Nehemiah 9:34 - Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them.
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What does "Nehemiah 9:34" mean?
This verse from Nehemiah 9:34 is a powerful confession of national sin. Let's break it down:
"Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers...": This emphasizes that the failure to obey God's law was pervasive across all levels of Israelite society. It wasn't just a problem among the common people; it affected the leadership – the kings who were meant to uphold justice, the princes who assisted in governance, the priests who were supposed to teach and exemplify God's law, and even their ancestors ("fathers"). This acknowledges a long history of disobedience.
"...have not kept your law...": This is the core of the confession. They failed to live according to God's standards of righteousness, justice, and holiness as outlined in the Torah.
"...nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies...": This amplifies the first point. It wasn't just a matter of accidentally breaking the law. They actively chose to ignore God's specific commands (commandments) and the warnings and evidence He provided (testimonies). God had warned them repeatedly through prophets and historical events of the consequences of their actions, but they turned a deaf ear.
"...with which you testified against them.": This highlights that God didn't remain silent about their wrongdoing. He made it clear through various means (prophets, circumstances, etc.) that they were in violation of His covenant.
In essence, this verse conveys:
Widespread Disobedience: Sin was rampant throughout the entire Israelite society, from top to bottom.
Deliberate Neglect: They actively ignored God's laws and warnings.
Justification for Consequences: They acknowledge that they faced consequences (like exile) because God had warned them about their disobedience.
Context within Nehemiah 9:
This verse is part of a larger prayer of confession and repentance recited by the Israelites after their return from exile in Babylon. They are acknowledging their sins and the sins of their ancestors as the reason for their suffering. The prayer aims to foster humility, repentance, and a renewed commitment to obeying God's law. By confessing their failure to listen to God’s word, they prepare themselves to make a new covenant with Him (Nehemiah 9:38).
Nehemiah 9:34 - Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them.
What does "Nehemiah 9:34" mean?
This verse from Nehemiah 9:34 is a powerful confession of national sin. Let's break it down:
"Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers...": This emphasizes that the failure to obey God's law was pervasive across all levels of Israelite society. It wasn't just a problem among the common people; it affected the leadership – the kings who were meant to uphold justice, the princes who assisted in governance, the priests who were supposed to teach and exemplify God's law, and even their ancestors ("fathers"). This acknowledges a long history of disobedience.
"...have not kept your law...": This is the core of the confession. They failed to live according to God's standards of righteousness, justice, and holiness as outlined in the Torah.
"...nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies...": This amplifies the first point. It wasn't just a matter of accidentally breaking the law. They actively chose to ignore God's specific commands (commandments) and the warnings and evidence He provided (testimonies). God had warned them repeatedly through prophets and historical events of the consequences of their actions, but they turned a deaf ear.
"...with which you testified against them.": This highlights that God didn't remain silent about their wrongdoing. He made it clear through various means (prophets, circumstances, etc.) that they were in violation of His covenant.
In essence, this verse conveys:
Widespread Disobedience: Sin was rampant throughout the entire Israelite society, from top to bottom.
Deliberate Neglect: They actively ignored God's laws and warnings.
Justification for Consequences: They acknowledge that they faced consequences (like exile) because God had warned them about their disobedience.
Context within Nehemiah 9:
This verse is part of a larger prayer of confession and repentance recited by the Israelites after their return from exile in Babylon. They are acknowledging their sins and the sins of their ancestors as the reason for their suffering. The prayer aims to foster humility, repentance, and a renewed commitment to obeying God's law. By confessing their failure to listen to God’s word, they prepare themselves to make a new covenant with Him (Nehemiah 9:38).