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Nehemiah 9:32

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Nehemiah 9:32 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and lovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that hath come 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 time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and lovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that hath come 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 time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
Nehemiah 9:32 — American Standard Version

Context — Nehemiah 9

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
29and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law. Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thine ordinances, (which if a man do, he shall live in them,) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
30Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
31Nevertheless in thy manifold mercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and lovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that hath come 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 time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
33Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly;
34neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify against them.
35For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
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What do historical commentaries say?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Now therefore, our God . . . who keepest covenant and mercy--God's fidelity to His covenant is prominently acknowledged, and well it might; for their whole national history bore testimony to it. But as this could afford them little ground of comfort or of hope while they were so painfully conscious of having violated it, they were driven to seek refuge in the riches of divine grace; and hence the peculiar style of invocation here adopted: "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy."”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Mercy - He adds mercy, because the covenant in itself was not a sufficient ground of hope, because they had so basely broken it. God was discharged from keeping it, and therefore they fly to God's free and rich mercy for relief. Nehemiah 9:33”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“9:32-37 And now: The prayer moves to the current situation, petitioning the great . . . God—who has unfailing love—for continued love and mercy to his people in their present difficult situation (9:32). The leaders recognized God’s justice in punishing them for their sins (9:33-35), and they lamented their enslavement under the Persians (9:36-37).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“our God: Neh 1:5; Deu 7:21; Psa 47:2, Psa 66:3, Psa 66:5 keepest: Deu 7:9; Kg1 8:23; Dan 9:4; Mic 7:18-20 trouble: Heb. weariness little before thee: Lev 26:18, Lev 26:21, Lev 26:24, Lev 26:28; Ezr 9:13 come upon us: Heb. found us on our kings: Kg2 23:29, Kg2 23:33, Kg2 23:34, Kg2 25:7, Kg2 25:18-21, Kg2 25:25, Kg2 25:26; 2Chr. 36:1-23; Jer 8:1-3; Jer 22:18, Jer 22:19, Jer 34:19-22, 39:1-18, 52:1-34; Dan 9:6, Dan 9:8 since the time: Kg2 15:19, Kg2 15:29, Kg2 17:3; Isa 7:17, Isa 7:18, Isa 8:7, Isa 8:8, Isa 10:5-7, 36:1-37:38 Nehemiah 9:33”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“May then, God, who keepeth covenant and mercy, now also look upon the affliction of His people, though kings, rulers, priests, and people have fully deserved this punishment; for they are now bondmen, and in great affliction, in the land of their fathers. Neh 9:32 "And now, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble that hath come upon us, on our kings, our princes our priests, our prophets, and our fathers, and on all Thy people, since the times of the kings of Assyria unto this day, seem little to Thee. Neh 9:33 Thou art just in all that is come upon us; for Thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly. Neh 9:34 And our…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification