Nehemiah 1:5

_AND SAID, I BESEECH THEE, O LORD GOD OF HEAVEN, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE GOD, THAT KEEPETH COVENANT AND MERCY FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM AND OBSERVE HIS COMMANDMENTS:_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

Verse Nehemiah 1:5. _LORD GOD OF HEAVEN_] What was, before the captivity, _Jehovah, God of hosts_ or _armies_. _GREAT_] Able to do mighty things. _Terrible _- able to inflict the heaviest judgments....

PART I. INTRODUCTORY SECTION. Nehemiah 1:1; Nehemiah 2:1. EXPOSITION CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH NEHEMIAH OBTAINED HIS COMMISSION TO REBUILD THE WALL OF JERUSALEM (Nehemiah 1:1; Nehemiah 2:1). Living at the Persian court, far from the land which he looked on as his true country, though perhaps he had never seen it, Nehemiah seems to have known but little of its

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. HOW NEHEMIAH RETURNEDTO JERUSALEM AND THE BUILDING OF THE WALL CHAPTER 1 _ 1. Nehemiah hears of the condition of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:1)_ 2. His great sorrow, and prayer (Nehemiah 1:4) Nehemiah 1:1. “The words of Nehemiah (the Lord is comfort) the son of Hachaliah.” It is therefore the personal narrative of his experience which is before us in the first six Chapter s of this book, in which he describes his soul exercise, and how the Lord made it possible for him to return to Jerusalem, and how the wall was rebuilt. Nehemiah was a young man, born in captivity holding a position of nearness to the great Persian king and living in the beautiful palace of Shusha

PART III (Nehemiah 1:1 to Nehemiah 7:73_ a_). THE WORK OF NEHEMIAH. Nehemiah 1:1 a. Nehemiah, Hearing of the Evil Plight of his Brethren in Jerusalem, Prays for Divine Aid. Nehemiah 1:1. The words. Hacaliah: these introductory words are not likely to have stood here originally when Ch.- Ezr.- Neh. formed one continuous book. they were probably added by a later scribe. THE MONTH CHISLEV, IN THE TWENTIETH YEAR: _i.e._ the ninth month (Ezra 10:9 *). The last date mentioned was in...

LORD GOD OF HEAVEN, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE GOD. This expression occurs in several places in Nehemiah, and is taken from Deuteronomy 7:21, and the remainder of the verse from Deuteronomy 7:9, showing that Nehemiah was familiar with this book. He reminds God of his faithfulness in keeping his covenant and showing mercy to those who love and obey him. It should be noted all through the Scriptures that the Divine blessings are conditional. The covenant between man and God implies, 1st. That man is to love and obey God. 2d. That God will show mercy and bless. If man breaks his part of the covenant it is no longer of force. If Nehemiah and the Jews were faithful then he could call on God to reveal his arm in mercy and protection....

LORD. Jehovah. See App-4. GOD. Hebrew. _'El_ (with Art.) See App-4. KEEPETH COVENANT. Nehemiah goes back to the language of the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 7:9). OBSERVE. keep. Compare Exodus 20:6; Exodus 34:6; Exodus 34:7....

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

_NEHEMIAH'S PRAYER TO GOD NEHEMIAH 1:5-7:_ Nehemiah knew that the first thing that needed to be done was to seek God's help so he prayed diligently. His desire was to please the Almighty. Nehemiah began his prayer by exalting God and His greatness. He said, "Lord God of heaven, you are great and fearsome. And you faithfully keep your promises to everyone who loves you and obeys your commands." Nehemiah honored and praised God for His greatness, power and faithfulness. God keeps His covenant. He shows mercy to those who love Him and keep His commands. Jehovah has made great promise to man and He keeps those promises. If the covenant between man and God is broken you can be sure that it was broken by man and not by God. God is a God of mercy. God's nature gives us reason to believe, hope and pray. The prayer of Nehemiah involved a confession of sin. He confessed his personal sin

2. Nehemiah's Prayer TEXT, NEHEMIAH 1:5-11 a 5 And I said, I beseech Thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and loving-kindness of those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6 let Thine ear now be attentive and Thine eyes open to hear the prayer of Thy servant which I am praying before Thee now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Thy servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against Thee; I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against Thee and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which Thou didst command Thy servant Moses. 8 Remember the word which Thou didst command Thy servant Moses, saying, -If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 but if you return