Nehemia 9:18-19

9:18 even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up from Egypt,’ or when they committed atrocious ¹  blasphemies.

9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day, ²  nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel.

Nehemia 9:26-28

9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. ³  They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies. 9:27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who oppressed them. But in the time of their distress they called to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you provided them with deliverers to rescue them from ⁴  their adversaries.

9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to ⁵  their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again.

[9:18]  ¹ tn Heb “great.”

[9:19]  ² tn Heb “did not turn from them by day to guide them in the path.”

[9:26]  ³ tn Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”

[9:27]  ⁴ tn Heb “from the hand of” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “from the power of.”

[9:28]  ⁵ tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”