Nehemiah 9:32

Israel's sufferings in the past a just punishment from God

32. our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God Cf. note on Nehemiah 1:5. See Deuteronomy 10:17, -the great God, the mighty and the terrible." Daniel 9:4.

who keepest covenant and mercy Cf. Nehemiah 1:5.

trouble R.V. travail. The Hebrew word (t'lâah) here used is only found in the O. T., Exodus 18:8; Numbers 20:14; Lamentations 3:5; Malachi 1:13 (-weariness").

seem little before thee A humble way of entreating for gracious consideration. The construction is like that of Nehemiah 9:19 (see note), -As for all the travail, let it not seem little, &c."

upon us, on our kings, &c. The nation is here described under a threefold division, (1) the aristocracy, the king and the nobles, (2) the religious castes, the priestly officials and the prophetic schools, (3) the laity generally, the heads of the houses or fathers and the mass of the nation.

since the time of the kings of Assyria i.e. since the kings of Assyria first made Israel tributary. When this took place is not known. The first recorded instance in Scripture is that of Menahem and Pekah (2 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 15:24), who submitted to Pul or Tiglath-Pileser II. (745 727 b.c.). But it is evident from the famous -Black obelisk" that Jehu was among the vassal kings who brought tribute to Shalmaneser II. (842 b.c.). The kings of Babylon, of Egypt and of Persia had exercised the same dominion. Assyria was the typical oppressor; Assyria first carried away Israel into captivity (2 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 17:23).