Nehemiah 9:1-5

1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting and with sackcloth and earth upon them.

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 And they stood up in their place and read in the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for onefourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

4 Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said: "Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever! And blessed be Thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

Nehemiah 9:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 9

In this chapter we have an account of a fast kept by the Jews, which was observed, as by outward acts of humiliation, so by confession of sin, reading the law, and worshipping the Lord, Ne 9:1-3 and of a long prayer that the Levites made, in which they celebrate the divine perfections, take notice of various instances of the goodness of God to the people of Israel, acknowledge their manifold transgressions, observe the Lord's correction of them for them, in which they own he was righteous, Ne 9:4-38.