Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. New Living Translation Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your Law or listen to the warnings in your commands and laws. English Standard Version Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. Berean Standard Bible Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them. Berean Literal Bible And our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers, they have not done Your law, and they have not attended to Your commandments and to Your testimonies that You testified against them. King James Bible Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. New King James Version Neither our kings nor our princes, Our priests nor our fathers, Have kept Your law, Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies, With which You testified against them. New American Standard Bible “For our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our fathers have not kept Your Law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with which You have admonished them. NASB 1995 “For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with which You have admonished them. NASB 1977 “For our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our fathers have not kept Thy law Or paid attention to Thy commandments and Thine admonitions with which Thou hast admonished them. Legacy Standard Bible Now our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers did not do Your law Or pay attention to Your commandments and Your testimonies with which You testified against them. Amplified Bible “Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept Your law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your warnings which You have given them. Berean Annotated Bible Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them. Christian Standard Bible Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your law or listen to your commands and warnings you gave them. Holman Christian Standard Bible Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey Your law or listen to Your commands and warnings You gave them. American Standard Version neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify against them. Contemporary English Version Our kings and leaders, our priests and ancestors have never obeyed your commands or heeded your warnings. English Revised Version neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. GOD'S WORD® Translation Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors didn't obey your teachings. They didn't pay attention to your commandments or the warnings that you gave them. Good News Translation Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priests have not kept your Law. They did not listen to your commands and warnings. International Standard Version Furthermore, neither our kings, nor our leaders, nor our priests nor our ancestors have practiced your Law or paid attention to your commands and warnings by which you admonished them. NET Bible Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them. New Heart English Bible neither have our kings, our leaders, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them. Webster's Bible Translation Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened to thy commandments and thy testimonies, with which thou didst testify against them. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleOur kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them. World English Bible 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd our kings, our heads, "" Our priests, and our fathers, "" Have not done Your law, "" Nor attended to Your commands, "" And to Your testimonies, "" That You have testified against them; Berean Literal Bible And our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers, they have not done Your law, and they have not attended to Your commandments and to Your testimonies that You testified against them. Young's Literal Translation and our kings, our heads, our priests, and our fathers, have not done Thy law, nor attended unto Thy commands, and to Thy testimonies, that Thou hast testified against them; Smith's Literal Translation And our kings, our chiefs, our priests and our fathers, they did not thy law, and they attended not to thy commands and thy testimonies which thou didst testify against them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleOur kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept thy law, and have not minded thy commandments, and thy testimonies which thou hast testified among them. Catholic Public Domain Version Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our fathers have not done your law, and they have not been attentive to your commandments and your testimonies, to which you have testified among them. New American Bible Yes, our kings, our princes, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law; They paid no attention to your commandments and the warnings which you gave them. New Revised Standard Version our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the warnings that you gave them. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleNeither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor given ear to thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Neither have our Kings and our Princes and our Priests and their fathers performed your Law, neither have they paid attention to your commandments or to your testimonies which you testified before them. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept Thy law, nor hearkened unto Thy commandments and Thy testimonies, wherewith Thou didst testify against them. Brenton Septuagint Translation And our kings, and our princes, and our priests, and our fathers, have not performed thy law, and have not given heed to thy commandments, and have not kept thy testimonies which thou didst testify to them. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The People Confess Their Sins…33You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly. 34 Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them. 35For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.… Cross References Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers Jeremiah 32:32 because of all the evil the children of Israel and of Judah have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 44:21 “As for the incense you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem—you, your fathers, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land—did the LORD not remember and bring this to mind? Ezekiel 22:26 Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. did not obey Your law Daniel 9:11 All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. Isaiah 42:24 Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? They were unwilling to walk in His ways, and they would not obey His law. Jeremiah 11:8 Yet they would not obey or incline their ears, but each one followed the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant I had commanded them to follow but they did not keep.” or listen to Your commandments Deuteronomy 28:15 If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Jeremiah 7:24 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. Deuteronomy 9:23 And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh-barnea, He said, “Go up and possess the land that I have given you.” But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You neither believed Him nor obeyed Him. and warnings that You gave them. 2 Kings 17:13-14 Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. Jeremiah 25:4-5 And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. / The prophets told you, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. Jeremiah 22:21 I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. Jeremiah 7:25-26 From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again. / Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers. Ezekiel 20:21 But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness. Daniel 9:6 We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land. Treasury of Scripture Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies, with which you did testify against them. nor hearkened. Jeremiah 29:19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD. thy testimonies. Nehemiah 9:30 Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands. 2 Kings 17:15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. thou didst. Deuteronomy 31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware. 2 Kings 17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Jump to Previous Admonished Attended Attention Commandments Fathers Follow Heads Hearkened Heeded Kept Kings Law Orders Paid Performed Priests Princes Testified Testify Testimonies Warnings Wherewith WitnessJump to Next Admonished Attended Attention Commandments Fathers Follow Heads Hearkened Heeded Kept Kings Law Orders Paid Performed Priests Princes Testified Testify Testimonies Warnings Wherewith WitnessNehemiah 9 1. A solemn fast, and repentance of the people4. The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers This phrase highlights the collective responsibility of Israel's leadership across different generations. Kings, leaders, priests, and fathers represent the political, religious, and familial authorities. Historically, Israel's kings were expected to lead the nation in accordance with God's law, as seen in the reigns of David and Solomon. Priests were responsible for maintaining the spiritual integrity of the nation, as outlined in Leviticus. Fathers were to teach their children the ways of the Lord, as instructed in Deuteronomy 6:6-7. The failure of these groups to uphold their duties led to national apostasy and exile. did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahA Jewish leader who played a crucial role in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and leading spiritual renewal among the Israelites after the Babylonian exile. 2. Kings Refers to the monarchs of Israel and Judah who often led the people away from God's commandments, contributing to the nation's downfall. 3. Leaders Includes the political and military leaders who were responsible for guiding the people but often failed to uphold God's laws. 4. Priests The religious leaders who were supposed to teach and uphold the law but frequently neglected their duties, leading to spiritual decay. 5. Fathers Represents the ancestors of the Israelites who had a history of disobedience and rebellion against God's commands. Teaching Points The Importance of Leadership AccountabilityLeaders are held to a high standard and have a significant impact on the spiritual direction of their people. It is crucial for leaders to adhere to God's commandments and lead by example. The Consequences of Disobedience Ignoring God's laws and warnings leads to spiritual and often physical consequences. The history of Israel serves as a cautionary tale for individuals and nations alike. The Role of Repentance and Renewal Despite past failures, there is always an opportunity for repentance and renewal. Nehemiah's leadership in calling the people back to God's law demonstrates the power of turning back to God. The Generational Impact of Sin The disobedience of one generation can affect subsequent generations. It is vital to break cycles of sin through repentance and commitment to God's ways. Listening to God's Warnings God provides warnings through His Word and His prophets. It is essential to heed these warnings to avoid the pitfalls of disobedience. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Nehemiah 9:34?2. How does Nehemiah 9:34 highlight the importance of obedience to God's law? 3. What consequences did leaders face for not keeping God's commands in Nehemiah 9:34? 4. How can we ensure our leaders follow God's law, as in Nehemiah 9:34? 5. What scriptural connections exist between Nehemiah 9:34 and Deuteronomy 28 on obedience? 6. How can we personally apply the lessons from Nehemiah 9:34 in daily life? 7. How does Nehemiah 9:34 reflect the leaders' failure to follow God's law? 8. What historical context led to the leaders' disobedience in Nehemiah 9:34? 9. How does Nehemiah 9:34 challenge our understanding of leadership accountability? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Nehemiah 9? 11. Who is the prince mentioned in Ezekiel's prophecy? 12. Ezekiel 34:2 - How can we verify historically or archaeologically that corrupt leaders were truly the 'shepherds' described here? 13. Ezra 10:44 - How can a just God require separating from wives and children if some may have converted to the faith? 14. In 2 Chronicles 35:18, why does the text claim no Passover like Josiah's had been celebrated 'since the days of Samuel,' seemingly ignoring the grand Passover of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 30? What Does Nehemiah 9:34 Mean Our kings, leaders, priests, and fathersGod’s indictment is aimed first at those who should have set the spiritual tone for the nation. The failure is comprehensive—political, religious, and familial heads alike. • 2 Chronicles 36:14–16 shows “all the leaders of the priests and the people” following detestable practices, and it ends with the Babylonian exile. • Daniel 9:6 echoes the same confession: “We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land.” The verse in Nehemiah highlights that no stratum of society could claim innocence; rebellion started at the top and flowed down. Did not obey Your law Disobedience is measured against the fixed standard of Torah, not personal opinion or shifting culture. • Deuteronomy 28:15 warns, “If you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God… all these curses will come upon you.” Israel is now living those curses in exile and restoration. • Psalm 78:10 laments, “They did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.” By confessing “did not obey,” the Levites acknowledge God’s justice in every calamity that befell the nation. Or listen to Your commandments Hearing in Scripture implies heeding. The leaders did not even grant God the courtesy of a listening ear. • 1 Samuel 15:22 asks, “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings… as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD?” Saul’s downfall illustrates selective listening. • Zechariah 7:11–12 portrays a stubborn people who “turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped their ears so as not to hear.” Refusal to listen always hardens hearts and hastens judgment; Nehemiah’s generation owns that reality. And warnings You gave them God’s patience is on display: before every judgment came repeated warnings. Ignoring them was willful, not accidental. • Jeremiah 25:4–5 records God sending servants “again and again,” pleading, “Turn now… do not follow other gods.” • 2 Chronicles 36:15–16 says the LORD “had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place,” but they “mocked God’s messengers,” until “there was no remedy.” The confession in Nehemiah 9:34 concedes that every prophetic warning was fair, gracious, and clear—and still unheeded. summary Nehemiah 9:34 confesses a total leadership failure: every authority figure—royal, civic, religious, familial—ignored God’s law, shut their ears to His commands, and brushed aside His prophetic warnings. The verse underscores that Israel’s suffering was self-inflicted, God’s standards were unmistakable, and His judgments were entirely righteous. Genuine revival begins with this kind of honest, comprehensive acknowledgment of sin. (34) Our kings.--Note that the prophets are omitted in this enumeration.Verse 34. - Thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. i.e. the testimony borne by the prophets (see ver. 30).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Our kingsמְלָכֵ֤ינוּ (mə·lā·ḵê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 4428: A king and leaders שָׂרֵ֙ינוּ֙ (śā·rê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince and priests כֹּהֲנֵ֣ינוּ (kō·hă·nê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 3548: Priest and fathers וַאֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ (wa·’ă·ḇō·ṯê·nū) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 1: Father did not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no obey עָשׂ֖וּ (‘ā·śū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make Your law תּוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ (tō·w·rā·ṯe·ḵā) Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law or listen הִקְשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ (hiq·šî·ḇū) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7181: To prick up the ears, hearken to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Your commandments מִצְוֺתֶ֔יךָ (miṣ·wō·ṯe·ḵā) Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 4687: Commandment and warnings וּלְעֵ֣דְוֺתֶ֔יךָ (ū·lə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 5715: Testimony that אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that You gave הַעִידֹ֖תָ (ha·‘î·ḏō·ṯā) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5749: To duplicate, repeat, to protest, testify, to encompass, restore them. בָּהֶֽם׃ (bā·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew Links Nehemiah 9:34 NIVNehemiah 9:34 NLT Nehemiah 9:34 ESV Nehemiah 9:34 NASB Nehemiah 9:34 KJV Nehemiah 9:34 BibleApps.com Nehemiah 9:34 Biblia Paralela Nehemiah 9:34 Chinese Bible Nehemiah 9:34 French Bible Nehemiah 9:34 Catholic Bible OT History: Nehemiah 9:34 Neither have our kings our princes our (Neh Ne) |
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