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Matthew Henry

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:4

Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites ,.... On an ascent; an elevated place where the Levites used to stand when they sang at the time of sacrifice, and where they might be seen and heard by the people: Jeshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani ; who seem to be all Levites, see Nehemiah 8:7 , and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God ; praying with great fervency, and making bitter lamentation for the sins of the people and their own. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-29

A prayerful review of Divine goodness as manifested in the facts of human life. I. This is a prayerful review of the Divine NAME . "And blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise" ( Nehemiah 9:5 ). 1 . It views God as the Creator of all things ( Nehemiah 9:6 ). 2 . It views God as electing his people ( Nehemiah 9:7 ). 3 . It views God as covenanting with the faithful ( Nehemiah 9:8 ). 4 . It views God as delivering his people in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-35

Confession. The feast of tabernacles, held in such wise as Israel had not known since the days of Joshua ( Joshua 8:17 ), concluded, "according unto the manner" of that festival, with a " solemn assembly" on the eighth day ( Joshua 8:18 )—"the last day, that great day of the feast" ( John 7:37 ). After one day's interval, when nothing unusual was done, "on the twenty-fourth day of the month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting" (verse l), and a very great day was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-38

The solemn fast of assembled Israel. Notice three features in the people's religious life. 1 . Their confession of sin. 2 . Their external reformation. 3 . Their solemn adoption of the written word of God as the law of their life. Take these as representative, universal. I. HUMILIATION AND CONFESSION . 1 . Public and united as well as private and solitary. Great impressiveness in numbers. The heart needs the stimulus of contact with great waves of feeling. There... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:2-38

Appeal It has been remarked that there is no prayer in this lengthy address to God. And the absence of direct supplication is certainly very noticeable. But it must be remembered that we may make our appeal to God in more ways than by directly asking him for the blessings we desire at his hand. The comparative and almost complete absence of formal petition from this address suggests to us that we may go far towards winning our cause by— I. PRESENTING THE SOUL BEFORE GOD IN ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:4

Upon the stairs, of the Levites . Rather, "upon the platform of the Levites," the same probably as the " pulpit of Nehemiah 8:4 . Bani . Rather, "Binnui" (see Nehemiah 10:9 ; Nehemiah 12:8 ),the representative of the "sons of Henadad. Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel are the three principal families of the Levites (comp. Ezra 2:40 ; Ezra 3:9 ; Nehemiah 3:24 ; Nehemiah 8:7 , etc.). Sherebiah was the head of a family which returned with Ezra ( Ezra 8:18 ). Chenani is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:4-6

United praise. Commencement of the worship and confessions with general praise. I. THE LEADERS OF THE WORSHIP . An honourable and responsible office. II. THEIR EXHORTATION TO THE PEOPLE . 1 . As to the attitude in which they were to offer praise. "Stand up"—the fitting posture for this part of Divine worship. 2 . As to the praise they were to offer. III. THE UNITED PRAISE . 1 . Introductory. 2 . Praise of God as "Jehovah alone." 3 .... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Nehemiah 9:4

The Septuagint and the Vulgate remove the comma after “stairs.” By the “stairs (or scaffold) of the Levites” is to be understood as an elevated platform from which they could the better address and lead the people (compare Nehemiah 8:4). read more

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