The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:30 Explained

Nehemiah 9:30

KJV: Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

YLT: 'And Thou drawest over them many years, and testifiest against them by Thy Spirit, by the hand of Thy prophets, and they have not given ear, and Thou dost give them into the hand of peoples of the lands,

Darby: And many years didst thou forbear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets; but they would not give ear: and thou gavest them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

ASV: Yet 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yet many  years  didst thou forbear  them, and testifiedst  against them by thy spirit  in  thy prophets:  yet would they not give ear:  therefore gavest  thou them into the hand  of the people  of the lands. 

What does Nehemiah 9:30 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 9:30 mean?

And yet You had patience with them for years many and testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets and yet not they would listen therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands
וַתִּמְשֹׁ֤ךְ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ שָׁנִ֣ים רַבּ֔וֹת וַתָּ֨עַד בָּ֧ם בְּרוּחֲךָ֛ בְּיַד־ נְבִיאֶ֖יךָ וְלֹ֣א הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ וַֽתִּתְּנֵ֔ם בְּיַ֖ד עַמֵּ֥י הָאֲרָצֹֽת

וַתִּמְשֹׁ֤ךְ  And  yet  You  had  patience 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מָשַׁךְ  
Sense: to draw, drag, seize.
עֲלֵיהֶם֙  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שָׁנִ֣ים  for  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
רַבּ֔וֹת  many 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וַתָּ֨עַד  and  testified 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עוּד 
Sense: to return, repeat, go about, do again.
בָּ֧ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בְּרוּחֲךָ֛  by  Your  Spirit 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
נְבִיאֶ֖יךָ  Your  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
וְלֹ֣א  and  yet  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ  they  would  listen 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָזַן  
Sense: to hear, listen.
וַֽתִּתְּנֵ֔ם  therefore  You  gave  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּיַ֖ד  into  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עַמֵּ֥י  of  the  peoples  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאֲרָצֹֽת  the  lands 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.