Nehemiah 9:21

The Forty Years in the Wilderness: Preservation

forty years… so that] R.V. forty years … and. The mention of the 40 years and of the fact that -they lacked nothing" shows that the origin of the clause is to be sought in Deuteronomy 2:7 -these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing."

their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not From Deuteronomy 8:4, -Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years." Cf. 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." The language of the Deuteronomist is doubtless hyperbolical. But his words were employed as a proverbial description of Jehovah's protection of His people in the wanderings.