Nehemiah

Nehemiah 9:17–20

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.

¹⁸Even when they cast for themselves

an image of a calf and said,

‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’

and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

¹⁹You in Your great compassion

did not forsake them in the wilderness.

By day the pillar of cloud never turned away

from guiding them on their path;

and by the night the pillar of fire

illuminated the way they should go.

²⁰You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them.

You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths,

and You gave them water for their thirst.

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 9:17

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

Nehemiah 9:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	אַ֗ף	’ap̄	Conjunction	H637 also, yea
when	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they cast	עָשׂ֤וּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
for themselves	לָהֶם֙	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
an image	מַסֵּכָ֔ה	mas·sê·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4541 molten metal, or image
of a calf	עֵ֣גֶל	‘ê·ḡel	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5695 calf
and said	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
This	זֶ֣ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
is your God	אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
who	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
brought you up	הֶעֶלְךָ֖	he·‘el·ḵā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
out of Egypt	מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם	mim·miṣ·rā·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
and when they committed	וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ	way·ya·‘ă·śū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6213 do, make
terrible	גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃	gə·ḏō·lō·wṯ	Adjective - feminine plural	H1419 great
blasphemies	נֶאָצ֖וֹת	ne·’ā·ṣō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H5007 contempt, contumely

Nehemiah 9:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You	וְאַתָּה֙	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
in Your great	הָֽרַבִּ֔ים	hā·rab·bîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
compassion	בְּרַחֲמֶ֣יךָ	bə·ra·ḥă·me·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H7356 womb
did not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
forsake them	עֲזַבְתָּ֖ם	‘ă·zaḇ·tām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
in the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
By day	בְּיוֹמָם֙	bə·yō·w·mām	Preposition-b; Adverb	H3119 daytime, by day
the pillar	עַמּ֣וּד	‘am·mūḏ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5982 pillar, column
of cloud	הֶ֠עָנָן	he·‘ā·nān	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6051 cloud-mass, cloud
never	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
turned away	סָ֨ר	sār	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5493 turn aside
from guiding them	לְהַנְחֹתָ֣ם	lə·han·ḥō·ṯām	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H5148 lead, guide
on their path	בְּהַדֶּ֔רֶךְ	bə·had·de·reḵ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - common singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
and by the night	בְּלַ֙יְלָה֙	bə·lay·lāh	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
the pillar	עַמּ֨וּד	‘am·mūḏ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5982 pillar, column
of fire	הָאֵ֤שׁ	hā·’êš	Article; Noun - common singular	H784 fire
illuminated	לְהָאִ֣יר	lə·hā·’îr	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H215 be or become light
the way	הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ	had·de·reḵ	Article; Noun - common singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
they should go	יֵֽלְכוּ־	yê·lə·ḵū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk

Nehemiah 9:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You gave	נָתַ֖תָּ	nā·ṯa·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
Your good	הַטּוֹבָ֔ה	haṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
Spirit	וְרוּחֲךָ֨	wə·rū·ḥă·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct; second person masculine singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
to instruct them	לְהַשְׂכִּילָ֑ם	lə·haś·kî·lām	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H7919 be prudent
You did not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
withhold	מָנַ֣עְתָּ	mā·na‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H4513 withhold, hold back
Your manna	וּמַנְךָ֙	ū·man·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H4478 manna
from their mouths	מִפִּיהֶ֔ם	mip·pî·hem	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6310 mouth
and You gave	נָתַ֥תָּה	nā·ṯat·tāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
them	לָהֶ֖ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
water	וּמַ֛יִם	ū·ma·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
for their thirst	לִצְמָאָֽם׃	liṣ·mā·’ām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6772 thirst