The Meaning of Nehemiah 1:2 Explained

Nehemiah 1:2

KJV: That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

YLT: and come in doth Hanani, one of my brethren, he and men of Judah, and I ask them concerning the Jews, the escaped part that have been left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem;

Darby: that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

ASV: that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That Hanani,  one  of my brethren,  came,  he and [certain] men  of Judah;  and I asked  them concerning the Jews  that had escaped,  which were left  of the captivity,  and concerning Jerusalem. 

What does Nehemiah 1:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 1:1-11 - A Patriot's Prayer
Though living in luxury, in the winter palace of the Persian kings, Nehemiah's heart was keenly sensitive to all that affected his people. But he turned from tears to prayer, from man to God. Oh, that we could cry and sigh for the rents and breaches in the Church of God. We should deal much more successfully with men, if, like Nehemiah, we dealt more largely with God. Gordon used to say that he had met and conquered his enemies before he saw them. This prayer of Nehemiah's is very beautiful, saturated as it is with quotations from Scripture, and so effective with God, because based on His own Word. It was steeped in tears of contrition for sin, and offered without ceasing day and night. Nor was it solitary, for there seems to have been a little band of others united with him, Nehemiah 1:11. Lord, teach us to pray thus, till others are found kneeling with us. Here is a good petition for us as we go forth to our daily calling, in which so much depends on the attitude of our fellow-men. Prosper thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 1

1  Nehemiah, understanding by Hanani the misery of Jerusalem, mourns, fasts, and prays
5  His prayer

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 1:2 mean?

that came Hanani one of my brothers he and men from Judah and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped who had survived of my brothers the captivity and concerning Jerusalem
וַיָּבֹ֨א חֲנָ֜נִי אֶחָ֧ד מֵאַחַ֛י ה֥וּא וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞ם עַל־ הַיְּהוּדִ֧ים הַפְּלֵיטָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר־ נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ מִן־ הַשֶּׁ֖בִי וְעַל־ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם

וַיָּבֹ֨א  that  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
חֲנָ֜נִי  Hanani 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנָנִי  
Sense: one of the sons of Heman, a chief musician of David, and head of the 8th course of the service.
אֶחָ֧ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מֵאַחַ֛י  of  my  brothers 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים  and  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִֽיהוּדָ֑ה  from  Judah 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞ם  and  I  asked  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
עַל־  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַיְּהוּדִ֧ים  the  Jews 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
הַפְּלֵיטָ֛ה  who  had  escaped 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פְּלֵיטָה  
Sense: escape, deliverance.
נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ  had  survived 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁאַר  
Sense: to remain, be left over, be left behind.
מִן־  of  my  brothers 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַשֶּׁ֖בִי  the  captivity 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִי 
Sense: captivity, captives.
וְעַל־  and  concerning 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.