Nehemiah 9:34

Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Levites speak this confession to God during a corporate fasting assembly in Jerusalem. They recount Israel's historical rebellion while standing before the rebuilt temple walls.

The words — The phrase לֹא עָשׂוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ (lo' asu toratekha) literally renders "they did not do your law." This Hebrew construction emphasizes the active failure to carry out divine instruction rather than mere theoretical rejection.

The thread — This pattern of covenant failure echoes warnings in 2 Kings 17:13 and Jeremiah 29:19, where prophets repeatedly call for obedience before judgment. Deuteronomy 31:21 further frames such disobedience as the catalyst for the afflictions the community now experiences.

Why it lands — The text states that kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors consistently failed to obey the law or heed divine warnings. It requires readers to measure their own compliance against explicit commands rather than relying on institutional or ancestral status.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>מְלָכֵ֤ינוּme.la.Khei./nukings/ our שָׂרֵ֙ינוּ֙sa.Rei./nuleaders/ our כֹּהֲנֵ֣ינוּko.ha.Nei./nupriests/ our וַאֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּva./'a.vo.Tei./nuand/ ancestors/ our לֹ֥אlo'not עָשׂ֖וּ'a.Suthey did תּוֹרָתֶ֑ךָto.ra.Te./khalaw/ your וְלֹ֤אve./Lo'and/ not הִקְשִׁ֙יבוּ֙hik.Shi.vuthey paid attention אֶל־'el-to מִצְוֹתֶ֔יךָmitz.vo.Tei./khacommandments/ your וּלְעֵ֣דְוֹתֶ֔יךָu./le./'E.de.vo.Tei./khaand/ to/ testimonies/ your אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich הַעִידֹ֖תָha.'i.Do.tayou admonishedבָּהֶֽם׃ba./Hem<in>/ them

King James 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.

Cross-references

2 Kings 17:13 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.”
Jeremiah 29:19 I will do this because they have not listened to My words, declares the LORD, which I sent to them again and again through My servants the prophets. And neither have you exiles listened, declares the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 31:21 And when many troubles and afflictions have come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants. For I know their inclination, even before I bring them into the land that I swore to give them.”
2 Kings 17:15 They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.
Nehemiah 9:30 You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.