Nehemiah 9:1-37

The Fast and a National Confession. All that took place, as described in this section, was the result of the reading of the Law. The command to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles having been observed, there followed a spontaneous outburst of self-condemnation on the part of the people, who were conscience-stricken on account of having hitherto neglected to observe the Law; they had clearly been desirous of expressing their sorrow before (see Nehemiah 8:9), but it would have been inappropriate during the feast. Fasting and prayerful confession were fitly followed (see next section) by a solemn act of resolution of amendment.

Nehemiah 9:1. the twenty and fourth day: the second day after the celebration of the feast, i.e. in the seventh month (see Nehemiah 8:2).

Nehemiah 9:2. the seed of Israel: an appropriate expression in this connexion. separated themselves. : the incongruity of those who were not strictly Jews taking part in what was to follow is obvious. confessed their sins: viz. of non-observance of the commandments of the Law, not necessarily offences of a moral character. The confession was not personal but national; this has always been a characteristic of the Jewish Liturgy; both in prayer and praise, as well as in confession, the act is neither personal nor even congregational, but national; each congregation is representative of the Jewish nation as a whole.

Nehemiah 9:4. the stairs: presumably of the platform mentioned in Nehemiah 8:4.

Nehemiah 9:5. The text is not in order and there is uncertainty about the names.

Nehemiah 9:6. It is not said by whom this long prayer and confession was spoken, nor do the contents of it (a review of past history reminding one of Psalms 105, 106, 107) seem very appropriate in this connexion. Its general tone is prophetic rather than priestly. The whole of the passage, Nehemiah 9:6, is probably a later insertion. The opening words, the declaration of God as One and as the Creator of heaven and earth, strike a distinctly liturgical note. The passage calls for little comment, as it is made up of references to the OT history and of quotations, mainly from the Pentateuch and the Pss. It is worth mentioning that a characteristic of the Jewish Liturgy is the Scriptural tone of the prayers, into which OT phrases are woven. The late date of the passage before us is shown by the words in Nehemiah 9:20, Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, which echo a late conception (cf. Isaiah 63:11). The abrupt ending should be noted. [In the Heb. the new chapter begins with what is marked as Nehemiah 9:38 in RV.]