Nehemiah 9:35

For 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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nehemiah and the returned exiles recite this confession to God during a corporate assembly reviewing Israel’s history. The speaker addresses the community’s past failure to honor Yahweh despite receiving royal status and territorial inheritance.

The words — The Hebrew בְּמַלְכוּתָם (bə-malkūṯām) literally renders "in their kingdom," pinpointing the era of established governance. The phrase אֶרֶץ הָרְחָבָה (ʾereṣ hā-rḥāḇâ) translates to "the broad land," underscoring the physical expanse of the divine provision.

The thread — The motif of failing to serve God amid abundance appears in Deuteronomy 28:47, which ties disobedience to prosperity. The contrast with Deuteronomy 32:12 highlights that faithful dependence requires recognizing God’s solitary leadership rather than relying on territorial security.

Why it lands — The passage states directly that political power and fertile land do not automatically produce covenant loyalty. It requires readers to test whether their own blessings are generating obedience or merely enabling continued rebellion.

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

וְהֵ֣םve./Hemand/ they בְּמַלְכוּתָם֩be./mal.khu.Ta/min/ own kingdom/ their וּבְטוּבְךָ֨u./ve./tu.ve./Khaand/ in/ goodness/ your הָרָ֜בha./Rav<the>/ great אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which נָתַ֣תָּna.Ta.tayou had givenלָהֶ֗םla./Hemto/ themוּבְאֶ֨רֶץu./ve./'E.retzand/ in/ [the] land הָרְחָבָ֧הha./re.cha.Vah<the>/ broad וְהַשְּׁמֵנָ֛הve./ha./she.me.Nahand/ <the>/ fertile אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which נָתַ֥תָּna.Ta.tayou had set לִפְנֵיהֶ֖םli/f.nei./Hem<to>/ before/ them לֹ֣אlo'not עֲבָד֑וּךָ'a.va.Du./khathey served/ you וְֽלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ not שָׁ֔בוּSha.vuthey turned back מִמַּֽעַלְלֵיהֶ֖םmi./ma.'a.lei./Hemfrom/ deeds/ their הָרָעִֽים׃ha./ra.'Im<the>/ evil

King James Version

For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 28:47 Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance,
Deuteronomy 32:12 The LORD alone led him, and no foreign god was with him.
Jeremiah 5:19 And when the people ask, ‘For what offense has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ You are to tell them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.’”
Deuteronomy 8:7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills;
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.”
Nehemiah 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.
Romans 3:4 Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”