Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 9:21

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.

21. The Forty Years in the Wilderness: Preservation

forty years so that] R.V. forty years and. The mention of the 40 years and of the fact that ‘they lacked nothing’ shows that the origin of the clause is to be sought in Deu 2:7 ‘these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.’

their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not ] From Deu 8:4, ‘Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.’ Cf. Deu 29:5, ‘And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.’ The language of the Deuteronomist is doubtless hyperbolical. But his words were employed as a proverbial description of Jehovah’s protection of His people in the wanderings.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 21. Their clothes waxed not old] See Clarke on De 8:4.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Of which See Poole “Deu 8:4“.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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 De 8:4.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Neh 9:21 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.

Ver. 21. Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them ] Sustain them? this is a mere Meiosis, since never was prince so served in his greatest pomp as these rebellious Israelites were in the wilderness: they had their quails and their manna, and the rock to follow them, &c.

So that they lacked nothing ] Nor more shall they that seek the Lord lack any good thing, Psa 34:10 ; Psa 84:11 . God will not be a wilderness to them, or a land of darkness, Jer 2:31 . A sufficiency they shall be sure of, if not a superfluity; yea, in the midst of straits they shall be in a sufficiency, 1Ti 6:6 . The ungodly are not so, Job 20:22 .

Their clothes waxed not old ] They wore not in the wearing. This was wonderful; these men lived in an age of miracles; here was no need of, What shall we put on? For the clothes they had of their own, and that which they borrowed from the Egyptians decayed not; but, as some think, grew up with their persons. See Deu 8:4 ; Deu 29:5 .

And their feet swelled not ] Nor did any other disease annoy them, while they were in the wilderness. There was not one feeble person among them: this was a sweet mercy. Non est vivere, sed valere, vita; si vales, bene est. Vincentio Pestiom, an Italian gentleman, being asked how old he was? answered, that he was in health. And to another that asked how rich he was? answered, that he was not in debt. This was the happiness of these Israelites in the wilderness.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

clothes. Compare Deu 8:4; Deu 29:5.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

forty: Exo 16:35, Num 14:33, Num 14:34, Deu 2:7, Deu 8:2, Amo 5:25, Act 13:18

their: Deu 8:4, Deu 29:5, Psa 34:10

Reciprocal: Num 20:5 – this evil Jos 5:12 – the manna Jer 2:31 – Have I been Amo 2:10 – and led

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet {c} swelled not.

(c) Though the way was tedious and long.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes