E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Nehemiah 9:31
GOD. Hebrew. El. App-4 . read more
GOD. Hebrew. El. App-4 . read more
2. The prayer of the people ch. 9The people were not content to go about their business as usual after hearing the Word of God read. They realized they needed to hear more and to get right with God more completely. read more
The prayer of praise 9:5-38A second group of seven Levites (Nehemiah 9:5) 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 Nehemiah 9:1-4."The prayer is intended to instruct the readers. It gives us a survey of the history of Israel with emphasis on certain events in the life of the Chosen People. This approach is comparable to that of Psalms 78, 105, 106, 135, , 136." [Note: Fensham, pp. 227-28.] It is... read more
The Renewal of the Covenant4. Stairs] lit. ’ascent’: probably the pulpit of wood mentioned in Nehemiah 8:4. Bani.. Bani] One of the two names is probably an error for ’Binnui’: cp. Nehemiah 12:8.6. Thou, etc.] Before this LXX inserts ’And Ezra said.’ The prayer that follows first recalls God’s early mercies to the nation, the unworthy return made for such, the divine forbearance, the people’s renewed offences, and their consequent punishment; it next acknowledges the justice of the chastisement... read more
The Variedness of the Divine Benevolence Nehemiah 9:19 I. 'Thy manifold mercies' does not mean the same as 'thy many mercies'. Mercies may be numerous and yet not manifold. I may distribute bread amid a whole multitude in a wilderness. In this case my mercies have been numberless; but they have not been manifold. They have been all of one kind donation. Manifold mercy is mercy which takes different forms. It is like manifold architecture; it can build in opposite ways. II. I think there are... read more
THE RELIGION OF HISTORYNehemiah 9:1-38AFTER the carnival-Lent. This Catholic procedure was anticipated by the Jews in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. The merry feast of Tabernacles was scarcely over, when, permitting an interval of but a single day, the citizens of Jerusalem plunged into a demonstration of mourning-fasting, sitting in sackcloth, casting dust on their heads, abjuring foreign connections, confessing their own and their fathers’ sins. Although the singular revulsion of feeling may... read more
CHAPTER 9 1. The public humiliation and confession (Nehemiah 9:1-5 ) 2. The great confession and prayer (Nehemiah 9:6-38 ) Nehemiah 9:1-5 . Two days after the feast of tabernacles had been concluded this humiliation and confession of sin took place. The assembled congregation fasted, with sackcloth and earth upon them. Separation was next. Evil confessed must mean evil put away. They separated themselves from all strangers, and after their confession they worshipped the Lord. Here again is... read more
ISRAEL'S GUILT CONFESSED TO THEIR CREATOR (vv. 1-6) The Great Day of Atonement was on the first day of the seventh month, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles beginning the 15th day; but what should have been done on the first day was not done until the 24th day of the month (v. 1). This surely indicates that the people were not as sensitive to the seriousness of their sin as they ought to have been. However, when this was impressed on them, there was some real exercise of soul awakened, to... read more
INTERNAL REGULATIONS A NEW GENEALOGICAL RECORD (Nehemiah 7:0 ) The need for this assignment of duty to the two men named (Nehemiah 7:2 ), is not apparent unless Nehemiah contemplated a return to Persia. Later it will be seen that such return took place, but whether at this time or not, is not clear. To “fear God above many,” as Hananiah did, is a great commendation. It was customary to open the gates of a city at sunrise, but to do so in this case before the inhabitants were well awake and... read more
Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-38
Israel’s confession and oath (9:1-10:39)Two days after the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (which lasted from the fifteenth day to the twenty-second day of the month; see 8:18; Leviticus 23:34), the people reassembled for another reading of the law. After this came a time of confession and worship led by the Levites (9:1-5).The prayer began by exalting God as the great Creator, and by praising him for choosing Abraham and making his covenant with him (6-8). God was faithful to his people... read more