Nehemiah 9:4-38

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:33

Howbeit, thou art just in all that is brought upon us ,.... They own the justice of God, could not complain of any wrong done them; and had he shown them no mercy at all, it was but what they deserved: for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly ; he had done according to the truth of his word of promise, he had faithfully kept it, but they had transgressed his righteous law. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:34

Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law ,.... All ranks of men, from the highest to the lowest, had shown no regard, nor yielded obedience to the holy law of God: nor hearkened unto thy commandments, and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them ; moral and ceremonial, which were a testification of the will of God to them, and a testimony against them if they observed them not. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:35

For they have not served thee in their kingdom ,.... When in it, whether of Israel or of Judah, and when in the most flourishing circumstances: and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them ; amidst all the prosperity and affluence of good things they enjoyed, which was an obligation upon them to serve the Lord: and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them ; the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk, which lay open for them, their enemies being driven out before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:36

Behold, we are servants this day ,.... For though they had leave to return to their land, and rebuild their city and temple, yet they were still in subjection to the kings of Persia: and for the land thou gavest unto our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it ; though the rightful owners and proprietors of it by the gift of God to their ancestors, to hold it and enjoy the good of it, and yet were obliged to pay tribute for it to the kings... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:37

And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us, because of our sins ,.... Though a very fruitful land, and brought forth much, yet not for them, but for foreign kings, that had the sovereignty over them, and enacted much toll, tribute, and custom from them, which greatly lessened the profit of the earth to them: also they have dominion over our bodies ; and could oblige them to work for them, and do any service they should command: and over our cattle, at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:38

And because of all this ,.... Of all this distress, and that it might be removed, and be clear of it; or "in all this distress and evil", as Jarchi and Aben Ezra, in the midst of it all: we make a sure covenant ; or faithfully promise to observe the law of God, and particularly put away strange wives, and not intermarry with the people of the land: and write it ; that it may remain and be a testimony against them should they break it, being their own handwriting: and our princes,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 9:5

Stand up and bless the Lord your God - It is the shameless custom of many congregations of people to sit still while they profess to bless and praise God, by singing the Psalms of David or hymns made on the plan of the Gospel! I ask such persons, Did they ever feel the spirit of devotion while thus employed? If they do, it must be owned that, by the prevalence of habit, they have counteracted the influence of an attitude most friendly to such acts of devotion. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 9:6

Thou preservest them all - כלם את מחיה ואתה vettah mechaiyeh eth cullam , and thou givest life to them all: and the host of the heavens, משתחוים לך lecha mishtachavim , prostrate themselves unto thee. How near is this to the opinion of Kepler, that all the heavenly host are instinct with life, and navigate the great expanse on pinions adjusted to their situation in their respective orbits! But to preserve in life, or in being, is a very good meaning in the original, which does... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 9:7

Who didst choose Abram - See the notes on Exodus 13:21 ; (note). The name of Abraham - For the explanation of this name, See the notes on Genesis 17:5 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 9:12

By a cloudy pillar - See the notes on the parallel passages, both here and in the other verses. read more

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