ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Nehemiah 9

9:1–38 A Prayer of Confession, Penitence, and Covenant Com­mitment. The next phase in the great act of covenant renewal is a prayer of praise, confession, and petition.

Neh. 9:1 the twenty-fourth day. It is still the seventh month, after the seven days of the Feast of Booths and an eighth day of solemn assembly (8:18).

Neh. 9:2–3 separated themselves from all foreigners. See Ezra 9–10. Here it refers not just to marriage but also to the integrity of the community in general. iniquities of their fathers. That is, of all previous generations, as in the prayer that follows (Neh. 9:6–37).

Neh. 9:6–37 The prayer mixes confession with memories of God’s grace and petition. It follows the biblical story as told in Genesis–Kings.

Neh. 9:6 You are the Lord, you alone. The uniqueness of Israel’s God was proclaimed in the story of creation. Heaven . . . the earth sums up the whole creation (see Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:11). All their host could refer to either angels or stars.

Neh. 9:7–8 Ur of the Chaldeans is in southern Mesopotamia (see Gen. 11:31). the name Abraham. See Gen. 17:5. the covenant. God promised Abraham both descendants and land. The promise to drive out other nations has particular meaning in this period of restoration to the land.

Neh. 9:9–11 heard their cry at the Red Sea. This condenses the whole story from Exodus 2–15 (see Ex. 2:23–25; 14:1–15:27). signs and wonders . . . divided the sea. This refers to the miracles done to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites (Exodus 7–15).

Neh. 9:12 The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire provided God’s guidance (see Ex. 13:21–22).

Neh. 9:13–14 Mount Sinai is where God gave the Ten Commandments and detailed instructions for applying them (rules, laws, statutes, commandments).

Neh. 9:15 bread from heaven . . . water. Compare Ex. 16:14–15; 17:6.

Neh. 9:16–18 appointed a leader. See Num. 14:4. The people must have gone ahead and chosen a different leader, though Numbers 14 contains no record of it. Golden calf refers to the rebellion committed while the covenant was still being made at Sinai (Exodus 32; Deut. 9:7–21).

Neh. 9:21 Forty years. See Deut. 2:7. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. From Deut. 8:4, recalling God’s extraordinary preservation of his people.

Neh. 9:23 stars of heaven. See Deut. 1:10.

Neh. 9:26–28 This pattern of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance is typical of the book of Judges. killed your prophets. Compare Matt. 23:31; Acts 7:52.

Neh. 9:29–31 The story of God’s long patience with the Israelites’ sin, finally ending in judgment, is told in 1–2 Kings (see especially 2 Kings 17).

Neh. 9:30–31 you gave them into the hand of the peoples. The northern kingdom was “[given] into the hand of” Assyria (2 Kings 17); Judah was conquered by Babylon (2 Kings 24–25). you did not make an end of them. God rescued his people from exile, as recorded in 2 Chron. 36:22–23 and in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Neh. 9:32–33 All the hardship refers to the sufferings of both exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian). Yet God has been righteous in his judgment.

Neh. 9:36–38 we are slaves. The people’s continuing sinfulness explains why they are not yet entirely free. To resolve this situation, the people will enter a solemn covenant.