So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

NEHEMIAH 9:24KJV
Know the Bible

Nehemiah 9:24 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 9:24 mean?

Nehemiah 9:24 describes how the Israelites entered and took possession of the land of Canaan, with God making the people living there submit to them and giving the Canaanites, their kings, and all the people into Israel’s power, allowing the Israelites to act as they chose. The verse credits God with subduing the land’s inhabitants and delivering them into Israel’s hands.

In this verse, the Levites are leading the people of Israel in a public prayer, recounting their history and God’s actions on their behalf. The context is a national confession and remembrance of God’s faithfulness, especially in giving them the promised land after the Exodus. The verse highlights God’s active role in fulfilling His promises and the complete transfer of control over the land and its people to Israel.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 9:24

  • The word "possessed" (יָרַשׁ, yarash) means to take possession or inherit, emphasizing that Israel did not just enter the land but fully claimed it as their own.
  • "Subduedst" (כָּנַע, kaná) means to bring into subjection or humble, showing that God caused the Canaanites to yield or submit to Israel, not just militarily but in spirit.
  • "Gavest" (נָתַן, natan) is the common Hebrew word for "give," but here it stresses that the victory and possession were gifts from God, not earned solely by Israel’s strength.
  • "Do...as they would" uses the Hebrew word רָצָה (ratsah), which often means "to delight in" or "to be pleased with," suggesting Israel had complete freedom to act as they saw fit regarding the people of the land.

Why Nehemiah 9:24 matters

  • Nehemiah 9:24 clarifies that the conquest of Canaan was not just a military achievement but was understood as God’s direct intervention and fulfillment of His promise.
  • The verse connects the present prayer of confession to Israel’s foundational story, reminding the people that their history is rooted in God’s faithfulness, not their own merit.
  • This verse helps explain the seriousness of Israel’s later failures; having received the land so completely from God, their responsibility to obey Him was all the greater.

Where else these words appear

“subduedst” Hebrew H3665 · used in 32 verses

  • Leviticus 26:41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
  • 1 Chronicles 17:10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.
  • 2 Chronicles 32:26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

“would” Hebrew H7522 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
  • Psalms 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
  • Proverbs 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

“Canaanites” Hebrew H3669 · used in 71 verses

  • Genesis 10:18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
  • Numbers 14:45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
  • Judges 1:3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.