The prayer doesn't just list their suffering, but emphasizes its pervasive nature by naming every level of society—from kings to commoners—and stretching back to the earliest oppressors. This highlights that their hardship wasn't a minor inconvenience, but a deep, systemic crisis affecting their entire history and everyone within it.
“Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prayer in Nehemiah 9 is a profound moment of national confession and repentance. Following the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, the people gathered to hear the Law read and then acknowledged their ancestors' and their own sins, recognizing how these transgressions had led to hardship. In this verse, they appeal to God, acknowledging His immense power and faithfulness to His covenant, even as they lay bare the long history of suffering that has afflicted their leaders and people, stretching back to the Assyrian oppressions.
When facing immense hardship, the people of God didn't just ask for help. They started by declaring who God is. What power is there in naming God's attributes?
In Nehemiah 9:32, the prayer begins with a powerful declaration of God's character:
God's Grandeur
This opening isn't just a preamble; it's a strategic move in prayer. By focusing on God's unchanging nature, they ground their plea in something far more reliable than their own circumstances.
The people cried out that their hardship "seem little" to God. What does this plea reveal about their understanding of God's attention and their pain?
The heart of their desperate plea is found in the phrase, "let not all the hardship seem little to you."
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Acknowledging the Burden
This isn't a plea for God to feel sorry for them, but for Him to act based on His covenant and love, recognizing the severity of their affliction.
Understand the original words
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A state of covenant loyalty and faithful, devoted love. It is the active expression of God's commitment to His people, going beyond mere affection to include steadfast action and covenant-keeping.
This prayer in Nehemiah 9 references a long history of hardship stretching back to the rise of Assyria. The repeated subjugation, deportation, and suffering under empires like Assyria and Babylon deeply shaped the Judean identity and their understanding of God's covenant faithfulness amidst national distress.
c. 842 BC
Jehu Pays Tribute to Assyria
The Assyrian king Shalmaneser II records receiving tribute from Jehu, king of Israel, marking one of the earliest interactions between Israel and the Assyrian empire.
745–727 BC
Tiglath-Pileser II's Campaigns
The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser II exacts tribute from Menahem of Israel and later deports northern tribes, beginning a period of increasing Assyrian dominance.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian king Sargon II conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its people and scattering them throughout the empire.
701 BC
Sennacherib's Siege of Jerusalem
Assyrian king Sennacherib attacks Judah, capturing many cities but failing to take Jerusalem, though King Hezekiah is forced to pay heavy tribute.
681–668 BC
Esarhaddon's Deportations
King Esarhaddon of Assyria deports King Manasseh of Judah to Babylon and resettles people from other conquered lands into Samaria.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports many Judean exiles, including members of the royal family and skilled laborers, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Rebuilding of Jerusalem Walls
Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to oversee the rebuilding of the city walls amidst opposition from surrounding peoples. This prayer in Nehemiah 9 likely takes place during this period of post-exilic restoration.
This passage emphasizes God's faithfulness to His covenant and steadfast love, mirroring Nehemiah's confession of God's character even amidst hardship.
Psalm 106:43-45This psalm recounts Israel's repeated rebellion and God's persistent deliverance due to His covenant and mercy, similar to the historical sweep of suffering and divine remembering in Nehemiah 9.
Isaiah 10:5-6This prophetic passage identifies Assyria as God's instrument of judgment, directly linking the historical oppressor mentioned in Nehemiah 9:32 to God's divine purpose.
Daniel 9:7-8Daniel's prayer confesses Israel's sin and shame, mirroring Nehemiah's confession, and acknowledges that God's justice is evident in the punishment that has fallen upon them.
Lamentations 3:22-23These verses highlight the unfailing mercies of God each morning, providing a theological counterpoint to the long history of hardship described in Nehemiah, showing that even in suffering, God's faithfulness endures.
clarkeNehemiah 9:32: "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day."
On our kings, on our princes - I believe Nehemiah in this place mentions the whole of civil society in its officers as they stand related to…
pooleNehemiah 9:32: "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day."
Covenant and mercy, i.e. covenanted mercy, or thy covenant of mercy and peace. Or, he adds mercy , because the covenant in itself was not a…
The prayer doesn't just list their suffering, but emphasizes its pervasive nature by naming every level of society—from kings to commoners—and stretching back to the earliest oppressors. This highlights that their hardship wasn't a minor inconvenience, but a deep, systemic crisis affecting their entire history and everyone within it.
This prayer in Nehemiah 9 is a profound moment of national confession and repentance. Following the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, the people gathered to hear the Law read and then acknowledged their ancestors' and their own sins, recognizing how these transgressions had led to hardship. In this verse, they appeal to God, acknowledging His immense power and faithfulness to His covenant, even as they lay bare the long history of suffering that has afflicted their leaders and people, stretching back to the Assyrian oppressions.
This prayer in Nehemiah 9 is a profound moment of national confession and repentance. Following the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, the people gathered to hear the Law read and then acknowledged their ancestors' and their own sins, recognizing how these transgressions had led to hardship. In this verse, they appeal to God, acknowledging His immense power and faithfulness to His covenant, even as they lay bare the long history of suffering that has afflicted their leaders and people, stretching back to the Assyrian oppressions.
"“Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fat…" — The prayer doesn't just list their suffering, but emphasizes its pervasive nature by naming every level of society—from kings to commoners—and stretching back to the earliest oppressors. This highlig…
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Last reviewed October 2026
