Christian Standard Bible
Nehemiah 9:19
19you did not abandon them in the wilderness because of your great compassion. During the day the pillar of cloud never turned away from them, guiding them on their journey. And during the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.
Nehemiah 9:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
- New International Version (NIV)“Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.
- English Standard Version (ESV)you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go.
Context of Nehemiah 9:19
17They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, and you did not abandon them. 18Even after they had cast an image of a calf for themselves and said, “This is your god who brought you out of Egypt,” and they had committed terrible blasphemies, you did not abandon them in the wilderness because of your great compassion. During the day the pillar of cloud never turned away from them, guiding them on their journey. And during the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go. 20You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. 21You provided for them in the wilderness forty years, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.
Read all of Nehemiah 9Nehemiah 9:19 word by word
וְאַתָּה֙ בְּרַחֲמֶ֣יךָ הָֽרַבִּ֔ים לֹ֥א עֲזַבְתָּ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר אֶת־עַמּ֣וּד הֶ֠עָנָן לֹא־סָ֨ר מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֤ם בְּיוֹמָם֙ לְהַנְחֹתָ֣ם בְּהַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְאֶת־עַמּ֨וּד הָאֵ֤שׁ בְּלַ֙יְלָה֙ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֔ם וְאֶת־הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֵֽלְכוּ־בָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yet thou in thy manifoldרַבrab · manyH7227
- merciesרַחֲמִיםracham · compassionH7356
- forsookestעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- them not in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- the pillarעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982
- of the cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
- departedסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: departH5493
- not from them by dayיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
- to leadנָחָהnâchâh · to leadH5148
- them in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- of fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- to shew them lightאוֹר'ôr · to lightH215
- wherein they should goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
Cross-references for Nehemiah 9:19
- Nehemiah 9:27So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. In their time of distress, they cried out to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the power of their enemies.
- 1 Samuel 12:22The Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people.
- Psalms 106:7Our ancestors in Egypt did not grasp the significance of your wondrous works or remember your many acts of faithful love; instead, they rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea.
- Isaiah 44:21Remember these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you, you are my servant; Israel, you will never be forgotten by me.
- Lamentations 3:22Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end.
- Ezekiel 20:14But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
- Daniel 9:9Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him
- Malachi 3:6“Because I, the Lord, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
- Nehemiah 9:12You led them with a pillar of cloud by day, and with a pillar of fire by night, to illuminate the way they should go.
- Exodus 13:21The Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night.
- Exodus 40:38For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.
- Numbers 9:15On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning.
- Numbers 14:14They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, Lord, are among these people, how you, Lord, are seen face to face, how your cloud stands over them, and how you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
- Isaiah 4:5Then the Lord will create a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night over the entire site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies. For there will be a canopy over all the glory,
- 1 Corinthians 10:1Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
Commentaries on Nehemiah 9:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19The pillar of the cloud departed not from them - מעליהם mealeyhem, "from over them." I have already had occasion to observe that this miraculous cloud, the symbol of the Divine presence, assumed three different positions while accompanying the Israelitish camp: As a cloud in the form of a pillar, it went before them when they journey, to point out their way in the wilderness. As a pillar of fire, it continued with them during the night, to give them…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-38Verses 4-38 The summary of their prayers we have here upon record. Much more, no doubt, was said. Whatever ability we have to do any thing in the way of duty, we are to serve and glorify God according to the utmost of it. When confessing our sins, it is good to notice the mercies of God, that we may be the more humbled and ashamed. The dealings of the Lord showed his goodness and long-suffering, and the hardness of their hearts. The testimony of the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-21This prayer reminded the people of God's miraculous guidance of Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21–22), his personal appearance at Mount Sinai to reveal his covenant laws through Moses (see Exodus 19–20), and his faithfulness in providing bread and water (see Exodus 16:4; 17:1–6). Despite all of that, Israel's ancestors were proud and stubborn and refused to obey (see Exodus 32; Numbers 14:4). Yet in his grace, God remained faithful and compassionate…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-386-38. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone, &c.--In this solemn and impressive prayer, in which they make public confession of their sins, and deprecate the judgments due to the transgressions of their fathers, they begin with a profound adoration of God, whose supreme majesty and omnipotence is acknowledged in the creation, preservation, and government of all. Then they proceed to enumerate His mercies and distinguished favors to them as a nation, from the…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 9:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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