Nehemiah 9 35

Nehemiah 9:35 kjv

For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

Nehemiah 9:35 nkjv

For they have not served You in their kingdom, Or in the many good things that You gave them, Or in the large and rich land which You set before them; Nor did they turn from their wicked works.

Nehemiah 9:35 niv

Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.

Nehemiah 9:35 esv

Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.

Nehemiah 9:35 nlt

Even while they had their own kingdom, they did not serve you, though you showered your goodness on them. You gave them a large, fertile land, but they refused to turn from their wickedness.

Nehemiah 9 verses

Nehemiah 9 35 Meaning

Nehemiah 9:35 declares that despite receiving numerous blessings from God—including national sovereignty (their kingdom), abundant divine goodness, and a vast and fertile land—the people of Israel repeatedly failed to serve Him. Critically, even in the face of such remarkable provision, they refused to repent from their wicked ways. This verse encapsulates Israel's profound ingratitude and persistent rebellion against the gracious acts of the Almighty throughout their history.

Nehemiah 9 35 Context

Nehemiah 9:35 is part of a lengthy prayer of confession and remembrance offered by the Levites during a great assembly following the public reading of the Law (Nehemiah 8) and the Feast of Tabernacles. This specific verse appears within a historical recitation that details God's continuous faithfulness to Israel, from the covenant with Abraham, through the Exodus, wilderness wanderings, conquest of Canaan, the period of judges, and the monarchies. The prayer contrasts God's unfailing goodness and provision with Israel's chronic rebellion, idolatry, and refusal to obey.

Verse 35 particularly reflects on the period of the Israelite monarchy. During this era, despite possessing their own sovereign "kingdom" and enjoying the promised "wide and rich land"—both evidences of God's immense "goodness"—they consistently chose not to serve Him. The historical context is post-exilic, with the returned exiles reflecting on the reasons for their ancestors' failures and their current subdued state, understanding that it was a consequence of persistent disobedience and lack of repentance.

Nehemiah 9 35 Word analysis

• For they have not served you (wĕ-lo ʾavâdukhâ - וְלֹא עֲבָדוּךָ):

  • ʿâbad (עָבַד): This Hebrew verb means "to serve, work, worship." Here, it signifies a fundamental failure in covenant relationship, not merely inaction but active disregard and disloyalty. Israel failed to render proper worship and obedience due to God. This term highlights the core purpose of their existence as God's covenant people.
  • Significance: Despite being freed from slavery to serve God (Ex 4:23), they repeatedly served other gods and their own desires (Judg 2:11-13).

• in their kingdom (bə-malkûtâm - בְּמַלְכוּתָם):

  • malkut (מַלְכוּת): Kingdom, reign, dominion. Refers to the period when Israel was established as a nation with its own kings, first a united monarchy, then the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
  • Significance: Even when granted national autonomy and status, which were great blessings and signs of God's faithfulness to His promises (2 Sam 7), they squandered this period in rebellion. It emphasizes that political independence and national glory did not lead them to greater fidelity to God.

• and in your great goodness (û-və-ṭûḇḵā ha-gâḏôl - וּבְטוּבְךָ הַגָּדֹול):

  • tuv (טוּב): Goodness, kindness, prosperity, welfare, blessings. This refers to God's inherent benevolent character and the abundant provisions He bestowed upon them: peace, victories, resources, protection, and long-suffering.
  • Significance: The contrast is stark – God's immense and unwavering goodness was met with consistent ingratitude and unfaithfulness. It magnifies Israel's culpability by underscoring the richness of divine favor they enjoyed.

• that you gave them (ʾăšer nâṯatā lâhem - אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לָהֶם):

  • natan (נָתַן): To give, place, set. Emphasizes God's active, intentional, and sovereign bestowing of these blessings as direct gifts.
  • Significance: These blessings were not earned but freely given out of God's grace and covenant promise.

• and in the wide and rich land (û-vâ-ʾāretz hā-rĕḥâḇâ wə-haš-šəmenâ - וּבָאָרֶץ הָרְחָבָה וְהַשְּׁמֵנָה):

  • ʾeretz (אֶרֶץ): Land, earth.
  • rĕḥâḇâ (רְחָבָה): Wide, spacious. Signifies abundant territory, providing room for growth and prosperity.
  • šĕmenâ (שְׁמֵנָה): Rich, fertile, fat (as in fertile soil producing rich yields). Conveys abundance, a land flowing with milk and honey. This imagery is a direct fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham.
  • Polemics: This description subtly rebukes the surrounding pagan beliefs that attributed agricultural fertility and land prosperity to various gods like Baal. By stating God gave this rich land, the prayer underscores that Israel's abundance came solely from the God of Abraham, not false deities.
  • Significance: The land was the physical manifestation of God's faithfulness and covenant promise (Gen 12:7, Ex 3:8). Their rebellion within this blessed land highlights their deep ingratitude and spiritual blindness.

• that you set before them (ʾăšer nāṯattā lîfnêhem - אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לִפְנֵיהֶם):

  • natan (נָתַן): To set, place, provide.
  • lîfnêhem: Before them, in their presence.
  • Significance: Implies readily available access and abundant provision, presented clearly by God. It wasn't hidden or difficult to attain, but a manifest gift.

• and they did not turn from their wicked deeds (wə-lōʾ šāḇû mē-maʿăśêhem hā-rāʿîm - וְלֹא שָׁבוּ מֵמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים):

  • shuv (שׁוּב): To turn, return, repent. This is a crucial theological term in the Old Testament for repentance—a change of mind and direction leading to a return to God.
  • maʿăśêhem (מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם): Their deeds, works, actions.
  • raʿîm (רָעִים): Evil, wicked, bad. Refers to all their actions contrary to God's law and will, including idolatry, social injustice, and covenant breaking.
  • Significance: This is the culmination of their failure. Despite repeated warnings through prophets, various judgments, and constant reminders of God's grace, they maintained a persistent unwillingness to genuinely repent and forsake their sin. It emphasizes not just occasional lapses but a consistent pattern of rebellion and a hardened heart. Their external state (having a kingdom, good land) contrasted sharply with their internal spiritual state (unrepentant, wicked).

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "For they have not served you in their kingdom": This phrase highlights the paradox of a divinely granted privilege (national sovereignty) being used not for God's glory but for self-indulgence and disobedience. It speaks to a fundamental breach of the covenant obligation to serve their divine King.
  • "and in your great goodness that you gave them": This emphasizes the sheer volume and quality of divine blessings. God's continuous and extensive benevolence underscores the depths of Israel's ingratitude, making their rebellion inexcusable. It presents a profound theological contrast between divine grace and human unfaithfulness.
  • "and in the wide and rich land that you set before them": This clause focuses on the fulfillment of the land promise. God had given them the ultimate physical manifestation of His blessing, a fertile and spacious home. Their failure to serve Him within such a bounteous context demonstrates a profound lack of spiritual perception and thankfulness, directly linking their failure to the covenant's stipulations concerning the land.
  • "and they did not turn from their wicked deeds": This phrase is the critical climax, articulating the lack of genuine repentance. All the preceding blessings and privileges, even the consequences of their actions, failed to produce the essential turning (repentance) back to God. This refusal to shuv is the root cause of their ongoing spiritual problems and subsequent judgments.

Nehemiah 9 35 Bonus section

The structure of Nehemiah 9 as a historical review is a powerful pedagogical tool for the post-exilic community. By tracing the consistent pattern of God's faithfulness against Israel's chronic unfaithfulness and ingratitude, the prayer implicitly teaches the current generation the vital lesson that past judgment was just and that future blessings depend on genuine covenant fidelity and true repentance. Verse 35 specifically highlights the monarchy as a period of significant missed opportunity. While kings like David showed devotion, overall, the pattern of both united and divided kingdoms (particularly Israel to the north) was characterized by idolatry and injustice. The Levites’ prayer carefully avoids blaming external circumstances for their failures, firmly placing the responsibility on Israel’s hardened hearts and their deliberate choice not to serve God. The divine gift of malkut (kingdom) and the richness of the ʾaretz (land) intensified their culpability.

Nehemiah 9 35 Commentary

Nehemiah 9:35 serves as a poignant summary of Israel's historical relationship with God. It is a candid confession that despite being lavished with every conceivable blessing—a kingdom of their own, immeasurable divine goodness, and an abundant, promised land—they persistently refused to obey Him and, more critically, failed to repent from their wicked ways. This verse underlines the profound and shocking contrast between God's boundless grace and Israel's stubborn ingratitude. Their actions were not mere mistakes, but a consistent rejection of God's loving rule, manifested in a lack of true service and a refusal to turn from deeply ingrained evil patterns. This deep-seated unrepentance ultimately led to their judgments, including exile. The prayer here acknowledges this stark truth, leading to a humbled, repentant posture among the post-exilic community.

Practical application points include:

• Acknowledge God's Blessings: Reflect on the tangible ways God has blessed you (resources, opportunities, health, relationships).
• Examine Your Service: In light of His goodness, consider whether your life truly reflects serving God or self-gratification.
• Practice Repentance: Identify areas of unrepentance in your own life where you may be resisting God's call to turn from wicked deeds, however small, despite His kindness.