Nehemiah 9:17

9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. ¹  But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. ²  You did not abandon them,

Isaiah 55:7

55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle ³ 

and sinful people their plans. ⁴ 

They should return ⁵  to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, ⁶ 

and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. ⁷ 

Daniel 9:9

9:9 Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, ⁸  even though we have rebelled against him.

Micah 7:18

7:18 There is no other God like you! ⁹ 

You ¹⁰  forgive sin

and pardon ¹¹  the rebellion

of those who remain among your people. ¹² 

You do not remain angry forever, ¹³ 

but delight in showing loyal love.

¹ tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew MSS and the LXX in reading בְּמִצְרָיִם (bÿmitsrayim, “in Egypt”; so also NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT) rather than the MT reading בְּמִרְיָם (bÿmiryam, “in their rebellion”).

² tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.

³ tn Heb “Let the wicked one abandon his way.” The singular is collective.

⁴ tn Heb “and the man of evil his thoughts.” The singular is collective.

⁵ tn Heb “let him return.” The singular is collective, meaning “let them.”

⁶ tn The imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive after the jussive indicates purpose/result.

⁷ sn The appeal and promise of vv. 6-7 echoes the language of Deut 4:25-31; 30:1-10; and 1 Kgs 8:46-53, all of which anticipate the exile and speak of the prerequisites for restoration.

⁸ tn Heb “to the Lord our God (belong) compassion and forgiveness.”

⁹ tn Heb “Who is a God like you?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one!”

¹⁰ tn Heb “one who.” The prayer moves from direct address (second person) in v. 18a to a descriptive (third person) style in vv. 18b-19a and then back to direct address (second person) in vv. 19b-20. Due to considerations of English style and the unfamiliarity of the modern reader with alternation of persons in Hebrew poetry, the entire section has been rendered as direct address (second person) in the translation.

¹¹ tn Heb “pass over.”

¹² tn Heb “of the remnant of his inheritance.”

¹³ tn Heb “he does not keep hold of his anger forever.”