The Meaning of Nehemiah 10:32 Explained

Nehemiah 10:32

KJV: Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;

YLT: And we have appointed for ourselves commands, to put on ourselves the third of a shekel in a year, for the service of the house of our God,

Darby: And we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God,

ASV: Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also we made  ordinances  for us, to charge  ourselves yearly  with the third part  of a shekel  for the service  of the house  of our God; 

What does Nehemiah 10:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 10:28-39 - A Pledge Of Better Service
The chapter opens with a list of the signers of the covenant, which was signed on behalf of the people. The consecration covenant involved-first, obedience; then, the purity of the holy seed from intermarriage with heathen peoples; next, the observance of the Sabbath, and of the Sabbatic year. In addition there was the yearly charge for the maintenance of divine worship. The great lack among Christian people is system in the apportioning of their incomes. They leave their giving to impulse, and thus often give the merest fraction of their possessions to the cause of God. We should at least give a tenth, and as much more as we can afford. If only all who read these words would resolve to imitate these impoverished exiles, and to set aside the tithe of all they earn or receive, they would discover the luxury of giving, and a new zest in receiving. The first-fruits of increased wages and revenue should also be given to God, as a tribute of thanksgiving. Let the first produce of hen-roost, orchard, and field be His. Do not neglect or forsake God's house, Nehemiah 10:39. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 10

1  The names of those who sealed the covenant
29  The points of the covenant

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 10:32 mean?

And we made for ourselves ordinances to exact from ourselves a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God
וְהֶעֱמַ֤דְנוּ עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ מִצְוֺ֔ת לָתֵ֥ת עָלֵ֛ינוּ שְׁלִשִׁ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ

וְהֶעֱמַ֤דְנוּ  And  we  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙  for  ourselves 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מִצְוֺ֔ת  ordinances 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
לָתֵ֥ת  to  exact 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
עָלֵ֛ינוּ  from  ourselves 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שְׁלִשִׁ֥ית  a  third 
Parse: Number, ordinal feminine singular construct
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל  of  a  shekel 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶל  
Sense: shekel.
בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה  yearly 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת  for  the  service 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲבֹדָה  
Sense: labour, service.
בֵּ֥ית  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ  of  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).