They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah doesn't just say God did redeem them; he emphasizes that this redemption is the very foundation of their identity as God's people. This isn't just about a past event, but a continuous claim on God's faithfulness, rooted in the original, powerful deliverance from Egypt. It’s a reminder that our service to God isn't earned, but stems from His mighty, personal act of freeing us.
They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah has just confessed the sins of Israel and reminded God of His promises to restore them. This verse is part of his prayer, where he shifts from confession to claiming God's promises based on their identity as God's chosen people. He’s essentially saying, "Lord, these people, who have sinned and are suffering, are still Your servants and Your people whom You rescued from Egypt with your mighty power." This sets the stage for his bold request to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.
Nehemiah's prayer is deeply personal, yet he grounds his plea in God's identity and past actions. What does it mean to be called 'your servants'?
Nehemiah doesn't just see Israel as a nation; he sees them as God's servants. This isn't a role of servitude to a cruel master, but one of belonging and purpose under a loving God.
When Nehemiah speaks of redemption, his mind isn't just on the recent return from Babylon. What ancient, foundational act of redemption does he evoke?
The phrase 'redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand' strongly echoes the Exodus from Egypt. This wasn't just about escaping slavery; it was about God establishing His covenant people through an undeniable display of His might.
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Understand the original words
padah · Hebrew Verb
Refers to a 'buying back' or a release from bondage, usually at a cost. Biblically, it signifies God's intervention to deliver His people from slavery or judgment by His sovereign power.
Nehemiah's prayer grounds his plea for help in the grand narrative of God's past redemptive acts, especially the Exodus, reminding God of His promises to a people He uniquely chose and delivered.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God powerfully delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, establishing His covenant with them and calling them His redeemed people. This foundational event is a constant reference point for God's faithfulness and power.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, and exile a significant portion of the population. This event marks a period of national disaster and perceived abandonment by God.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian Empire. This conquest creates a new political landscape that will eventually allow for the return of exiled peoples.
538 BC
Cyrus's Edict of Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This marks the beginning of the return from Babylonian exile.
c. 444 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's Mission to Rebuild Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah, serving as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, receives news of Jerusalem's ruined walls. He prays and then receives permission to lead a mission to rebuild them, facing significant opposition.
This passage echoes Nehemiah's prayer, describing God's promise to redeem Israel from Egypt with a 'stretched-out arm,' highlighting the theme of God's powerful deliverance as the basis for His people's identity.
Deuteronomy 7:8It emphasizes that God's choice and redemption of Israel were not due to their merit but to His great love and the power of His mighty hand, mirroring Nehemiah's appeal to God's past actions.
Isaiah 43:1This verse directly speaks of God's creative and redemptive power, assuring Israel that He has formed and redeemed them, making them His own and calling them by name, which resonates with Nehemiah's plea based on their shared identity.
Psalm 136:12This psalm repeatedly celebrates God's enduring love through His mighty deeds, including the deliverance from Egypt 'with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm,' reinforcing Nehemiah's reliance on God's consistent power and faithfulness.
bensonNehemiah 1:10: "Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand."
Nehemiah 1:10 . Whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, &c. — In days of old, and thy power is still the same; wilt thou not therefore still redeem them, and perfect their redemption? Let not them be overpowered by the enemy that have a God of infinite power on their side.
gillNehemiah 1:10: "Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand."
Now these are thy servants, and thy people,.... Meaning those that were in Jerusalem and Judah, gathered out of several countries, and returned to Jerusalem: whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand; touching and moving the heart of Cyrus to proclaim liberty to them.
Nehemiah doesn't just say God did redeem them; he emphasizes that this redemption is the very foundation of their identity as God's people. This isn't just about a past event, but a continuous claim on God's faithfulness, rooted in the original, powerful deliverance from Egypt. It’s a reminder that our service to God isn't earned, but stems from His mighty, personal act of freeing us.
Nehemiah has just confessed the sins of Israel and reminded God of His promises to restore them. This verse is part of his prayer, where he shifts from confession to claiming God's promises based on their identity as God's chosen people. He’s essentially saying, "Lord, these people, who have sinned and are suffering, are still Your servants and Your people whom You rescued from Egypt with your mighty power." This sets the stage for his bold request to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.
Nehemiah has just confessed the sins of Israel and reminded God of His promises to restore them. This verse is part of his prayer, where he shifts from confession to claiming God's promises based on their identity as God's chosen people. He’s essentially saying, "Lord, these people, who have sinned and are suffering, are still Your servants and Your people whom You rescued from Egypt with your mighty power." This sets the stage for his bold request to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.
"They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand." — Nehemiah doesn't just say God did redeem them; he emphasizes that this redemption is the very foundation of their identity as God's people. This isn't just about a past event, but a continuous clai…
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Last reviewed October 2026