Nehemiah 9:32-37

32 So now, our God-the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant- do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us, our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the Assyrian kings until today.

33 You are righteous concerning all that has come on us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

34 Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings You gave them.

35 When they were in their kingdom, with Your abundant goodness You gave them, and in the spacious and fertile land You set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

36 Here we are today, slaves in the land You gave our ancestors so that they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness. Here we are-slaves in it!

37 Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us, because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

Nehemiah 9:32-37 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 9

In this chapter we have an account of a fast kept by the Jews, which was observed, as by outward acts of humiliation, so by confession of sin, reading the law, and worshipping the Lord, Ne 9:1-3 and of a long prayer that the Levites made, in which they celebrate the divine perfections, take notice of various instances of the goodness of God to the people of Israel, acknowledge their manifold transgressions, observe the Lord's correction of them for them, in which they own he was righteous, Ne 9:4-38.