Nehemiah 13:31 · Bible study
Nehemiah 13:31 Commentary: A Prayer for Remembrance
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Is Nehemiah's closing prayer a claim of merit or a plea for grace? Explore the meaning of 'Remember me for good' in its historical and theological context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Nehemiah asks God to act favorably toward him based on his faithful service, not as a claim of merit but as a plea for covenantal grace.
- Key words: zākar (remember, to intervene actively); ləṭōwāh (for good, for welfare and blessing).
- Main debate: Is the prayer a humble request for mercy or does it reflect a legalistic trust in one’s own merits?
- Theological theme: The relationship between faithful works and dependence on God’s grace; the confidence that God sees and rewards hidden service.
- Best use: As a model for concluding seasons of service with prayer, acknowledging that God alone can grant good.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.
WEB World English Bible 2000
and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
KJV King James Version 1769
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And for the offering of wood at times appointed, and for the firstfruits: remember me, O my God, unto good. Amen.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y para la ofrenda de la leña en los tiempos señalados, y para las primicias. Acuérdate de mí, Dios mío, para bien.
Como também para as ofertas de lenha em tempos determinados, e para as primícias. Lembra-te de mim, meu Deus, para o bem.
et ce qui concernait l’ offrande du bois aux époques fixées, de même que les prémices. Souviens-toi favorablement de moi, ô mon Dieu!
und für die Opfergaben an Holz zu bestimmten Zeiten und für die Erstlinge. Gedenke meiner, mein Gott, im Besten!
Ook tot het offer des houts, op bestemde tijden, en tot de eerstelingen. Gedenk mijner, mijn God, ten goede.
Ordinai pure il da farsi circa l’offerta delle legna ai tempi stabiliti, e circa le primizie. (H13-32) Ricordati di me, mio Dio, per farmi del bene!
I ku noszeniu drew do ofiar, czasów postanowionych, także i pierwocin. Wspomnijże na mię, Boże mój! ku dobremu.
и доставку дров в назначенные времена и начатки. Помяни меня, Боже мой, во благо мне!
我又派百姓按定 期 獻 柴 和初熟的土產。我的 神啊，求你記念 我，施恩與我。
And for the wood offering, at fixed times, and for the first fruits. Keep me in mind, O my God, for good.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Nehemiah 13:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Nehemiah’s prayer is not a boast but a humble appeal to God’s covenant faithfulness. Adam Clarke equates the phrase with “have mercy upon me,” reading it as a plea for grace. Wesley calls it a suitable summary of all our petitions, capturing the believer’s deepest need for God’s favor. Gill interprets it as a request for both temporal and spiritual blessing, rooted in Nehemiah’s faithful service to temple worship. Yet Keil and Delitzsch, while acknowledging the piety, detect a legal spirit in post-exilic Judaism, suggesting the prayer reflects a frame of mind that weighs deeds before God. The broader consensus, however, sees Nehemiah’s “remember me” as a cry of dependence, not a demand. He offers his work as evidence of devotion, not as grounds for acceptance. The prayer closes the book with a quiet note of trust: God is the one who sees, and he alone can reward with good.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Plea for mercy: Clarke equates 'Remember me for good' with 'have mercy upon me,' stressing grace over works.
- Request for covenantal reward: Keil and Delitzsch note a 'legal spirit' in the prayer, linking it to post-exilic emphasis on obedience.
- Model of dependent service: Wesley calls the prayer 'the summary of our petitions,' seeing it as a pure expression of trust.
What is clear: Nehemiah addresses God as the source of all good and presents his work not as a demand but as the offering of a servant who depends entirely on God’s favor.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Tone of the prayer | Nehemiah is sincerely asking God to act on his behalf, not making a demand. | Some (e.g., Clarke, Wesley) read it as a pure plea for mercy; others (Keil, Delitzsch) detect a legal spirit consistent with post-exilic Judaism. |
| Role of works in the prayer | Nehemiah offers his specific deeds (cleansing, appointments, wood, firstfruits) as evidence of his devotion. | Whether these deeds are the <em>ground</em> of his plea or merely the <em>context</em> for it. Clarke says it effectively means 'have mercy'; Gill sees it as a request for blessing on his service. |
| Continuity with the Psalms | The phrase 'Remember me' echoes Psalm 25:7, Psalm 106:4, and other pleas for divine favor. | No significant debate here; the connection is widely accepted. |
| Nehemiah's self-understanding | He sees himself as a servant of God and of his people. | Whether his prayer indicates a robust theology of grace or a more meritorious view of works is contested among traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Nehemiah 13:31 caps the memoir of a man who left the comfort of the Persian court to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and restore her worship. The verse sits at the end of a chapter that describes his second term as governor, after he returned from a visit to King Artaxerxes. By this time, the wall stood finished, but the community had fallen into old patterns: mixed marriages, neglected tithes, broken Sabbaths. Nehemiah acted decisively. He chased out the high priest’s grandson for marrying a foreigner. He enforced Sabbath rest. He cleansed the people from everything foreign. And he re-established the wood offering and the firstfruits.
The wood offering (Neh 10:34) was a practical necessity. The altar fire, commanded in Leviticus 6:13, needed a constant supply of fuel. Families took turns bringing wood at set times so the temple service never stopped. The firstfruits were the first yields of harvest, given to support priests and Levites who had no land inheritance (Neh 10:36, 39). Neglect of these provisions would halt worship and starve the temple staff. Nehemiah’s reforms were not ceremonial niceties; they kept the community’s spiritual life alive.
In the ancient Near East, the verb “remember” (zākar) meant more than mental recall. It implied acting on behalf of someone. When God remembered Noah (Gen 8:1), he caused the floodwaters to subside. When the psalmist prays “Remember me, Yahweh” (Ps 106:4), he asks for saving intervention. Nehemiah uses the imperative: “Remember me, my God, for good.” He is not asking God to merely think of him. He is asking for active, gracious favor. The phrase appears three other times in the book (Neh 5:19; 13:14, 22), forming a refrain that marks his service as an offering laid before the Lord.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical notes report no significant variants for Nehemiah 13:31. The Hebrew text is stable across extant manuscripts. The differences in English translations (e.g., “appointed times” vs. “times appointed”) reflect standard translation choices, not textual issues.
Reception History
Historic Christian reflection has often seen Nehemiah’s prayer as a pattern for concluding one’s service in faith: not trusting in works but casting oneself on God’s mercy, while still presenting one’s labor as a response to grace. Jewish tradition honors Nehemiah as a great patriot and reformer, and his prayer has been read as the honest request of a leader who staked everything on God’s faithfulness. The verse has been quoted in hymns of devoted service and used in sermons on the theme that God never forgets the kindness shown to his people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The scope of faithful service. Nehemiah did not ignore small details. Wood for the altar and firstfruits for the priests mattered. Faithfulness touches every corner of community life.
- The heart of humble prayer. “Remember me for good” is not a demand. It is the cry of a servant who knows his work is imperfect and his only hope is God’s favor.
- The end of the matter. The book closes not with a victory parade but with a prayer. The best legacy a leader can leave is dependence on God.
Five-point outline
- Cleansing. Nehemiah removed foreign entanglements that diluted covenant identity.
- Organizing. He assigned duties to priests and Levites so that each had a clear role.
- Providing. The wood offering and firstfruits ensured worship could continue without interruption.
- Praying. “Remember me, my God, for good” is the refrain of a life poured out for others.
- Leaving a pattern. Nehemiah models action that flows from prayer and returns to prayer.
Illustration hooks
- A church volunteer who shows up every week to set up chairs, clean the kitchen, or organize the nursery. Their work rarely gets noticed, but they know God sees.
- A public school teacher who sacrifices higher pay to serve children in a struggling district. Like Nehemiah, they left comfort for a place of need.
- A family that faithfully gives their “firstfruits”, the best part of their income, trusting God to provide for the rest.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Did Nehemiah think his good deeds put God in his debt?
- Can I pray “remember me for good” without sounding self-righteous?
- Why does the book end so abruptly with a prayer, what is the takeaway for my own life?
Leading a Discussion
Nehemiah’s final words are personal. After listing reforms and facing opposition, he turns from his audience to God. This group guide will help you explore the tension between faithful action and grace-filled dependence.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What specific items does Nehemiah mention in verse 31? Why do you think he includes them in his closing summary?
- Observation: Compare Nehemiah 13:31 with 13:14, 13:22, and 5:19. What pattern do you see in Nehemiah’s prayers?
- Interpretation: In Hebrew, zākar often means God intervening to help. How does that shape your understanding of “remember me for good”?
- Interpretation: Some commentators see Nehemiah’s prayer as a request for mercy; others detect a legalistic weighing of deeds. How do you read the tone of the prayer?
- Interpretation: Why does Nehemiah mention the wood offering and firstfruits specifically? What do these reveal about his priorities for the community?
- Application: When you serve in church or community, do you find yourself hoping God notices? Is that a healthy desire or a dangerous one?
- Application: The thief on the cross prayed, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 23:42). How is his prayer like Nehemiah’s? How is it different?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Nehemiah 10:34 | We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed year by year, to burn on Yahweh our God’s altar, as it is written in the law; |
| Nehemiah 13:14 | Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances. |
| Nehemiah 13:22 | I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness. |
| Psalms 25:7 | Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, Yahweh. |
| Psalms 26:8 | Yahweh, I love the habitation of your house, the place where your glory dwells. |
| Psalms 26:9 | Don’t gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men |
| Psalms 106:4 | Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation, |
| Luke 23:42 | He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets Nehemiah's plea "Remember me" not as a claim of personal merit but as a humble cry for God's mercy. He praises Nehemiah as the ultimate patriot, willing to sacrifice wealth and safety to restore Jerusalem, and sees him as a type of Christ.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the specific mention of practical reforms like the wood offering and firstfruits suggests these were the main sources of discontent and the points most vulnerable to neglect. The writer implies Nehemiah focused on these because they had been routinely abused or overlooked.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The commentator highlights that the phrase "Remember me, O my God, in goodness" directly follows the specific acts of offering wood and firstfruits. This links Nehemiah's petition for divine favor to his faithful service in these appointed duties, making the prayer a request for God to acknowledge his obedient labor.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets Nehemiah's plea "remember me for good" as directly tied to the wood offering and firstfruits. He does not take it as a general request for blessing, but as a specific prayer that God would graciously remember Nehemiah's faithful service in providing what the altar and its ministers needed.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch observe that Nehemiah's reforms focused on two goals after the wall was built: cleansing the people from foreign heathen customs, especially mixed marriages, and restoring orderly temple worship. They note that his repeated prayer for God to remember him reveals a piety strongly shaped by the legal spirit of post-Babylonian Judaism.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Nehemiah's reform here was not about enriching himself but about restoring the people as a distinct nation set apart for God. He observes that this same sin had been addressed in Ezra's time, showing how quickly the heart returns to corruption when vigilance is relaxed.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees the phrase "for good" as the perfect summary of every Christian petition. He argues that no additional request is needed for true happiness, because this one word covers all that God provides for our well-being. In his view, the believer's entire prayer life can be reduced to this single aim.