5. Then the Levites . . . said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God—If this prayer was uttered by all these Levites in common, it must have been prepared and adopted beforehand, perhaps, by Ezra; but it may only embody the substance of the confession and thanksgiving. read more
The preparations for prayer 9:1-4Two days after the solemn assembly (Nehemiah 8:18), the people were still mourning over their sins (Nehemiah 9:1). This was a genuine spiritual revival. In obedience to God’s Law the people broke off forbidden alliances with non-Jews (cf. Deuteronomy 23:3-8). They also confessed their ancestors’ sins as well as their own, listened to the reading of the Law, and worshipped God (Nehemiah 9:2-3). Seven Levites led the people in confession and worship (Nehemiah... read more
2. The prayer of the people ch. 9The people were not content to go about their business as usual after hearing the Word of God read. They realized they needed to hear more and to get right with God more completely. read more
The prayer of praise 9:5-38A second group of seven Levites (Nehemiah 9:5) led the people in the prayer of praise that Nehemiah included in this book, perhaps on a different day than the prayer he wrote about in Nehemiah 9:1-4."The prayer is intended to instruct the readers. It gives us a survey of the history of Israel with emphasis on certain events in the life of the Chosen People. This approach is comparable to that of Psalms 78, 105, 106, 135, , 136." [Note: Fensham, pp. 227-28.] It is... read more
The Renewal of the Covenant4. Stairs] lit. ’ascent’: probably the pulpit of wood mentioned in Nehemiah 8:4. Bani.. Bani] One of the two names is probably an error for ’Binnui’: cp. Nehemiah 12:8.6. Thou, etc.] Before this LXX inserts ’And Ezra said.’ The prayer that follows first recalls God’s early mercies to the nation, the unworthy return made for such, the divine forbearance, the people’s renewed offences, and their consequent punishment; it next acknowledges the justice of the chastisement... read more
(4) Stairs, of the Levites.—The scaffold of the Levites, without the comma: the steps of ascent to the pulpit of Ezra (Nehemiah 8:2).Bani, and Chenani.—Probably, Binnui and Haman (Nehemiah 10:9-10).Their God.—When the people are called upon (Nehemiah 9:5), it is “your God”; hence these eight Levites offered a prayer which is not inserted. read more
(5) Hashabniah.—Not found elsewhere. No reason is given why this company is somewhat different from the former; the LXX. arbitrarily omit all names after Kadmiel. Similarly, they insert “and Ezra said” before Nehemiah 9:6. The psalm was perhaps composed by Ezra, but uttered by the Levites in the name of the congregation.Stand up and bless . . . Blessed be.—Or, let them bless.Thou, even thou, art Lord alone.—The three phrases mark how the address to the people glides into direct adoration of... read more
The Variedness of the Divine Benevolence Nehemiah 9:19 I. 'Thy manifold mercies' does not mean the same as 'thy many mercies'. Mercies may be numerous and yet not manifold. I may distribute bread amid a whole multitude in a wilderness. In this case my mercies have been numberless; but they have not been manifold. They have been all of one kind donation. Manifold mercy is mercy which takes different forms. It is like manifold architecture; it can build in opposite ways. II. I think there are... read more
THE RELIGION OF HISTORYNehemiah 9:1-38AFTER the carnival-Lent. This Catholic procedure was anticipated by the Jews in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. The merry feast of Tabernacles was scarcely over, when, permitting an interval of but a single day, the citizens of Jerusalem plunged into a demonstration of mourning-fasting, sitting in sackcloth, casting dust on their heads, abjuring foreign connections, confessing their own and their fathers’ sins. Although the singular revulsion of feeling may... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Nehemiah 9:4
4. Then stood up upon the stairs—the scaffolds or pulpits, whence the Levites usually addressed the people. There were probably several placed at convenient distances, to prevent confusion and the voice of one drowning those of the others. cried with a loud voice unto the Lord—Such an exertion, of course, was indispensably necessary, in order that the speakers might be heard by the vast multitude congregated in the open air. But these speakers were then engaged in expressing their deep sense of... read more