The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:24 Explained

Nehemiah 9:24

KJV: So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

YLT: 'And the sons come in, and possess the land, and Thou humblest before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and givest them into their hand, and their kings, and the peoples of the land, to do with them according to their pleasure.

Darby: And the children went in and possessed the land; and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, both their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

ASV: So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So the children  went in  and possessed  the land,  and thou subduedst  before  them the inhabitants  of the land,  the Canaanites,  and gavest  them into their hands,  with their kings,  and the people  of the land,  that they might do  with them as they would. 

What does Nehemiah 9:24 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 9:24 mean?

So went in the sons and possessed - the land and You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites and gave them into their hands and with their kings and the people of the land that they might do with them as they wished
וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ הַבָּנִים֙ וַיִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־ הָאָ֔רֶץ וַתַּכְנַ֨ע לִפְנֵיהֶ֜ם יֹשְׁבֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ הַכְּנַ֣עֲנִ֔ים וַֽתִּתְּנֵ֖ם בְּיָדָ֑ם וְאֶת־ מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־ עַֽמְמֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת בָּהֶ֖ם כִּרְצוֹנָֽם

וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ  So  went  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַבָּנִים֙  the  sons 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וַיִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ  and  possessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַתַּכְנַ֨ע  and  You  subdued 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּנַע  
Sense: to be humble, be humbled, be subdued, be brought down, be low, be under, be brought into subjection.
לִפְנֵיהֶ֜ם  before  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יֹשְׁבֵ֤י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַכְּנַ֣עֲנִ֔ים  the  Canaanites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: כִּנְעָן 
Sense: descendant of inhabitant of Canaan n.
וַֽתִּתְּנֵ֖ם  and  gave  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּיָדָ֑ם  into  their  hands 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְאֶת־  and  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַלְכֵיהֶם֙  their  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עַֽמְמֵ֣י  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת  that  they  might  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בָּהֶ֖ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
כִּרְצוֹנָֽם  as  they  wished 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רָצֹון  
Sense: pleasure, delight, favour, goodwill, acceptance, will.