Text -- Nehemiah 9:36-38 (NET)

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.”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Neh 9:36

¹ tn The expression “to enjoy” is not included in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Neh 9:37

¹ tn Heb “according to their desire.”

NET Notes: Neh 9:38

¹ sn Beginning with 9:38, the verse numbers through 10:39 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 9:38 ET = 10:1 HT, 10:1 ET = 10:2 HT, 10:2 ET = 10:3 HT, etc., through 10:39 ET = 10:40 HT. Beginning with 11:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.

² tn Heb “we are cutting.”

³ tn Heb “and writing.”

⁴ tn Heb “our leaders, our Levites, and our priests on the sealed document.” The Hebrew text is elliptical here; the words “have affixed their names” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons. Cf. v. 2.