The Meaning of Nehemiah 2:16 Explained

Nehemiah 2:16

KJV: And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

YLT: And the prefects have not known whither I have gone, and what I am doing; and to the Jews, and to the priests, and to the freemen, and to the prefects, and to the rest of those doing the work, hitherto I have not declared it;

Darby: And the rulers did not know whither I went or what I did, for I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

ASV: And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the rulers  knew  not whither I went,  or what I did;  neither had I as yet  told  [it] to the Jews,  nor to the priests,  nor to the nobles,  nor to the rulers,  nor to the rest  that did  the work. 

What does Nehemiah 2:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 2:12-20 - Braving Ridicule And Treachery
Suspicion, Nehemiah 2:12-20. Sanballat was probably a Moabite, a native of Horonaim; Tobiah had been a slave. There are many descendants of these two men in all our Christian communities today, hindering God's work. This heroic soul met their scorn and the depression of the people by unwavering faith and calm confidence in the good hand of God, Nehemiah 2:18. How small do our difficulties seem when brought into the sight of the God of heaven!
Reproach, Nehemiah 4:1-6. Whenever God's work revives, there is sure to be evil-speaking and reproach. It is a mistake to reply. Let us hand over our cause to God, and go on with His work. It matters very little what men say, as long as He is pleased. Had Nehemiah had the message of Christ he would not have prayed as in Nehemiah 2:5. Our Lord taught us to intercede for our enemies, Matthew 5:44. But let us emulate Nehemiah's zeal for the name of God, and let us remember that increased light means increased responsibility, Matthew 11:11.
Active opposition, Nehemiah 2:7-12. In time of hostility, our friends and allies are apt to grow discouraged and to advise the suspension of our work. "We are not able;" but faith looks to God alone and triumphantly holds on its way. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 2

1  Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness,
6  sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem
9  Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem
12  He views secretly the ruins of the walls
17  He incites the Jews to build

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 2:16 mean?

And the officials not did know where I had gone or what I had done and the Jews and the priests and the nobles and the officials or the others who did the work Even to yet I had told
וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים לֹ֤א יָדְעוּ֙ אָ֣נָה הָלַ֔כְתִּי וּמָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י עֹשֶׂ֑ה וְלַיְּהוּדִ֨ים וְלַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים וְלַחֹרִ֣ים וְלַסְּגָנִ֗ים וּלְיֶ֙תֶר֙ עֹשֵׂ֣ה הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה עַד־ כֵּ֖ן הִגַּֽדְתִּי

וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים  And  the  officials 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֶגֶן  
Sense: ruler, prefect, governor, a subordinate ruler.
יָדְעוּ֙  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אָ֣נָה  where 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: אָן  
Sense: where?, whither? (of place).
הָלַ֔כְתִּי  I  had  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וּמָ֖ה  or  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
עֹשֶׂ֑ה  had  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְלַיְּהוּדִ֨ים  and  the  Jews 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
וְלַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים  and  the  priests 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְלַחֹרִ֣ים  and  the  nobles 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹר  
Sense: a noble, freeborn one.
וְלַסְּגָנִ֗ים  and  the  officials 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֶגֶן  
Sense: ruler, prefect, governor, a subordinate ruler.
וּלְיֶ֙תֶר֙  or  the  others 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
עֹשֵׂ֣ה  who  did 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה  the  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
עַד־  Even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
כֵּ֖ן  yet 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
הִגַּֽדְתִּי  I  had  told 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.

What are the major concepts related to Nehemiah 2:16?

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