep my commandments] Evangelically keep them; for with a legal obedience none can: our short legs and pursy hearts cannot hold out here. And do them] Or at least, be doing at them, do them as we can; si praecepta faciamus, etiamsi non perficiamus, sufficit. Unto the uttermost part of the heaven] That is, of the earth, which seems to our eye terminated with the heaven, and covered as with a half globe. Jews are a dejected people to this present; and a fearful instance of God’ s heavy indignation against sin. Josephus saith, that in his time they were grown so wicked, that if the Romans had not destroyed and dispersed them, without doubt either the earth would have swallowed them up, or fire from heaven have consumed them. Yet will I gather them from thence] Else not. God’ s promises are with a condition, which is as an oar in a boat, and stern of a ship; and turns the promise another way.

Ellicott's Commentary on Nehemiah 1:9

(4-11) Nehemiah’s appeal to God. The prayer is a perfect example of the private and individual devotion with which the later Hebrew Scriptures abound. It begins with formal and appropriate invocation (Nehemiah 1:5-8), flows into earnest confession (Nehemiah 1:6-7), pleads the covenant promises (Nehemiah 1:8-10), and supplicates a present answer (Nehemiah 1:11). The extant Scriptures, freely used, are the foundation of all. (4) Fasted.—Like Daniel, Esther, and Ezra, Nehemiah fasted: fasting appears in later Judaism a prominent part of individual devotion, as it is in the New Testament. (6) Both I and my father’s house have sinned.—The supplication was for the nation; and in such cases of personal intercession the individual assumes the sin of all the past. (8) The spirit of many threatenings and promises is summed up, as in the prayer of Nehemiah 9. (11) This day . . . this man.—During his “certain days” of mourning Nehemiah had fixed upon his plan, suggested by his God. “This day” is “this occasion”: the appeal itself was deferred for some months. The king becomes “this man” in the presence of the “God of heaven.” For I was the king’s cupbearer.—One of his cupbearers, therefore in high authority, having confidential access to him.

Cambridge Bible on Nehemiah 1:9

9. The Promise. The appeal to this promise marks the crisis of the prayer. if ye turn] R.V. return. The word, as in Deuteronomy 30:2, is stronger than to ‘turn’. It denotes a ‘return’ from a wrong road. The back is turned upon the former wrong direction. Cf. Malachi 3:18. and keep my commandments, and do them] R.V. omits comma. These words contain the practical explanation of the ‘return.’ No distinction can really be drawn between ‘keeping’ and ‘doing’ the commandments. The words occur together with great frequency in Deuteronomy, both as ‘observe to do’ and ‘observe (or keep) and do.’ though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, &c.] R.V. though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heaven, &c. This and the next clauses are clearly taken from Deuteronomy 30:4, where the same words (except for the use of the 2nd sing. for the 2nd plur.) occur. The term ‘your outcasts’ does not occur with this usage elsewhere in the Pentateuch, while the exact phrase ‘in the uttermost part of heaven’ also only occurs there. The word ‘outcasts’ may be illustrated from 2 Samuel 14:13-14; Isaiah 16:3-4; Isaiah 27:13; Isaiah 56:8; Jeremiah 30:17; Jeremiah 49:36, and ‘the uttermost part of heaven’ from Deuteronomy 4:32 and Judges 7:11. But the occurrence here side by side of these two forms can only be accounted for on the supposition that Nehemiah has here in his thoughts the passage Deuteronomy 30:1-4. On ‘gathering the outcasts’ compare the title given to the Lord in Isaiah 56:8, ‘The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel.’ and will bring them] The promise to bring together ‘the outcasts’ of Israel should be compared with the metaphor of the shepherd and the scattered sheep, in Ezekiel 34:11-18. See especially, Ezekiel 34:13, ‘And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land.’ unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there] R.V., to cause my name to dwell there. This sentence is again characteristically Deuteronomic. The words, ‘the place which the Lord thy God shall choose,’ do not occur in the Pentateuch except in the book Deuteronomy, where they are found some 20 times. In five of these passages (Deuteronomy 12:11, Deuteronomy 14:23, Deuteronomy 16:6; Deuteronomy 16:11, Deuteronomy 26:2) the full phrase is found, ‘the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there,’ which Nehemiah here quotes. That ‘the place’ so designated is Jerusalem and the Temple at Jerusalem is beyond all doubt. This was the place of which God had said ‘My name shall be there’ (1 Kings 8:29). At Shiloh God ‘caused his name to dwell at the first’ (Jeremiah 7:12). But Shiloh passed away.

Sermons on Nehemiah 1:9

	Sermon	Description
	The High Cost of Caring by Warren Wiersbe	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of caring and having a compassionate heart. He mentions that in today's world, it is easy to become immune to the problems and
	From Babylon to Jerusalem - (Nehemiah) ch.1 & 2 by Zac Poonen	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of not being consumed by earthly things that can make us gloomy. He uses the example of Jeremiah, who was saddened by the deso
	Whats Wrong With the Gospel - Part 1 by Keith Green	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing the journey of faith. They encourage listeners to seek solutions and growth in their spiritual
	"His Plan for Me" by Leonard Ravenhill	This sermon reflects on the poem 'His Plan for Me' and delves into the concept of surrendering to God's will. It explores the idea of standing before Christ at the judgment seat an
	(2008 Usa Tour) Caleb, Give Me This Mountain! by Keith Daniel	In this sermon, the preacher begins by referencing the book of Joshua and briefly mentioning the story of Caleb. He then transitions to discussing the importance of being consumed
	Ye Must Be Born Again - Part 2 by Leonard Ravenhill	In this video, the speaker repeatedly emphasizes that they will be showing the viewers something important. They mention this multiple times throughout the video. However, the spec
	Don't Miss Your Miracle by Vance Havner	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of surrendering one's life to God and being open to His calling. He shares personal anecdotes of individuals who were impacte