Nehemiah

Nehemiah 9:13–17

¹³You came down on Mount Sinai

and spoke with them from heaven.

You gave them just ordinances, true laws,

and good statutes and commandments.

¹⁴You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath

and gave them commandments and statutes and laws

through Your servant Moses.

¹⁵In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven;

in their thirst You brought them water from the rock.

You told them to go in and possess the land

that You had sworn to give them.

¹⁶But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked

and did not obey Your commandments.

¹⁷They refused to listen and failed to remember

the wonders You performed among them.

They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader

to return them to their bondage in Egypt.^b

But You are a forgiving God,

gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in loving devotion,

and You did not forsake them.

Footnotes

b 9:17 LXX and a few Hebrew manuscripts; MT to return them to their bondage in their rebellion

Read all of Nehemiah 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Nehemiah 9:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You came down	יָרַ֔דְתָּ	yā·raḏ·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
on	וְעַ֤ל	wə·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
Mount	הַר־	har-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
Sinai	סִינַי֙	sî·nay	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H5514 Sinai
and spoke	וְדַבֵּ֥ר	wə·ḏab·bêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1696 speak
with them	עִמָּהֶ֖ם	‘im·mā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5973 with
from heaven	מִשָּׁמָ֑יִם	miš·šā·mā·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
You gave	וַתִּתֵּ֨ן	wat·tit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
them	לָהֶ֜ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
just	יְשָׁרִים֙	yə·šā·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H3477 straight, right
ordinances	מִשְׁפָּטִ֤ים	miš·pā·ṭîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4941 judgment
true	אֱמֶ֔ת	’ĕ·meṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
laws	וְתוֹר֣וֹת	wə·ṯō·w·rō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct	H8451 direction, instruction, law
and good	טוֹבִֽים׃	ṭō·w·ḇîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
statutes	חֻקִּ֥ים	ḥuq·qîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
and commandments	וּמִצְוֺ֖ת	ū·miṣ·wōṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct	H4687 commandment

Nehemiah 9:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You revealed	הוֹדַ֣עַתָ	hō·ḏa·ʿa·ṯå̄	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know
to them	לָהֶ֑ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
Your holy	קָדְשְׁךָ֖	qāḏ·šə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
Sabbath	שַׁבַּ֥ת	šab·baṯ	Noun - common singular construct	H7676 Sabbath
and gave	צִוִּ֣יתָ	ṣiw·wî·ṯā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
them	לָהֶ֔ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
commandments	וּמִצְו֤וֹת	ū·miṣ·wō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural	H4687 commandment
and statutes	וְחֻקִּים֙	wə·ḥuq·qîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
and laws	וְתוֹרָ֔ה	wə·ṯō·w·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8451 direction, instruction, law
through	בְּיַ֖ד	bə·yaḏ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
Your servant	עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃	‘aḇ·de·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֥ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses

Nehemiah 9:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In their hunger	לִרְעָבָ֔ם	lir·‘ā·ḇām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H7458 famine, hunger
You gave	נָתַ֤תָּה	nā·ṯat·tāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
them	לָהֶם֙	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
bread	וְ֠לֶחֶם	wə·le·ḥem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
from heaven	מִשָּׁמַ֜יִם	miš·šā·ma·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
in their thirst	לִצְמָאָ֑ם	liṣ·mā·’ām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6772 thirst
You brought	הוֹצֵ֥אתָ	hō·w·ṣê·ṯā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
them	לָהֶ֖ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
water	וּמַ֗יִם	ū·ma·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
from the rock	מִסֶּ֛לַע	mis·se·la‘	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H5553 crag, cliff
You told	וַתֹּ֣אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
them	לָהֶ֗ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
to go in	לָבוֹא֙	lā·ḇō·w	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and possess	לָרֶ֣שֶׁת	lā·re·šeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
the land	הָאָ֔רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
that	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
You had sworn	נָשָׂ֥אתָ	nā·śā·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
to give	לָתֵ֥ת	lā·ṯêṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
them	לָהֶֽם׃	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural

Nehemiah 9:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But they	וְהֵ֥ם	wə·hêm	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
and our fathers	וַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ	wa·’ă·ḇō·ṯê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H1 father
became arrogant	הֵזִ֑ידוּ	hê·zî·ḏū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H2102 be presumptuous
and stiff-necked	וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙	way·yaq·šū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7185 be hard, severe, fierce
and did not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
obey	שָׁמְע֖וּ	šā·mə·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8085 hear
Your commandments	מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	miṣ·wō·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H4687 commandment

Nehemiah 9:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They refused	וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ	way·mā·’ă·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3985 refuse
to listen	לִשְׁמֹ֗עַ	liš·mō·a‘	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
and failed	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to remember	זָכְר֤וּ	zā·ḵə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2142 remember
the wonders	נִפְלְאֹתֶ֙יךָ֙	nip̄·lə·’ō·ṯe·ḵā	Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6381 be surpassing, extraordinary
You performed	עָשִׂ֣יתָ	‘ā·śî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
among them	עִמָּהֶ֔ם	‘im·mā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5973 with
They stiffened	וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙	way·yaq·šū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7185 be hard, severe, fierce
their necks	עָרְפָּ֔ם	‘ā·rə·pām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6203 back of neck, neck
and appointed	וַיִּתְּנוּ־	way·yit·tə·nū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5414 give, put, set
a leader	רֹ֛אשׁ	rōš	Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
to return them	לָשׁ֥וּב	lā·šūḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7725 turn back, return
to their bondage	לְעַבְדֻתָ֖ם	lə·‘aḇ·ḏu·ṯām	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5659 servitude, bondage
But You	וְאַתָּה֩	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are a forgiving	סְלִיח֜וֹת	sə·lî·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H5547 forgiveness
God	אֱל֨וֹהַּ	’ĕ·lō·w·ah	Noun - masculine singular construct	H433 god, God
gracious	חַנּ֧וּן	ḥan·nūn	Adjective - masculine singular	H2587 gracious
and compassionate	וְרַח֛וּם	wə·ra·ḥūm	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H7349 compassionate
slow	אֶֽרֶךְ־	’e·reḵ-	Adjective - masculine singular construct	H750 long
to anger	אַפַּ֥יִם	’ap·pa·yim	Noun - md	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
and rich	וְרַב־	wə·raḇ-	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular construct	H7227 much, many, great
in loving devotion	וְחֶסֶד	wə·ḥɛ·sɛḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
and You did not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
forsake them	עֲזַבְתָּֽם׃	‘ă·zaḇ·tām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5800 leave, forsake, loose