Nehemiah 9:32
“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)
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Notice how they acknowledge God's faithfulness to "keep covenant and steadfast love" even as they confess their own deep failures. This isn't a contradiction, but the very foundation of their hope: their plea rests not on their own merits, but on God's unchanging character amidst their persistent unfaithfulness.
The people have just finished recounting their history and confessing their sins throughout their generations, acknowledging how they and their leaders have consistently failed God. Now, they turn to God in prayer, acknowledging His greatness and faithfulness, to plead that He would not overlook the immense suffering they have endured for centuries, from the time of the Assyrians until the present day. This plea is rooted in their awareness of God's steadfast love and covenant promises, even after their repeated failures.
The people of Israel are in deep confession, recounting their history of failure. Yet, they begin their plea with incredible boldness. How can they approach such a holy God?
The prayer in Nehemiah 9 is a powerful moment where the people acknowledge their long history of sin and God's consistent faithfulness. They start this plea by addressing God with awe-inspiring titles: 'the great, the mighty, and the awesome God.' This isn't just flattery; it's a theological foundation for their prayer.
God's Character
The Anchor of Covenant
Despite their unfaithfulness, they immediately follow these titles with 'who keeps covenant and steadfast love.' This is their lifeline! God's character, defined by His promises and His enduring, loyal love, is the reason they believe their plea will be heard, even after generations of rebellion.
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Generations of hardship have befallen God's people. They present their long history of suffering to God. What does it mean for hardship to 'not seem little' to Him?
The people confess the immense weight of suffering they have endured. The phrase 'let not all the hardship seem little to you' is a plea for God to recognize the severity and duration of their trials.
The Scope of Suffering
They meticulously list the levels of society affected: 'our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people.' This shows that the suffering wasn't isolated but impacted every layer of their nation, from the highest leadership to the common person. It underscores the pervasive nature of their distress.
A Plea for Divine Awareness
When they ask God not to let the hardship 'seem little,' they are essentially asking Him to acknowledge their pain and the historical context of their struggles. They are reminding Him of the long, difficult road they've been on, starting 'since the time of the kings of Assyria.' This isn't a demand, but a humble request that their afflictions be seen and considered by the One who holds all of history in His hands.
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 is offered during the post-exilic period, but it looks back to a long, devastating history of oppression and exile, stretching all the way back to the early Assyrian kings. The people are confessing their sin and acknowledging God's justice, but they are also pleading for God's mercy in light of their continuous suffering, which culminated in the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.
c. 842 BC
Jehu pays tribute to Assyria
King Jehu of Israel is recorded as paying tribute to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser II, marking an early instance of Assyrian dominance over Israel.
745-727 BC
Pul/Tiglath-Pileser II exacts tribute
The Assyrian king Pul (also known as Tiglath-Pileser II) received tribute from Israel, as recorded in 2 Kings 15:19-20, initiating a period of increasing Assyrian influence.
734-732 BC
Assyrian conquest of northern Israel
Tiglath-Pileser II conquered parts of Israel, deporting populations and bringing the northern kingdom under direct Assyrian control, beginning the disintegration of the kingdom.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and northern exile
The capital of the northern kingdom, Samaria, fell to the Assyrians under Shalmaneser V and Sargon II, leading to the deportation of the ten tribes of Israel into Assyrian territory.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's invasion of Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib campaigned against Judah, capturing many cities and besieging Jerusalem, although the city itself was ultimately spared. This event significantly impacted Judah's political and economic status.
605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon began deporting Judean elites, including Daniel, to Babylon, marking the start of the Babylonian dominance over Judah and subsequent exiles.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple destruction
Nebuchadnezzar's armies destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event marked the end of the Davidic kingdom and a profound national trauma.
This passage highlights God's faithfulness to his covenant and steadfast love, mirroring the description of God in Nehemiah 9:32 and reinforcing the people's plea based on His character.
Daniel 9:4-5Daniel's prayer also addresses God as 'great and awesome,' acknowledging His covenant faithfulness and mercy, much like the prayer in Nehemiah, during a time of exile and hardship.
Psalm 89:28This verse speaks of God's covenant and steadfast love being kept forever, a concept directly echoed by the people in Nehemiah as they appeal to God's unchanging nature despite their suffering.
Isaiah 10:5This passage identifies Assyria as the 'rod of God's anger,' providing context for the 'hardship' and oppression that the people of Israel faced for generations, as mentioned in Nehemiah 9:32.
Lamentations 3:5The word used for 'hardship' or 'trouble' in Nehemiah 9:32 also appears in Lamentations 3:5, vividly describing the state of suffering and affliction experienced by God's people.
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…
Notice how they acknowledge God's faithfulness to "keep covenant and steadfast love" even as they confess their own deep failures. This isn't a contradiction, but the very foundation of their hope: their plea rests not on their own merits, but on God's unchanging character amidst their persistent unfaithfulness.
The people have just finished recounting their history and confessing their sins throughout their generations, acknowledging how they and their leaders have consistently failed God. Now, they turn to God in prayer, acknowledging His greatness and faithfulness, to plead that He would not overlook the immense suffering they have endured for centuries, from the time of the Assyrians until the present day. This plea is rooted in their awareness of God's steadfast love and covenant promises, even after their repeated failures.
The people have just finished recounting their history and confessing their sins throughout their generations, acknowledging how they and their leaders have consistently failed God. Now, they turn to God in prayer, acknowledging His greatness and faithfulness, to plead that He would not overlook the immense suffering they have endured for centuries, from the time of the Assyrians until the present day. This plea is rooted in their awareness of God's steadfast love and covenant promises, even after their repeated failures.
"“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…" — Notice how they acknowledge God's faithfulness to "keep covenant and steadfast love" even as they confess their own deep failures. This isn't a contradiction, but the very foundation of their hope: t…
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