Nehemiah 9

Berean Standard Bible

The People Confess Their Sins

1On the twenty-fourthH6242 H702 dayH3117 of the sameH2088 monthH2320, the IsraelitesH1121 H3478 gathered togetherH622, fastingH6685 and wearing sackclothH8242, with dustH127 on their headsH5921. 2Those of IsraeliteH3478 descentH2233 separated themselvesH914 from allH3605 the foreignersH1121 H5236, and they stoodH5975 and confessedH3034 H5921 their sinsH2403 and the iniquitiesH5771 of their fathersH1.

3While they stoodH6965 inH5921 their placesH5977, they readH7121 from the BookH5612 of the LawH8451 of the LORDH3068 their GodH430 for a quarterH7243 of the dayH3117, and they spent another quarter of the dayH7243 in confessionH3034 and worshipH7812 of the LORDH3068 their GodH430.

4And the LevitesH3881—JeshuaH3442, BaniH1137, KadmielH6934, ShebaniahH7645, BunniH1138, SherebiahH8274, BaniH1137, and ChenaniH3662—stoodH6965 onH5921 the raised platformH4608 and cried outH2199 in a loudH1419 voiceH6963 toH413 the LORDH3068 their GodH430. 5Then the LevitesH3881—JeshuaH3442, KadmielH6934, BaniH1137, HashabneiahH2813, SherebiahH8274, HodiahH1941, ShebaniahH7645, and PethahiahH6611—saidH559, “Stand upH6965 and blessH1288 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 fromH4480 everlastingH5769 toH5704 everlastingH5769:

Blessed beH1288 Your gloriousH3519 nameH8034,and may it be exaltedH7311aboveH5921 allH3605 blessingH1293 and praiseH8416.6YouH859 H1931 aloneH905 H859 are the LORDH3068.You createdH6213 the heavensH8064,the highest heavensH8064 with allH3605 their hostH6635,the earthH776 and allH3605 thatH834 is on itH5921,the seasH3220 and allH3605 that isH834 in them.YouH859 give lifeH2421 to all thingsH3605,and the hostH6635 of heavenH8064 worshipsH7812 You.

7YouH859 H1931 are the LORDH3068,the GodH430 whoH834 choseH977 AbramH87,who brought himH3318 out of UrH218 of the ChaldeansH3778and gave himH7760 the nameH8034 AbrahamH85.8You foundH4672 his heartH3824 faithfulH539 before YouH6440,and madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with himH5973to giveH5414 the landH776 of the CanaanitesH3669 and HittitesH2850,of the AmoritesH567 and PerizzitesH6522,of the JebusitesH2983 and GirgashitesH1622—to give itH5414 to his descendantsH2233.You have keptH6965 Your promiseH1697,becauseH3588 YouH859 are righteousH6662.

9You sawH7200 the afflictionH6040 of our fathersH1 in EgyptH4714 ;You heardH8085 their cryH2201 atH5921 the RedH5488 SeaH3220.110You performedH5414 signsH226 and wondersH4159 against PharaohH6547,allH3605 his officialsH5650, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 of his landH776,forH3588 You knewH3045 they had acted with arroganceH2102againstH5921 our fathers.You madeH6213 a nameH8034 for Yourselfthat endures to thisH2088 dayH3117.11You dividedH1234 the seaH3220 before themH6440,and they crossedH5674 throughH8432 itH3220 on dry groundH3004 .You hurledH7993 their pursuersH7291 into the depthsH4688likeH3644 a stoneH68 into raging watersH4325 H5794.

12You led themH5148 with a pillarH5982 of cloudH6051 by dayH3119and a pillarH5982 of fireH784 by nightH3915,to lightH215 for them the wayH1870in whichH834 they should travelH1980.13You came downH3381 onH5921 MountH2022 SinaiH5514and spokeH1696 with themH5973 from heavenH8064.You gaveH5414 them justH3477 ordinancesH4941, trueH571 lawsH8451,and goodH2896 statutesH2706 and commandmentsH4687.14 You revealedH3045 to them Your holyH6944 SabbathH7676and gaveH6680 them commandmentsH4687 and statutesH2706 and lawsH8451throughH3027 Your servantH5650 MosesH4872.15In their hungerH7458 You gaveH5414 them breadH3899 from heavenH8064;in their thirstH6772 You broughtH3318 them waterH4325 from the rockH5553.You toldH559 them to go inH935 and possessH3423 the landH776thatH834 You had swornH5375 to giveH5414 them.

16But theyH1992 and our fathersH1 became arrogantH2102 and stiff-neckedH7185 and did notH3808 obeyH8085 H413 Your commandmentsH4687.17They refusedH3985 to listenH8085 and failedH3808 to rememberH2142the wondersH6381 You performedH6213 among themH5973.They stiffenedH7185 their necksH6203 and appointedH5414 a leaderH7218to return themH7725 to their bondageH5659 in Egypt.2But YouH859 are a forgivingH5547 GodH433,graciousH2587 and compassionateH7349,slowH750 to angerH639 and richH7227 in loving devotionH2617,and You did notH3808 forsake themH5800.

18EvenH637 whenH3588 they castH6213 for themselvesan imageH4541 of a calfH5695 and saidH559,‘ThisH2088 is your GodH430 whoH834 brought you upH5927 out of EgyptH4714,’and when they committedH6213 terribleH1419 blasphemiesH5007,19YouH859 in Your greatH7227 compassionH7356did notH3808 forsake themH5800 in the wildernessH4057 .By dayH3119 the pillarH5982 of cloudH6051 neverH3808 turned awayH5493from guiding themH5921 H5148 on their pathH1870 ;and by the nightH3915 the pillarH5982 of fireH784illuminatedH215 the wayH1870 they should goH1980.20You gaveH5414 Your goodH2896 SpiritH7307 to instruct themH7919.You did notH3808 withholdH4513 Your mannaH4478 from their mouthsH6310,and You gaveH5414 them waterH4325 for their thirstH6772.21For fortyH705 yearsH8141 You sustained themH3557 in the wildernessH4057,so that they lackedH2637 nothingH3808.Their clothesH8008 did notH3808 wear outH1086and their feetH7272 did notH3808 swellH1216.

22You gaveH5414 them kingdomsH4467 and peoplesH5971and allottedH2505 to them every corner of the landH6285.So they tookH3423 the landH776 of SihonH5511 3 kingH4428 of HeshbonH2809 andH776 of OgH5747 kingH4428 of BashanH1316.23You multipliedH7235 their descendantsH1121like the starsH3556 of heavenH8064and brought themH935 toH413 the landH776 You had toldH559 their fathersH1 to enterH935 and possessH3423.24So their descendantsH1121 went inH935 and possessedH3423 the landH776;You subduedH3665 before themH6440 the CanaanitesH3669 dwellingH3427 in the landH776.You deliveredH5414 into their handsH3027 the kingsH4428 andH853 peoplesH5971 of the landH776,to doH6213 with them as they wishedH7522.25They capturedH3920 fortified citiesH5892 H1219 and fertileH8082 landH127and tookH3423 housesH1004 fullH4392 of allH3605 goodsH2898,wellsH953 already dugH2672,vineyardsH3754, olive grovesH2132, and fruitH3978 treesH6086 in abundanceH7230.So they ateH398 and were filledH7646;they grew fatH8080 and delightedH5727 in Your greatH1419 goodnessH2898.

26But they were disobedientH4784 and rebelledH4775 against You;they flungH7993 Your lawH8451 behindH310 their backsH1458 .They killedH2026 Your prophetsH5030,whoH834 had admonishedH5749 them to returnH7725 to YouH413.They committedH6213 terribleH1419 blasphemiesH5007.27So You delivered themH5414 into the handsH3027of enemiesH6862 who oppressedH3334 them,and in their timeH6256 of distressH6869 they cried outH6817 to YouH413.From heavenH8064 YouH859 heard themH8085,and in Your greatH7227 compassionH7356 You gaveH5414 them deliverersH3467who saved themH3467 from the handsH3027 of their enemiesH6862.28But as soon as they had restH5117,they againH7725 didH6213 evilH7451 in Your sightH6440.So You abandoned themH5800 to the handsH3027 of their enemiesH341,who had dominionH7287 over them.When they cried outH2199 to You againH7725,YouH859 heardH8085 from heavenH8064,and You delivered themH5337 manyH7227 timesH6256in Your compassionH7356.

29You admonishedH5749 them to turn backH7725 toH413 Your lawH8451,but theyH1992 were arrogantH2102 and disobeyedH3808 H8085 Your commandmentsH4687.They sinnedH2398 against Your ordinancesH4941,by which a manH120 will liveH2421 if he practicesH6213 themH834.They turnedH5414 a stubbornH5637 shoulderH3802;they stiffenedH7185 their necksH6203 and would notH3808 obeyH8085.30You were patientH4900 with themH5921 for manyH7227 yearsH8141,and Your SpiritH7307 admonishedH5749 them throughH3027 Your prophetsH5030.Yet they would notH3808 listenH238,so You gave themH5414 into the handsH3027 of the neighboring peoplesH5971 H776.431But in Your greatH7227 compassionH7356,You did notH3808 put an end to themH6213 H3617;norH3808 did You forsake themH5800,forH3588 YouH859 are a graciousH2587 and compassionateH7349 GodH410.

32So nowH6258, our GodH430, the greatH1419 and mightyH1368 and awesomeH3372 GodH410who keepsH8104 His graciousH2617 covenantH1285,do notH408 view lightlyH4591 H6440 allH3605 the hardshipH8513thatH834 has come upon usH4672,and upon our kingsH4428 and leadersH8269,our priestsH3548 and prophetsH5030,our ancestorsH1 and allH3605 Your peopleH5971,from the daysH3117 of the kingsH4428 of AssyriaH804 until todayH5704 H3117 H2088.33YouH859 are justH6662 inH5921 allH3605 that has befallenH935 usH5921,becauseH3588 You have actedH6213 faithfullyH571,while weH587 have acted wickedlyH7561.34 Our kingsH4428 and leadersH8269 and priestsH3548 and fathersH1did notH3808 obeyH6213 Your lawH8451 H3808or listenH7181 toH413 Your commandmentsH4687and warningsH5715 thatH834 You gaveH5749 them.35For even whileH1992 they were in their kingdomH4438,with the abundantH7227 goodnessH2898thatH834 You had givenH5414 them,and in the spaciousH7342 and fertileH8082 landH776thatH834 You had setH5414 before themH6440,they would notH3808 serve YouH5647 H3808or turnH7725 from their wickedH7451 waysH4611.

36So hereH2009 weH587 are todayH3117 as slavesH5650in the landH776 You gaveH5414 our fathersH1 to enjoyH398 its fruitH6529 and goodnessH2898—hereH2009 weH587 are as slavesH5650!37Its abundantH7235 harvestH8393 goes to the kingsH4428 You have setH5414 over usH5921 because of our sinsH2403.And they ruleH4910 overH5921 our bodiesH1472 and our livestockH929 as they pleaseH7522.WeH587 are in greatH1419 distressH6869.

38In view of allH3605 thisH2063, weH587 makeH3772 a binding agreementH548, putting it in writingH3789 andH5921 sealing it withH2856 the names of5 our leadersH8269, LevitesH3881, and priestsH3548.”

Notes

1. Nehemiah 9:9 Or the Sea of Reeds ↩
2. Nehemiah 9:17 LXX and a few Hebrew manuscripts; MT to return them to their bondage in their rebellion ↩
3. Nehemiah 9:22 One Hebrew manuscript and LXX; most Hebrew manuscripts Sihon, the country of the ↩
4. Nehemiah 9:30 Literally into the hands of the peoples of the lands ↩
5. Nehemiah 9:38 Hebrew does not include the names of. ↩

The People Confess Their Sins

Notes

Commentaries on Nehemiah 9