Nehemiah 9:38

38 ^[a]“Because of all this ¹we make a firm covenant in writing; on ²the sealed document are the names of^[b] our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

Nehemiah 9:38 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:38

And because of all this
Of all this distress, and that it might be removed, and be clear of it; or "in all this distress and evil", as Jarchi and Aben Ezra, in the midst of it all:

we make a sure covenant;
or faithfully promise to observe the law of God, and particularly put away strange wives, and not intermarry with the people of the land:

and write it;
that it may remain and be a testimony against them should they break it, being their own handwriting:

and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it;
as witnesses of it, and thereby binding themselves to observe the same things; their names that sealed are given in the next chapter.

Nehemiah 9:38 In-Context

36 Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves.

37 And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.

38 “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

Cross References

• 1. 9:38 2 Kgs. 23:3; 2 Chr. 29:10; 34:31; Ezra 10:3; [ch. 10:29]; ch. 10:1
• 2. 9:38 [ch. 10:1]

Footnotes

• [a] 9:38 Ch 10:1 in Hebrew
• [b] 9:38 Hebrew lacks 'the names of'