As in any active relationship, the covenant that the Lord God established with Israel laid obligations on both parties to abide by the conditions built into the relationship. God and Israel both promised to be faithful to those stipulations (Joshua 24:14–28). If, however, either of the parties should be unfaithful to the terms of the covenant, the other party had the right to impose sanctions. In the present case, Nehemiah recalls the sanctions the Lord promised to enact in the event—if
—Israel reneged on their obligations.
8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,