Nehemiah 9
1 and in/on/with day twenty and four to/for month [the] this to gather son: descendant/people Israel in/on/with fast and in/on/with sackcloth and land: soil upon them
On October 31, the people gathered together again. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), they wore clothes made from rough cloth, and they put dirt on their heads [to show that they were sorry for their sins].
2 and to separate seed: children Israel from all son: type of foreign and to stand: stand and to give thanks upon sin their and iniquity: crime father their
The Israeli people separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood there and confessed their sins and the sins that their ancestors had committed.
3 and to arise: establish upon post their and to call: read out in/on/with scroll: book instruction LORD God their fourth [the] day and fourth to give thanks and to bow to/for LORD God their
The scroll that contained the laws of Yahweh, the God whom they [worshiped], was read to them for three hours. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and they worshiped Yahweh.
4 and to arise: establish upon ascent [the] Levi Jeshua and Bani Kadmiel Shebaniah Bunni Sherebiah Bani Chenani and to cry out in/on/with voice great: large to(wards) LORD God their
[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.
5 and to say [the] Levi Jeshua and Kadmiel Bani Hashabneiah Sherebiah Hodiah Shebaniah Pethahiah to arise: establish to bless [obj] LORD God your from [the] forever: enduring till [the] forever: enduring and to bless name glory your and to exalt upon all blessing and praise
Then [the leaders of] the Levites called out to the people. They were Jeshua, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “While you are standing there, praise Yahweh your God, who has always lived and will live forever!” [Then one of them continued by praying this to God], “Yahweh, we praise your glorious name! You are much greater than anything that we can think about or talk about!
6 you(m. s.) he/she/it LORD to/for alone you (you(m. s.) *QK) to make [obj] [the] heaven heaven [the] heaven and all army their [the] land: country/planet and all which upon her [the] sea and all which in/on/with them and you(m. s.) to live [obj] all their and army [the] heaven to/for you to bow
“You only are God. You made the sky and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and everything that is on it, and you made the seas/oceans and everything that is in them. You are the one who gives life to everything and helps them remain alive. All the angels who are in heaven worship you.
7 you(m. s.) he/she/it LORD [the] God which to choose in/on/with Abram and to come out: send him from Ur Chaldea and to set: name name his Abraham
“Yahweh, you are God. You chose Abram and brought him out of Ur [city] in Chaldea [region]. You gave him a new name, Abraham.
8 and to find [obj] heart his be faithful to/for face: before your and to cut: make(covenant) with him [the] covenant to/for to give: give [obj] land: country/planet [the] Canaanite [the] Hittite [the] Amorite and [the] Perizzite and [the] Jebusite and [the] Girgashite to/for to give: give to/for seed: children his and to arise: establish [obj] word: promised your for righteous you(m. s.)
You saw that he was trustworthy. Then you made (an agreement with/a promise to) him, saying that you would give [to him and] to his descendants the land that the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Amor, Periz, Jebus, and Girgash lived in. And you have done what you promised, because you always do what is right.
9 and to see: see [obj] affliction father our in/on/with Egypt and [obj] outcry their to hear: hear upon sea Red (Sea)
“You saw what our ancestors were suffering in Egypt. You heard them cry to you for help when they were at the Red Sea.
10 and to give: make sign: miraculous and wonder in/on/with Pharaoh and in/on/with all servant/slave his and in/on/with all people land: country/planet his for to know for to boil upon them and to make to/for you name like/as [the] day [the] this
Because you knew that the leaders of Egypt were treating our ancestors very arrogantly, you performed many kinds of miracles that caused the king and his officials and all his people to suffer. As a result, you became famous then, and you are still famous!
11 and [the] sea to break up/open to/for face: before their and to pass in/on/with midst [the] sea in/on/with dry land and [obj] to pursue them to throw in/on/with depth like stone in/on/with water strong
You caused the Red Sea to divide, with the result that your people walked through it on the ground without [getting their feet] wet. [After they were all safely on the other side, ] you [caused the water to come back again], and you hurled into the deep water the [soldiers of the Egyptian army] that were pursuing our ancestors. Their soldiers sank into the deep sea like stones!
12 and in/on/with pillar cloud to lead them by day and in/on/with pillar fire night to/for to light to/for them [obj] [the] way: road which to go: went in/on/with her
During each day you led our ancestors with a bright cloud that resembled a huge pillar, and each night you led them by a flaming cloud that gave them light to show them where to walk.
13 and upon mountain: mount Sinai to go down and to speak: speak with them from heaven and to give: give to/for them justice: judgement upright and instruction truth: certain statute: decree and commandment pleasant
“When our ancestors were at Sinai Mountain, you came down from heaven and spoke to them. You gave them many regulations and instructions that are just and reliable, and you gave them commands and laws that are good.
14 and [obj] Sabbath holiness your to know to/for them and commandment and statute: decree and instruction to command to/for them in/on/with hand: by Moses servant/slave your
You taught them about your holy (Sabbath/day of rest), and you gave many kinds of laws to your servant Moses for him to tell to the people.
15 and food: bread from heaven to give: give to/for them to/for famine their and water from crag to come out: issue to/for them to/for thirst their and to say to/for them to/for to come (in): come to/for to possess: take [obj] [the] land: country/planet which to lift: vow [obj] hand: vow your to/for to give: give to/for them
When they were hungry, you gave them manna from the sky; and when they were thirsty, you gave them water from a rock. You commanded them to go and take, from the people who lived there, the land which you had promised to give to them.
16 and they(masc.) and father our to boil and to harden [obj] neck their and not to hear: obey to(wards) commandment your
“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.
17 and to refuse to/for to hear: obey and not to remember to wonder your which to make: do with them and to harden [obj] neck their and to give: put head: leader to/for to return: return to/for slavery their in/on/with rebellion their and you(m. s.) god forgiveness gracious and compassionate slow face: anger and many (kindness *QK) and not to leave: forsake them
They refused to heed you, and they forgot about all the miracles that you had performed for them. Instead, they became stubborn [IDM], and they appointed someone to lead them back to Egypt, where they would be slaves again! But you are a God who forgives us and who is kind and merciful [to us]. You do not quickly become angry. You always faithfully love us.
18 also for to make to/for them calf liquid and to say this God your which to ascend: establish you from Egypt and to make: do contempt great: large
So, even though their [leaders] made an idol that resembled a calf and insulted you by saying [about the idol], ‘This is our god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ you did not desert them.
19 and you(m. s.) in/on/with compassion your [the] many not to leave: forsake them in/on/with wilderness [obj] pillar [the] cloud not to turn aside: depart from upon them in/on/with day their to/for to lead them in/on/with [the] way: road and [obj] pillar [the] fire in/on/with night to/for to light to/for them and [obj] [the] way: road which to go: went in/on/with her
“Because you always act mercifully, you did not abandon them when they were in the desert. The bright cloud which was like a huge pillar continued to lead them during the daytime, and the fiery cloud showed them where to walk at night.
20 and spirit your [the] pleasant to give: give to/for be prudent them and manna your not to withhold from lip their and water to give: give to/for them to/for thirst their
You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.
21 and forty year to sustain them in/on/with wilderness not to lack garment their not to become old and foot their not to swell
For 40 years you took care of them in the desert. During all that time, they had everything [that they needed]. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell up [even though they were continually walking].
22 and to give: give to/for them kingdom and people and to divide them to/for side and to possess: take [obj] land: country/planet Sihon and [obj] land: country/planet king Heshbon and [obj] land: country/planet Og king [the] Bashan
“You helped our ancestors to defeat armies of great kings who ruled many people-groups. By doing that, you enabled our ancestors to (occupy/live in) even the most distant places in this land. They occupied the land over which King Sihon ruled from Heshbon [city] and the land over which King Og ruled in [the] Bashan [area].
23 and son: child their to multiply like/as star [the] heaven and to come (in): bring them to(wards) [the] land: country/planet which to say to/for father their to/for to come (in): come to/for to possess: take
You caused our ancestors’ descendants to become as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into this land, the land that you told their fathers to enter and occupy.
24 and to come (in): come [the] son: descendant/people and to possess: take [obj] [the] land: country/planet and be humble to/for face: before their [obj] to dwell [the] land: country/planet [the] Canaanite and to give: give them in/on/with hand: power their and [obj] king their and [obj] people [the] land: country/planet to/for to make: do in/on/with them like/as acceptance their
Their sons went in and took the land [from the people that lived there]. You enabled them to defeat the descendants of Canaan who lived here in this land. You enabled them to conquer the descendants of Canaan and their kings and the people whom they ruled. You enabled our ancestors to do to those people whatever they wanted to do.
25 and to capture city to gather/restrain/fortify and land: soil rich and to possess: take house: home full all goodness pit to hew vineyard and olive and tree food to/for abundance and to eat and to satisfy and to grow fat and to luxuriate in/on/with goodness your [the] great: large
Our ancestors captured cities that had walls around them, and they took possession of fertile land. They took possession of houses that were full of good things, where there were wells that were already dug. They took possession of many vineyards and groves of olive trees and fruit trees. They ate all that they wanted to and became fat. They were delighted in all these good things that you gave to them.
26 and to rebel and to rebel in/on/with you and to throw [obj] instruction your after the back their and [obj] prophet your to kill which to testify in/on/with them to/for to return: repent them to(wards) you and to make contempt great: large
“But they disobeyed you and rebelled against you. They (turned their backs on/rejected) your laws. They killed the prophets who warned them that they should return to you. They badly insulted you.
27 and to give: give them in/on/with hand: power enemy their and be distressed to/for them and in/on/with time distress their to cry to(wards) you and you(m. s.) from heaven to hear: hear and like/as compassion your [the] many to give: give to/for them to save and to save them from hand: power enemy their
So you allowed their enemies to defeat them. But when their enemies caused them to suffer, they called out to you. You heard them from heaven, and because you are very merciful, you sent them people to help them, and those leaders rescued them from their enemies.
28 and like/as to rest to/for them to return: again to/for to make: do bad: evil to/for face: before your and to leave: forsake them in/on/with hand: power enemy their and to rule in/on/with them and to return: repent and to cry out you and you(m. s.) from heaven to hear: hear and to rescue them like/as compassion your many time
“But after there was a time of peace again, our ancestors again did things that displeased you. So again you allowed their enemies to conquer them. But whenever they cried out to you again [to help them], you heard them from heaven, and because you act mercifully, you rescued them many times.
29 and to testify in/on/with them to/for to return: repent them to(wards) instruction your and they(masc.) to boil and not to hear: obey to/for commandment your and in/on/with justice: judgement your to sin in/on/with them which to make: do man and to live in/on/with them and to give: put shoulder to rebel and neck their to harden and not to hear: obey
“You warned them that they should again [obey] your laws, but they became proud and stubborn, and they disobeyed your commands. They sinned by disobeying what you commanded them to do, the things that would enable them to live a good long life [if they obeyed them]. They stubbornly refused [IDM] to listen to you and continued sinning.
30 and to draw upon them year many and to testify in/on/with them in/on/with spirit your in/on/with hand: by prophet your and not to listen and to give: give them in/on/with hand: power people [the] land: country/planet
You were patient with them for many years. You warned them trough [the messages] your Spirit gave to the prophets. But they did not (heed/pay attention to) those messages. So again you allowed [the armies of] other nations to defeat them.
31 and in/on/with compassion your [the] many not to make them consumption and not to leave: forsake them for God gracious and compassionate you(m. s.)
But because you act very mercifully, you did not get rid of them completely or abandon them [forever]. You are a very gracious/kind and merciful God!
32 and now God our [the] God [the] great: large [the] mighty man and [the] to fear: revere to keep: obey [the] covenant and [the] kindness not to diminish to/for face of your [obj] all [the] hardship which to find us to/for king our to/for ruler our and to/for priest our and to/for prophet our and to/for father our and to/for all people your from day king Assyria till [the] day [the] this
“Our God, you are great! You are mighty! You are awesome! You faithfully love us as [you promised in] your agreement with us that you would do! But now we are experiencing great difficulties/hardships. Great troubles have come to us, to our kings, to our [other] leaders, to our priests, and to our prophets. We have been experiencing these troubles since [the armies of] the kings of Assyria [conquered us], and we are still experiencing them. We ask that you sincerely think about [LIT] all these things.
33 and you(m. s.) righteous upon all [the] to come (in): come upon us for truth: faithful to make: do and we be wicked
[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.
34 and [obj] king our ruler our priest our and father our not to make: do instruction your and not to listen to(wards) commandment your and to/for testimony your which to testify in/on/with them
Our kings and other leaders and our priests and our other ancestors did not obey your laws. They did not heed your commands or the warnings that you gave to them.
35 and they(masc.) in/on/with royalty their and in/on/with goodness your [the] many which to give: give to/for them and in/on/with land: country/planet [the] broad: wide and [the] rich which to give: put to/for face: before their not to serve: minister you and not to return: repent from deed their [the] bad: evil
Even when they had their own kings, and they enjoyed the good things that you did for them in this large and fertile land that you gave to them, they did not serve you. They refused to quit doing what was evil.
36 behold we [the] day: today servant/slave and [the] land: country/planet which to give: give to/for father our to/for to eat [obj] fruit her and [obj] goodness her behold we servant/slave upon her
“So now we are [like] slaves here in this land that you gave to our ancestors, the land that you gave to them in order that they could enjoy all the good things that grow here.
37 and produce her to multiply to/for king which to give: put upon us in/on/with sin our and upon body our to rule and in/on/with animal our like/as acceptance their and in/on/with distress great: large we
Because we have sinned, [we cannot eat the things that grow here]. The kings that now rule over us are enjoying the things that grow here. They rule us and [take] our cattle. We have to serve them and do the things that please them. We are experiencing great misery/distress.
38 and in/on/with all this we to cut: make(covenant) sure and to write and upon [the] to seal ruler our Levi our priest our
“However, we [Israeli] people now are making an agreement/promise [to obey you], and we are writing this agreement/promise [on a scroll]. We will write on it the names of our leaders and the names of the Levites and the names of the priests, and then we will seal it.”
