The Meaning of Nehemiah 10:29 Explained

Nehemiah 10:29

KJV: They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

YLT: are laying hold on their brethren, their honourable ones, and coming in to an execration, and in to an oath, to walk in the law of God, that was given by the hand of Moses, servant of God, and to observe and to do all the commands of Jehovah our Lord, and His judgments, and His statutes;

Darby: joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in the law of God, which had been given by Moses the servant of God, and to keep and do all the commandments of Jehovah our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;

ASV: They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Jehovah our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They clave  to their brethren,  their nobles,  and entered  into a curse,  and into an oath,  to walk  in God's  law,  which was given  by  Moses  the servant  of God,  and to observe  and do  all the commandments  of the LORD  our Lord,  and his judgments  and his statutes; 

What does Nehemiah 10:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 10:28-39 - A Pledge Of Better Service
The chapter opens with a list of the signers of the covenant, which was signed on behalf of the people. The consecration covenant involved-first, obedience; then, the purity of the holy seed from intermarriage with heathen peoples; next, the observance of the Sabbath, and of the Sabbatic year. In addition there was the yearly charge for the maintenance of divine worship. The great lack among Christian people is system in the apportioning of their incomes. They leave their giving to impulse, and thus often give the merest fraction of their possessions to the cause of God. We should at least give a tenth, and as much more as we can afford. If only all who read these words would resolve to imitate these impoverished exiles, and to set aside the tithe of all they earn or receive, they would discover the luxury of giving, and a new zest in receiving. The first-fruits of increased wages and revenue should also be given to God, as a tribute of thanksgiving. Let the first produce of hen-roost, orchard, and field be His. Do not neglect or forsake God's house, Nehemiah 10:39. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 10

1  The names of those who sealed the covenant
29  The points of the covenant

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 10:29 mean?

these joined with their brothers their nobles and entered into an oath and a curse to walk in Law of God which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and do - all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord and His ordinances and His statutes
מַחֲזִיקִ֣ים עַל־ אֲחֵיהֶם֮ אַדִּירֵיהֶם֒ וּבָאִ֞ים בְּאָלָ֣ה וּבִשְׁבוּעָ֗ה לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ בְּתוֹרַ֣ת הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִתְּנָ֔ה בְּיַ֖ד מֹשֶׁ֣ה עֶֽבֶד־ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְלִשְׁמ֣וֹר וְלַעֲשׂ֗וֹת אֶת־ כָּל־ מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֲדֹנֵ֔ינוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו וְחֻקָּֽיו

מַחֲזִיקִ֣ים  these  joined 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
אֲחֵיהֶם֮  their  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
אַדִּירֵיהֶם֒  their  nobles 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אַדִּיר  
Sense: great, majestic.
וּבָאִ֞ים  and  entered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְּאָלָ֣ה  into  an  oath 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָלָה  
Sense: oath.
וּבִשְׁבוּעָ֗ה  and  a  curse 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: oath, curse.
לָלֶ֙כֶת֙  to  walk 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּתוֹרַ֣ת  in  Law 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נִתְּנָ֔ה  was  given 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מֹשֶׁ֣ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
עֶֽבֶד־  the  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְלִשְׁמ֣וֹר  and  to  observe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
וְלַעֲשׂ֗וֹת  and  do 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִצְוֺת֙  the  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
יְהוָ֣ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֲדֹנֵ֔ינוּ  our  Lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו  and  His  ordinances 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְחֻקָּֽיו  and  His  statutes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.