Public Reading, Ritual Joy, and Penitential Renewal: Ezra, Nehemiah, and the People’s Rediscovery of Torah, Sukkot, and Covenant in Nehemiah 8-9

In honor of the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. Chag Same’ach!

Nehemiah 8–9 describes a people reconstituting themselves—through reading, understanding, repentance, and recommitment—under the open sky, before the God who made and sustained them.

In the 7th month (=Tishrei), all the people of Jerusalem gather “as one” in the open square before the Water Gate. The moment is public, charged with purpose: the community has returned from exile and now seeks to rebuild not only walls but identity. They call for Ezra the priest-scribe to bring forth the Torah of Moses, the sacred Teaching by which Israel was once shaped. From daybreak until midday, Ezra reads aloud, his voice carrying over men, women, and every listener “who could understand.” Before him stands a wooden platform built for the occasion, flanked by thirteen named attendants—Mattithiah to Meshullam—an ordered witness to this act of renewal. When Ezra opens the scroll, the crowd rises. He blesses “YHWH, the great God,” and the people respond “Amen, Amen,” lifting hands, bowing faces to the ground.

Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, and others—move among the crowd, translating, interpreting, ensuring comprehension. Hearing the words of the Law, the people weep. But Ezra, Nehemiah the governor, and the Levites interrupt their mourning: this day, they say, is holy, not sorrowful. “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet wine; send portions to those who have none—for the joy of YHWH is your strength.”¹

The next day, the leaders return to study further. They discover the command in the Torah to dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month (=Sukkot). Immediately, messengers proclaim through every city and gate: “Go to the hills; bring branches of olive, myrtle, palm, and leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” The people obey. Roofs, courtyards, temple grounds, and public squares bloom with makeshift shelters (=sukkahs). The text recalls that such a celebration had not been kept since the days of Joshua. For seven days they rejoice, while Ezra reads daily from the Torah; on the eighth, they hold solemn assembly as prescribed (=Shemini Atzeret).

Then comes the turn from feast to confession. On the 24th day [of Tishrei], the Israelites assemble again—this time fasting, clothed in sackcloth, dust upon their heads. They separate themselves from foreigners and confess sins—their own and their ancestors’. The Levites ascend a platform and cry aloud to God, invoking His mercy and recounting His works: creation of heaven and earth, the choosing of Abraham, the Exodus, the giving of Torah at Sinai, the sustenance of manna and water, the conquest of the land, and the long, weary cycle of rebellion and rescue. Again and again, Israel turns away; again and again, God forgives.

Their prayer culminates in recognition: “You are just in all that has come upon us; You have dealt faithfully, we have acted wickedly.” Once free, now enslaved upon their own land, they acknowledge that their kings and priests ignored the covenant. In humility, they renew it: “Because of all this, we make a firm agreement and put it in writing.”²

Outline

Intro

The Passage - Public Reading, Ritual Joy, and Penitential Renewal: Ezra, Nehemiah, and the People’s Rediscovery of Torah, Sukkot, and Covenant in Nehemiah 8-9

1. Public Assembly and Torah Reading at the Water Gate

2. Ezra stands on a wooden platform flanked by assistants

3. Reading With Interpretation

4. The Festival

5. Command to build sukkahs

6. Building sukkahs

7. A time of mourning and repentance

Liturgical retelling of Israel’s history

1. God created Heaven, Earth, and Seas

2. Abraham

3. The Exodus and Splitting of the Sea

4. The Wandering in the Wilderness: Pillar of Cloud; Giving of Torah at Sinai; Manna

5. Sinning in the Wilderness: Golden Calf

6. ... Despite this, God’s support: Pillar of Cloud; Manna

7. Conquering the Land

8. Settling the Land

9. Cycles of Sinning and Redemption

10. Suffering

11. Confession of Sinning

Appendix - Table showing how the liturgical retelling of Israel’s history in Nehemiah 9:6–25 draws from earlier biblical sources, especially the Torah

The Passage

Nehemiah.8³

Public Assembly and Torah Reading at the Water Gate

ויאספו כל־העם כאיש אחד אל־הרחוב אשר לפני שער־המים

ויאמרו לעזרא הספר להביא את־ספר תורת משה אשר־צוה יהוה את־ישראל

ויביא עזרא הכהן את־התורה לפני הקהל מאיש ועד־אשה וכל מבין לשמע ביום אחד לחדש השביעי

ויקרא־בו לפני הרחוב אשר  לפני שער־המים מן־האור עד־מחצית היום

נגד האנשים והנשים והמבינים

ואזני כל־העם אל־ספר התורה

the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate,

and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which YHWH had charged Israel.

On the 1st day of the 7th month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding.

He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday,

to the men and the women and those who could understand;

the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching.

Ezra stands on a wooden platform flanked by assistants

ויעמד עזרא הספר על־מגדל־עץ אשר עשו לדבר

ויעמד אצלו

1. מתתיה

2. ושמע

3. ועניה

4. ואוריה

5. וחלקיה

6. ומעשיה

על־ימינו

ומשמאלו:

1. פדיה

2. ומישאל

3. ומלכיה

4. וחשם

5. וחשבדנה

6. זכריה

7. משלם

Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose,

and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right,

and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.

ויפתח עזרא הספר לעיני כל־העם כי־מעל כל־העם היה

וכפתחו עמדו כל־העם

ויברך עזרא את־יהוה האלהים הגדול

ויענו כל־העם “אמן אמן” במעל ידיהם

ויקדו וישתחוו ליהוה אפים ארצה

Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people;

as he opened it, all the people stood up.

Ezra blessed YHWH, the great God,

and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised.

Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before YHWH with their faces to the ground.

1. וישוע

2. ובני

3. ושרביה 

4. ימין

5. עקוב

6. שבתי  

7. הודיה

8. מעשיה

9. קליטא

10. עזריה

11. יוזבד

12. חנן

13. פלאיה

והלוים מבינים את־העם לתורה והעם על־עמדם

Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah,

and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places.

Reading With Interpretation

ויקראו בספר בתורת האלהים

מפרש ושום שכל ויבינו במקרא

They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God,

translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.

The Festival

ויאמר

1. נחמיה

   1. הוא התרשתא

2. ועזרא

   1. הכהן 

   2. הספר

3. והלוים

   1. המבינים את־העם

לכל־העם:

היום קדש־הוא ליהוה אלהיכם אל־תתאבלו ואל־תבכו

כי בוכים כל־העם כשמעם את־דברי התורה

Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people:

“This day is holy to YHWH your God: you must not mourn or weep,”

for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching.

ויאמר להם:

לכו

1. אכלו

   1. משמנים

2. ושתו

   1. ממתקים

3. ושלחו מנות

   1. לאין נכון לו

כי־קדוש היום לאדנינו

ואל־תעצבו כי־חדות יהוה היא מעזכם

והלוים מחשים לכל־העם לאמר:

הסו כי היום קדש ואל־תעצבו

וילכו כל־העם

1. לאכל

2. ולשתות

3. ולשלח מנות

4. ולעשות שמחה גדולה

כי הבינו בדברים אשר הודיעו להם

He further said to them:

“Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared,

for the day is holy to our Lord.

Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in YHWH is the source of your strength.”

The Levites were quieting the people, saying:

“Hush, for the day is holy; do not be sad.”

Then all the people went to eat and drink and send portions and make great merriment,

for they understood the things they were told.

Command to build sukkahs

וביום השני נאספו ראשי האבות לכל־העם הכהנים והלוים אל־עזרא הספר ולהשכיל אל־דברי התורה

וימצאו כתוב בתורה אשר צוה יהוה ביד־משה אשר ישבו בני־ישראל בסכות בחג בחדש השביעי

ואשר ישמיעו ויעבירו קול בכל־עריהם ובירושל͏ם לאמר:

צאו ההר

והביאו

1. עלי־זית

2. ועלי־עץ שמן

3. ועלי הדס

4. ועלי תמרים

5. ועלי עץ עבת

לעשת סכת

ככתוב

On the second day, the heads of the clans of all the people and the priests and Levites gathered to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Teaching.

They found written in the Teaching that YHWH had commanded Moses that the Israelites must dwell in booths (סכות) during the festival of the 7th month,

and that they must announce and proclaim throughout all their towns and Jerusalem as follows:

“Go out to the mountains

and bring leafy branches (עלי) of

1. olive trees,

2. pine trees (עץ שמן),

3. myrtles,

4. palms

5. and [other] leafy trees (עץ עבת)

to make booths,

as it is written.”

Building sukkahs

ויצאו העם ויביאו

ויעשו להם סכות

1. איש על־גגו

2. ובחצרתיהם

3. ובחצרות בית האלהים

4. וברחוב שער המים

5. וברחוב שער אפרים

So the people went out and brought them,

and made themselves booths

1. on their roofs,

2. in their courtyards,

3. in the courtyards of the House of God,

4. in the square (רחוב) of the Water Gate

5. and in the square of the Ephraim Gate.

ויעשו כל־הקהל השבים מן־השבי  סכות

וישבו בסכות

כי לא־עשו מימי ישוע בן־נון כן בני ישראל עד היום ההוא

ותהי שמחה גדולה מאד

The whole community that returned from the captivity made booths

and dwelt in the booths—

the Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day—

and there was very great rejoicing.

ויקרא בספר תורת האלהים יום  ביום מן־היום הראשון עד היום האחרון

ויעשו־חג שבעת ימים

וביום השמיני עצרת כמשפט

He read from the scroll of the Teaching of God each day, from the first to the last day.

They celebrated the festival 7 days,

and there was a solemn gathering on the 8th, as prescribed.

A time of mourning and repentance

וביום עשרים וארבעה לחדש הזה נאספו בני־ישראל בצום, ובשקים, ואדמה עליהם

ויבדלו זרע ישראל מכל בני נכר, ויעמדו ויתודו על־חטאתיהם ועונות אבתיהם

ויקומו על־עמדם ויקראו בספר תורת יהוה אלהיהם רבעית היום, ורבעית מתודים ומשתחוים ליהוה אלהיהם

On the 24th day of this month, the Israelites assembled, fasting, in sackcloth (שקים), and with earth upon them.

Those of the stock of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners (בני נכר), and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

Standing in their places, they read from the scroll of the Teaching of YHWH their God for one-fourth of the day, and for another fourth they confessed and prostrated themselves before YHWH their God.

Liturgical retelling of Israel’s history

ויקם על־מעלה הלוים

1. ישוע

2. ובני קדמיאל

3. שבניה

4. בני שרביה

5. בני כנני

ויזעקו בקול גדול אל־יהוה אלהיהם

On the raised platform of the Levites stood Jeshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried in a loud voice to YHWH their God.

ויאמרו הלוים

1. ישוע

2. וקדמיאל

3. בני

4. חשבניה

5. שרביה

6. הודיה

7. שבניה

8. פתחיה:

The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said:

God created Heaven, Earth, and Seas

קומו ברכו את־יהוה אלהיכם מן־העולם עד־העולם

ויברכו שם כבדך ומרומם על־כל־ברכה ותהלה

אתה־הוא יהוה לבדך

(את) [אתה] עשית

1. את־השמים,

   1. שמי השמים, וכל־צבאם

2. הארץ,

   1. וכל־אשר עליה

3. הימים,

   1. וכל־אשר בהם

ואתה מחיה את־כלם

וצבא השמים לך משתחוים

“Rise, bless YHWH your God who is from eternity to eternity:

‘May Your glorious name be blessed, exalted though it is above every blessing and praise!’

You alone are YHWH.

You made

1. the heavens,

   1. the highest heavens, and all their host,

2. the earth

   1. and everything upon it,

3. the seas

   1. and everything in them.

You keep them all alive,

and the host of heaven prostrate themselves before You.

Abraham

אתה־הוא יהוה האלהים אשר בחרת באברם

והוצאתו מאור כשדים

ושמת שמו אברהם

ומצאת את־לבבו נאמן לפניך

וכרות עמו הברית לתת את־ארץ

1. הכנעני

2. החתי

3. האמרי

4. והפרזי

5. והיבוסי

6. והגרגשי

לתת לזרעו

ותקם את־דבריך, כי צדיק אתה

You are YHWH God, who chose Abram,

who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans

and changed his name to Abraham.

Finding his heart true to You,

You made a covenant with him (כרות עמו הברית) to give the land of

1. the Canaanite,

2. the Hittite,

3. the Amorite,

4. the Perizzite,

5. the Jebusite,

6. and the Girgashite—

to give it to his descendants.⁴

And You kept Your word, for You are righteous.

The Exodus and Splitting of the Sea

ותרא את־עני אבתינו במצרים, ואת־זעקתם שמעת על־ים־סוף

ותתן אתת ומפתים

1. בפרעה

2. ובכל־עבדיו

3. ובכל־עם ארצו

כי ידעת כי הזידו עליהם

ותעש־לך שם כהיום הזה

והים בקעת לפניהם, ויעברו בתוך־הים ביבשה

ואת־רדפיהם השלכת במצולת, כמו־אבן במים עזים

You took note of our fathers’ affliction in Egypt, and heard their cry at the Sea of Reeds.

You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all the people of his land,

for You knew that they acted presumptuously toward them.

You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.

You split the sea before them; they passed through the sea on dry land,

but You threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into the raging waters.

The Wandering in the Wilderness: Pillar of Cloud; Giving of Torah at Sinai; Manna

ובעמוד ענן הנחיתם יומם, ובעמוד אש לילה להאיר להם את־הדרך אשר ילכו־בה

ועל הר־סיני ירדת, ודבר עמהם משמים

ותתן להם משפטים ישרים, ותורות אמת, חקים ומצות טובים

ואת־שבת קדשך הודעת להם, ומצוות וחקים ותורה צוית להם, ביד משה עבדך

ולחם משמים נתתה להם לרעבם, ומים מסלע הוצאת להם לצמאם

ותאמר להם לבוא לרשת את־הארץ אשר־נשאת את־ידך לתת להם

You led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way they were to go.

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven;

You gave them right rules and true teachings, good laws and commandments.

You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, and You ordained for them laws, commandments and Teaching, through Moses Your servant.

You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry, and produced water from a rock when they were thirsty.

You told them to go and possess the land that You swore to give them.

Sinning in the Wilderness: Golden Calf

והם ואבתינו הזידו ויקשו את־ערפם ולא שמעו אל־מצותיך

וימאנו לשמע, ולא־זכרו נפלאתיך אשר עשית עמהם, ויקשו את־ערפם, ויתנו־ראש לשוב לעבדתם במרים

ואתה אלוה סליחות

1. חנון

2. ורחום

3. ארך־אפים

4. ורב־[חסד] (וחסד)

ולא עזבתם

אף כי־עשו להם עגל מסכה, ויאמרו: “זה אלהיך אשר העלך ממצרים”, ויעשו נאצות גדלות

But they—our fathers—acted presumptuously; they stiffened their necks and did not obey Your commandments.

Refusing to obey, unmindful of Your wonders that You did for them, they stiffened their necks, and in their defiance resolved to return to their slavery.

But You, being a forgiving God (אלוה סליחות),

1. gracious

2. and compassionate,

3. long-suffering

4. and abounding in faithfulness,

did not abandon them.

Even though they made themselves a molten calf (עגל מסכה) and said, ‘This is your God who brought you out of Egypt,’ thus committing great impieties (נאצות),

... Despite this, God’s support: Pillar of Cloud; Manna

ואתה ברחמיך הרבים לא עזבתם במדבר,

את־עמוד הענן לא־סר מעליהם ביומם להנחתם בהדרך, ואת־עמוד האש בלילה להאיר להם ואת־הדרך אשר ילכו־בה

ורוחך הטובה נתת להשכילם, ומנך לא־מנעת מפיהם, ומים נתתה להם לצמאם

וארבעים שנה כלכלתם במדבר לא חסרו, שלמתיהם לא בלו, ורגליהם לא בצקו

You, in Your abundant compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness.

The pillar of cloud did not depart from them to lead them on the way by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to give them light in the way they were to go.

You endowed them with Your good spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna (מנך) from their mouth; You gave them water when they were thirsty.

Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.

Conquering the Land

ותתן להם ממלכות ועממים, ותחלקם לפאה

ויירשו

1. את־ארץ סיחון

2. ואת־ארץ מלך חשבון

3. ואת־ארץ עוג מלך־הבשן

ובניהם הרבית כככבי השמים,

ותביאם אל־הארץ אשר־אמרת לאבתיהם לבוא לרשת

ויבאו הבנים ויירשו את־הארץ,

ותכנע לפניהם את־ישבי הארץ הכנענים,

ותתנם בידם ואת־מלכיהם ואת־עממי הארץ לעשות בהם כרצונם

You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and allotted them territory.

They took possession

1. of the land of Sihon,

2. the land of the king of Heshbon,

3. and the land of Og, king of Bashan.

You made their children as numerous as the stars of heaven,

and brought them to the land which You told their fathers to go and possess.

The sons came and took possession of the land:

You subdued the Canaanite inhabitants of the land before them;

You delivered them into their power, both their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they pleased.

Settling the Land

וילכדו ערים בצורת, ואדמה שמנה,

ויירשו בתים מלאים־כל־טוב:

1. ברות חצובים

2. כרמים

3. וזיתים

4. ועץ מאכל לרב

1. ויאכלו

2. וישבעו

3. וישמינו

4. ויתעדנו בטובך הגדול

They captured fortified (בצורת) cities and rich lands (אדמה שמנה);

they took possession of houses filled with every good thing:

1. of hewn cisterns,

2. vineyards,

3. olive trees,

4. and fruit trees in abundance.

1. They ate,

2. they were filled,⁵

3. they grew fat;

4. they luxuriated in Your great bounty.

Cycles of Sinning and Redemption

וימרו, וימרדו בך, וישלכו את־תורתך אחרי גום, ואת־נביאיך הרגו, אשר־העידו בם להשיבם אליך, ויעשו נאצות גדולת

ותתנם ביד צריהם, ויצרו להם

ובעת צרתם יצעקו אליך, ואתה משמים תשמע, וכרחמיך הרבים תתן להם מושיעים, ויושיעום מיד צריהם

וכנוח להם ישובו לעשות רע לפניך, ותעזבם ביד איביהם וירדו בהם

וישובו ויזעקוך, ואתה משמים תשמע, ותצילם כרחמיך רבות עתים

ותעד בהם להשיבם אל־תורתך, והמה הזידו ולא־שמעו למצותיך ובמשפטיך חטאו־בם אשר־יעשה אדם וחיה בהם, ויתנו כתף סוררת וערפם הקשו ולא שמעו

ותמשך עליהם שנים רבות, ותעד בם ברוחך ביד־נביאיך, ולא האזינו, ותתנם ביד עמי הארצת

וברחמיך הרבים לא־עשיתם כלה, ולא עזבתם, כי אל־חנון ורחום אתה

Then, defying You, they rebelled; they cast Your Teaching behind their back. They killed Your prophets who admonished them to turn them back to You; they committed great impieties.

You delivered them into the power of their adversaries who oppressed them.

In their time of trouble they cried to You; You in heaven heard them, and in Your abundant compassion gave them saviors who saved them from the power of their adversaries.

But when they had relief, they again did what was evil in Your sight, so You abandoned them to the power of their enemies, who subjugated them.

Again they cried to You, and You in heaven heard and rescued them in Your compassion, time after time.

You admonished them in order to turn them back to Your Teaching, but they acted presumptuously and disobeyed Your commandments, and sinned against Your rules, by following which a man shall live. They turned a defiant shoulder, stiffened their neck, and would not obey.

You bore with them for many years, admonished them by Your spirit through Your prophets, but they would not give ear, so You delivered them into the power of the peoples of the lands.

Still, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

Suffering

ועתה אלהינו

האל

1. הגדול

2. הגבור

3. והנורא

4. שומר הברית והחסד

אל־ימעט לפניך את כל־התלאה אשר־מצאתנו

1. למלכינו

2. לשרינו

3. ולכהנינו

4. ולנביאינו

5. ולאבתינו

6. ולכל־עמך

מימי מלכי אשור עד היום הזה

And now, our God,

God [who is]

1. great,

2. mighty,

3. and awesome,

4. who stays faithful to His covenant,

do not treat lightly all the suffering (תלאה) that has overtaken us—

1. our kings,

2. our officers,

3. our priests,

4. our prophets,

5. our fathers,

6. and all Your people—

from the time of the Assyrian kings to this day.

Confession of Sinning

ואתה צדיק על כל־הבא עלינו

כי־אמת עשית, ואנחנו הרשענו

ואת־

1. מלכינו

2. שרינו

3. כהנינו

4. ואבתינו

לא עשו תורתך, ולא הקשיבו אל־מצותיך, ולעדותיך אשר העידת בהם

והם במלכותם ובטובך הרב אשר־נתת להם, ובארץ הרחבה והשמנה אשר־נתת לפניהם, לא עבדוך ולא־שבו ממעלליהם הרעים

הנה אנחנו היום עבדים, והארץ אשר־נתתה לאבתינו לאכל את־פריה ואת־טובה הנה אנחנו עבדים עליה

ותבואתה מרבה למלכים אשר־נתתה עלינו בחטאותינו, ועל גויתינו משלים ובבהמתנו כרצונם, ובצרה גדלה אנחנו

Surely You are in the right with respect to all that has come upon us,

for You have acted faithfully, and we have been wicked.

1. Our kings,

2. officers,

3. priests,

4. and fathers

did not follow Your Teaching, and did not listen to Your commandments or to the warnings that You gave them.

When they had their own kings and enjoyed the good that You lavished upon them, and the broad and rich land that You put at their disposal, they would not serve You, and did not turn from their wicked deeds.

Today we are slaves, and the land that You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and bounty—here we are slaves on it!

On account of our sins it yields its abundant crops to kings whom You have set over us. They rule over our bodies and our beasts as they please, and we are in great distress.

ובכל־זאת אנחנו כרתים אמנה

וכתבים ועל החתום

1. שרינו

2. לוינו

3. כהנינו:

[...]

In view of all this, we make this pledge and put it in writing;

and on the sealed copy [are subscribed]

1. our officials,

2. our Levites,

3. and our priests:

[...]

Appendix - Table showing how the liturgical retelling of Israel’s history in Nehemiah 9:6–25 draws from earlier biblical sources, especially the Torah

Nehemiah 9 functions as a liturgical retelling of Israel’s story, condensing Genesis through Joshua.

The Hebrew phrases often match the Deuteronomistic language; the prayer is steeped in the Deuteronomy–Kings historiographical style.

The sequence follows Creation → Abraham → Exodus → Sinai → Wilderness → Conquest & Settlement of the Land, paralleling Psalm 105 and Psalm 106 but with emphasis on covenant faithfulness.

1. See my recent piece on a Talmudic sugya where this verse is prominently cited in full: “Pt1 Study, Eating, Divine Credit, and the Gifts of Shabbat and Holidays: R’ Eliezer’s Yom Tov Lecture, the Debate over Festival Joy, and the Economics of Sacred Time (Beitzah 15b-16a)“.

2. The list of signatories are in Nehemiah 10; see my appendix here, “Appendix #1 - Nehemiah chapter 10: List of signers - 79 names”.

In general, compare also the summary by Hava Shalom-Guy, “Nehemiah 9: The First Historical Survey in the Bible to Mention Sinai and Torah“ TheTorah.com (2018), section “The Levites’ Prayer in Nehemiah 9”:

Chapter 9 of the book of Nehemiah, set in the 5th century B.C.E., describes an assembly that took place among the Judean people on the 24th of the seventh month (Tishrei).

The people were fasting (v. 1), having just separated from their non-Jewish wives, and were repenting of their sins (v. 2).

They spent part of the day reading from “the scroll of the Teaching of YHWH their God,” and part confessing and prostrating themselves before God (v. 3).

At this point, a group of Levites stands up on a podium (vv. 4-5a) and makes a long confession style prayer (vv. 5b-37) that opens with a historical overview: [C]reation (v. 6), then Abraham (vv. 7-8), the [E]xodus (vv. 9-11), the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness (v. 12), and then the revelation of laws at Mount Sinai (vv. 13-14).

And see the very interesting point made ibid., section “The Absence of Moses”:

Throughout the historical prologue outlined above, YHWH is the protagonist. YHWH creates the heavens and the earth; YHWH chooses Abram; YHWH sees the suffering of “our ancestors” in Egypt; YHWH splits the sea; YHWH gives the Israelites water from a stone, etc.

Even though in the Torah, many of the miracles associated with the exodus from Egypt and the wilderness wandering are carried out by Moses, who is arguably the protagonist of these stories, he is not mentioned here in that context.

Moses’ absence here is consistent with his “removal” from other biblical texts that narrate miraculous events, such as in the “historical” psalm 78. Here too, God (Elohim) is the protagonist and Moses’ role goes unmentioned.

This trend, of affording little mention to Moses and Aaron in the desire to exalt and praise God, continues in rabbinic literature, with the most famous example being the virtual absence of Moses and Aaron from the Passover Haggadah.

3. The translation used in the following is JPS 1985 (from Sefaria), with adjustments.

Due to length, in many cases I only split the Hebrew into numbered lists, and not the corresponding English translation. The English translation has far more extensive punctuation, making the list formatting less necessary.

For Talmudic passages on these verses, see my index at ChavrutAI, Nehemiah — Biblical Citations, by biblical chapter.

4. Based on Genesis.15.18-21:

ביום ההוא כרת יהוה את־אברם ברית לאמר:

לזרעך נתתי את־הארץ הזאת מנהר מצרים עד־הנהר הגדל נהר־פרת

1. את־הקיני

2. ואת־הקנזי

3. ואת הקדמני

4. ואת־החתי

5. ואת־הפרזי

6. ואת־הרפאים

7. ואת־האמרי

8. ואת־הכנעני

9. ואת־הגרגשי

10. ואת־היבוסי

On that day YHWH made a covenant with Abram, saying:

“To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:

1. the Kenites,

2. the Kenizzites,

3. the Kadmonites,

4. the Hittites,

5. the Perizzites,

6. the Rephaim,

7. the Amorites,

8. the Canaanites,

9. the Girgashites,

10. and the Jebusites.”

Compare Wikipedia, “Seven Nations (Bible)“:

The Seven Nations (Hebrew: שבעת העמים, romanized: Shivat Ha’amim) are seven nations that according to the Hebrew Bible lived in the Land of Canaan prior to the return of the Israelites.

God instructed the Israelites to destroy these seven nations upon entering Canaan.

The meaning and implications of these verses in historical contexts was discussed in later commentary.

The seven nations are all descendants of Canaan, son of Ham and grandson of Noah, from whom they derive their collective name Canaanites.

When enumerated separately, one of the seven nations is called Canaanites, while the others are called the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Jebusites and the Perizzites.

5. Based on Deuteronomy.6.10-11:

והיה כי יביאך  יהוה אלהיך אל־הארץ אשר נשבע לאבתיך לאברהם ליצחק וליעקב לתת לך

1. ערים גדלת וטבת

   1. אשר לא־בנית

2. ובתים מלאים כל־טוב

   1. אשר לא־מלאת

3. וברת חצובים

   1. אשר לא־חצבת

4. כרמים וזיתים

   1. אשר לא־נטעת

ואכלת ושבעת

When YHWH your God brings you into the land that He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to assign to you—

1. great and flourishing cities

   1. that you did not build,

2. houses full of all good things

   1. that you did not fill,

3. hewn cisterns

   1. that you did not hew,

4. vineyards and olive groves

   1. that you did not plant—

and you eat your fill (אכלת ושבעת)