Nehemiah 13:17

Bible in Basic English

Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them, What is this evil which you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

Hebrew Names Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Yehudah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the day of Shabbat?

King James Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

English Standard Version
Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

New Century Version
I argued with the important men of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing? You are ruining the Sabbath day.

New English Translation
So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

Amplified Bible
Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

New American Standard Bible
Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, by profaning the Sabbath day?

World English Bible
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then reprooued I the rulers of Iudah, and sayd vnto them, What euil thing is this that yee doe, and breake the Sabbath day?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, even profaning the sabbath day?

Berean Standard Bible
Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, "What is this evil you are doing-profaning the Sabbath day?

Contemporary English Version
I got angry and said to the leaders of Judah, "This evil you are doing is an insult to the Sabbath!

Complete Jewish Bible
I disputed with the nobles of Y'hudah, demanding of them, "What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat?

Darby Translation
And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning the sabbath day?

Easy-to-Read Version
I told the important people of Judah that they were wrong. I said, "You are doing a very bad thing. You are ruining the Sabbath day.

George Lamsa Translation
Then I contended with the chiefs of Judah and said to them, Why are you doing this evil thing and profaning the sabbath day?

Good News Translation
I reprimanded the Jewish leaders and told them, "Look at the evil you're doing! You're making the Sabbath unholy.

Lexham English Bible
So I quarreled with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the day of the Sabbath?

Literal Translation
And I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them, What is this evil thing that you do, defiling the Sabbath day?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, and saide vnto them: What euell thinge is this that ye do, and breake the Sabbath daye?

American Standard Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, & sayd vnto them: What euyl thing is this that ye do, & breake the Sabbath day?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them: 'What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

King James Version (1611)
Then I contended with the Nobles of Iudah, and sayd vnto them, What euill thing is this that ye doe, and profane the Sabbath day?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What is this evil thing which ye do, and profane the sabbath-day?

English Revised Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y rebuykide the principal men of Juda, and Y seide to hem, What is this yuel thing which ye doen, and maken vnhooli the daie of the sabat?

Update Bible Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

New King James Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?

New Living Translation
So I confronted the nobles of Judah. "Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?" I asked.

New Life Bible
Then I spoke sharp words to the leaders of Judah, saying, "What is this sinful thing you are doing by not keeping the Day of Rest holy?

New Revised Standard
Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
so I contended with the nobles of Judah, - and said unto them, What is this wicked thing which, ye, are doing, and profaning the sabbath day?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I rebuked the chief men of Juda, and said to them: What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day:

Revised Standard Version
Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing which you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?

Young's Literal Translation
And I strive with the freemen of Judah, and say to them, `What [is] this evil thing that ye are doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?

THE MESSAGE
I confronted the leaders of Judah: "What's going on here? This evil! Profaning the Sabbath! Isn't this exactly what your ancestors did? And because of it didn't God bring down on us and this city all this misery? And here you are adding to it—accumulating more wrath on Jerusalem by profaning the Sabbath."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ In those days, I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes on the Sabbath, and getting in grain and putting it on asses; as well as wine and grapes and figs and all sorts of goods which they took into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I gave witness against them on the day when they were marketing food. ¹⁶ And there were men of Tyre there, who came with fish and all sorts of goods, trading with the children of Judah and in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them, What is this evil which you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy? ¹⁸ Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? but you are causing more wrath to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy. ¹⁹ And so, when the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut and not to be open again till after the Sabbath: and I put some of my servants by the door so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day. ²⁰ So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice. ²¹ Then I gave witness against them and said, Why are you waiting all night by the wall? if you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath. ²² And I gave the Levites orders to make themselves clean and come and keep the doors and make the Sabbath holy. Keep this in mind to my credit, O my God, and have mercy on me, for great is your mercy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I contended: Nehemiah 13:11, Nehemiah 13:25, Nehemiah 5:7, Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:2, Proverbs 28:4, Isaiah 1:10, Jeremiah 5:5, Jeremiah 13:18, Jeremiah 22:2-23, Micah 3:1, Micah 3:9

Reciprocal: Ezra 9:2 - the hand Proverbs 24:25 - them Isaiah 56:2 - keepeth the Ezekiel 23:38 - and have Matthew 12:5 - profane

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your seed for ever.

Genesis 13:17
Come, go through all the land from one end to the other for I will give it to you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then I contended with the nobles,.... The rulers of the city, the civil magistrates, sharply reproved them for their neglect of duty:

and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? by suffering servile works to be done in it, and things sold on it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. I contended with the nobles — These evils took place through their negligence; and this I proved before them.