Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Nehemiah 9:4-38 (NET)

Context
9:4 Then the Levites – Jeshua , Binnui , Kadmiel , Shebaniah , Bunni , Sherebiah , Bani , and Kenani – stood on the steps and called out loudly to the LORD their God . 9:5 The Levites – Jeshua , Kadmiel , Bani , Hashabneiah , Sherebiah , Hodiah , Shebaniah , and Pethahiah – said , “Stand up and bless the LORD your God !” “May you be blessed, O LORD our God, from age to age . May your glorious name be blessed ; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise . 9:6 You alone are the LORD . You made the heavens , even the highest heavens , along with all their multitude of stars , the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all , and the multitudes of heaven worship you. 9:7 “You are the LORD God who chose Abram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans . You changed his name to Abraham . 9:8 When you perceived that his heart was faithful toward you, you established a covenant with him to give his descendants the land of the Canaanites , the Hittites , the Amorites , the Perizzites , the Jebusites , and the Girgashites . You have fulfilled your promise , for you are righteous . 9:9 “You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt , and you heard their cry at the Red Sea . 9:10 You performed awesome signs against Pharaoh , against his servants , and against all the people of his land , for you knew that the Egyptians had acted presumptuously against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day . 9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through the sea on dry ground ! But you threw their pursuers into the depths , like a stone into surging waters . 9:12 You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel . 9:13 “You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven . You provided them with just judgments , true laws , and good statutes and commandments . 9:14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath ; you issued commandments , statutes , and law to them through Moses your servant . 9:15 You provided bread from heaven for them in their time of hunger , and you brought forth water from the rock for them in their time of thirst . You told them to enter in order to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. 9:16 “But they – our ancestors – behaved presumptuously ; they rebelled and did not obey your commandments . 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. But you are a God of forgiveness , merciful and compassionate , slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love . You did not abandon them, 9:18 even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said , ‘This is your God who brought you up from Egypt ,’ or when they committed atrocious blasphemies . 9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert . The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day , nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel . 9:20 You imparted your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths ; you provided water for their thirst . 9:21 For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell . 9:22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples , and you allocated them to every corner of the land . They inherited the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan . 9:23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of the sky . You brought them to the land you had told their ancestors to enter in order to possess . 9:24 Their descendants entered and possessed the land . You subdued before them the Canaanites who were the inhabitants of the land . You delivered them into their hand , together with their kings and the peoples of the land , to deal with as they pleased . 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land . They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things – wells previously dug , vineyards , olive trees , and fruit trees in abundance . They ate until they were full and grew fat . They enjoyed to the full your great goodness . 9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law . They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies . 9:27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries , who oppressed them. But in the time of their distress they called to you, and you heard from heaven . In your abundant compassion you provided them with deliverers to rescue them from their adversaries . 9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to their enemies , and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you , in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again . 9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law , but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments . They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual , if he obeys them, will live . They boldly turned from you; they rebelled and did not obey . 9:30 You prolonged your kindness with them for many years , and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets . Still they paid no attention , so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples . 9:31 However, due to your abundant mercy you did not do away with them altogether ; you did not abandon them. For you are a merciful and compassionate God . 9:32 “So now , our God – the great , powerful , and awesome God , who keeps covenant fidelity – do not regard as inconsequential all the hardship that has befallen us– our kings , our leaders , our priests , our prophets , our ancestors , and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day ! 9:33 You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully . It is we who have been in the wrong ! 9:34 Our kings , our leaders , our priests , and our ancestors have not kept your law . They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them. 9:35 Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible goodness that you had lavished on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices . 9:36 “So today we are slaves ! In the very land you gave to our ancestors to eat its fruit and to enjoy its good things – we are slaves ! 9:37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins . They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit , and we are in great distress !
The People Pledge to be Faithful
9:38 “Because of all of this we are entering into a binding covenant in written form; our leaders , our Levites , and our priests have affixed their names on the sealed document.”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Prayer

    [isbe] PRAYER - prar (deesis, proseuche, (enteuxis; for an excellent discussion of the meaning of these see Thayer's Lexicon, p. 126, under the word deesis; the chief verbs are euchomai, proseuchomai, and deomai, especially in Luke...
    [smith] The object of this article will be to touch briefly on -- The doctrine of Scripture as to the nature and efficacy of prayer; Its directions as to time, place and manner of prayer; Its types and examples of prayer. Scripture ...
    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Covenant

    [ebd] a contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to t...
    [nave] COVENANT Sacred, Josh. 9:18-21; Gal. 3:15. Binding, Josh. 9:18-20; Jer. 34:8-21; Ezek. 17:14-18; Gal. 3:15. Binding, not only on those who make them, but on those who are represented, Deut. 29:14, 15. Blood of, Ex. 24:8. ...

  • INTERCESSION

    [isbe] INTERCESSION - in-ter-sesh'-un (pagha`, "to make intercession"; originally "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede" (Ru...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • Thankfulness

    [nave] THANKFULNESS Jesus set an example of, Matt. 11:25; 26:27; John 11:41. The heavenly host engage in, Rev. 4:9; 7:11, 12; 11:16, 17. Commanded, Psa. 50:14. Should be offered to God, Psa. 50:14; to Christ, 1 Tim. 1:12; throug...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Nehemiah

    [nave] NEHEMIAH 1. Son of Hachaliah, Neh. 1:1. Cupbearer of Artaxerxes, Neh. 1:11; 2:1. Is grieved over the desolation of his country, Neh. 1. Is sent by the king to rebuild Jerusalem, Neh. 2:1-8. Register of the people whom he...

  • Sin

    [nave] SIN. Index of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to, Defining, and Illustrating; Confession of; Consequences of, Entailed Upon Children; Conviction of; Forgiveness of; Fruits of; Kn...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Repentance

    [nave] REPENTANCE Attributed to God, Gen. 6:6, 7; Ex. 32:14; Deut. 32:36; Judg. 2:18; 1 Sam. 15:11, 29, 35; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Psa. 106:45; 110:4; 135:14; Jer. 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9...

  • Idolatry

    [nave] IDOLATRY. Wicked Practices of Human sacrifices, Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:10; 2 Kin. 3:26, 27; 16:3; 17:17, 18; 21:6; 23:10; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Psa. 106:37, 38; Isa. 57:5; Jer. 7:31; 19:4-7; 32:35; Ezek. 16:20, 2...

  • Bani

    [ebd] built. (1.) 1 Chr. 6:46. (2.) One of David's thirty-seven warriors, a Gadite (2 Sam. 23:36). (3.) Ezra 2:10; 10:29,34,38. (4.) A Levite who was prominent in the reforms on the return from Babylon (Neh. 8:7; 9:4,5). His son R...
    [isbe] BANI - ba'-ni (bani, "posterity"): (1) A Gadite, one of David's mighty men (2 Sam 23:36). (2) A Levite whose son was appointed for service in the tabernacle at David's time (1 Ch 6:46). (3) A Judahite whose son lived in Jeru...
    [smith] (built). A Gadite, one of David?s mighty men. (2 Samuel 23:36) (B.C. 1046.) A Levite of the line of Merari, and forefather to Ethan. (1 Chronicles 6:46) A man of Judah of the line of Pharez. (1 Chronicles 9:4) "Chil...
    [nave] BANI 1. A Gadite, 2 Sam. 23:36. 2. A Levite, 1 Chr. 6:46. 3. A descendant of Pharez, 1 Chr. 9:4. 4. Father of returned exiles, Ezra 2:10; 10:29. Called Biui, Neh. 7:15. 5. A Levite of the returned exiles, Neh. 3:17; 8:7...

  • Kadmiel

    [ebd] before God; i.e., his servant, one of the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel from the Captivity (Neh. 9:4; 10:9; 12:8).
    [isbe] KADMIEL - kad'-mi-el (qadhmi'el, "before God," "priest"(?); "Cadmiel" in parallel lists in 1 Esdras 5:26,58 the King James Version; omitted in Septuagint Codex Vaticanus; Codex Alexandrinus reads kai Kadmielon): A Levite (Ez...
    [smith] (before God), one of the Levites who with his family returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:40; Nehemiah 7:43) He and his house are mentioned in history on three occasions - (Ezra 3:9; Nehemiah 9:4,5; 10:9) (B.C. 535-...
    [nave] KADMIEL 1. A Levite, Ezra 2:40; 3:9; Neh. 7:43; 12:8, 24. 2. A Levite who assisted in leading the devotions of the people, Neh. 9:4, 5; 10:9.

  • Shebaniah

    [ebd] whom Jehovah hides, or has made grow up. (1.) A Levite appointed to blow the trumpet before the ark of God (1 Chr. 15:24). (2.) Another Levite (Neh. 9:4, 5). (3.) A priest (Neh. 10:12). (4.) A Levite (Neh. 10:4).
    [isbe] SHEBANIAH - sheb-a-ni'-a, she-ban'-ya (shebhanyah, in 1 Ch 15:24, shebhanyahu): (1) Name of a Levite or a Levitical family that participated in the religious rites that followed the reading of the Law (Neh 9:4). The name is ...
    [smith] (increased by Jehovah). A Levite in the time of Ezra. (Nehemiah 9:4,5) He sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:10) (B.C. 459.) A priest or priestly family who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:4; 12:...
    [nave] SHEBANIAH 1. A priest in the time of David, 1 Chr. 15:24. 2. A Levite who joined Nehemiah in covenant, Neh. 9:4, 5; 10:10. 3. A priest who joined Nehemiah in covenant, Neh. 10:4; 12:14. 4. A Levite who joined Nehemiah in ...

  • Red Sea

    [ebd] The sea so called extends along the west coast of Arabia for about 1,400 miles, and separates Asia from Africa. It is connected with the Indian Ocean, of which it is an arm, by the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb. At a point (Ras Mo...
    [nave] RED SEA The locusts which devastated Egypt destroyed in, Ex. 10:19. Israelites cross; Pharaoh and his army drowned in, Ex. 14; 15:1, 4, 11, 19; Num. 33:8; Deut. 11:4; Josh. 2:10; 4:23; 24:6, 7; Judg. 11:16; 2 Sam. 22:16; Ne...

  • PROVIDENCE, 1

    [isbe] PROVIDENCE, 1 - prov'-i-dens: I. PROVIDENCE DEFINED II. DIFFERENT SPHERES OF PROVIDENTIAL ACTIVITY DISTINGUISHED III. BIBLICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF PROVIDENCE 1. Divine Providence in the Old Testament Scriptures (...

  • Sherebiah

    [ebd] flame of the Lord, a priest whose name is prominent in connection with the work carried on by Ezra and Nehemiah at Jerusalem (Ezra 8:17, 18, 24-30; Neh. 8:7; 9:4, 5; 10:12).
    [isbe] SHEREBIAH - sher-e-bi'-a, she-reb'-ya (sherebhyah, "God has sent burning heat"(?); the form is doubtful): A post-exilic priest and family. Sherebiah, who joined Ezra at the river Ahava (Ezr 8:18; the Septuagint omits), and h...
    [nave] SHEREBIAH, a Levite assistant to Ezra, Ezra 8:18, 24; Neh. 8:7; 9:4, 5. 2. A Levite who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah, Neh. 10:12; 12:8, 24.

  • Impenitence

    [nave] IMPENITENCE. Lev. 23:26-29; Lev. 26:21 vs. 22-24.; Deut. 29:19-21; 1 Sam. 15:23; Job 9:2, 4; Job 24:13; Job 33:14; Psa. 7:11, 12 v. 13.; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 32:9; Psa. 50:17, 21; Psa. 52:1, 7; Psa. 58:3-5; Psa. 68:21; Psa. 78:8...

  • JESHUA

    [ebd] (1.) Head of the ninth priestly order (Ezra 2:36); called also Jeshuah (1 Chr. 24:11). (2.) A Levite appointed by Hezekiah to distribute offerings in the priestly cities (2 Chr. 31:15). (3.) Ezra 2:6; Neh. 7:11. (4.) Ezra 2:...
    [smith] (a saviour), another form of the name of Joshua of Jesus. Joshua the son of Nun. (Nehemiah 8:17) [JOSHUA] A priest in the reign of David, to whom the nine course fell by David, to whom the ninth course fell by lot. (1 Chr...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...
more

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • [Neh 9:5] Now Blessing, Honor, Glory, Praise
  • [Neh 9:5] Stand Up And Bless The Lord
  • [Neh 9:6] Lord Our God Alone Is Strong, The
  • [Neh 9:10] Joy Is A Fruit That Will Not Grow

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

A Privilege and an Obligation

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Compared with the dedication of the first temple this one was very modest. Solomon had offered more than 200 times as many animals.96The Jews offered one sin offering, which involved slaying a goat, for each of the 12 tribes ...
  • The priests presented the evening offering (v. 5) between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. in Jesus' day.130Ezra's prayer contains four primary characteristics: solidarity, confession, readiness to change, and faith in God's mercy.131In hi...
  • The years of history the book covers are 445-431 B.C. or perhaps a few years after that.In 445 B.C. (the twentieth year of Artaxerxes' reign, 1:1) Nehemiah learned of the conditions in Jerusalem that led him to request permis...
  • For many years, believers regarded Ezra and Nehemiah as twin books. They called them 1 and 2 Ezra (or Esdras, the Greek transliteration of Ezra). Jerome, who lived in the fourth century A.D., gave 2 Ezra the name Nehemiah. Th...
  • I. The fortification of Jerusalem chs. 1-7A. The return under Nehemiah chs. 1-21. The news concerning Jerusalem 1:1-32. The response of Nehemiah 1:4-113. The request of Nehemiah 2:1-84. The return to Jerusalem 2:9-20B. The re...
  • One writer viewed chapters 8-13 (really 7:73-13:37) as the third part of the tripartite structure of Ezra-Nehemiah. Ezra 1:1-4 deals with "potentiality,"the decree to the community to build God's house. Ezra 1:5--Nehemiah 7:7...
  • "The reading of Scripture (Neh 8) and the act of prayer (Neh 9) followed by community commitment (Neh 10) is a model for worshiping communities."62This was another instance in Israel's history of a covenant renewal accompanyi...
  • Two days after the solemn assembly (8:18) the people were still mourning over their sins (9:1). This was a genuine spiritual revival. In obedience to God's Law the people broke off forbidden alliances with non-Jews (cf. Deut....
  • A second group of seven Levites (v. 5) led the people in the prayer of praise that Nehemiah included in this book perhaps on a different day than the prayer he wrote about in verses 1-4."The prayer is intended to instruct the...
  • Nehemiah explained the agreement he previously referred to in 9:38 in this chapter. Conviction of sin (ch. 8) led to confession of sin (ch. 9) and resulted in a covenant with God (ch. 10)."Nehemiah 10, despite its forbidding ...
  • This portion of the book resumes the historical narrative in chronological order from 11:2 where it stopped. Probably the dedication took place soon after the covenant renewal ceremonies (chs. 8-10)....
  • The Book of Nehemiah records the fortification of Jerusalem and the restoration of the Jews, two essential steps that were necessary to reestablish God's people in His will and in their land.Nehemiah continued the good work t...
  • 145:8-10 Verses 8 and 9 are a classic expression of praise for God's character. The same statement in Hebrew occurs in six other places in the Old Testament (Exod. 34:6; Neh. 9:7; Pss. 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). God...
  • Israel deserved judgment, and this pericope shows why. Jeremiah presented a series of pictures of the nation's irresponsibility and corruption.2:29 The Lord wanted to know why His people were angry with Him. The difficulties ...
  • The prayer begins with a long ascription of praise to Yahweh (vv. 17-23) and concludes by expressing incredulity that the Lord had commanded His servant to buy the land in Anathoth (vv. 24-25; cf. Neh. 9:6-37; Dan. 9:4-19).42...
  • 11:14-15 The Lord then replied that many of the Jews in Jerusalem were saying that the Judahites who had gone into captivity were the ones that God was judging. They believed that the Jews left in Jerusalem were the remnant t...
  • 4:1 The fact that Nebuchadnezzar addressed what follows to everyone living on the earth, even though he did not rule over the entire earth, should not be a problem. This was the universal language that he customarily used (cf...
  • 6:10 The new decree did not deter Daniel from continuing to pray for the welfare of the city where God had sent them into exile and for the Jews' return from exile. That this was the subject of his praying, among other things...
  • 2:12-13a Speaking for the Lord, Joel urged his hearers even now--even though judgment was threatened--to repent. However, he clarified that their repentance needed to be wholehearted, not just external. Fasting, weeping, and ...
  • The reader might assume that the Lord's deliverance of the Ninevites from imminent doom is the climax of the story. This is not the case. The most important lesson of the book deals with God's people and specifically God's in...
  • This final section of the book is also in the form of a lament (cf. vv. 1-7). While Micah spoke as an individual, he spoke for the faithful remnant of Israelites in his day. His sentiments would have been theirs. Thus the lam...
  • Having referred to the words of the former prophets (v. 7), Zechariah now summarized them as an exhortation to his own generation of Israelites.7:8-10 Zechariah received another message from the Lord related to this inquiry. ...
  • Another comment triggered teaching of a similar nature. The continuing theme is the messianic kingdom.13:31 This incident followed the former one chronologically. Therefore it is probable that Jesus' words about Jews not ente...
  • This section of the text contains Jesus' enigmatic and attractive description of the Bread of Life. Jesus was whetting His hearers' appetites for it (cf. 4:10). The pericope ends with their asking Him to give them the Bread (...
  • 4:23-28 After hearing the apostle's report, the Christians sought the Lord (Gr. Despota, sovereign ruler) in prayer."Three movements may be discerned in this prayer of the early church: (1) God is sovereign (v. 24). (2) God's...
  • Stephen began his defense by going back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, and to the Abrahamic Covenant, God's foundational promises to the Jews.7:2-3 Stephen called for the Sanhedrin's attention addressing his hea...
  • Stephen concluded his defense by indicting his accusers. They had brought charges against him, but now he brought more serious charges against them.In his first speech to the Sanhedrin, Peter had been quite brief and forthrig...
  • 14:6 John next saw another angel (cf. 7:2; 8:3; 10:1) flying between heaven and earth (cf. 8:13). He was "another"probably like Michael (12:7), the nearest specific angel in the context. This is the first of six specific ange...
  • 18:21 The angelic act of throwing the millstone into the sea is symbolic of Babylon's fate (cf. Jer. 51:63-64). As it is impossible for that huge stone to rise to the surface, so the economic system that has driven this world...
Back to Commentary Page
Display Bible



Universal Search:

NET Only
Exact Search
Commentary
Study Dictionary
Word Study
Lexicon
Study Maps System
Sermon Illustrations
Expository
Arts
Resource
Daily Bible Reading
Training Video
Classic NET Bible
iPhone NET Bible
Mobile Bible
TIP #25: [ALL]
created in 0.08 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA