Nehemiah 9:28

Neh 9:28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest [them] from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

Ver. 28. But after they had rest, they did evil again] As standing pools breed vermin; as sedentary lives are subject to diseases. If men be not poured out from vessel to vessel, they will soon settle upon their lees. "Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God," Psa 55:19, saith David, of the wicked; and Psa 30:1-12, David himself was afflicted, delivered, and then grew wanton. Then troubled again, Neh 9:7, cries again, Neh 9:8-9. God turns his mourning to joy again; whereof if he surfeited not, it was well bestowed on him. But rarae fumant felicibus arae. We are commonly best when worst: and Pliny told his friend, that the best way to live well, was to be as good in health as we promise to be when we are sick.

Therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies] Who can do us no harm, but by Divine permission; though they bandy together, and bend all their forces to harm the Church, yet are they bounded by God, and can do nothing till he leave his people in their hands.

Had the dominion over them] Ruled them with rigour.

And many times didst thou deliver them] Even toties quoties: for as the eye is not weary with seeing, nor the ear with hearing; so neither is God with showing mercy. But as the sun shineth after it hath shone, and as the spring runneth after it hath run; so doth the Lord proceed to do good to his in their necessity; and that according to his mercies, which never fail, Lam 3:22.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Neh 9:28-29. Therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies — God so abandoned them once, that he permitted the Philistines to rule over them forty years, (Jdg 13:1,) unto which, perhaps, this passage refers. Many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies — Nothing else could have moved God to do it, but his own essential goodness and mercy, they being, in all ages, inconstant in their obedience, and prone to backslide from him; and testifiedst against them — By many remarkable punishments he testified how highly he was displeased with them, that he might reform them. Yet they dealt proudly — Against what one would have expected should have humbled them, God’s judgments; and, from time to time, they became more bold and obstinate in their sins. And withdrew the shoulder — A metaphor taken from refractory oxen, that draw back, and will not submit to the yoke.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:28-31 The people did not learn from mistakes made in the period of the judges (9:26-27), and the same pattern of disobedience emerged during the subsequent monarchy (cp. 2 Kgs 17). Despite the nation’s persistent disobedience (Neh 9:29), God was persistent in his love, patience, compassion, and guidance through the Spirit and through the prophets.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He declareth how God’s mercies ever contended with the wickedness of the people, who ever in their prosperity forgat God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

28. after they had rest] Cf. ‘the land had rest,’ Jdg_3:11; Jdg_3:30; Jdg_5:31; Jdg_8:28.

many times] A probable reference to the numerous deliverances effected by the judges as described in the Book of Judges. The LXX. fails to reproduce the thought accurately by ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς σου πολλοῖς.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But after they had rest,.... From their enemies, enjoyed their liberty, and were in prosperity:

they did evil again before thee; relapsed into idolatry:

therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; as the Philistines had for the space of forty years, Jdg 13:1,

yet when they returned and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven, and many times didst thou deliver them, according to thy mercies; this was their case frequently in the times of the judges; they sinned and fell into the hands of their enemies, then they repented, and cried to God for help, and he had compassion upon them, and saved them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rest from their enemies. (Haydock) --- The interval between their relapses was very short. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

After they had rest. See Jud_1:3:11, 30 5:31 8:28.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel.

they had rest, they did evil again before you

Here "they" refers to the Israelites and "you" to Yahweh.

you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies

Here "hand" represents power or control. AT: "you abandoned them and allow their enemies to defeat them" (See: Metonymy)

did not listen to your commands

If your language has a word for "listen" that also means "obey," use it here.

your decrees which give life to anyone who obeys them

Yahweh himself is spoken of as if he were the decrees themselves. AT: "you even though you give life to everyone who obeys your decrees" (See: Metonymy)

They gave the stubborn shoulder-blade and stiffened their neck

These are images of an ox refusing to allow its owner to put a yoke on its shoulders. Here they are a metaphor that represents the people being stubborn. AT: "They became stubborn" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

rest

evil

adversary

rule

heaven

compassion

law

command

sin

decree

life

obey

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.