Nehemiah 9:21
in Nehemiah 9For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
KJV
Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
⋯
This verse in Nehemiah 9
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Their clothes did not wear out
"For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing," survival across a generation in land that could not feed them. The forty years are the sentence of Numbers 14 served in full, and even the sentence is carried on unbroken provision.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the L ORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the L ORD their God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v2-3
Good statutes - The moral and judicial precepts were all founded on natural equity. And even the ceremonial were tokens of God's goodness, being types of gospel-grace. Made - Designed, and resolved to do so, Num. xiv, 4, and therefore they are said to do so, as Abraham is said to have offered up Isaac, Heb. xi, 17, because he intended to do it.
Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing,.... As not for food, so neither for raiment, as follows: their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not; of which see Deu 8:4.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Thou, even thou, art Lord alone, &c.--In this solemn and impressive prayer, in which they make public confession of their sins, and deprecate the judgments due to the transgressions of their fathers, they begin with a profound adoration of God, whose supreme majesty and omnipotence is acknowledged in the creation, preservation, and government of all.
Their clothes waxed not old - See the note on Deu 8:4.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים | vearbaim | and forty | H705 → | 136 times |
| שָׁנָ֛ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| כִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥ם | kilkaltam | you sustained them | H3557 → | |
| בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר | bamidbar | in the wilderness | H4057 → | |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| חָסֵ֑רוּ | chaseru | they were lacking | H2637 → | |
| שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ | salmoteihem | clothes their | H8008 → | |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בָל֔וּ | valu | they wore out | H1086 → | |
| וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם | veragleihem | and feet their | H7272 → | |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בָצֵֽקוּ׃ | vatzeku | they became swollen | H1216 → |
וְאַרְבָּעִ֥יםand forty
vearbaimH705 →136 times
שָׁנָ֛הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
כִּלְכַּלְתָּ֥םyou sustained them
kilkaltamH3557 →
בַּמִּדְבָּ֖רin the wilderness
bamidbarH4057 →
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
חָסֵ֑רוּthey were lacking
chaseruH2637 →
שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙clothes their
salmoteihemH8008 →
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
בָל֔וּthey wore out
valuH1086 →
וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖םand feet their
veragleihemH7272 →
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
בָצֵֽקוּ׃they became swollen
vatzekuH1216 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 34:10Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
it leads to
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Matthew 6:32
For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
- Psalms 104:21
The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
- Luke 1:51–53
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
- Psalms 84:11
Through
Deuteronomy 8:4Your clothing did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 29:5
For forty years I led you in the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 29:5
Through
Deuteronomy 2:7Indeed, the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. The LORD your God has been with you these…
it leads to
- Luke 22:35
Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.
- Deuteronomy 8:2–4
Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your…
- Luke 22:35
Through
Deuteronomy 29:5For forty years I led you in the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 8:4
Your clothing did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
- Deuteronomy 8:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Nehemiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.