Nehemiah 9 37

Nehemiah 9:37 kjv

And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

Nehemiah 9:37 nkjv

And it yields much increase to the kings You have set over us, Because of our sins; Also they have dominion over our bodies and our cattle At their pleasure; And we are in great distress.

Nehemiah 9:37 niv

Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.

Nehemiah 9:37 esv

And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.

Nehemiah 9:37 nlt

The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our livestock. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery."

Nehemiah 9 verses

Nehemiah 9 37 Meaning

Nehemiah 9:37 vividly portrays the deep subjugation and hardship faced by the returning Israelites under foreign rule, despite being back in their ancestral land. It laments that the very produce of their land, intended for their sustenance and blessing, now serves to enrich foreign kings appointed over them by God, a direct consequence of their persistent sins. The verse highlights their complete lack of autonomy, as their bodies and livestock are subject to the arbitrary control and pleasure of these foreign rulers, leading to profound and pervasive distress.

Nehemiah 9 37 Context

Nehemiah 9 is a profound prayer of confession, remembrance, and lament offered by the Levites during the Feast of Booths, following the public reading of the Law and the people's repentance (Neh 8). The chapter meticulously recounts Israel's history, starting from creation, highlighting God's steadfast faithfulness to His covenant promises and Israel's repeated and continuous rebellion, idolatry, and disobedience. They acknowledge God's election of Abraham, deliverance from Egypt, provision in the wilderness, giving of the Law, and their subsequent cycles of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance. Verses 32-36 specifically build to the climax of their lament by acknowledging their unfaithfulness and God's just punishments, culminating in their current state of servitude. Verse 37, therefore, describes the grim reality of their present condition in the land, a stark reminder that even after returning from exile, they remained subject to foreign powers and suffered significantly as a direct consequence of their inherited and ongoing sin. It serves as the deep cry of a people who have received grace to return but are still paying the consequences of past covenant breaking.

Nehemiah 9 37 Word analysis

• And it yields much increase (וְהִיא מַרְבָּה תְבוּאָה - vehi marbah tevuah):

  • וְהִיא (vehi): "And it," referring to "Your good land" mentioned in the previous verse (9:36).
  • מַרְבָּה (marbah): "yields much," "produces abundantly." This signifies fertility and productivity.
  • תְבוּאָה (tevuah): "produce," "increase," "harvest." This is the fruit of their labor from the land.
  • Significance: This phrase contrasts with God's original promises of the land yielding its bounty for His people (Deut 28:11). Here, the bounty is extracted, highlighting a reversal of blessings into a burden, a fulfillment of the curses for disobedience (Deut 28:33, 51). The land's productivity is a source of foreign strength, not their own.

• to the kings:

  • Refers to the Persian emperors (e.g., Artaxerxes I), who exercised political and economic control over the Judean province.
  • Significance: Even though they had returned to the land, they lacked sovereignty. This speaks to a continued state of bondage.

• Whom You have set over us (אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עָלֵינוּ - asher natatta aleinu):

  • אֲשֶׁר (asher): "Whom."
  • נָתַתָּ (natatta): "You have given," "You have set." A strong affirmation of divine sovereignty.
  • עָלֵינוּ (aleinu): "over us."
  • Significance: This is a crucial theological statement. It asserts that even the oppressive rule of foreign kings is part of God's sovereign plan and judgment. It shows the confessor's deep understanding that God is still in control, even of their adverse circumstances (Jer 25:9). This implies that their situation is not arbitrary, but a righteous consequence orchestrated by God Himself.

• Because of our sins (בְּחַטֹּאותֵינוּ - bechat'oteinu):

  • בְּחַטֹּאותֵינוּ (bechat'oteinu): "because of our sins," "for our transgressions."
  • Significance: This is the direct and explicit reason for their suffering, as confessed by the people. It acknowledges their corporate and historical guilt, validating God's justice in their discipline. This self-implication removes any blame from God and places it squarely on Israel, aligning with the Mosaic covenant's conditional blessings and curses (Lev 26, Deut 28).

• Also they have dominion (וְעֹבֶדִים הֵמָּה - ve'ov'dim hemah):

  • וְעֹבֶדִים (ve'ov'dim): "and they exercise dominion," "and they are masters," "they dominate." From the root meaning "to serve" or "to labor," here in the causative sense of making others serve.
  • הֵמָּה (hemah): "they."
  • Significance: Indicates oppressive control and forced labor.

• over our bodies (בְּגְוִיּוֹתֵינוּ - beg'viyyoteinu):

  • בְּגְוִיּוֹתֵינוּ (beg'viyyoteinu): "over our bodies," "over our persons."
  • Significance: Refers to physical subjugation, implying forced service, military conscription, or impressment. It signifies a complete lack of personal liberty, where their very being is subject to foreign decree. This goes beyond just economic exploitation to personal slavery.

• and our livestock (וּבְבֶהֶמְתֵּנוּ - uv'vêhemtênu):

  • וּבְבֶהֶמְתֵּנוּ (uv'vêhemtênu): "and over our livestock."
  • Significance: Livestock represented significant wealth and the means of livelihood for an agrarian society. Their dominion over livestock implies confiscation, arbitrary taxation, or requirements for animals for their own uses, leading to economic deprivation and vulnerability. It means the rulers control their most essential assets.

• At their pleasure (וְכִרְצוֹנָם - v'khir'tzonam):

  • וְכִרְצוֹנָם (v'khir'tzonam): "and according to their will," "at their desire," "as they please."
  • Significance: Highlights the arbitrary and unrestrained power of the foreign rulers. There is no appeal, no legal recourse, no justice against their dictates. It underlines the helplessness and vulnerability of the Judeans, contrasting with God's just and covenantal rule.

• And we are in great distress (וְצָרָה גְדֹלָה לָנוּ - v'tsarah gedolah lanu):

  • וְצָרָה (v'tsarah): "And distress," "trouble," "affliction," "anguish."
  • גְדֹלָה (gedolah): "great," "severe."
  • לָנוּ (lanu): "to us," "upon us."
  • Significance: This phrase summarizes the collective feeling of the people, encapsulating all the prior descriptions of their hardship. It denotes not just physical difficulty but also emotional, psychological, and spiritual anguish. It's a deep cry for mercy arising from profound suffering (Psa 44:9-12; Lam 1:3-5).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And it yields much increase to the kings Whom You have set over us Because of our sins": This phrase links the land's produce (economic reality) directly to foreign rule (political reality) and crucially attributes this rule to God's sovereignty as a consequence of their historical and present sin (theological reality). It demonstrates a clear understanding of cause and effect in God's covenant dealings with Israel. The abundance meant for Israel now feeds their oppressors.
  • "Also they have dominion over our bodies and our livestock At their pleasure": This powerfully describes the extent of their subjugation. It highlights a total lack of autonomy, affecting every aspect of life from personal freedom (bodies) to economic sustenance (livestock). The phrase "at their pleasure" underscores the arbitrary, unchecked power of the foreign rulers, revealing the depth of Israel's vulnerability and oppression.
  • "And we are in great distress": This serves as the emotional and summary conclusion. It conveys the culmination of all the factors mentioned prior: economic burden, political servitude, personal oppression, and arbitrary rule. It's the desperate cry of a nation facing deep and persistent hardship, longing for relief.

Nehemiah 9 37 Bonus section

• The suffering depicted in this verse is not merely a consequence of external political dynamics but is viewed primarily through a theological lens as divine discipline. This prayer aligns suffering with God's justice and His covenant curses found in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26, confirming the consistency of God's word throughout history.
• Even in this state of distress and servitude, the acknowledgement of God's sovereignty over the "kings whom You have set over us" carries a subtle undercurrent of hope. If God installed them, He can also remove them, or bring about deliverance in His own timing, mirroring previous deliverances in Israel's history when God used nations for judgment and then saved His people from them.
• This verse represents a vital turning point in the prayer of Nehemiah 9. While the preceding verses recall God's historical faithfulness and Israel's past rebellions, this verse firmly grounds the lament in the present reality of suffering, directly connecting past disobedience with current hardship. It sets the stage for the covenant renewal in Nehemiah 10, underscoring the necessity of true repentance and a commitment to obey for future blessing.

Nehemiah 9 37 Commentary

Nehemiah 9:37 is the lament's climactic expression of a paradox: the Israelites are back in the Promised Land, yet they remain deeply subjugated. The "great increase" from their land, meant as a covenant blessing, instead benefits the Persian kings, highlighting their economic bondage. Crucially, the Levites declare that these oppressive rulers were "whom You have set over us," revealing a profound theological insight: God remains sovereign even over the instruments of His judgment. This confession underscores that their dire situation is not arbitrary, but a just consequence of their ancestors' persistent "sins" and their own failure to maintain covenant fidelity. Their complete lack of control "over our bodies and our livestock, at their pleasure" speaks to total political, personal, and economic enslavement. The final phrase, "and we are in great distress," succinctly captures their anguish, an authentic cry to God born from prolonged suffering. This verse is a powerful lesson on the lasting consequences of corporate sin and God's consistent discipline, while also serving as a desperate appeal for divine mercy within the framework of His absolute sovereignty.Examples: A people praying for freedom must first acknowledge the ways their own disobedience has led to their current predicament, taking responsibility for the chains they wear, much like one might confess chronic illness is a result of lifestyle choices.