Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
So now, our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps His promises and shows mercy, please don't let all the hardship that has come upon us seem small or unimportant to You. This trouble has affected our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all Your people, from the time when the Assyrian kings ruled until today.
The writer is asking God not to overlook or minimize the long history of suffering that His people have endured, acknowledging both God's greatness and their need for His attention.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Nehemiah, this verse is part of a communal prayer of confession led by the returned exiles in Jerusalem around 444 BC, as they gathered to renew their covenant with God after years of captivity. The people are reflecting on their nation's history of rebellion and God's enduring mercy, from the Assyrian invasions that scattered Israel to the Babylonian exile and their current life under Persian rule. They are urgently asking God to acknowledge the full weight of their ongoing sufferings rather than dismissing them as insignificant.
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