Nehemiah 9:25

25 They captured fortified cities and productive land, and took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things: Excavated cisterns, vineyards, olive orchards, and a great many fruit trees. They ate until they were satisfied and grew fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

Nehemiah 9:25 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:25

And they took strong cities
Such as, in an hyperbolical way, are said to be walled up to heaven, ( Deuteronomy 1:28 )

and a fat land;
of a good and fruitful soil, abounding with all good things, ( Deuteronomy 8:7 Deuteronomy 8:8 )

and possessed houses full of all goods;
ready built and furnished for them, both with good provisions and good furniture:

wells digged;
to supply them with water:

vineyards, and olive yards, and fruit trees in abundance;
which they planted not:

and they did eat, and were filled, and became fat;
in body, though in mind became wanton and wicked; they made their hearts fat, or stupid, as Aben Ezra interprets it, see ( Deuteronomy 32:15 ) ( Isaiah 6:10 )

and delighted themselves in thy great goodness;
not in praising the Lord for it, and using it to his honour and glory, but indulged themselves to luxury and intemperance; though it may be understood of a lawful pleasure in the enjoyment of the great affluence they were brought into, which last agrees with what follows.

Nehemiah 9:25 In-Context

23 You multiplied their descendants as the stars of heaven. You brought them into the land that you had told their ancestors to enter and possess.

24 So the descendants went in and possessed the land. Before them, you subdued the Canaanites who inhabited the land. You also handed over to them their kings and the neighboring peoples, to do with as they wished.

25 They captured fortified cities and productive land, and took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things: Excavated cisterns, vineyards, olive orchards, and a great many fruit trees. They ate until they were satisfied and grew fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

26 But they were disobedient, rebelled against you, and turned their back on your Instruction. They killed your prophets who had warned them so that they might return to you. They held you in great contempt.

27 Therefore, you handed them over to the power of their enemies who made them suffer. But when they cried out to you in their suffering, you heard them from heaven. Because you are merciful, you gave them saviors who saved them from the power of their enemies.