Nehemiah 9:12
New International Version
By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

New Living Translation
You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.

English Standard Version
By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.

Berean Standard Bible
You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.

King James Bible
Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

New King James Version
Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel.

New American Standard Bible
“And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

NASB 1995
“And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

NASB 1977
“And with a pillar of cloud Thou didst lead them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

Legacy Standard Bible
And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

Amplified Bible
“And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light the way for them In which they were to go.

Christian Standard Bible
You led them with a pillar of cloud by day, and with a pillar of fire by night, to illuminate the way they should go.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You led them with a pillar of cloud by day, and with a pillar of fire by night, to illuminate the way they should go.

American Standard Version
Moreover in a pillar of cloud thou leddest them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

Contemporary English Version
Each day you led your people with a thick cloud, and at night you showed the way with a flaming fire.

English Revised Version
Moreover thou leddest them in a pillar of cloud by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You led them during the day by a column of smoke and during the night by a column of fire to give them light to see the way they should go.

Good News Translation
With a cloud you led them in daytime, and at night you lighted their way with fire.

International Standard Version
You led them during the day by a pillar of cloud, and by a pillar of fire at night to provide light for them on the path they took.

Majority Standard Bible
You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.

NET Bible
You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.

New Heart English Bible
Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover, thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

World English Bible
Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And by a pillar of cloud You have led them by day, "" And by a pillar of fire by night, "" To lighten to them the way in which they go.

Young's Literal Translation
And by a pillar of cloud Thou hast led them by day, and by a pillar of fire by night, to lighten to them the way in which they go.

Smith's Literal Translation
And in a pillar of cloud thou didst guide them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, to enlighten the way to them that they shall go in it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And in a pillar of a cloud thou wast their leader by day, and in a pillar of Are by night, that they might see the way by which they went.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And in the pillar of cloud, you were their leader by day, and in the pillar of fire, by night, so that they might see the way along which they might advance.

New American Bible
With a column of cloud you led them by day, and by night with a column of fire, To light the way of their journey, the way in which they must travel.

New Revised Standard Version
Moreover, you led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the way in which they should go.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Moreover thou hast led them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And by a pillar of cloud you led them by day and by a column of fire in the night to enlighten a way for them to walk in it.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Moreover in a pillar of cloud Thou didst lead them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou guidedst them by day by a pillar of cloud, and by night by a pillar of fire, to enlighten for them the way wherein they should walk.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The People Confess Their Sins
11You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters. 12You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel. 13You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.…

Cross References
Exodus 13:21-22
And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. / Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.

Numbers 9:15-23
On the day that the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it and appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. / It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire. / Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp. ...

Psalm 78:14
He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.

Psalm 105:39
He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night.

Exodus 14:19-20
And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them, / so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.

Exodus 40:36-38
Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out through all the stages of their journey. / If the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was taken up. / For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys.

Deuteronomy 1:33
who went before you on the journey, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day, to seek out a place for you to camp and to show you the road to travel.

Isaiah 4:5
Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a canopy,

Isaiah 63:12-14
who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown, / who led them through the depths like a horse in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble? / Like cattle going down to the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. You led Your people this way to make for Yourself a glorious name.

1 Corinthians 10:1-2
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. / They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Revelation 7:15-17
For this reason, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. / ‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’ / For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.


Treasury of Scripture

Moreover you led them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

thou leddest

Nehemiah 9:19
Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

Exodus 13:21,22
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: …

Exodus 14:19,20
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: …

in the way

Psalm 107:7
And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

Psalm 143:8
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

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Nehemiah 9
1. A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4. The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness














You led them
This phrase emphasizes God's active guidance and leadership over the Israelites. The Hebrew root for "led" is "נָחָה" (nachah), which conveys the idea of guiding or directing with care and purpose. Historically, this reflects God's intimate involvement in the journey of His people, underscoring His role as a shepherd to His flock. It is a reminder of God's faithfulness and His commitment to lead His people through life's journey, providing direction and purpose.

with a pillar of cloud by day
The "pillar of cloud" served as a visible manifestation of God's presence and guidance. In the ancient Near Eastern context, clouds often symbolized divine presence and protection. The cloud provided shade and comfort in the harsh desert environment, symbolizing God's provision and care. This imagery also connects to the broader biblical theme of God as a refuge and protector, offering His people shelter and guidance in times of need.

and a pillar of fire by night
The "pillar of fire" provided light and warmth during the cold desert nights, symbolizing God's protection and guidance even in the darkest times. Fire in the biblical context often represents God's holiness and power. This miraculous guidance reassured the Israelites of God's constant presence, illuminating their path and dispelling fear. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's ability to guide His people through the darkest moments of life, providing clarity and direction.

to light for them the way
This phrase highlights the purpose of the divine guidance: to illuminate the path for the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "light" is "אוֹר" (or), which signifies illumination, clarity, and understanding. This reflects the biblical theme of God as the source of light and truth, guiding His people in righteousness. It underscores the importance of walking in the light of God's guidance, trusting in His wisdom and direction.

which they should travel
The journey of the Israelites was not random; it was a divinely ordained path. The Hebrew root "יָלַךְ" (yalak) for "travel" implies purposeful movement and progress. This phrase emphasizes the idea that God has a specific plan and direction for His people. It encourages believers to trust in God's plan for their lives, knowing that He leads them on a path that aligns with His divine purpose and will.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You led
הִנְחִיתָ֖ם (hin·ḥî·ṯām)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5148: To guide, to transport

them with a pillar
וּבְעַמּ֣וּד (ū·ḇə·‘am·mūḏ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5982: A column, a stand, platform

of cloud
עָנָ֔ן (‘ā·nān)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6051: A cloud, the nimbus, thunder-cloud

by day,
יוֹמָ֑ם (yō·w·mām)
Adverb
Strong's 3119: Daytime, by day

and a pillar
וּבְעַמּ֥וּד (ū·ḇə·‘am·mūḏ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5982: A column, a stand, platform

of fire
אֵשׁ֙ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

by night,
לַ֔יְלָה (lay·lāh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

to light
לְהָאִ֣יר (lə·hā·’îr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 215: To be or become light

for them the way
הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ (had·de·reḵ)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

which
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they should travel.
יֵֽלְכוּ־ (yê·lə·ḵū-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk


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OT History: Nehemiah 9:12 Moreover in a pillar of cloud you (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 9:11
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