Nehemiah 1:3 Meaning and Explanation
“And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The report is grim: the returned remnant lives in distress and shame, and Jerusalem's wall lies broken with its gates burned.
What Does Nehemiah 1:3 Mean?
The answer brings hard news. Those who returned from captivity are in "great affliction and reproach" — suffering and held in contempt. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates burned, leaving the city defenseless and disgraced. Decades after the first exiles returned, the holy city still bore the wounds of judgment, open to every enemy and insult.
A city without walls in the ancient world was a city without safety, dignity, or rest. The broken wall pictures a people whose hope had crumbled with their defenses. Yet honest news of ruin is the seedbed of holy resolve. God often begins restoration by letting His servants feel the full weight of what is broken.
Nehemiah 1:3 in the Original Language
cherpah (חֶרְפָּה), 'reproach' -- the shame and scorn of being held in disgrace before others.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nehemiah 1:3
What does Nehemiah 1:3 mean?
The report is grim: the returned remnant lives in distress and shame, and Jerusalem's wall lies broken with its gates burned.