The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:32 Explained

Nehemiah 9:32

KJV: 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.

YLT: And now, O our God -- God, the great, the mighty, and the fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness -- let not all the travail that hath found us be little before Thee, for our kings, for our heads, and for our priests, and for our prophets, and for our fathers, and for all Thy people, from the days of the kings of Asshur unto this day;

Darby: And now, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and loving-kindness, 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 days of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

ASV: Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and lovingkindness, let not all the travail 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Nehemiah 9:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 9:22-38 - The Penalty Of Ingratitude And Disobedience
The theme of this prayer is the covenant mercy of God. However great the provocation of the Chosen People, He never swerved from His ancient promise to their fathers. He testified against them by His Spirit and chastened them for their sins. He allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies and carried into captivity. But when they returned and cried for His help they found His manifold mercies waiting to welcome, forgive, and restore them. They were conscious that there was nothing in themselves or even in their fathers to explain these wonderful dealings, and the secret had ever to be found in His great mercies. In this hour of distress, they turned back to Him and bound themselves by a faithful covenant. But, alas, even written promises will not hold the wayward heart of man. What a picture this is of our own lives, and how often have all these experiences been repeated in us! Fortunately for us we are represented now, not by our promises and prayers, but by Jesus Christ, in whom we stand and are accepted and kept. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 9

1  A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4  The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 9:32 mean?

And therefore our God God the great the mighty and awesome who keeps covenant and mercy not do let seem small before You - all the trouble that has come upon us Our kings and our princes and Our priests and our prophets and Our fathers and on all Your people from the days of the kings of Assyria until day this
וְעַתָּ֣ה אֱ֠לֹהֵינוּ הָאֵ֨ל הַגָּד֜וֹל הַגִּבּ֣וֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא֮ שׁוֹמֵ֣ר הַבְּרִ֣ית וְהַחֶסֶד֒ אַל־ יִמְעַ֣ט לְפָנֶ֡יךָ אֵ֣ת כָּל־ הַתְּלָאָ֣ה אֲֽשֶׁר־ מְ֠צָאַתְנוּ לִמְלָכֵ֨ינוּ לְשָׂרֵ֧ינוּ וּלְכֹהֲנֵ֛ינוּ וְלִנְבִיאֵ֥נוּ וְלַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ וּלְכָל־ עַמֶּ֑ךָ מִימֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י אַשּׁ֔וּר עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

וְעַתָּ֣ה  And  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
אֱ֠לֹהֵינוּ  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָאֵ֨ל  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
הַגָּד֜וֹל  the  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
הַגִּבּ֣וֹר  the  mighty 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.
וְהַנּוֹרָא֮  and  awesome 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
שׁוֹמֵ֣ר  who  keeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַבְּרִ֣ית  covenant 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
וְהַחֶסֶד֒  and  mercy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
יִמְעַ֣ט  do  let  seem  small 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָעַט  
Sense: to be or become small, be few, be diminished.
לְפָנֶ֡יךָ  before  You 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַתְּלָאָ֣ה  the  trouble 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּלָאָה  
Sense: toil, hardship, distress, weariness.
אֲֽשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מְ֠צָאַתְנוּ  has  come  upon  us 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular, first person common plural
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
לִמְלָכֵ֨ינוּ  Our  kings 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לְשָׂרֵ֧ינוּ  and  our  princes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
וּלְכֹהֲנֵ֛ינוּ  and  Our  priests 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְלִנְבִיאֵ֥נוּ  and  our  prophets 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
וְלַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ  and  Our  fathers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וּלְכָל־  and  on  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עַמֶּ֑ךָ  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִימֵי֙  from  the  days 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
מַלְכֵ֣י  of  the  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֔וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
עַ֖ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הַיּ֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.