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Selected Verse: Nehemiah 9:38 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Ne 9:38 |
King James |
And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
we make a sure covenant, and write--that is, subscribe or sign it. This written document would exercise a wholesome influence in restraining their backslidings or in animating them to duty, by being a witness against them if in the future they were unfaithful to their engagements. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Seal unto it - The exact force of the phrase used is doubtful; but its general sense must be that the classes named took part in the sealing. It was usual in the East to authenticate covenants by appending the seals of those who were parties to them (see Jer 32:10). |
The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
seal
See (Neh 10:1). |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Sure covenant, &c. - It was sealed and left upon record, that it might be a witness against them, if they dealt deceitfully. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it - Persuaded that we have brought all the miseries upon ourselves by our transgressions, feeling much and fearing more, we make a covenant with thee to devote ourselves to thy service; to do with us as thou pleasest. From this sealing we learn that at this time the government of the Jews was a mixed aristocracy; composed of the nobles for the civil department, and the priests and Levites for the ecclesiastical.
This was not mixing the Church with the state, or the state with the Church: both were separate, yet both mutually supported each other. The state never attempted to model the Church according to its own mind; because the Church had been founded and regulated by God, and neither its creed nor its ordinances could be changed. The Church did not meddle with the state, to give it new laws, new ordinances, or new officers. Therefore the one could not be jealous of the other. Where this state of things prevails, every public blessing may be expected. In every state God says to the governors and the governed: "Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's." |
10 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,