The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:11 Explained

Nehemiah 9:11

KJV: And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

YLT: And the sea Thou hast cleaved before them, and they pass over into the midst of the sea on the dry land, and their pursuers Thou hast cast into the depths, as a stone, into the strong waters.

Darby: And thou didst divide the sea before them, and they went through the midst of the sea on dry ground; and their pursuers thou threwest into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

ASV: And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers thou didst cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou didst divide  the sea  before  them, so that they went through  the midst  of the sea  on the dry land;  and their persecutors  thou threwest  into the deeps,  as a stone  into the mighty  waters. 

What does Nehemiah 9:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 9:1-21 - God's Hand In History
What a blessed result of the Bible-study of the previous chapter. It led to confession, separation from evil association and worship. It is good to review the dealings of God with us and with our people in bygone days. There are hilltops in our experience where the air is clear, and we can see the way by which we have been led. At such times we look beyond second causes to the great Orderer of our lives, and our history is one perpetual assertion of THOU. The history of God's dealings with Israel is an epitome of His dealings with ourselves. The choice in Ur, the redemption from Egypt, the wilderness wanderings, the land of rest-all these have their counterparts in our life-story. Side by side with the story of God's care runs the story of transgression, Nehemiah 9:16-18. The gold and black strands are closely interwoven. In the midst of God's best gifts, we break out into sin; yet He still gives us His good spirit, and withholds not the manna which He promised, Nehemiah 9:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 9

1  A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4  The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 9:11 mean?

And the sea You divided before them so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land and their persecutors You threw into the deep as a stone into the waters mighty
וְהַיָּם֙ בָּקַ֣עְתָּ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעַבְר֥וּ בְתוֹךְ־ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְֽאֶת־ רֹ֨דְפֵיהֶ֜ם הִשְׁלַ֧כְתָּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֛ת כְּמוֹ־ אֶ֖בֶן בְּמַ֥יִם עַזִּֽים

וְהַיָּם֙  And  the  sea 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
בָּקַ֣עְתָּ  You  divided 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּקַע  
Sense: to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear.
לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם  before  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וַיַּֽעַבְר֥וּ  so  that  they  went  through 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
בְתוֹךְ־  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַיָּ֖ם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה  on  the  dry  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַבָּשָׁה  
Sense: dry land, dry ground.
רֹ֨דְפֵיהֶ֜ם  their  persecutors 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
הִשְׁלַ֧כְתָּ  You  threw 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַךְ  
Sense: to throw, cast, hurl, fling.
בִמְצוֹלֹ֛ת  into  the  deep 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מְצֹולָה 
Sense: depth, the deep, the deep sea.
אֶ֖בֶן  a  stone 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
בְּמַ֥יִם  into  the  waters 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
עַזִּֽים  mighty 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עַז 
Sense: strong, mighty, fierce.