Nehemiah 9:38

And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

We make a sure covenant, and write - i:e., subscribe or sign it. This written document would exercise a wholesome influence in restraining their backslidings or in animating them to duty, by being a witness against them if in future they were unfaithful to their engagements. Every deed in Israel was so arranged as to be voluntary, and so was their entering into a national covenant, by which they bound themselves to be faithful to the service of Yahweh. The people did it by their representatives (cf. Exodus 24:3; Deuteronomy 27:17; Joshua 24:1; cf. Joshua 8:30), as on this occasion under Nehemiah.