9:1 On the twenty-fourth day of this month This appears to be a unique event. There was no prescribed holiday on the 24th day of the seventh month.

Israelite Calendar Table

sackcloths Clothes typically worn as a sign of mourning.

soil on them Although ashes typically accompanied the wearing of sackcloth, the use of dirt in mourning also seems to have been common in the ancient Near East. Dirt symbolized an identification with the dead.

9:2 the seed of Israel separated themselves from all of the foreigners A recurring theme throughout Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 6:21; 10:11; Neh 10:28; 13:25).

9:3 the book of the law of As with the gathering recorded in 8:1–8, the reading of the Torah, the book of God’s law, is central to the proceedings.

9:4 the platform of the Levites Implies a permanent structure (3:15; 12:37) as opposed to the temporary platform of 8:5. These stairs would have provided the Levites with an elevated platform so they could be seen and heard by the assembly.

cried out with a loud voice Probably a cry of distress associated with the mourning described in v. 1. These Levites should probably be classified as mourners or lamenters.

9:5 the Levites The Levites may have chanted or sung the words of this psalm.

from everlasting until everlasting This may indicate the audience is to bless Yahweh forever and ever, or it may describe Yahweh as the eternal God.

9:6 their army Probably a reference to the stars (Psa 33:6), though a reference to angels is also possible.

9:7 Yahweh The final occurrence of the name Yahweh in this psalm (Neh 9:5, 6).

Abram After recounting creation as evidence for God’s greatness in v. 6, Ezra recounts God’s faithfulness to His people—beginning with their ancestor Abraham—as further evidence.

9:8 the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite This list is nearly identical to the list recorded in Gen 15:19–21 (only the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, and Rephaim [Rephaites] are not mentioned).

9:15 bread from heaven for their starvation God had miraculously provided manna (Exod 16:31, 35) and water for His people in the wilderness (Exod 17:1–7).

9:16 stiffened their neck The people are like a stubborn animal that refuses to submit to a yoke. God remained faithful in spite of the rebellious response of His people.

9:17 slow to anger, abundant in loyal love This echoes Exod 34:6–7 (compare Psa 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2).

9:22 They took into possession the land of When the nation defeated Sihon and Og (Num 21:21–35), the newly conquered territory was given to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh (Num 32:33). The defeat of Sihon and Og is consistently used in Scripture as a reminder of Yahweh’s providential deliverance of His people (e.g., Deut 31:4; Josh 2:10; Pss 135:10–11).

9:26 great blasphemies Refers to the worship of Baal and other false gods (e.g., Ezek 23; Hos 2; Mic 3).

9:28 they returned to doing evil before you The pattern often repeated itself in the period of the judges, recounted in Neh 9:26–28 (Judg 1–12).

9:32 And now This Hebrew expression marks the prayer’s transition from an acknowledgment of past guilt to a present appeal for forgiveness and deliverance (compare Exod 32:30–32; 1 Sam 12:10; Ezra 10:2–3).

the kings of Assyria Including Tiglath-pileser III, Shalmaneser V, Sargon II, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, and Ashurbanipal. The phrase may also include the kings of Babylon and the Persian kings (Ezra 6:22)—those who conquered the territory previously governed by the Assyrians.

9:36 we are slaves to this day Although the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland, they were still subservient to the Persians.

9:37 Its rich yield goes to the kings A reference to the oppressive Persian system of taxation.

9:38 all of this Refers to the events recorded in the psalm of Neh 9:5–37.

a binding written agreement This is not the regular Hebrew word for covenant (berith in Hebrew). The Hebrew word used here, amanah, emphasizes trustworthiness. However, the Hebrew verb used here, karath, suggests that a covenant is implied. Karath is closely associated with berith in the ot (e.g., Gen 15:18; 21:27; Exod 24:8; 34:27; Deut 5:2; 1 Sam 18:3; 1 Kgs 5:12).