Shaking - Nehemiah 5:13

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said to the people of Judah who were abusing their fellow Jews, “Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you exact of them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise”, and in chapter five and verse thirteen of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “God shake out every man from his house”, where we read,

Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performs not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

The verse reads, “Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performs not this promise, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “Also I shook my lap” or “even so and indeed I, Nehemiah, tumbled about and tossed up and down my, Nehemiah's, arm and bosom”, “and said” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “So God shake out every man” or “in the same manner the Supreme Deity tumble about and toss up and down each, all, the whole everyone of the male human beings” “from his house” which means “separate and apart from his, the person's, habitation, abode and dwelling place”, “and from his labor” or “and separate and apart from his, the person's, toil and work”, “that performs not this promise” which means “who does not stand up to, arise forth unto and persist in his, the person's, vow, oath, speech, word and utterance”. Nehemiah shared how he tossed the folds of his robe up and down as an example of how Jehovah God would tumble about every male from his dwelling place and work who does not do according to their oath.

The verse continues, “... even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.” Nehemiah added the words, “even thus be he shaken out” or “indeed therefore will the person who breaks their promise be tumbled about”, “and emptied” which means “and made vain, idle and worthless”. “And all the congregation said” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the people within the assembly and gathering uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “Amen” which means “so be it, truly and verily”, “and praised the LORD” or “and boasted in, gave glory to and commended Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God”. “And the people did” which means “and the human beings of Judah produced and performed” “according to this promise” or “in keeping with the oath they made”. Nehemiah shared how whoever did not honor their oath would also be shaken up and down and made worthless, to which the assembly of people proclaimed “so be it” and gave honor and glory to Jehovah God as they performed their commitments.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how Nehemiah gave a visible demonstration as to what would happen to any of the nobles of Judah if they did not keep their “promises”. Not only would they be tumbled up and down, but they would also be made to be worthless. This caused everyone within the assembly to agree with an “amen” or “so be it”, and they began to give glory and honor to Jehovah God for what He had done. God wants us to be in a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross and was raised from the dead three days later for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins and grant us everlasting life in Heaven with Him. Living a life of obedience and honor to Jehovah God is the greatest life to live, and when we yield ourselves to Him and His way we will spend eternity in the “amen” and giving “praise” To Him.

Next time Nehemiah shares what happened, “from the time that I was appointed to be their governor”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".