The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:31 Explained

Nehemiah 9:31

KJV: Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

YLT: and in Thine abundant mercies Thou hast not made them a consumption, nor hast forsaken them; for a God, gracious and merciful, art Thou.

Darby: Nevertheless for thy manifold mercies' sake, thou didst not make a full end of them nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

ASV: Nevertheless in thy manifold mercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Nevertheless for thy great  mercies'  sake thou didst  not utterly consume  them, nor forsake  them; for thou [art] a gracious  and merciful  God. 

What does Nehemiah 9:31 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 9:31 mean?

And nevertheless in Your mercy great not You did consume them utterly nor forsake them for God Gracious and merciful You [are]
וּֽבְרַחֲמֶ֧יךָ הָרַבִּ֛ים לֹֽא־ עֲשִׂיתָ֥ם כָּלָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א עֲזַבְתָּ֑ם כִּ֛י אֵֽל־ חַנּ֥וּן וְרַח֖וּם אָֽתָּה

וּֽבְרַחֲמֶ֧יךָ  And  nevertheless  in  Your  mercy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רַחַם 
Sense: womb.
הָרַבִּ֛ים  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
עֲשִׂיתָ֥ם  You  did  consume  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כָּלָ֖ה  utterly 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עֲזַבְתָּ֑ם  forsake  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
אֵֽל־  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
חַנּ֥וּן  Gracious 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חַנּוּן  
Sense: gracious.
וְרַח֖וּם  and  merciful 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַחוּם  
Sense: compassionate.
אָֽתָּה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.