Nehemiah 9:3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-3

We have here a general account of a public fast which the children of Israel kept, probably by order from Nehemiah, by and with the advice and consent of the chief of the fathers. It was a fast that men appointed, but such a fast as God had chosen; for, 1. It was a day to afflict the soul, Isa. 58:5. Probably they assembled in the courts of the temple, and they there appeared in sackcloth and in the posture of mourners, with earth on their heads, Neh. 9:1. By these outward expressions of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:3

And they stood up in their place ,.... In the outward court of the temple, where men used to stand when they prayed and confessed their sins: and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God; that they might the better know the mind and will of God, and do their duty: this they did one fourth part of the day ; the space of three hours, from sun rising, or six o'clock in the morning, to the time of the morning sacrifice, which was about nine o'clock: and another fourth part they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 9:3

One fourth part of the day - As they did no manner of work on this day of fasting and humiliation, so they spent the whole of it in religious duties. They began, says Calmet, on the first hour, and continued these exercises to the third hour; from the third they recommenced, and continued till the sixth hour; from the sixth to the ninth; and from the ninth, to the twelfth or last hour. They heard the law read, standing; They prostrated themselves, and confessed their sins; 3.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-3

A special Fast day-how spent. This chapter and the next contain an account of the proceedings of a day set apart for special fasting and humiliation These three verses give a general description of the proceedings. I. The DATE . The 24th day of the month Tisri; only one clear day having passed since the rejoicings of the feast of tabernacles. So joy and sorrow succeed each other in life; in the religious life also. No inconsistency in the indulgence of each in turn. The people had... 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

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 9:3

In their place . See above, Nehemiah 8:7 . The people and the ministers had their appointed "places"in every gathering of a religious character. The former now "stood up" in their proper place, and read , i.e. "engaged in the reading of the law, not, however, as actual readers, but as listeners. The readers would be the Levites (see Nehemiah 8:7 , Nehemiah 8:8 ). One fourth part of the day . The day and the night were alike divided by the Jews into four parts, each of three hours... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 9:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 9:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-35

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-38

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:1-38

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:2-38

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 9:3

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