Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Nehemiah 9

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  A solemn fast, and repentance of the people.
4  The Levites make a religious confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness.
Verse 1

Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
Now
On the first of this month was the feast of trumpets; on the tenth, the day of atonement; on the fourteenth began the feast of tabernacles, which lasted seven days, ending on the twenty- second; on the twenty-third, they separated themselves from their illegitimate wives; and on the twenty-fourth, they held a solemn day of fasting and confession of sin, and reading the law; the whole of which they closed by renewing their covenants.
twenty
Leviticus 23:34,39, 2 Chronicles 7:10
of this month
8:2
children
Judges 20:26, 2 Chronicles 20:3, Ezra 8:23, Esther 4:3,16, Isaiah 22:12, Joel 1:13,14,, Joel 2:15-17, Jonah 3:5-8, Acts 13:2,3
earth
Joshua 7:6, 1 Samuel 4:12, 2 Samuel 1:2, Job 2:12
Verse 2

And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
the seed
13:3,30, Ezra 9:2, 10:11
strangers
Heb. strange children.
Psalms 144:7,11, Isaiah 2:6, Hosea 5:7
confessed
1:6, Leviticus 26:39,40, Ezra 9:6,7,15, Psalms 106:6,7, Daniel 9:3-10,20, 1 John 1:7-9
Verse 3

And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.
they stood
8:4,7,8
one fourth
8:3
Verse 4

Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.
stairs
or, scaffold. Jeshua.
5, 8:7, 10:9-13, 12:8
cried
2 Chronicles 20:19, Psalms 3:4, 77:1, 130:1, Lamentations 3:8, John 11:43, Acts 7:60
Verse 5

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Stand up
1 Kings 8:14,22, 2 Chronicles 20:13,19, Psalms 134:1-3, 135:1-3
bless
1 Chronicles 29:20, Ezra 3:11, Psalms 103:1,2, 117:1,2, 145:2, 146:2, Jeremiah 33:10,11, Matthew 11:25, Ephesians 3:20,21, 1 Peter 1:3
thy glorious
Exodus 15:6,11, Deuteronomy 28:58, 1 Chronicles 29:13, Psalms 72:18,19, 145:5,11,12, 2 Corinthians 4:6
exalted
1 Kings 8:27, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalms 16:2, 106:2
Verse 6

Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
even thou
Deuteronomy 6:4, 2 Kings 19:15,19, Psalms 86:10, Isaiah 37:16,20, 43:10, 44:6,8, Mark 12:29,30, John 10:30
thou hast
Genesis 1:1, 2:1, Ezekiel 20:11, Psalms 33:6, 136:5-9, 146:6, Jeremiah 10:11,12, Colossians 1:15,16, Revelation 4:11, 14:7
the heaven
Deuteronomy 10:14, 1 Kings 8:27
preservest
Psalms 36:6, Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3
the host
Genesis 2:1, 32:2, 1 Kings 22:19, Psalms 103:21, 148:2-4, Isaiah 6:2,3, Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 5:11-13
Verse 7

Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
choose
Genesis 12:1,2, Deuteronomy 10:15, Joshua 24:2,3, Isaiah 41:8,9, 51:2
Ur
Genesis 11:31, 15:7, Acts 7:2-4
gavest
Genesis 17:5
Verse 8

And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
foundest
Genesis 12:1-3, 15:6,18, 22:12, Acts 13:22, 1 Timothy 1:12,13, Hebrews 11:17, James 2:21-23
madest
Genesis 12:7, 15:18, 17:7,8, 22:16-18, Deuteronomy 7:8,9, 9:5, Psalms 105:8,9, Luke 1:72,73
the Canaanites
Genesis 15:18-21, Exodus 3:8,17, Deuteronomy 7:1, Joshua 9:1, 11:3
hast performed
Deuteronomy 26:3, Joshua 11:23, 21:43-45, 23:14, Psalms 105:43,44
righteous
Numbers 23:19, Psalms 92:14,15, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18, 1 John 1:9
Verse 9

And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;
didst see
Exodus 2:25, 3:7-9,16, Acts 7:34
heardest
Exodus 14:10-12
Verse 10

And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.
shewedst
Exodus 7:1-25, 14:1-31, Deuteronomy 4:34, 11:3,4, Psalms 78:12,13,43-53, 105:27-37, Psalms 106:7-11, 135:8,9, 136:10-15, Acts 7:36
they
Exodus 5:2,7,8, 9:17, 10:3, 18:11, Job 40:11,12, Daniel 4:37, 5:23, 1 Peter 5:5
didst
Exodus 9:16, Joshua 2:10,11, Psalms 83:18, Isaiah 63:12,14, Jeremiah 32:20, Ezekiel 20:9, Daniel 9:15, Romans 9:17
Verse 11

And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.
divide
Exodus 14:21,22,27,28, Psalms 66:6, 78:13, 114:3-5, 136:13-15, Isaiah 63:11-13
their persecutors
Exodus 15:1-21, Psalms 106:9-11, Hebrews 11:29
as a stone
Exodus 15:5,10, Revelation 18:21
Verse 12

Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
thou leddest
19, Exodus 13:21,22, 14:19,20, Psalms 78:14, 105:39
in the way
Psalms 107:7, 143:8
Verse 13

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
camest
Exodus 19:11,16-20, Deuteronomy 33:2, Isaiah 64:1,3, Habakkuk 3:3
spakest
Exodus 20:1,22, Deuteronomy 4:10-13,33, 5:4,22-26, Hebrews 12:18-26
gavest
Deuteronomy 4:8, 10:12,13, Psalms 19:7-11, 119:127,128, Ezekiel 20:11-13, Romans 7:12-14,16
true laws
Heb. laws of truth.
Psalms 119:160
Verse 14

And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
madest
Genesis 2:3, Exodus 16:29, 20:8-11, Ezekiel 20:12,20
commandedst
Exodus 21:1-23, Leviticus 27:34, Deuteronomy 4:5,45, 5:31
Moses
1:8, John 1:17
Verse 15

And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
gavest
Exodus 16:4,14,15, Deuteronomy 8:3,16, Psalms 78:24,25, 105:40, John 6:31-35, 1 Corinthians 10:3
broughtest
20, Exodus 17:6, Numbers 20:7-11, Deuteronomy 8:15, Psalms 77:15-20, 105:41, 114:8, 1 Corinthians 10:4
go
Deuteronomy 1:8, Joshua 1:2-4
sworn
Heb. lift up thine hand.
Genesis 14:22, Numbers 14:30, Ezekiel 20:15
Verse 16

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
dealt
10,29, Exodus 32:9, Deuteronomy 9:6,13,23,24,27, 32:15, Psalms 78:8-72, 106:6, Isaiah 63:10, Jeremiah 2:31, Acts 7:51
hardened
Deuteronomy 31:27, 2 Kings 17:14, 2 Chronicles 30:8, 36:13, Psalms 95:8-10, Proverbs 29:1, Isaiah 48:4, Jeremiah 19:15, Romans 2:5, Hebrews 3:13,15
hearkened
Exodus 15:26, Deuteronomy 5:29, Psalms 81:8,11-14, Isaiah 48:18; There were two things to which the Israelites did not duly give heed, else they had not done as they did. The word of God they heard, but they gave no heed to God's commandments: and the works of God they saw, but were not mindful of his wonders. Had they really considered them as miracles, they would have obeyed from a principle of faith and holy fear: had they duly considered them as mercies, they would have obeyed from a principle of gratitude and holy love.
Verse 17

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
refused
Numbers 14:3,4,11,41, 16:14, Psalms 106:24,25, Proverbs 1:24, Hebrews 12:25
mindful
Psalms 78:11,42,43, 86:5,15, 106:7,13, Matthew 16:9-11, 2 Peter 1:12-15
in their rebellion
Instead of bemiryam, "in their rebellion," seven MSS., one edition, and the LXX., have bemitzrayim, "in Egypt:" "appointed a captain to return to their bondage in Egypt."
appointed
Numbers 14:4, Acts 7:39
a God
Numbers 14:18,19, Psalms 86:5,15, 130:4, Micah 7:18,19
ready to pardon
Heb. of pardons. gracious.
Exodus 34:6,7, Psalms 78:38, 103:8-18, 145:8,9, Isaiah 55:7-9, Joel 2:13, Romans 9:15, Ephesians 1:6,7
forsookest
1 Kings 6:13, 8:57, Psalms 106:43-46
Verse 18

Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
Exodus 32:4-8,31,32, Deuteronomy 9:12-16, Psalms 106:19-23, Ezekiel 20:7-44
Verse 19

Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
in thy
27, 1 Samuel 12:22, Psalms 106:7,8,45, Isaiah 44:21, Lamentations 3:22, Ezekiel 20:14,22, Daniel 9:9,18, Malachi 3:6
the pillar
12, Exodus 13:21,22, 40:38, Numbers 9:15-22, 14:14, Isaiah 4:5,6, 1 Corinthians 10:1,2
Verse 20

Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
gavest
30, Numbers 11:17,25-29, Isaiah 63:11-14
good
Psalms 143:10, Romans 15:30, Galatians 5:22,23, Ephesians 5:9, 2 Peter 1:21
withheldest
Exodus 16:15,35, Joshua 5:12
gavest
Exodus 17:6, Psalms 105:41, Isaiah 41:17,18, 48:21, 49:10, John 4:10,14, John 7:37-39
Verse 21

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
forty
Exodus 16:35, Numbers 14:33,34, Deuteronomy 2:7, 8:2, Amos 5:25, Acts 13:18
their
Deuteronomy 8:4, 29:5, Psalms 34:10
Verse 22

Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
thou
Joshua 10:11, Psalms 78:65, 105:44
divide
Deuteronomy 32:26, Joshua 11:23
Sihon
Numbers 21:21-35, Deuteronomy 2:26-36, 3:1-17, Psalms 135:10-12, 136:17-22
Verse 23

Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
multipliedst
Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 1 Chronicles 27:23
broughtest
Joshua 1:1-3
which thou
Genesis 12:7, 13:15-17, 15:18, 17:8, 26:3
Verse 24

So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
So the
Numbers 14:31, Joshua 21:43,45
thou subduedst
Joshua 18:1, 1 Chronicles 22:18, Psalms 44:2,3
as they would
Heb. according to their will.
2 Timothy 2:26
Verse 25

And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
strong
Numbers 13:27,28, Deuteronomy 3:5, 6:10-12, 9:1-3
a fat land
35, Deuteronomy 8:7-10, 32:13, Ezekiel 20:6
wells
or, cisterns. fruit trees. Heb. trees of food. did eat.
Deuteronomy 32:15, Psalms 65:11, Isaiah 6:10, Jeremiah 5:27,28, Hosea 13:6
and became fat
They became effeminate, fell under the power of luxury, got totally corrupted in their manners, sinned against all the mercies of God, and then were destroyed by His judgments.
delighted
1 Kings 8:66, Jeremiah 31:14, Hosea 3:5, Romans 2:4
Verse 26

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
they were
Judges 2:11,12, 3:6,7, 10:6,13,14, Psalms 78:56,57, 106:34-40, Ezekiel 16:15-63, 20:21, 23:4-49
cast thy law
1 Kings 14:9, Psalms 50:17, Ezekiel 33:3-5
slew
1 Kings 18:4,13, 19:10, 2 Chronicles 24:20,21, 36:16, Jeremiah 26:20-23, Matthew 21:35, Matthew 23:34-37, Acts 7:52
wrought
18, 2 Kings 21:11, Ezekiel 22:25-31
Verse 27

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
thou deliveredst
Deuteronomy 31:16-18, Judges 2:14,15, 3:8-30, 2 Chronicles 36:17, Psalms 106:41,42, Daniel 9:10-14
in the time
Deuteronomy 4:29-31, Judges 3:15, 6:6-10, 10:15,16, Psalms 106:43-45
saviours
Judges 2:18, 3:9-15, 1 Samuel 12:10,11, 2 Kings 13:5, 14:27, Obadiah 1:21
Verse 28

But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
did evil again
Heb. returned to do evil.
Judges 3:11,12,30, 4:1, 5:31, 6:1
heardest
1 Kings 8:33,34,39, Isaiah 63:15
many times
Psalms 106:43-45
Verse 29

And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
testifiedst
26, Deuteronomy 4:26, 31:21, 2 Kings 17:13, 2 Chronicles 24:19, 36:15, Jeremiah 25:3-7, Hosea 6:5
yet they
10,16, Exodus 10:3, Jeremiah 13:15-17, 43:2, 44:10,16,17, Daniel 5:20, James 4:6-10
which
Leviticus 18:5, Ezekiel 20:11, Luke 10:28, Romans 10:5, Galatians 3:12
withdrew the shoulder
Heb. gave a withdrawing shoulder.
Zechariah 7:11,12
and hardened
Jeremiah 7:26, 17:23, 19:15
Verse 30

Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
many years
Psalms 86:15, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9
forbear them
Heb. protract over them. testifiedst.
2 Kings 17:13, 2 Chronicles 36:15, Jeremiah 7:25, 25:4
by thy spirit
20, Isaiah 63:10, Acts 7:51, 28:25, 1 Peter 1:11, 2 Peter 1:21
thy prophets
Heb. the hand of thy prophets. therefore.
Isaiah 5:5,6, 42:24, Jeremiah 40:2,3, 44:22, Lamentations 2:17, Zechariah 7:13
Verse 31

Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
for thy great
Jeremiah 4:27, 5:10,18, Lamentations 3:22, Ezekiel 14:22,23, Daniel 9:9
gracious
17, Exodus 34:6,7, 2 Kings 13:23, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Psalms 103:8,9, 145:8,9
Verse 32

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
our God
1:5, Deuteronomy 7:21, Psalms 47:2, 66:3,5
keepest
Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Kings 8:23, Daniel 9:4, Micah 7:18-20
trouble
Heb. weariness. little before thee.
Leviticus 26:18,21,24,28, Ezra 9:13
come upon us
Heb. found us. on our kings.
2 Kings 23:29,33,34, 25:7,18-21,25,26, 2 Chronicles 36:1-23, Jeremiah 8:1-3, Jeremiah 22:18,19, 34:19-22, 39:1-18, 52:1-34, Daniel 9:6,8
since the time
2 Kings 15:19,29, 17:3, Isaiah 7:17,18, 8:7,8, 10:5-7, 36:1-37
Verse 33

Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
Howbeit
Genesis 18:25, Job 34:23, Psalms 119:137, 145:17, Jeremiah 12:1, Lamentations 1:18, Daniel 9:5-14
but we
Leviticus 26:40,41, Job 33:27, Psalms 106:6, Daniel 9:5-10
Verse 34

Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.
nor hearkened
Jeremiah 29:19
thy testimonies
30, 2 Kings 17:15
thou didst
Deuteronomy 31:21, 2 Kings 17:13
Verse 35

For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
For they
Deuteronomy 28:47, Jeremiah 5:19, Romans 3:4,5
in their kingdom
Instead of bemalkuthom, "in their kingdom," bemalkuthecha, "in thy kingdom," is the reading of two of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., LXX., Syriac, and Arabic.
thy great
fat land
Deuteronomy 8:7-10, 31:21, 32:12-15
Verse 36

Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:
Deuteronomy 28:48, 2 Chronicles 12:8, Ezra 9:9
Verse 37

And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
it yieldeth
Deuteronomy 28:33,39,51, Ezra 4:13, 6:8, 7:24
dominion
5:8, Leviticus 26:17, Deuteronomy 28:48, John 8:33
Verse 38

And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.
we make
10:29, 2 Kings 23:3, 2 Chronicles 15:12,13, 23:16, 29:10, 34:31, Ezra 10:3
seal unto it
Heb. are at the sealing, or sealed.
10:1

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