Nehemiah 9

Chap. IX. ver. 1. Now in the twenty and fourth day &c.] As the people, on perceiving in how many things they had transgressed the commands of God, expressed great trouble and grief of heart, chap. viii. 9, 12, Nehemiah and Ezra, finding them in so good a temper, applied themselves to make the best improvement of it they could, for the honour of God and the interest of religion. Accordingly, they proclaimed a fast to be held the next day but one after the close of the festival, that is, on the 24th of the month, to which, having called all the people, while the sense of these things was fresh and warm in their minds, they excited them to make a publick and solemn confession before God of all their sins, and also to enter into a solemn vow and covenant to avoid them for the future, and to hold themselves to a strict observance of all the Divine laws. Dean Prideaux.

phets:] “Prophecy,” as St. Peter observes, “came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,” 2 Peter i. 21. Accordingly we find in multitudes of places, from the earliest book of Scripture to the latest, supernatural impulses and illuminations ascribed to the Spirit of God: Gen. vi. 3; xli. 38; Numb. xi 25, 25; xxiv. 2;

Nehemiah 9:2

2. And the seed of Israel separated themselves &c.] Those who had been guilty of taking strange women to be their wives, and who in some instances seem to have taken them back, although they had been forced by Ezra to put them away, now in token of their true repentance “separated themselves” from them, that is, stood or remained at a distance from them, to shew that they renounced them. Bp. Patrick.

Nehemiah 9:5

5. Then the Levites, &c.] After the Levites before mentioned had cried to God for mercy, the people, as is probable, suing for it on their knees, another company of Levites commanded them to stand up and praise the Lord and give thanks. Bp. Patrick.

VOL. I.

and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Nehemiah 9:6

6. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone;] The whole succeeding part of this chapter contains a beautiful epitome of the history of the Jews, raised and animated by a spirit of devotion, which appears in all that moving eloquence so well suited to the occasion, and, at the same time, with all that chasteness and correctness of thought and expression which so eminently distinguishes the sacred writings of this sort. Peters.

The prayer which here follows is one of the finest in all the Scriptures. What is chiefly to be observed in this prayer is as follows: The Jews adore the power and majesty of the most high God; solemnly acknowledge the mercies their nation had received from Him in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the land of Canaan, and His forbearance and longsuffering towards them; they confess their sins and rebellions, and their abuse of His favours; they own too that God had justly chastised them, by sending them into captivity, and subjecting them to strange princes. Lastly, they enter into a solemn engagement never more to return to their old sins, but to keep inviolably the covenant which they then renewed with the Lord. We should make a useful application to ourselves of all the parts of this excellent prayer; we should frequently read it, and learn from it to praise and adore God, to acknowledge the favours He bestows upon us all in general, and upon every one in particular: they especially whose circumstances somewhat resemble those of the Jews at that time, and who have been made to pass through divers trials and afflictions, ought from hence to learn to confess their sins and ingratitude, to celebrate His forbearance, to be more faithful to Him for the time to come, and religiously to perform the conditions of His covenant. Ostervald.

Nehemiah 9:29

29. They clave to their brethren, &c.] They, the bulk of the people, took a solemn oath to do the same as those who had written their names had agreed to do, that is, to live in careful obedience to the laws of Moses, and particularly not to intermarry with any heathen families, promising to oblige all that belonged to them, that were of age of discretion, to do the same; and entering into “a curse,” that is, wishing that all the curses written in the law might fall upon them, if they did not perform all that the law required in these matters. Pyle, Bp. Patrick. The observances to which they chiefly obliged themselves in this covenant were, first, Not to make intermarriages with the Gentiles, either by giving their daughters to them, or by taking any of their daughters to themselves; secondly, to observe the sabbaths and sabbatical years; thirdly, to pay their annual tribute to the temple for the reparation of it, and for the procurement of all the necessaries for its publick service; and, fourthly, to pay the tithes and firstfruits to the priests and Levites. As these particulars are especially named in the covenant, we hence learn what those divine laws are, of which they had been most neglectful since their return from captivity. Dean Prideaux. Nehemiah was ruler of a nation; and, as such, can be no example to private persons, though he be an excellent one to princes and governours, who, if they would be esteemed as he was, must act as he did. For, though wealth and power may be obtained by many ways, yet respect and reputation can only be acquired by deservdo all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

Nehemiah 9:34

34.—for the wood offering.] It seems that till this time, or at least till the time of the Babyloniah captivity, it was the office of the Nethinim, or the servants of the temple, to furnish the wood necessary for maintaining the sacred fire on the altar, and generally for the uses of the temple. But, since the return from the captivity, the number of servants being small, the priests, Levites, and rest of the people cast lots for supplying and preparing the wood. The people, divided into portions, provided it and brought it every year by lot. The Nethinim, aided by the Levites, received it, placed it in the temple, and prepared it for use. The priests put it on the altar, and took care to maintain the perpetual fire, according to the law, Levit. vi. 9. All these different functions were regulated by lot. In later times the Jews had a festival, called Xylophoria, or “carrying of wood,” because on it they carried with some solemnity the wood for the use of the temple. It appears from Josephus, that the time of celebrating it was the month of August. Calmet.

Nehemiah 9:37

37. — they have dominion over our bodies, &c.] Though the Jews were permitted to live by their own laws, as we read in the book of Ezra, which was a great privilege, yet they lay under heavy publick burdens, and were compelled to bear them; in particular, their persons were liable to be pressed to serve in the king’s wars, or in his works, and their cattle to be employed on his business, whenever he had occasion. Bp. Patrick.

Nehemiah 9:38

38. — we make a sure covenant, and write it:] In consideration of all which they had stated, they resolved to renew their covenant of better obedience, which they promised under their hands and seals, as the only remedy to procure perfect deliverance; and this they declare in the presence of God at the close of the foregoing confession and prayer. Bp. Patrick. This renewal of the covenant was a very interesting and important transaction. It was in fact the solemn assent of the whole nation to the covenant which made them the chosen people of God, and secured to them the possession of the promised land. And it was their observance, however imperfect, of this covenant, which maintained them in possession, till their outrageous violence rejected the Messiah their lawful king. Chap. X. ver. 1. — Nehemiah, the Tirshatha,] Nehemiah, the governour under the king of Persia, and therefore the principal person in the country, who led the way to the rest.