Nehemiah 9:32

32 "O God, our God, how great you are! ¹ How terrifying, how powerful! You faithfully keep your covenant promises. From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us, even till now, how much we have suffered! Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors, and all our people have suffered. Remember how much we have suffered!

Nehemiah 9:32 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:32

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the
terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy
The same titles Nehemiah gives to the Lord, ( Nehemiah 1:5 ) and it may be reasonably thought the whole prayer is his composure, which was delivered by him to the Levites:

let not all the trouble seem little before thee;
as if it was not enough; let it be judged sufficient, and no more be added, but mercy shown; Aben Ezra thinks the word "little" is not to be connected with "trouble", but with the nearest antecedent "mercy", and so Gussetius {z}; as if the sense was, let not thy mercy be small with thee, but let it be largely extended along with all the trouble, or at the time when trouble of every kind

comes upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on
our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the
times of the kings of Assyria unto this day;
but this sense is not clear, and makes it have respect to times to come; whereas it relates to time past, and to all the trouble and affliction they had met with from the Assyrian kings, from the time they invaded their land, and carried them captive, until this very time.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Ebr. Comment. p. 937.

Nehemiah 9:32 In-Context

30 Year after year you patiently warned them. You inspired your prophets to speak, but your people were deaf, so you let them be conquered by other nations.

31 And yet, because your mercy is great, you did not forsake or destroy them. You are a gracious and merciful God!

32 "O God, our God, how great you are! How terrifying, how powerful! You faithfully keep your covenant promises. From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us, even till now, how much we have suffered! Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors, and all our people have suffered. Remember how much we have suffered!

33 You have done right to punish us; you have been faithful, even though we have sinned.

34 Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priests have not kept your Law. They did not listen to your commands and warnings.

Cross References

• 1. 9.32 2 K 15.19, 29; 17.3-6;Ezra 4.2, 10.