Nehemiah 9:38

Nehemiah 10:1 in Heb.; so Luther. The A.V. and R.V. follow the division of the Vulg. and LXX.

And because of all this R.V. And yet for all this. R.V. marg. -Or, because of". The relation of this sentence to the preceding confession is not certain. This uncertainty has given rise to the doubt whether chap. 9 should not have closed at Nehemiah 9:37. The English translation treats the verse as the concluding sentence of the Confession. The A.V. rendering -And because of all this" refers back to the whole summary of Israelite history (7 37), i.e. -because of Jehovah's mercy in spite of our disobedience." The R.V. rendering -And yet for all this" refers especially to the concluding words, describing the sorrows and afflictions which had come upon the people, i.e. -And yet in spite of all this oppression our faith in God's mercy is unshaken, and in proof thereof we sign the covenant." This explanation, which is preferable, seems to derive support from other passages where the same prep. and pron. occur. Cf. Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 9:12, -For all this his anger is not turned away." Job 1:22, -In all this Job sinned not."

The view that the verse resumes the narrative of Nehemiah 9:1-5 is very improbable on account of the use of the 1st pers. plur., which has not been employed in this section (chaps. 8 and 9).

The Massoretic division into Chapter s, which begins chap. 10 with this verse, severs the connexion with the previous verses. It was perhaps considered that a more considerable break should be introduced between the conclusion of the Confession and the signing of the Covenant. The Massoretes regarded the present verse as Nehemiah's preface to the new section.

sure R.V. marg. -Or, faithful". The words -a sure covenant" render the Hebrew -"emanah," which elsewhere in the O. T. is only found in Nehemiah 11:23, -a settled provision" (marg. -a sure ordinance"). The regular phrase for -making" (lit. -cutting") a covenant (cf. Nehemiah 9:8) occurs; and there can be no doubt of its meaning here. LXX. διατιθέμεθα πίστιν. Vulg. -percutimus foedus." The Covenant is not between Ezra and the people, but between the people and Jehovah.

our princes, Levites, and priests R.V. our princes, our Levites, and our priests. The position of the Levites between the -princes" and the -priests" deserves notice, as it illustrates the prominence of the Levites in the movement.

sealunto it] R.V. marg. -Or, are at the sealing". The A.V. rendering suggests the idea of a seal being affixed by each of the chief representatives. But the meaning is rather that the document having been prepared and rendered official by the addition of the seal, the leaders of the people were -upon" the sealed writing, viz. they either appended signatures as witnesses, or made marks to endorse the document and to testify to their approval. In many of the Assyrian tablets, recording business transactions, the marks of the thumb-nails of the witnesses still attest the fact of their presence and approbation.

The National confession (Nehemiah 9:5) is thus brought to a conclusion in Nehemiah 9:38 as abruptly as it was begun in Nehemiah 9:5. It consists of four portions, (1) Nehemiah 9:5, the opening ascription; (2) 6 31, the summary of Israel's religious history; (3) 32 37, the prayer of deprecation and submission; (4) 38, the announcement of the national covenant. This strikingly practical termination of the Confession is very characteristic of the movement headed by Ezra and Nehemiah. Repentance is to take shape in immediate action.

The summary of past history should be compared with that in Psalms 105, 106, 135, 136. It is expressed for the most part in general terms. The only individuals of the chosen people mentioned by name are Abram (Nehemiah 9:7), and Moses (Nehemiah 9:14); but the events recorded in the Pentateuch which are here alluded to are numerous (1) the call of Abram from Ur; (2) the change of name to Abraham; (3) the covenant with Abraham; (4) the overthrow of Pharaoh and the crossing of the Red Sea; (5) the pillar of cloud and fire; (6) the giving of the law on Mt Sinai; (7) manna; (8) water from the rock; (9) the golden calf; (10) the defeat of Sihon and Og. The possession of the land (Nehemiah 9:24) and the sending of the judges (Nehemiah 9:27) are mentioned, but with much less definiteness.

It is strange that we have no mention of Joshua, Samuel, David or Solomon. But very probably the reason of the omission is that the contents of the Pentateuch in the age of Nehemiah were alone regarded as sacred Scripture. Reference to subsequent events and later names would not carry the same weight. These would not be so familiar to the people, and would not carry with them the authority of Divine teaching which already belonged to the -Law."