Nehemiah 9:15 kjv
And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
Nehemiah 9:15 nkjv
You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them.
Nehemiah 9:15 niv
In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.
Nehemiah 9:15 esv
You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.
Nehemiah 9:15 nlt
"You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.
Nehemiah 9 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 16:4 | Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven..." | God's promise to provide manna in the wilderness. |
| Ex 16:35 | And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years... | Confirmation of continuous manna provision. |
| Ex 17:6 | Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it... | God providing water from the rock at Horeb/Rephidim. |
| Num 20:8 | Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together...and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water... | God's command for water from the rock at Kadesh. |
| Dt 8:3 | ...that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. | Manna as a lesson in trusting God's word and provision. |
| Dt 8:15 | Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness... who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; | Reminder of God's wilderness provision. |
| Ps 78:15-16 | He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock... | Poetic summary of God providing water from the rock. |
| Ps 78:24-25 | And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels' food... | Poetic description of manna as divine food. |
| Ps 105:8-11 | He hath remembered his covenant for ever... the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: | God's enduring covenant and promise of the land to Abraham's descendants. |
| Ps 105:40 | The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. | Another reference to manna ("bread of heaven"). |
| Ps 105:41 | He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. | Description of God miraculously providing water. |
| Ps 114:8 | Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. | Poetic reference to water from the rock. |
| Jn 6:31-35 | Our fathers did eat manna in the desert... I am the bread of life... | Jesus' teaching, identifying Himself as the spiritual "Bread of Life" foreshadowed by manna. |
| Jn 6:49-51 | Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven... if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever... | Jesus contrasts temporary manna with eternal life from Himself. |
| 1 Cor 10:3-4 | And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. | New Testament interpretation of manna and water from the rock as spiritual types, Christ being the Rock. |
| Gen 12:7 | And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land... | The initial promise of the land to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | ...the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land... | God's covenant sealing the promise of the land. |
| Num 14:30 | Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb... and Joshua... | Confirmation that the wilderness generation, save two, would not enter due to unbelief, yet the promise to future generations stood. |
| Heb 4:1 | Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest... | Theological reflection on Israel's failure to enter Canaan as a type of spiritual rest. |
| Rev 21:1 | And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away... | The ultimate promised land or inheritance for believers, the new creation. |
| Rev 22:1-2 | And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal... | Echoes of divine provision of living water in the New Jerusalem. |
Nehemiah 9 verses
Nehemiah 9 15 Meaning
Nehemiah 9:15 recounts God's miraculous provision for Israel during their wilderness journey: supernatural food (manna) for hunger and life-giving water from a rock for thirst. It also highlights God's steadfast covenant faithfulness in promising them possession of the land He had sworn to their ancestors. This verse is part of a lengthy prayer of confession by the Levites, celebrating God's enduring goodness and sovereignty despite Israel's repeated rebellion.
Nehemiah 9 15 Context
Nehemiah 9 is a powerful liturgical prayer recited by the Levites during a solemn assembly of repentance and worship, following the reading of God's law. This specific verse (9:15) falls within a detailed historical recounting of God's faithfulness to Israel from creation to the present day. It contrasts God's consistent provision and covenant loyalty with Israel's repeated rebellion and stiff-necked behavior, setting the stage for the confession of sin that permeates the rest of the chapter. The recollection of divine provision in the wilderness (bread from heaven, water from the rock) and the promise of the land serves to highlight God's unfailing commitment to His people, even when they failed Him. It grounds their prayer in a deep understanding of God's character as both mighty deliverer and covenant-keeping Lord.
Nehemiah 9 15 Word analysis
- And gavest them: (וַתִּתֵּן - va-tit-ten) Implies direct divine action. This highlights God's initiative and sovereign role as the provider. It's not earned, but graciously given.
- bread from heaven: (לֶחֶם מִשָּׁמַיִם - lechem mi-shamayim) Refers to manna (Ex 16), emphasizing its miraculous, supernatural origin. It was sustenance directly from God's dwelling place, underscoring His transcendent power and ability to provide beyond human means. Polemics against relying on earthly resources solely.
- for their hunger: Directly addresses a basic human need, demonstrating God's compassion and attentiveness to His people's suffering. God meets real, immediate needs.
- and broughtest forth water: (וַתּוֹצֵא מַיִם - va-to-tze mai-yim) Again, God's active power in delivering salvation from thirst. The imagery of bringing forth suggests creation from nothing or from an unlikely source.
- out of the rock: (מִצּוּר - mi-tzur) Specifies the impossible source (Ex 17; Num 20). This underscores the miraculous nature of the provision, defying natural laws and highlighting God's absolute power over creation. Polemics against nature deities or any god not sovereign over creation.
- for their thirst: Parallel to "for their hunger," reiterating God's immediate response to their desperate physical needs. It signifies a profound, life-sustaining provision.
- and promisedst them: (וַתֹּאמֶר - va-to-mer, lit. "and You said") Refers to God's verbal declaration and solemn commitment. The "saying" carries the weight of a divine oath. This points to the reliability and trustworthiness of God's word.
- that they should go in to possess the land: (לָבוֹא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶרֶץ - la-vo la-reshet eretz) The specific goal and fulfillment of God's earlier promises. "Possess" implies an inheritance and secure dwelling.
- which thou hadst sworn: (אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ - asher nishba'ta) This refers to God's unbreakable oath to Abraham (Gen 12, 15), Isaac (Gen 26), and Jacob (Gen 28). God's sworn promise makes the land an assured inheritance, underscoring His unchanging faithfulness and the binding nature of His covenant.
- to give them: Highlights the land as a gracious gift from God, not something earned or achieved by human might, reinforcing His sovereignty and benevolence.
Nehemiah 9 15 Bonus section
The mention of "bread from heaven" and "water from the rock" serves as crucial foreshadowing within the larger biblical narrative. The New Testament writers, particularly John and Paul, later interpret these physical provisions as spiritual types pointing directly to Jesus Christ. Jesus identifies Himself as the true "Bread of Life" (Jn 6:31-35), offering eternal sustenance far greater than manna. Paul refers to Christ as the "spiritual Rock" from which Israel drank (1 Cor 10:4), emphasizing that all God's temporal provisions for Israel were shadows of the ultimate spiritual provision found in Christ. This verse thus forms a vital link in understanding God's unfolding redemptive plan from the Old Testament to the New, where temporary physical blessings find their eternal fulfillment in the Person and work of Christ. The concept of "possessing the land" also stretches beyond a mere geographical territory, representing the "rest" (Heb 4) that believers enter through faith in Christ and the ultimate inheritance in the new heavens and new earth.
Nehemiah 9 15 Commentary
Nehemiah 9:15 stands as a profound testament to God's steadfast, faithful, and miraculous provision for His people. During Israel's wilderness wanderings, God did not merely provide, but He did so in extraordinary ways: showering down "bread from heaven" (manna) for their daily hunger and causing "water from the rock" to gush forth for their thirst. These acts demonstrate God's direct intervention and supreme power, proving His ability to sustain His people even in the most barren conditions. Furthermore, the verse affirms God's commitment to His covenant, recalling His unbreakable promise that they would inherit the promised land. This threefold declaration of provision for body, spirit (implied trust in the provider), and future inheritance underscores God's holistic care. It highlights that even amidst the challenges and eventual failures of Israel, God remained faithful to His word and promises, laying the foundation for Nehemiah's prayer of confession by accentuating God's goodness contrasted with human sinfulness.