Nehemiah 9:27
What does Nehemiah 9:27 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 9:27 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 9:27 means
God delivered them into the hands of adversaries who distressed them, a just response to their provocations. Yet in trouble, when they cried out, He heard from heaven and, according to manifold mercies, gave them saviors who rescued them. This summarizes the Judges era: discipline followed by compassion-driven deliverance through leaders God raised up. The verse highlights both sides of God’s governance—justice that corrects and mercy that restores. Importantly, their cries were not ignored; heaven remained open to penitent pleas. This memory encourages the present community that genuine repentance still finds help from the same God of steadfast love.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And so you gave them up into the hands of their haters who were cruel to them: and in the time of their trouble, when they made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; and in your great mercy gave them saviours, who made them free from the hands of their haters.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and Thou givest them into the hand of their adversaries, and they distress them, and in the time of their distress they cry unto Thee, and Thou, from the heavens, dost hear, and, according to Thine abundant mercies, dost give to them saviours, and they save them out of the hand of their adversaries.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And thou gavest them into the hands of their enemies, and they afflicted them. And in the time of their tribulation they cried to thee, and thou heardest from heaven, and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies thou gavest them saviours, to save them from the hands of their enemies.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And thou gavest them into the hand of their oppressors, and they oppressed them; and in the time of their distress, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from the heavens, and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their oppressors.
Context
After rebellion came oppression; after oppression, prayer; after prayer, rescue—so goes the pattern. Verse 28 will repeat this cycle, noting that once rest returned, the people relapsed into evil, prompting renewed discipline. The prayer is preparing a case that their current distress fits the same pattern, and that their hope lies in God’s consistent mercy.
v.26Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophets that testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought great provocations.
v.27This passage
v.28But 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 from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies,
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Judges 2:14
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that despoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
- Judges 10:15
And the children of Israel said unto Jehovah, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; only deliver us, we pray thee, this day.
- Deuteronomy 4:29
But from thence ye shall seek Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searchest after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
- 2 Kings 13:5
(And Jehovah gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as beforetime.
- Obadiah 1:21
And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be Jehovah’s.
- 2 Chronicles 36:17
Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or hoary-headed: he gave them all into his hand.
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