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
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 9:4-38
We have here an account how the work of this fast-day was carried on. 1. The names of the ministers that were employed. They are twice named (Neh. 9:4, 5), only with some variation of the names. Either they prayed successively, according to that rule which the apostle gives (1 Cor. 14:31; You may all prophesy one by one), or, as some think, there were eight several congregations at some distance from each other, and each had a Levite to preside in it. 2. The work itself in which they employed... read more