Nehemiah 9:19

19 Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the waste land: the pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go.

Nehemiah 9:19 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:19

Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the
wilderness
Where no supply could be had, if he had cast them off, see ( Nehemiah 9:17 ) ,

the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in
the way;
which, if it had, they would have been scorched by the heat of the sun:

neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way
wherein they should go;
or otherwise they would have lost their way, and not have known which way to have gone.

Nehemiah 9:19 In-Context

17 And would not do them, and gave no thought to the wonders you had done among them; but made their necks stiff, and turning away from you, made a captain over themselves to take them back to their prison in Egypt: but you are a God of forgiveness, full of grace and pity, slow to wrath and great in mercy, and you did not give them up.

18 Even when they had made for themselves an ox of metal, and said, This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry;

19 Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the waste land: the pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go.

20 And you gave your good spirit to be their teacher, and did not keep back your manna from their mouths, and gave them water when they had need of it.

21 Truly, for forty years you were their support in the waste land, and they were in need of nothing; their clothing did not get old or their feet become tired.