The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:28 Explained

Nehemiah 9:28

KJV: But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

YLT: 'And when they have rest, they turn back to do evil before Thee, and Thou dost leave them in the hand of their enemies, and they rule over them; and they turn back, and call Thee, and Thou from the heavens dost hear, and dost deliver them, according to Thy mercies, many times,

Darby: But when they had rest, they did evil again before thee; and thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, and they had dominion over them; and again they cried unto thee, and thou heardest them from the heavens, and many times didst thou deliver them, according to thy mercies.

ASV: But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But after they had rest,  they did  evil  again  before  thee: therefore leftest  thou them in the hand  of their enemies,  so that they had the dominion  over them: yet when they returned,  and cried  unto thee, thou heardest  [them] from heaven;  and many  times  didst thou deliver  them according to thy mercies; 

What does Nehemiah 9:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 9:22-38 - The Penalty Of Ingratitude And Disobedience
The theme of this prayer is the covenant mercy of God. However great the provocation of the Chosen People, He never swerved from His ancient promise to their fathers. He testified against them by His Spirit and chastened them for their sins. He allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies and carried into captivity. But when they returned and cried for His help they found His manifold mercies waiting to welcome, forgive, and restore them. They were conscious that there was nothing in themselves or even in their fathers to explain these wonderful dealings, and the secret had ever to be found in His great mercies. In this hour of distress, they turned back to Him and bound themselves by a faithful covenant. But, alas, even written promises will not hold the wayward heart of man. What a picture this is of our own lives, and how often have all these experiences been repeated in us! Fortunately for us we are represented now, not by our promises and prayers, but by Jesus Christ, in whom we stand and are accepted and kept. [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 9:28 mean?

But after had rest they again they did evil before You therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies so that they had dominion over them and yet when they returned and cried out to You and You from heaven heard and You delivered them according to Your mercies many times
וּכְנ֣וֹחַ לָהֶ֔ם יָשׁ֕וּבוּ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רַ֖ע לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַתַּֽעַזְבֵ֞ם בְּיַ֤ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶם֙ וַיִּרְדּ֣וּ בָהֶ֔ם וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ וַיִּזְעָק֔וּךָ וְאַתָּ֞ה מִשָּׁמַ֧יִם תִּשְׁמַ֛ע וְתַצִּילֵ֥ם כְּֽרַחֲמֶ֖יךָ רַבּ֥וֹת עִתִּֽים

וּכְנ֣וֹחַ  But  after  had  rest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
יָשׁ֕וּבוּ  again 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת  they  did 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
רַ֖ע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
לְפָנֶ֑יךָ  before  You 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וַתַּֽעַזְבֵ֞ם  therefore  You  left  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
בְּיַ֤ד  in  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אֹֽיְבֵיהֶם֙  of  their  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
וַיִּרְדּ֣וּ  so  that  they  had  dominion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָדָה 
Sense: to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down.
בָהֶ֔ם  over  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙  and  yet  when  they  returned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וַיִּזְעָק֔וּךָ  and  cried  out  to  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, second person masculine singular
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
וְאַתָּ֞ה  and  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
מִשָּׁמַ֧יִם  from  heaven 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
תִּשְׁמַ֛ע  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וְתַצִּילֵ֥ם  and  You  delivered  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
כְּֽרַחֲמֶ֖יךָ  according  to  Your  mercies 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רַחַם 
Sense: womb.
רַבּ֥וֹת  many 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
עִתִּֽים  times 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.