Nehemiah 9:4-38

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:23

Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven ,.... Fulfilling the promise made to Abraham, Genesis 15:5 their number when they came out of Egypt, and just before they entered into the land of Canaan, being upwards of 600,000 men, besides women and children, Exodus 12:37 and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it ; the land of Canaan, promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:24

So the children went in and possessed the land ,.... Not the fathers of the Israelites that came out of Egypt, they died in the wilderness, all excepting two, but their children, which seems to be the reason of this manner of expression, see Numbers 14:30 and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites ; by means of Joshua, the general of the armies of Israel; there is an elegant paronomania in the word for "subdue", and the Canaanites, which cannot be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:25

And they took strong cities ,.... Such as, in an hyperbolical way, are said to be walled up to heaven, Deuteronomy 1:28 and a fat land ; of a good and fruitful soil, abounding with all good things, Deuteronomy 8:7 and possessed houses full of all goods ; ready built and furnished for them, both with good provisions and good furniture: wells digged ; to supply them with water: vineyards, and olive yards, and fruit trees in abundance ; which they planted not: and they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:26

Nevertheless, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee ,.... Notwithstanding all these favours and mercies bestowed upon them, which was great ingratitude: and cast thy law behind their backs ; as of no account, and unworthy of their regard; that which they should have had continually before their eyes, as the rule and guide of their actions, they cast behind them, not caring to look into it, and read it: and slew thy prophets, which testified against them to turn them to thee... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:27

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them ,.... As the kings of Mesopotamia, Moab, Canaan, and others: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee ; as they usually did, Judges 3:9 , thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hands of their enemies ; such were judges, Othniel, Ehud, Barak, Gideon, &c.; and this was, done for them, not on account... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:28

But after they had rest ,.... From their enemies, enjoyed their liberty, and were in prosperity: they did evil again before thee ; relapsed into idolatry: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them ; as the Philistines had for the space of forty years, Judges 13:1 , yet when they returned and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven, and many times didst thou deliver them, according to thy mercies ; this was their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:29

And testifiedst against them ,.... By sending prophets to them, to admonish them of their sins, and remind them of their duty: that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law ; to regard it, and walk according it: yet they dealt proudly ; with an haughty air rejected the counsel of God: and hearkened not unto thy commandments ; yielded not obedience to them: but sinned against thy judgments ; transgressed his laws, which were so just, righteous, reasonable, and equitable: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:30

Yet many years didst thou forbear them ,.... Throughout the reigns of several kings, such was God's longsuffering towards them: or, "thou didst draw upon them"; that is, his mercy, as Jarchi interprets it; he drew it out of his heart, and prolonged it towards them: and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy prophets ; who reproved and admonished them, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God in them, who spoke in his name, and what he suggested to them: yet they would not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:31

Nevertheless, for thy great mercies' sake , For the displaying of that, and the glorifying of it, which is so large and exceeding abundant: thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them ; some were left in the land, and those that were carried captive found favour in the eyes of those that carried them away, and were suffered to live, and many of them now had returned to their own land: for thou art a gracious and merciful God ; of which they had abundant proof and evidence. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:32

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy ,.... The same titles Nehemiah gives to the Lord, Nehemiah 1:5 and it may be reasonably thought the whole prayer is his composure, which was delivered by him to the Levites: let not all the trouble seem little before thee ; as if it was not enough; let it be judged sufficient, and no more be added, but mercy shown; Aben Ezra thinks the word "little" is not to be connected with "trouble",... read more

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