Nehemiah 13:27Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?"
The setting
Jerusalem, ~430 BC. Nehemiah's final rhetorical question cuts to the heart - will they listen to human reasoning or God's clear commands? Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: exhausted but determined to force a decision
The original word
ra'ah (רָעָה) — evil, but specifically calamitous evil that destroys communities
Why it matters
This confrontation happened at the rebuilt temple, making the covenant violation even more stark
Read with care
What most readers miss in Nehemiah 13:27
This isn't a real question - it's a challenge that demands a choice right now
Common misconceptionPeople think Nehemiah is being mean, but he's actually being loving - forcing clarity instead of letting them drift into destruction.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Nehemiah 13:27
Bible Genome reading
Nehemiah 13:27 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Nehemiah 13:27 comes from the book of Nehemiah, written during the Post-Exile period. These words are attributed to Nehemiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include covenant faithfulness, consequences of disobedience, rhetorical confrontation. Notable phrases: this great evil; trespass against our God; marrying foreign women.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Nehemiah 13:27 mean to you, today?
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