English Standard Version
Nehemiah 9:19
19you 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night.
Context of Nehemiah 9:19
17They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. 18Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had committed great blasphemies, 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. 20You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. 21Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, 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 9:27Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies.
- 1 Samuel 12:22For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
- Psalms 106:7Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
- Isaiah 44:21Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
- Lamentations 3:22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
- Ezekiel 20:14But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
- Daniel 9:9To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him
- Malachi 3:6"For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
- Nehemiah 9:12By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.
- Exodus 13:21And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
- Exodus 40:38For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
- Numbers 9:15On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning.
- Numbers 14:14and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and 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 over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy.
- 1 Corinthians 10:1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and 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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