Nehemiah 9:18-23
The Message
16-19 But they, our ancestors, were arrogant;
bullheaded, they wouldn’t obey your commands.
They turned a deaf ear, they refused
to remember the miracles you had done for them;
They turned stubborn, got it into their heads
to return to their Egyptian slavery.
And you, a forgiving God,
gracious and compassionate,
Incredibly patient, with tons of love—
you didn’t dump them.
Yes, even when they cast a sculpted calf
and said, “This is your god
Who brought you out of Egypt,”
and continued from bad to worse,
You in your amazing compassion
didn’t walk off and leave them in the desert.
The Pillar of Cloud didn’t leave them;
daily it continued to show them their route;
The Pillar of Fire did the same by night,
showed them the right way to go.
20-23 You gave them your good Spirit
to teach them to live wisely.
You were never miserly with your manna,
gave them plenty of water to drink.
You supported them forty years in that desert;
they had everything they needed;
Their clothes didn’t wear out
and their feet never blistered.
You gave them kingdoms and peoples,
establishing generous boundaries.
They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon
and the country of Og king of Bashan.
You multiplied children for them,
rivaling the stars in the night skies,
And you brought them into the land
that you promised their ancestors
they would get and own.
Nehemiah 9:18-20
New International Version
18 even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf(A) and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.(B)
19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon(C) them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud(D) did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20 You gave your good Spirit(E) to instruct(F) them. You did not withhold your manna(G) from their mouths, and you gave them water(H) for their thirst.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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