King James Version
What Does Nehemiah 9:13 Mean?
“Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: true: Heb. laws of truth”
Context
11
And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.
12
Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
13
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: true: Heb. laws of truth
14
And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
15
And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. which: Heb. which thou hadst lift up thine hand to give them
Topics in This Verse
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(13) **Right judgements.**—Five of the names given to the law of God in Psalms 119 are singled out and applied to the Sinaitic legislation first, and then to the subsequent ordinances of Moses generally. But the emphasis here is on the adjectives “right,” “true,” “good,” as belonging rather to the eternal principles of the Decalogue.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Nehemiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Nehemiah 9:13 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Nehemiah 9:13
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge