Nehemiah 1:5

The opening address blends the Divine attributes of might and majesty with those of faithfulness and mercy. Divine forgivenessalone could vouchsafe the restoration, which Divine poweralone could effect.

I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven R.V. O Lord, the God of heaven. See on Ezra 1:2.

-I beseech thee." (Vulg. quaeso). In the original one strong supplicatory word, -anah," used also in Nehemiah 1:11; 2 Kings 20:3; Psalms 116:4; Psalms 118:25; Isaiah 38:3; Jonah 1:14.

On -the God of heaven" see note on Nehemiah 1:4.

the great and terrible God This phrase, as in Daniel 9:4, with its use of the Divine name -Êl" is derived from Deuteronomy 7:21 (Nehemiah 10:17). See the very similar expressions in chap. Nehemiah 4:14; Nehemiah 9:32.

God in the manifestation of His strength (Êl) is -terrible." Cf. Psalms 47:2; Psalms 66:3; Psalms 68:35; Psalms 99:3. For the fear which Jehovah inspires cf. Isaiah 8:13; Jeremiah 5:22; Malachi 1:6.

that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe(R.V. keep) his commandments The reciprocity of the covenant relation, denoted by the use of the same Hebrew word for -keeping" -covenant and mercy" as for keeping commandments, is thus brought out in the R.V. The sentence which is borrowed from Deuteronomy 7:9; cf. Deuteronomy 5:12, is also found in 1 Kings 8:23; Nehemiah 9:32; Daniel 9:4, in each case, as here, being made use of in a prayer.

-Keepeth covenant and mercy," a condensed phrase for -keepeth covenant and sheweth mercy." On the Divine side, the keeping of the covenant consisted in shewing -mercy." God will not break His covenant, cf. Judges 2:1; Psalms 89:34.

-for them that love him and keep his commandments," as in Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10. One class is described in motive and act. The love of those who are in covenant with the Lord is shown in obedience. Compare the New Covenant, -if ye love me keep my commandments" (John 14:15). -Love to God," in the Pentateuch, is only expressed in Exodus 20:6 and in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 5:10; Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:1; Deuteronomy 11:13; Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 13:3; Deuteronomy 19:9; Deuteronomy 30:6; Deuteronomy 30:16; Deuteronomy 30:20); it is found in the historical books, Joshua 22:5; Joshua 23:11; Jdg 5:31; 1 Kings 3:3: in the Psalms, Psalms 18:1; Psalms 31:23; Psalms 97:10; Psalms 116:1; Psalms 145:20 (Psalms 5:11; Psalms 69:36; Psalms 119:132). Elsewhere in the O.T. the thought of love to God is hardly directly found except in the parallel passage Daniel 9:4, and less definitely in Isaiah 56:6; Malachi 2:11.

It is as if the writers of the O.T. shrank from expressing the thought of devotion to God by a term familiarly used of human friendship and earthly affection. The relation of sinful man to the Almighty was that of the subject to the sovereign, of the servant to the master. Devotion was realized in obedience to His law.