Nehemiah 9 32

Nehemiah 9:32 kjv

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

Nehemiah 9:32 nkjv

"Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

Nehemiah 9:32 niv

"Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes?the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

Nehemiah 9:32 esv

"Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day.

Nehemiah 9:32 nlt

"And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and leaders and priests and prophets and ancestors ? all of your people ? from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.

Nehemiah 9 verses

Nehemiah 9 32 Meaning

Nehemiah 9:32 is a central plea in the great prayer of confession by the Levites. Having recounted God’s faithfulness and Israel’s persistent sin, the prayer turns to a direct appeal. It identifies God by His supreme attributes: great, mighty, and awesome, a God who unfailingly keeps His covenant and steadfast love. Based on this foundational understanding of God's character, the people implore Him not to consider the immense, prolonged hardship that has afflicted every level of their society—from kings to common people—as insignificant. This suffering, enduring from the era of Assyrian domination up to their current post-exilic period under Persian rule, is acknowledged as the just consequence of their historical unfaithfulness, yet they desperately seek God's compassionate intervention. The plea is a recognition of God's justice but a fervent request for His mercy to relieve their heavy and protracted burden.

Nehemiah 9 32 Context

Nehemiah 9:32 forms part of a magnificent, extended prayer of confession and lament. This prayer takes place after the joyous celebration of the Feast of Booths, spurred by the public reading of the Law in Nehemiah 8, which brought conviction and understanding to the people. Chapter 9 describes the solemn gathering where the people fasted, wore sackcloth, and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. The prayer begins by acknowledging God as Creator and rehearses His gracious acts throughout Israel's history—from Abraham to the Exodus, wilderness wanderings, conquest of Canaan, and judges—consistently juxtaposing God's faithfulness with Israel's rebellion.Verse 32 transitions from this historical overview to a direct appeal for divine intervention. It shifts the focus from their sinful past to their present suffering. The Levites confess that the prolonged subjugation and hardship endured for centuries are the just consequence of their persistent disobedience. By specifically naming groups like "kings, princes, priests, prophets, fathers," the prayer emphasizes the pervasive nature of sin and its subsequent judgment across all strata and generations of Israelite society. "From the days of the kings of Assyria" marks the beginning of their ongoing subjugation by foreign empires (Assyria, then Babylon, now Persia), signifying a prolonged period of national humiliation and distress. This verse thus articulates a profound cry for mercy, not from a position of entitlement, but from deep humility, recognizing their sin, yet appealing to the unchanging, merciful character of their great and awesome God.

Nehemiah 9 32 Word analysis

• Now therefore (וְעַתָּה - vĕʿattāh): A strong conjunctive adverb, marking a logical transition. It introduces the application or conclusion derived from the preceding historical recitation and theological understanding. It signifies, "In light of all that has been said..."
• our God (אֱלֹהֵינוּ - ʾĕlōhēnu): A possessive pronoun emphasizes a relational, covenantal plea. It appeals to the specific God of Israel, acknowledging their belonging to Him even in their fallen state.
• the great (הַגָּדוֹל - hagāḏôl): From gadol, meaning large, powerful, preeminent. Implies God's limitless power, majesty, and transcendence above all other beings. It speaks to His sovereign authority.
• the mighty (הַגִּבּוֹר - haggibbōr): From gibbor, meaning strong, valiant, warrior. Emphasizes God's active power in accomplishing His will, overcoming opposition, and exercising strength on behalf of His people or in judgment.
• and awesome God (וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל - wĕhannôrāʾ ʾēl): From noraʾ, meaning to be feared, awe-inspiring, dreadful. Conveys God's absolute holiness, unique character, and fearful majesty, evoking reverence and holy dread. This attribute highlights His inapproachable glory.
• who keeps covenant (שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית - šōmēr habbĕrît): From shomer (keeper, guarder) and berit (covenant). Emphasizes God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises and agreements, especially the covenant made with Abraham and through Moses, despite human failures. This is a crucial foundation for their plea.
• and steadfast love (וְהַחֶסֶד - wĕhaḥeseḏ): From ḥesed, a rich Hebrew term signifying loyal love, mercy, unfailing kindness, goodness, and faithfulness within a covenant relationship. It refers to God's benevolent commitment to His people, even when they are undeserving.
• let not all the hardship (אַל יִקְטַן כָּל הַתְּלָאָה - ʾal yiqṭan kol hattĕlāʾāh): Yiqtan means "be small" or "diminished." The plea "let it not seem small" implies an immense suffering from their perspective. Tela'ah refers to distress, trouble, toil, hardship, or affliction. The plea is that God would not disregard or undervalue the depth and extent of their long-suffering.
• seem small before you (לְפָנֶיךָ - lĕp̄āneḵā): Literally "before your face." This personalizes the appeal, bringing their suffering directly into God's divine presence and perception. They desire Him to acknowledge the gravity of their plight.
• that has come upon us (אֲשֶׁר מְצָאָתָנוּ - ʾăšer mĕṣāʾāṯānu): Denotes something that has "found" or "befallen" them. It acknowledges the experience of hardship as a historical reality that has encompassed them.
• upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and upon all your people: This detailed list underscores the comprehensive and pervasive nature of the judgment and suffering. No segment of society or generation was exempt from the consequences of their national sin. It reflects collective culpability and suffering.
• from the days of the kings of Assyria (מִימֵי מַלְכֵי אַשּׁוּר - mîmê malḵê ʾaššûr): Identifies the starting point of a prolonged period of national subjugation and distress, dating back to the Assyrian empire's rise and the Northern Kingdom's exile. This indicates a centuries-long, continuous chain of foreign oppression.
• until this day (עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - ʿaḏ hayyôm hazzeh): Marks the unbroken duration of this hardship, spanning various empires (Assyria, Babylon, Persia) and extending to their contemporary reality in Nehemiah's time. It emphasizes the weariness and protracted nature of their affliction.

Words-Group analysis:

• "our God, the great, the mighty, and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love": This opening establishes the foundation of their petition. By listing these divine attributes, the Levites emphasize that their appeal is not based on their own merit but on God's unchanging character and His demonstrated faithfulness within the covenant. This description draws heavily from earlier biblical portrayals of God (e.g., Deut. 10:17, Dan. 9:4), indicating a deep theological understanding and a profound sense of awe.
• "let not all the hardship seem small before you": This is a critical nuance. It is not an accusation that God is belittling their suffering, but a desperate plea from the human perspective. They are so overwhelmed by their long and deep affliction that they implore God to truly see and acknowledge its magnitude, and by implication, to act. It's a humble acknowledgment that only God's compassionate gaze can properly weigh their burden.
• "upon our kings... and upon all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day": This extensive chronological and sociological scope highlights the severity and duration of God's disciplinary judgment. It communicates that the suffering has touched every level of society and has spanned centuries, indicating a sustained pattern of unfaithfulness and its ongoing consequences. It grounds their plea in a long history of national decline and punishment.

Nehemiah 9 32 Bonus section

The structure of this prayer in Nehemiah 9, particularly verse 32, is a prime example of effective lament and intercession in the Bible. It first establishes who God is, His attributes, and His actions throughout history. Then, it identifies human failure and the resultant suffering, followed by a direct appeal based on God's character, not human merit. This theological order ensures that the focus remains on God's sovereignty and faithfulness. The listing of the various categories of people (kings, princes, priests, prophets, fathers, all your people) is significant; it underscores the idea that spiritual and moral decay affected everyone, from the highest leadership to the common populace, and the consequences of their unfaithfulness permeated all aspects of their national life and historical trajectory. This echoes the concept of corporate responsibility within the Israelite covenant community. The "days of the kings of Assyria" represents the start of the "times of the Gentiles" in which Israel began to experience continuous foreign dominion, a significant period often mentioned by prophets as a time of divine chastisement and a precursor to the final restoration.

Nehemiah 9 32 Commentary

Nehemiah 9:32 serves as a pivotal moment in the Levites' comprehensive prayer of confession, transitioning from a historical recounting of divine faithfulness and human rebellion to a direct, heartfelt petition. It appeals to God's immutable character as the "great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love." This declaration is foundational, rooting their plea in God's demonstrated power, sovereignty, and unwavering faithfulness to His promises, particularly His ḥesed, or loyal love. The request, "let not all the hardship seem small before you," is not a complaint against God, but a humble and desperate entreaty for Him to truly apprehend and compassionate respond to the immense and protracted suffering their nation has endured. This suffering, affecting every societal stratum from leaders to the common people, is implicitly acknowledged as the just consequence of their historical sins. The reference to "from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day" underscores a continuous period of foreign domination and affliction spanning centuries, a period marked by exile, displacement, and ongoing servitude. It articulates the depth of their national distress and their hope that God's covenant loyalty and unfailing mercy, rather than their just desserts, would ultimately define His response. The verse encapsulates a plea for relief rooted in the paradoxical nature of God's justice and His infinite compassion.