And now,וְעַתָּהour Elohim,אֱלֹהֵינוּthe great,הַגָּדוֹלmighty,הַגִּבּוֹרand fearsomeוְהַנּוֹרָאEl,הָאֵלwho keepsשׁוֹמֵרthe covenantהַבְּרִיתand the loyal love,וְהַחֶסֶדdo not letאַלallכָּלthe hardshipהַתְּלָאָהthatאֲשֶׁרhas found usמְצָאַתְנוּseem littleיִמְעַטbefore you,לְפָנֶיךָfor our kings,לִמְלָכֵינוּfor our officials,לְשָׂרֵינוּfor our priests,וּלְכֹהֲנֵינוּfor our prophets,וְלִנְבִיאֵנוּfor our fathers,וְלַאֲבֹתֵינוּand for allוּלְכָלyour people,עַמֶּךָfrom the daysמִימֵיof the kingsמַלְכֵיof Assyriaאַשּׁוּרuntilעַדthisהַזֶּהday.הַיּוֹם
Nehemiah 9:32
Study it in the app“And now, our Elohim, the great, mighty, and fearsome El, who keeps the covenant and the loyal love, do not let all the hardship that has found us seem little before you, for our kings, for our officials, for our priests, for our prophets, for our fathers, and for all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Nehemiah 9:32, word by word
- our Elohimאֱלֹהֵיelohe
Elohim
The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.
Where else “elohe” appears- the greatגָּדוֹלgadol
great
Of great size, amount or importance: a river, a city, a king.
Where else “gadol” appears- mightyגִּבּוֹרgibor
mighty
Strong, of great power, also YHWH.
Where else “gibor” appears- and fearsomeנּוֹרָאnora
be fearsome
To be so great or powerful that one inspires awe and respect.
Where else “nora” appears- Elאֵלel
El, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
Where else “el” appears- who keepsשׁוֹמֵרshomer
keep
To obey the covenant or the commands.
Where else “shomer” appears- the covenantבְּרִיתberit
covenant
The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.
Where else “berit” appears- and the loyal loveחֶסֶדchesed
loyal love
God's steadfast kindness, true to his covenant, never forsaking.
Where else “chesed” appears- the hardshipתְּלָאָהtelaa
hardship
Hardship, wearying trouble.
Where else “telaa” appears- has found usמְצָאַתְmetsaat
meet
To meet someone on the road, or for trouble to fall upon him.
Where else “metsaat” appears- seem littleיִמְעַטyimat
be few, too small
Be few, be too small for something; make few, reduce.
Where else “yimat” appears- before youפָנֶיfane
before
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fane” appears- for our kingsמְלָכֵיmelache
king
A king who rules a people.
Where else “melache” appears- for our officialsשָׂרֵיsare
chief
Someone set over others, in the army or in the state.
Where else “sare” appears- for our priestsכֹהֲנֵיchohane
priest
One who serves in the sanctuary and offers for the people.
Where else “chohane” appears- for our prophetsנְבִיאֵnevie
prophet
Someone who speaks for YHWH.
Where else “nevie” appears- for our fathersאֲבֹתֵיavote
forefather
Ancestors, those who came before in the family.
Where else “avote” appears- your peopleעַמֶּame
Ammi
Israel, YHWH's people: "my people".
Where else “ame” appears- from the daysימֵיyme
time
Literally "the days": a period, an age, or the span of someone's life.
Where else “yme” appears- of Assyriaאַשּׁוּרashur
Assyria, Asshur
See it on the mapWhere else “ashur” appears
Places in this verse
Assyria
Today: northern Iraq (with parts of Syria, Turkey, Iran)
An empire of northern Mesopotamia along the Tigris River, in present-day Iraq.
Assyria took the northern kingdom of Israel captive (2 Kgs 17:6). God sent Jonah to preach in Nineveh, its capital (Jonah 3:3).
The context
31Yet in your many mercies you did not make an end of them nor abandon them, for a gracious and merciful El are you.
32 · This verse (above)
33Yet you are righteous in all that has come upon us, for faithfully you have acted, while we have done wickedly.