Nehemiah 9:21

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.

a. ASV:  Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

b. YLT: and forty years Thou hast nourished them in a wilderness; they have not lacked; their garments have not worn out, and their feet have not swelled.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.

d. Septuagint: And thou didst sustain them forty years in the wilderness; thou didst not allow anything to fail them: their garments did not wax old, and their feet were not bruised.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: For forty years You sustained them in the Wilderness and they lacked nothing; for their clothing did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

1. “Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness…”

a. [Yea] forty [Strong: 705 ʼarbâʻîym, ar-baw-eem'; multiple of H702; forty:—forty.]

b. years [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

c. [didst thou] sustain [them] [Strong: 3557 kûwl, kool; a primitive root; properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses):—(be able to, can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).]

d. [in the] wilderness [Strong: 4057  midbâr, mid-bawr'; from H1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs):—desert, south, speech, wilderness.]

2. “...so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.”

a. [so that they] lacked [Strong: 2637 châçêr, khaw-sare'; a primitive root; to lack; by implication, to fail, want, lessen:—be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want.]

b. nothing [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

c. [their] clothes [Strong: 8008  salmâh, sal-maw'; transp. for H8071; a dress:—clothes, garment, raiment.]

d. [waxed] not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. old [Strong: 1086 bâlâh, baw-law'; a primitive root; to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend):—consume, enjoy long, become (make, wax) old, spend, waste.]

f. [and their] feet [Strong: 7272 regel, reh'-gel; from H7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda:—× be able to endure, × according as, × after, ×coming, × follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), × great toe, × haunt, × journey, leg, piss, possession, time.]

g. swelled [Strong: 1216 bâtsêq, baw-tsake'; a primitive root; perhaps to swell up, i.e. blister:—swell.]

h. not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

1). A look at comparative verses here is necessary.

a). Deuteronomy 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.

(1) For forty years their clothes or their shoes never wore out. 

b). 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.

(1) swelled [1216 * batseq][Strong: a primitive root; perhaps to swell up, i.e. blister:--swell.

2). Here is a remarkable note found in the Chumash under Deuteronomy 8:4.

“The clothing, too, proved that God was with them, for it is a miracle that clothing could last forty years without deteriorating or wearing out, even without being subjected to perspiration and harsh use (Ramban). How much more so since the Midrash teaches that clothing grew with the children and always remained clean and fresh (Rashi).” 

3). I have no trouble believing the clothing and shoes grew with the people. If I was 5 years old when the Exodus happened and at the end of the forty years I was 45 and I’m still wearing the same shoes because they didn’t wear out, that would imply the shoes grew with me.