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The tenth day of the seventh month between the feast of trumpets (Ne 8:2) and the feast of tabernacles (Ne 9:14) was appointed to be the day of atonement; we have no reason to think but that it was religiously observed, though it is not mentioned. But here we have an account of an occasional fast that was kept a fortnight after that, with reference to the present posture of their affairs, and it was, as that, a day of humiliation. There is a time to weep as well as a time to laugh. We have here an account. I. How this fast was observed, Ne 9:1-3. II. What were the heads of the prayer that was made to God on that occasion, wherein they made a thankful acknowledgment of God's mercies, a penitent confession of sin, and a humble submission to the righteous hand of God in the judgments that were brought upon them, concluding with a solemn resolution of new obedience, Ne 9:4-38.
1-3
The Repentance of the People (444 BC)
简体中文
百姓的悔改（主前 444 年）
¹ 这月二十四日，以色列人聚集禁食，身穿麻衣，头蒙灰尘。 ² 以色列的后裔就与一切外邦人离绝，站着承认自己的罪恶和列祖的罪孽。 ³ 那日的四分之一，他们站在自己的地方，念耶和华他们神的律法书；又四分之一认罪，敬拜耶和华他们的神。
此处我们看见以色列人所守的一次公开禁食的概括记述；这禁食大概是由尼希米下令，经众族长商议同意而举行的。这是人所设立的禁食，却是神所拣选的禁食；因为：1. 这是刻苦己心的日子（赛 58:5）。他们大概聚集在圣殿的院宇中，在那里披麻、如居丧者一般站立，头蒙灰尘（尼 9:1）。他们借着这些忧伤自卑的外在表现，将荣耀归给神，将羞辱归到自己身上，并彼此激发悔改。他们先前曾被禁止哭泣（尼 8:9），如今却被引导去哭泣。我们圣洁节期的喜乐，当庄严禁食之日来到时，便当让位给忧伤。万物各按其时成为美好。2. 这是解开门上的恶索的日子，这便是神所拣选的禁食（赛 58:6）。若没有这一项，在我们身下铺陈麻布与灰尘不过是儿戏。以色列的后裔，因为是圣洁的种类、归神为圣、比邻邦更为尊贵，便与一切外邦人离绝——他们曾与这些外邦人混杂、并与之结亲（尼 9:2）。数年前以斯拉已使他们与所娶的外邦妻子分离，但他们又重蹈覆辙，或与外邦人通婚，或至少与之结交，缔结了成为他们网罗的亲密关系。如今他们不仅与外邦妻子分离，也与外邦的儿女分离。凡欲借祷告与立约将自己归于神的人，必须与罪和罪人分离；因为光明和黑暗有什么相通呢？ 3. 这是与神相交的日子。他们向他——就是向他——禁食（亚 7:5）；因为：(1.) 他们在祷告中向他说话，借着认罪与敬拜他为主、为他们的神，将他敬虔虔诚的情感献上。禁食而无祷告，如同无灵之体，是无用的尸首。(2.) 他们听他借自己的话向他们说话；因为他们诵读律法书——这在禁食之日甚为合宜，好在律法的镜中看见自己的丑陋与污秽，知道当承认什么、当改正什么。神的话能引导并激发祷告，因为圣灵借着它帮助我们祷告的软弱。请注意时间如何在二者之间均分：三小时（即一日的四分之一）用于诵读、讲解并应用经文，三小时用于认罪祷告；他们如此聚在一起六小时，将全部时间用于宗教的庄严操练，而无人说：看哪，何等烦琐！ 事工的变换使之不那么枯燥，并且他们所读的话既为祷告提供素材，祷告也使神的话更为有益。帕特里克主教（Bishop Patrick）认为他们把一日的整整十二小时都用于敬虔：从早晨六时到九时诵读，然后从九时到十二时祷告，从十二时到下午三时再诵读，从下午三时到六时再祷告。禁食之日的话是善工，因此我们当努力使之成为一日的工作，成为美善的一日之工。
英文原文
The Repentance of the People (444 BC)
¹ Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, 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 one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.
We have here a general account of a public fast which the children of Israel kept, probably by order from Nehemiah, by and with the advice and consent of the chief of the fathers. It was a fast that men appointed, but such a fast as God had chosen; for, 1. It was a day to afflict the soul, Isa 58:5. Probably they assembled in the courts of the temple, and they there appeared in sackcloth and in the posture of mourners, with earth on their heads, Ne 9:1. By these outward expressions of sorrow and humiliation they gave glory to God, took shame to themselves, and stirred up one another to repentance. They were restrained from weeping, Ne 8:9, but now they were directed to weep. The joy of our holy feasts must give way to the sorrow of our solemn fasts when they come. Every thing is beautiful in its season. 2. It was a day to loose the bands of wickedness, and that is the fast that God has chosen, Isa 58:6. Without this, spreading sackcloth and ashes under us is but a jest. The seed of Israel, because they were a holy seed, appropriated to God and more excellent than their neighbours, separated themselves from all strangers with whom they had mingled and joined in affinity, Ne 9:2. Ezra had separated them from their strange wives some years before, but they had relapsed into the same sin, and had either made marriages or at least made friendships with them, and contracted such an intimacy as was a snare to them. But now they separated themselves from the strange children as well as from the strange wives. Those that intend by prayers and covenants to join themselves to God must separate themselves from sin and sinners; for what communion hath light with darkness? 3. It was a day of communion with God. They fasted to him, even to him (Zec 7:5); for, (1.) They spoke to him in prayer, offered their pious and devout affections to him in the confession of sin and the adoration of him as the Lord and their God. Fasting without prayer is a body without a soul, a worthless carcase. (2.) They heard him speaking to them by his word; for they read in the book of the law, which is very proper on fasting days, that, in the glass of the law, we may see our deformities and defilements, and know what to acknowledge and what to amend. The word will direct and quicken prayer, for by it the Spirit helps our praying infirmities. Observe how the time was equally divided between these two. Three hours (for that is the fourth part of a day) they spent in reading, expounding, and applying the scriptures, and three hours in confessing sin and praying; so that they staid together six hours, and spent all the time in the solemn acts of religion, without saying, Behold, what a weariness is it! The varying of the exercises made it the less tedious, and, as the word they read would furnish them with matter for prayer, so prayer would make the word the more profitable. Bishop Patrick thinks that they spent the whole twelve hours of the day in devotion, that from six o'clock in the morning till nine they read, and then from nine to twelve they prayed, from twelve to three they read again, and from three till six at night they prayed again. The word of a fast day is good work, and therefore we should endeavour to make a day's work, a good day's work, of it.
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The Prayer of the Levites (444 BC)
简体中文
利未人的祷告（公元前444年）
⁴ 利未人耶书亚、巴尼、甲篾、示巴尼、布尼、示利比、巴尼、并基拿尼，站在台阶上，大声呼求耶和华他们的神。 ⁵ 利未人耶书亚、甲篾、巴尼、哈沙尼、示利比、荷第雅、示巴尼、并毗他希雅说：你们要站起来称颂耶和华你们的神，永世无尽；你荣耀之名，是当称颂的，超乎一切称颂赞美。 ⁶ 惟你是耶和华，独自造了天和天上的天，并其万象，地和地上一切物，海和海中一切所有的；这都是你所保存的；天军也都敬拜你。 ⁷ 你是耶和华神，曾拣选亚伯兰，领他出迦勒底的吾珥，给他起名叫亚伯拉罕。 ⁸ 你见他在你面前心里诚实，就与他立约，将迦南人、赫人、亚摩利人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、革迦撒人的地，赐给他的后裔，我说你应验了你的话；因为你是公义的。 ⁹ 你曾看见我们列祖在埃及所受的苦，听见他们在红海边上的哀求； ¹⁰ 就施行神迹奇事在法老和他一切臣仆，并他国中众民身上；因为你知道他们向我们列祖行事狂傲。你也得了名声，正如今日一样。 ¹¹ 你又在我们列祖面前将海分开，使他们在海中干地而过；追赶他们的人，你抛掷深渊，如石头抛在大水之中。 ¹² 你白昼用云柱引导他们，黑夜用火柱照亮他们当行的路。 ¹³ 你也降临西奈山，从天上与他们说话，赐给他们正直的典章、真实的律法、美好的条例与诫命。 ¹⁴ 又使他们知道你的圣安息日，借你仆人摩西传给他们诫命、条例、律法， ¹⁵ 又从天上赐粮食充他们的饥，从磐石使水流出解他们的渴，又应许他们可以进去得你起誓应许赐给他们的地。 ¹⁶ 但他们和我们的列祖行事狂傲，硬着颈项，不听从你的诫命， ¹⁷ 不肯顺从，也不记念你在他们中间所行的奇事，竟硬着颈项，在背叛中自立首领要回他们为奴之地；但你是乐意饶恕人、有恩典、有怜悯、不轻易发怒、大有慈爱的神，并不丢弃他们。 ¹⁸ 他们虽为自己铸了牛犊，说：这就是领你出埃及的神，大大惹动你怒气； ¹⁹ 你还是大施怜悯，在旷野没有丢弃他们。白昼云柱不离开他们，仍引导他们行路；黑夜火柱也不离开他们，仍照亮他们当行的路。 ²⁰ 你也赐下你良善的灵教训他们，未尝不赐吗哪给他们吃，并赐水解他们的渴。 ²¹ 这样，在旷野四十年你养育他们，以致他们一无所缺；衣服没有穿破，脚也没有肿。 ²² 你又将列国诸王分给他们为业，使他们得希实本王西宏的地、巴珊王噩的地。 ²³ 你也使他们的子孙多如天上的星，带他们进你所应许他们列祖说可以进去得为业的地。 ²⁴ 这样，子民进去得了那地；你也在他们面前制伏那地的居民迦南人，将迦南人和他们的君王并那地的居民，都交在他们手里，使他们随意待他们。 ²⁵ 他们得了坚固的城邑、肥美的地土、充满各样美物的房屋、凿成的水井、葡萄园、橄榄园和许多果子树，就吃而得饱，身体肥胖，因你的大恩而欢乐。 ²⁶ 然而他们不顺从，背叛你，将你的律法丢在背后，杀害那劝他们归向你的先知，大大惹动你怒。 ²⁷ 所以你将他们交在仇敌手中，使仇敌恼害他们；他们在遭难的时候哀求你，你就从天上听他们；照你丰盛的怜悯赐给他们拯救者，救他们脱离仇敌的手。 ²⁸ 但他们得享太平之后，又在你面前行恶；所以你丢弃他们在仇敌手中，使仇敌辖制他们；然而他们回转哀求你，你仍从天上垂听，照你的怜悯多次拯救他们； ²⁹ 又警戒他们，要使他们归回你的律法；他们行事狂傲，不听从你的诫命，干犯你的典章（人若遵行就必因此活着），耸着肩，硬着颈项，不肯听从。 ³⁰ 但你多年宽容他们，又借你的灵借你的众先知警戒他们；他们仍不听从；所以你将他们交在列国之民的手中。 ³¹ 然而你因大施怜悯，没有尽行灭绝他们，也不丢弃他们；因为你是乐意饶恕人、有恩典、有怜悯的神。 ³² 我们的神啊，你是至大、至能、至可畏、守约施慈爱的神；愿我们在我们的王、首领、祭司、先知、列祖和你一切百姓身上，自亚述王到现在所遭的一切艰难，在你面前不要看为小。 ³³ 在一切临到我们的事上，你是公义的；因你所行的诚实，我们所作的邪恶。 ³⁴ 我们的王、首领、祭司、列祖，没有遵行你的律法，也没有听从你的诫命和你警戒他们的见证。 ³⁵ 他们在本国，在你所赐给他们的大恩，和你所赐给他们面前那广大肥美之地，都没有事奉你，也不转离他们的恶行。 ³⁶ 看哪，我们今日成了奴仆，就是你赐给我们列祖使他们吃其果效享其美福的地，看哪，我们在其中成了奴仆； ³⁷ 这地许多的出产都归了因我们的罪派来辖管我们的诸王；他们也任意管辖我们的身体和我们的牲畜，我们遭了大难。 ³⁸ 因这一切的事，我们立确实的约，写在册上；我们的首领、利未人、和祭司都盖印。
此处记载这禁食日的事工怎样进行。1. 所用仆人的名字。他们两次被提名（尼9:4、5），只是名字略有变化。他们或是依次祷告，照着使徒所定的规矩（林前14:31：你们都可以一个一个地作先知讲道）；或如有人所想，共有八个相隔的会众，每个会众各有一位利未人主持。2. 他们所从事的事工本身。(1.) 他们向神祷告，大声呼求他（尼9:4），为以色列的罪得赦免和神向他们施恩。他们大声呼喊，并非像巴力的敬拜者那样为叫神更听得见，而是叫百姓听见，并激发自己的恳切。(2.) 他们赞美神；因为赞美之工在禁食日并非不合时；在一切敬虔的功课中，我们都当以此为目标，将神的名当得的荣耀归给他。他们祷告的要旨在此记录；无论是事先拟定，作为利未人发挥的指引，还是事后追记，作为他们在祷告中所发挥的要点，则不确定。无疑所说的远比此处所记的多，否则认罪敬拜神不会占去一日四分之一的时间，更不用说二分之一。
在这向神的庄重呼吁中，我们有，
I\. 对神可畏的敬拜，视他为完全荣耀的存有，也是万有的源头（尼9:5、6）。会众被召以站立表示赞同；于是领祷的转向神说：你荣耀之名是当称颂的。在此神被敬拜，1. 为独一又真又活的神：惟独你是耶和华，自有永有、独立自存；除你以外再无神。2. 为万有的创造主：你造了天、地、海，和其中一切所有的。我们信经的第一条，正当地作我们赞美的第一条。3. 为整个受造界的伟大保护者："你所造的，你都保存其存在。"神的护理上及最高的存有，因为他们需要它；下至最微小的，也不被它轻看。神所造的，他必保守；他所作的，都作得有效（传3:14）。4. 为受造之物赞美的对象：天上的万军，就是圣天使的世界，都敬拜你（尼9:6）。但你的名超乎一切称颂赞美；它不需要受造之物的赞美，那些赞美也不能加添它的荣耀。"在赞美神的名上，最好的表现，甚至天使自己的表现，也无限地不及它所配得的。"它不仅超乎我们的称颂，也超乎一切称颂。把天地间所有的赞美合在一起，关于神荣耀所当说可说的，连千分之一也未说出。我们的良善不能及于他。
II\. 感恩地承认神对以色列的恩惠。
1. 这些恩惠有许多在此按次序摆在他面前，且十分恰当，因为，(1.) 我们当乘一切机会述说耶和华的慈爱，并在每次祷告中献上感恩。(2.) 当我们认罪时，留意神的怜悯作为我们罪的加重情节是好的，这样我们可更加自卑羞愧，并以忘恩负义的恶名自责。(3.) 当我们在急难中向神求怜悯求解救时，回顾我们自己和列祖的经历，能鼓励我们的信心和盼望："主啊，你从前向我们所行的善；难道这一切要重新作废吗？你不仍是同一位神吗？"
2. 让我们简略观察此处所记神对以色列各项善举的实例。(1.) 亚伯拉罕的蒙召（尼9:7）。神对他的恩是与众不同的：你拣选了他。神在他身上的恩大有能力，将他领出迦勒底的吾珥；又给他起名叫亚伯拉罕，以此尊荣他为自己的，并应许他作多国的父。要追想你们的祖宗亚伯拉罕（赛51:2），看白白恩典在他身上得荣耀。(2.) 神与他所立的约，将迦南地赐给他和他的后裔，这是更美之家乡的预表（尼9:8）。这约是确实的，因为神见亚伯拉罕的心在他面前诚实，又见他诚实是因为神使他诚实（因为信心不是出于自己，是神的恩赐），所以应验了他的话；因为完全人你以完全待他，他何处寻见诚实的心，何处也必被寻见为信实的神。(3.) 以色列出埃及的拯救（尼9:9-11）。如今他们正求神成全他们脱离巴比伦的拯救，此时记念这事正合时。那时他们蒙拯救，是因神怜悯他们的苦情，应允他们的哀求，并抵挡逼迫他们的骄傲蛮横。他们所行骄傲之处，神显明自己在他们以上（出18:11），就此为自己得了名声；因为他说：我要在法老身上得荣耀。直到今日，神的名仍因那奇妙的作为得荣耀。这事是以神迹成就的：为成全这事，显出神迹奇事；他们的拯救就是仇敌的灭亡；他们被抛掷深渊，如石头抛在大水之中一样不能挽回。(4.) 在旷野中以云柱火柱引导他们，指示他们当走的路，何时起行，何时何处安歇，引领他们一切的阶段和步伐（尼9:12）。这也是神与他们同在的可见凭据，为引导护卫他们。他们再次提及这事（尼9:19），注意到他们虽因罪惹神收回，任他们在旷野的旁径上流离灭亡，神却在他丰盛的怜悯中仍引导他们，没有收回云柱火柱（尼9:19）。怜悯既被失落仍被延续，我们当加倍感恩。(5.) 在旷野为他们预备丰足的供应，使他们不至因饥饿灭亡：你从天上赐粮食给他们，又从磐石使水流出（尼9:15），并为扶持他们，应许他们可以进去得迦南地。他们有饮食，路上有方便的食物，旅程的尽头有美地；他们还求什么？这事也再次提及（尼9:20），作为他们虽惹神怒却仍得延续的恩：四十年你养育他们。从未有一民蒙如此长久的看顾、如此温柔；他们所得的供应奇妙，在这么长的时间内，衣服没有穿破，虽然路途崎岖漫长，脚也没有肿；因为他们被如鹰背负一般。(6.) 西奈山上律法的赐予。这是神对他们所作一切恩中最大的恩，也是所赐他们最大的尊荣。赐律者甚为荣耀（尼9:13）。"你不仅差遣，更亲自降临，并与他们说话"（申4:33）。所赐的律法甚为美善。普天之下没有一国拥有如此正直的典章、真实的律法和美好的条例（申4:8）。道德与司法的条例真实正直，建立在自然公平与善恶永恒之理上；连礼仪的规条也是好的，是神对他们之善的记号，也是福音恩典的预表。第四诫的律法作为大恩被特别记下：你使他们知道你的圣安息日，这是神对他们特别恩待的记号，将他们与那些背叛神、完全失落了启示宗教这古老部分的列国分别出来，也是维持他们与他相交的途径。又，与律法和安息日同赐的，他赐下他良善的灵教训他们（尼9:20）。除了西奈山上所赐的律法，摩西在被圣灵感动时所写的五经，也是他们常时的教训，特别是申命记，神的灵借摩西在其中充分地教训他们。比撒列被神的灵充满（出31:3），约书亚也是如此（民27:18），迦勒另有一个心志。(7.) 使他们得着迦南那美地，那列国诸王之地（尼9:22）。他们人数多得以充满（尼9:23），又得胜得以掌管（尼9:24）；当地居民被交在他们手中，使他们随意待他们，若愿意可将脚踩在那些王的颈项上。这样他们得了幸福的安顿（尼9:25）。看他们的城邑，坚固设防；看他们的房屋，精美陈设，满了各样美物；看那地，你就会说从未见过如此肥美之地，如此丰藏葡萄园橄榄园。这一切他们都现成到手；所以他们因神大恩的礼物而欢乐。在迦南，他们不能再求更安逸更幸福，若不是自己的错，他们本可如此。(8.) 神乐意赦免他们的罪，为他们施行拯救，当他们因惹动他怒而自招审判时。在旷野中他们发现他是乐意饶恕人的神（尼9:17），是赦免之神的神（旁注如此读），他曾宣告自己的名为赦免罪孽、过犯和罪恶的神，他有能力赦罪，也愿意赦罪，并以赦罪为荣。他们虽离弃他，他却没有离弃他们——这本是他公义所当行的；他仍继续看顾他们、向他们施恩。后来他们在迦南安居，因罪将自己卖在仇敌手中，他们一经降服谦卑恳求，他就赐给他们拯救者（尼9:27）——士师，神借他们在他们濒于灭亡时为他们行了许多大拯救。他这样行，并非因他们有何功劳，因为他们只配受祸，而是照他的怜悯，他丰盛的怜悯。(9.) 借他仆人众先知所给他们的劝戒和清楚的警告。他将他们从患难中拯救出来时，他针对他们的罪作见证（尼9:28、29），免得他们将自己的拯救误解为对他们邪恶的纵容。先知对他们所作的一切见证，其设计的目的，是要将他们重新领回到神的律法，使他们的颈项服在律法的轭下，并照律法的法则而行。我们事奉的目的是要借着领人归向神的律法而领人归向神，并非借着使人服在我们任何律法之下而领人归向我们。这事我们又见（尼9:30）：你借你的灵借你的众先知警戒他们。先知的见证就是先知里面之灵的见证，且是基督的灵在他们里面（彼前1:10、11）。他们被圣灵感动说出的话，当照样领受。神赐下他的灵教训他们（尼9:20），他们既不接受那教训，神就借他的灵作见证警戒他们。我们若不让神的话教导管治我们，它就要控告审判我们。神差遣先知，是出于对他百姓的怜悯（代下36:15），免得他差遣审判。(10.) 他忍耐的延长和他责罚的减轻：他多年宽容他们（尼9:30），不愿刑罚他们，等候看他们是否悔改；他刑罚时，也没有尽行灭绝他们，也不丢弃他们（尼9:31）。他若丢弃他们，他们早已尽灭；但他没有发动全部的怒气，因为他定意的是他们的改正，不是他们的灭亡。他们如此增多、如此放大神对以色列善举的实例；我们也当照样行，好叫神所赐的善，经我们适当思想，能引领我们悔改，胜过我们的恶。我们越为神的怜恤感恩，就越为自己的罪自卑。
III. 此处有为罪的痛悔认罪，认自己和列祖的罪。这些被编织在神恩惠的纪念之中，使神的善虽在他们惹怒之下更显光辉，他们的罪虽在他恩惠之下更显可憎。这认罪与怜悯的话中，有许多取自结20:5-26、尼9:4-38，将那些经文与这些比较便可看出；因为神的话在祷告中指引我们是大有用处的，借着他对我们所说的，我们可以学习当对他说什么。
1. 他们从以色列在旷野的罪起首：他们，甚至我们的列祖（如此读或更好），行事狂傲（虽然按他们所是，以及不久前才出奴役，他们并无骄傲的理由），硬着颈项（尼9:16）。骄傲是人固执悖逆的根源；他们认为将颈项服在神的轭下是有失身份，将自己的意志高举对抗神自己的旨意是一种气派。(1.) 有两件事他们未加适当留意，否则不致如此而行：——他们听见了神的话，却不听从神的诫命；他们看见了神的作为，却不记念他的奇事：他们若适当地看这些为神迹，就必出于信心和圣洁的敬畏而顺服；他们若适当地看这些为怜悯，就必出于感恩和圣洁的爱而顺服。但是，当人对神的条例或他的护理都无正当用时，还能指望他们什么呢？(2.) 这里指出他们在旷野所犯两大罪——图谋归回，[1.] 归回埃及的奴役，他们为大蒜洋葱的缘故，竟以此轻看弃绝神以色列民荣耀的自由，尽管那自由附带着一些艰难不便。他们在背叛中自立首领要回他们为奴之地，不信任神的大能，藐视他的圣应许（尼9:17）。[2.] 归回埃及的偶像崇拜：他们铸了一只牛犊，竟愚昧地说：这就是你的神。
2. 他们接着哀叹他们列祖在得着迦南之后所惹的怒。他们虽因神的大恩而欢乐，却不足以使他们紧紧跟随他；因为，然而他们不顺从（尼9:26），大大惹动你怒。因为，(1.) 他们苦待神的先知，杀害他们，因为他们劝他们归向神（尼9:26），这是以最大的伤害回报最大的善意。(2.) 他们滥用他的恩惠：他们得享太平之后，又行恶（尼9:28）。他们既不被患难也不被脱离患难的拯救所感化。无论是惧怕还是爱，都不能约束他们尽本分。
3. 他们终于更近自己的时代，哀叹那使他们招致长久叹息、如今仅得部分解脱的审判的罪：我们所作的邪恶（尼9:33）；我们的王、首领、祭司、列祖都有罪，我们在其中也有分（尼9:34）。他们据以归咎自己和列祖的有两件事：——(1.) 蔑视神所赐的美律法：他们干犯你的典章，干犯神圣智慧的指引和神圣主权的命令。虽有人告诉他们，按这些治理自己是何等有益，因为人若遵行就必因此活着（尼9:29），他们却不遵行，实际上等于说他们不愿活着。他们离弃了自己的福分。这约的摘要——如此行就活着——取自结20:13，又被引于加3:12，以证明律法不本乎信；那时不如今日之信而活着；然而他们耸着肩，旁注如此。他们装作将肩头放在神律法的重担之下，将肩头放在工作上，却成了耸着的肩头；他们不久便脱落，不肯持守，不肯遵行。一到我们所说的较真之时，他们就退缩，不肯听。他们有退后之心；虽然神借先知呼召他们归回，他们仍不肯听从（尼9:30）。他伸手招呼，却无人理会。(2.) 蔑视神所赐的美地（尼9:35）："我们的王在本国没有事奉你，没有运用权柄支持宗教；我们的百姓没有在你大恩的恩赐中使用中事奉你，没有在你不仅赐给他们、更在他们面前驱逐当地居民、使他们全然得胜的那广大肥美之地事奉你。"那些在自己地上不肯事奉神的，就被交在异乡服事仇敌，正如申28:47、48所警告。美地而有恶居民，实在可惜，所多玛便是如此。肥美丰足往往使人骄傲纵欲。
IV. 此处谦卑地陈明他们曾受、如今仍在的神的审判。
1. 从前的审判被记念作为他们罪的加重情节，因为他们未受警惕。在士师时代，他们的仇敌恼害他们（尼9:27）；他们又行恶时，神又将他们交在仇敌手中，若非神任凭，仇敌本不能碰他们；但神一任凭，他们就得了辖管他们的权柄。
2. 他们如今困苦的光景被陈明在主面前（尼9:36、37）：我们今日成了奴仆。生而自由的以色列人作了奴仆；那地他们曾以比任何大宗封地更尊贵的业权持有，即以天上君王直接的赐予，作为他在地上万民中特别的子民，如今他们却以与农奴本身一样卑贱的业权持有，受波斯诸王的支配，作他们的附庸。可悲的改变！且看罪所造成的！他们被绑于亲身服役：他们管辖我们的身体；他们所有的一切都立在不稳的根基上，是随意佃户；他们纳的地税如此重，几乎与高额地租相等；所以他们地土一切的收成、利益，实际上都归于王，他们能为自己和家人所得的，不过是勉强的糊口。他们诚实地承认，这是因他们的罪。贫穷与奴役是罪的果子；使我们陷入一切患难的，正是罪。
V. 此处是他们在这些患难中对神的呼吁。1. 借着请求，求他们的患难不要看为小（尼9:32）。这是这整个祷告中唯一的祈求。这患难是普遍的；临到他们的王、首领、祭司、先知、列祖和一切的百姓；他们都同有罪分（尼9:34），如今都同受审判。这患难长久延续：自亚述王的时候——他将十支派掳去——直到今日。"主啊，不要让这一切看为小，不值得留意，或不需解救。"他们不向神规定他当为他们作什么，只将这事交给他，只求他乐意鉴察，记念他从前见他的百姓在埃及所受的苦甚大，便降临拯救他们（出3:7、8）。在这请求中，他们仰望神为可敬畏的（因为他是至大、至能、至可畏的神），又为可信靠的，因为他是在约中我们的神，是守约施慈爱的神。2. 借着承认，虽说如此，患难实在比他们所配受的轻（尼9:33）。他们承认神在他们一切患难中的公义，他并未亏待他们。"我们干犯你的律法，作了恶；所以你降下这一切灾祸在我们身上，你所作的诚实。"当注意：我们受神圣护理的责罚时，无论多么严厉、多么长久，都当称义神、定罪自己；因为他审判的时候，显为清正（诗51:4）。
VI. 此处是这整个事的结局和结论。他们如此长地陈明案情之后，终于达到这样的定意：他们要归向神和他们的本分，自勉永不离弃神，而要常守本分。"因这一切的事，我们与神立确实的约；念及我们屡次偏离神，如今我们要比以往更紧地绑紧自己归向他。因我们既因罪受了许多苦，如今要坚决抵挡罪，免得我们再耸着肩。"当注意，1. 这约是经过严肃思考而立的。它是一连串适当思想的结果，所以是合理的服事。2. 是以大庄重立的。它被写下，为永久的记念；它被盖印并存录，为要作他们若行事诡诈便指控他们的见证。3. 是同心合意的："我们立；我们在立这事上全都同心，全然一致，为要彼此坚固。"4. 是坚定的决意："这是确实的约，不保留撤销之权。这是我们生死所凭，永不反悔的。"一定数目的首领、祭司和利未人被选为会众的代表，为他们并在他们的名里签名盖印。论到犹太人从被掳归回时必与他们永立约归向耶和华的应许（耶50:5），以及赛44:5 所说他们要亲手写归耶和华，如今应验了。心存诚实的人，并不因严肃的承诺而惊惧；知道自己内心诡诈的人，也不认为这些承诺是多余的。
英文原文
The Prayer of the Levites (444 BC)
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.
⁶ Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
⁷ Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
⁸ And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
⁹ And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;
¹⁰ And showedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.
¹¹ And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.
¹² Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
¹³ Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
¹⁴ And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
¹⁵ And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
¹⁷ And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
¹⁸ Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
¹⁹ Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go.
²⁰ Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
²¹ Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
²² Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
²³ Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
²⁴ So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
²⁵ And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
²⁸ But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
²⁹ And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
³⁰ Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
³¹ Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
³² Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
³³ Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
³⁴ Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.
³⁵ For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:
³⁷ And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
³⁸ And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.
We have here an account how the work of this fast-day was carried on. 1. The names of the ministers that were employed. They are twice named (Ne 9:4,5), only with some variation of the names. Either they prayed successively, according to that rule which the apostle gives (1Co 14:31, You may all prophesy one by one), or, as some think, there were eight several congregations at some distance from each other, and each had a Levite to preside in it. 2. The work itself in which they employed themselves. (1.) They prayed to God, cried to him with a loud voice (Ne 9:4), for the pardon of the sins of Israel and God's favour to them. They cried aloud, not that God might the better hear them, as Baal's worshippers, but that the people might, and to excite their fervency. (2.) They praised God; for the work of praise is not unseasonable on a fast-day; in all acts of devotion we must aim at this, to give unto God the glory due to his name. The summary of their prayers we have here upon record; whether drawn up before, as a directory to the Levites what to enlarge on, or recollected after, as the heads of what they had in prayer enlarged upon, is uncertain. Much more no doubt was said than is here recorded, else confessing and worshipping God would not have taken up a fourth part of the day, much less two-fourths.
In this solemn address to God we have,
I. An awful adoration of God, as a perfect and glorious Being, and the fountain of all beings, Ne 9:5,6. The congregation is called upon to signify their concurrence herewith by standing up; and so the minister directs himself to God, Blessed be thy glorious name. God is here adored, 1. As the only living and true God: Thou art Jehovah alone, self-existent and independent; there is no God besides thee. 2. As the Creator of all things: Thou hast made heaven, earth, and seas, and all that is in them. The first article of our creed is fitly made the first article of our praises. 3. As the great Protector of the whole creation: "Thou preservest in being all the creatures thou hast given being to." God's providence extends itself to the highest beings, for they need it, and to the meanest, for they are not slighted by it. What God has made he will preserve; what he does is done effectually, Ec 3:14. 4. As the object of the creatures' praises: "The host of heaven, the world of holy angels, worshippeth thee, Ne 9:6. But thy name is exalted above all blessing and praise; it needs not the praises of the creatures, nor is any addition made to its glory by those praises." The best performances in the praising of God's name, even those of the angels themselves, fall infinitely short of what it deserves. It is not only exalted above our blessing, but above all blessing. Put all the praises of heaven and earth together, and the thousandth part is not said of what might and should be said of the glory of God. Our goodness extendeth not to him.
II. A thankful acknowledgment of God's favours to Israel.
1. Many of these are here reckoned up in order before him, and very much to the purpose, for, (1.) We must take all occasions to mention the loving kindness of the Lord, and in every prayer give thanks. (2.) When we are confessing our sins it is good to take notice of the mercies of God as the aggravations of our sins, that we may be the more humbled and ashamed, and call ourselves by the scandalous name of ungrateful. (3.) When we are seeking to God for mercy and relief in the time of distress it is an encouragement to our faith and hope to look back upon our own and our fathers' experiences: "Lord, thou hast done well for us formerly; shall it be all undone again? Art not thou the same God still?"
2. Let us briefly observe the particular instances of God's goodness to Israel here recounted. (1.) The call of Abraham, Ne 9:7. God's favour to him was distinguishing: "Thou didst choose him." His grace in him was powerful to bring him out of Ur of the Chaldees, and, in giving him the name of Abraham, he put honour upon him as his own and assured him that he should be the father of many nations. Look unto Abraham your father (Isa 51:2) and see free grace glorified in him. (2.) The covenant God made with him to give the land of Canaan to him and his seed, a type of the better country, Ne 9:8. And this covenant was sure, for God found Abraham's heart faithful before God, and found it so because he made it so (for faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God), and therefore performed his words; for with the upright he will show himself upright, and wherever he finds a faithful heart he will be found a faithful God. (3.) The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, Ne 9:9-11. It was seasonable to remember this now that they were interceding for the perfecting of their deliverance out of Babylon. They were then delivered, in compassion to their affliction, in answer to their cry, and in resistance of the pride and insolence of their persecutors. Wherein they dealt proudly, God showed himself above them (Ex 18:11), and so got himself a name; for he said, I will get me honour upon Pharaoh. Even to this day the name of God is glorified for that wonderful work. It was done miraculously: signs and wonders were shown for the effecting of it; their deliverance was the destruction of their enemies; they were thrown into the deeps, as irrecoverably as a stone into the mighty waters. (4.) The conducting of them through the wilderness, by the pillar of cloud and fire, which showed them which way they should go, when they should remove, and when and where they should rest, directed all their stages and all their steps, Ne 9:12. It was also a visible token of God's presence with them, to guide and guard them. They mention this again (Ne 9:19), observing that though they had by their sins provoked God to withdraw from them, and leave them to wander and perish in the by-paths of the wilderness, yet in his manifold mercy he continued to lead them, and took not away the pillar of cloud and fire, Ne 9:19. When mercies, though forfeited, are continued, we are bound to be doubly thankful. (5.) The plentiful provision made for them in the wilderness, that they might not perish for hunger: Thou gavest them bread from heaven, and water out of the rock (Ne 9:15), and, to hold up their hearts, a promise that they should go in and possess the land of Canaan. They had meat and drink, food convenient in the way, and the good land at their journey's end; what would they more? This also is repeated (Ne 9:20) as that which was continued, notwithstanding their provocations: Forty years didst thou sustain them. Never was people so long nursed and so tenderly; they were wonderfully provided for, and, in so long a time, their clothes waxed not old, and, though the way was rough and tedious, their feet swelled not; for they were carried as upon eagles' wings. (6.) The giving of the law upon Mount Sinai. This was the greatest favour of all that was done them and the greatest honour that was put upon them. The Lawgiver was very glorious, Ne 9:13. "Thou didst not only send, but camest down thyself, and didst speak with them," De 4:33. The law given was very good. No nation under the sun had such right judgments, true laws, and good statutes, De 4:8. The moral and judicial precepts were true and right, founded upon natural equity and the eternal reasons of good and evil; and even the ceremonial institutions were good, tokens of God's goodness to them and types of gospel grace. Particular notice is taken of the law of the fourth commandment as a great favour to them: Thou madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, which was a token of God's particular favour to them, distinguishing them from the nations who had revolted from God and quite lost that ancient part of revealed religion, and was likewise a means of keeping up their communion with him. And, with the law and the sabbath, he gave his good Spirit to instruct them, Ne 9:20. Besides the law given on Mount Sinai, the five books of Moses, which he wrote as he was moved by the Holy Ghost, were constant instructions to them, particularly the book of Deuteronomy, in which God's Spirit by Moses instructed them fully. Bezaleel was filled with the Spirit of God (Ex 31:3), so was Joshua (Nu 27:18), and Caleb had another spirit. (7.) The putting of them in possession of Canaan, that good land, kingdoms and nations, Ne 9:22. They were made so numerous as to replenish it (Ne 9:23) and so victorious as to be masters of it (Ne 9:24); the natives were given into their hands, that they might do with them as they would, set their feet, if they pleased, on the necks of their kings. Thus they gained a happy settlement, Ne 9:25. Look upon their cities, and you see them strong and well fortified. Look into their houses, and you find them fine and well furnished, filled with all sorts of rich goods. Take a view of the country, and you will say that you never saw such a fat land, so well stored with vineyards and oliveyards. All these they found made ready to their hands; so they delighted themselves in the gifts of God's great goodness. They could not wish to be more easy or happy than they were, or might have been, in Canaan, had it not been their own fault. (8.) God's great readiness to pardon their sins, and work deliverance for them, when they had by their provocations brought his judgments upon themselves. When they were in the wilderness they found him a God ready to pardon (Ne 9:17), a God of pardons (so the margin reads it), who had proclaimed his name as a God forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, who has power to forgive sin, is willing to forgive, and glories in forgiving. Though they forsook him, he did not forsake them, as justly he might have done, but continued his care of them and favour to them. Afterwards, when they were settled in Canaan and sold themselves by their sins into the hands of their enemies, upon their submission and humble request he gave them saviours (Ne 9:27), the judges, by whom God wrought many a great deliverance for them when they were on the brink of ruin. This he did, not for any merit of theirs, for their deserved nothing but ill, but according to his mercies, his manifold mercies. (9.) The admonitions and fair warnings he gave them by his servants the prophets. When he delivered them from their troubles he testified against their sins (Ne 9:28,29), that they might not misconstrue their deliverances as connivances at their wickedness. That which was designed in all the testimonies which the prophets bore against them was to bring them again to God's law, to lay their necks under its yoke, and walk by its rule. The end of our ministry is to bring people to God by bringing them to his law, not to bring them to ourselves by bringing them under any law of ours. This we have again (Ne 9:30): Thou testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy prophets. The testimony of the prophets was the testimony of the Spirit in the prophets, and it was the Spirit of Christ in them, 1Pe 1:10,11. They spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and what they said is to be received accordingly. God gave them his Spirit to instruct them (Ne 9:20), but, they not receiving that instruction, he did by his Spirit testify against them. If we will not suffer God's word to teach and rule us, it will accuse and judge us. God sends prophets, in compassion to his people (2Ch 36:15), that he may not send judgments. (10.) The lengthening out of his patience and the moderating of his rebukes: Many years did he forbear them (Ne 9:30), as loth to punish them, and waiting to see if they would repent; and, when he did punish them, he did not utterly consume them nor forsake them, Ne 9:31. Had he forsaken them they would have been utterly consumed; but he did not stir up all his wrath, for he designed their reformation, not their destruction. Thus do they multiply, thus do they magnify, the instances of God's goodness to Israel, and we should do in like manner, that the goodness of God, duly considered by us, may lead us to repentance, and overcome our badness. The more thankful we are for God's mercies the more humbled we shall be for our own sins.
III. Here is a penitent confession of sin, their own sins, and the sins of their fathers. The mention of these is interwoven with the memorials of God's favours, that God's goodness, notwithstanding their provocations, might appear the more illustrious, and their sins, notwithstanding his favours, might appear the more heinous. Many passages in this acknowledgment of sins and mercies are taken from Eze 20:5-26, Ne 9:4-38, as will appear by comparing those verses with these; for the word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, and by what he says to us we may learn what to say to him.
1. They begin with the sins of Israel in the wilderness: They, even our fathers (so it might better be read), dealt proudly (though, considering what they were, and how lately they had come out of slavery, they had no reason to be proud), and hardened their necks, Ne 9:16. Pride is at the bottom of men's obstinacy and disobedience; they think it below them to bow their necks to God's yoke, and a piece of state to set up their own will in opposition to the will of God himself. (1.) There were two things which they did not duly give heed to, else they would not have done as they did:—The word of God they heard, but they did not hearken to God's commandments; and the works of God they saw, but they were not mindful of his wonders: had they duly considered them as miracles, they would have obeyed from a principle of faith and holy fear; had they duly considered them as mercies, they would have obeyed from a principle of gratitude and holy love. But, when men make no right use either of God's ordinances or of his providences, what can be expected from them? (2.) Two great sins are here specified; which they were guilty of in the wilderness—meditating a return, [1.] To Egyptian slavery, which, for the sake of the garlick and onions, they preferred before the glorious liberty of the Israel of God attended with some difficulty and inconvenience. In their rebellion they appointed a captain to return to their bondage, in distrust of God's power and contempt of his holy promise, Ne 9:17. [2.] To Egyptian idolatry: They made a molten calf, and were so sottish as to say, This is thy God.
2. They next bewail the provocations of their fathers after they were put in possession of Canaan. Though they were delighted themselves in God's great goodness, yet that would not prevail to keep them closely to him; for, nevertheless, they were disobedient (Ne 9:26) and wrought great provocations. For, (1.) They abused God's prophets, slew them because they testified against them to turn them to God (Ne 9:26), so returning the greatest injury for the greatest kindness. (2.) They abused his favours: After they had rest, they did evil again, Ne 9:28. They were not wrought upon either by their troubles or their deliverances out of trouble. Neither fear nor love would hold them to their duty.
3. They at length come nearer to their own day, and lament the sins which had brought those judgments upon them which they had long been groaning under and were now but in part delivered from: We have done wickedly (Ne 9:33): our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers, have all been guilty, and we in them, Ne 9:34. Two things they charge upon themselves and their fathers, as the cause of their troubles:—(1.) A contempt of the good law God had given them: They sinned against thy judgments, the dictates of divine wisdom, and the demands of divine sovereignty. Though they were told how much it would be for their own advantage to govern themselves by them, for, if a man do them, he shall live in them (Ne 9:29), yet they would not do them, and so, in effect, said that they would not live. They forsook their own mercies. This abridgment of the covenant, Do this and live, is taken from Eze 20:13, and is quoted, Ga 3:12, to prove that the law is not of faith; it was not them as it is now, Believe and live, yet they gave a withdrawing shoulder, so it is in the margin. They pretended to lay their shoulders under the burden of God's law, and put their shoulders to the work, but they proved withdrawing shoulders; they soon flew off, would not keep to it, would not abide by it. When it came, as we say, to the setting to, they shrunk back, and would not hear. They had a backsliding heart; and, though God by his prophets called them to return, they would not give ear, Ne 9:30. He stretched out his hands, but no man regarded. (2.) A contempt of the good land God had given them (Ne 9:35): "Our kings have not served thee in their kingdom, have not used their power for the support of religion; our people have not served thee in the use of the gifts of thy great goodness, and in that large and fat land which thou not only gavest them by thy grant, but gavest before them by the expulsion of the natives and the complete victories they obtained over them." Those that would not serve God in their own land were made to serve their enemies in a strange land, as was threatened, De 28:47,48. It is a pity that a good land should have bad inhabitants, but so it was with Sodom. Fatness and fulness often make men proud and sensual.
IV. Here is a humble representation of the judgments of God, which they had been and were now under.
1. Former judgments are remembered as aggravations of their sins, that they had not taken warning. In the days of the judges their enemies vexed them (Ne 9:27); and, when they did evil again, God did again leave them in the hand of their enemies, who could not have touched them if God had not given them up; but, when God left them, they got and kept dominion over them.
2. Their present calamitous state is laid before the Lord (Ne 9:36,37): We are servants this day. Free-born Israelites are enslaved, and the land which they had long held by a much more honourable tenure than grand sergeantry itself, even by immediate grant from the crown of heaven to them as a peculiar people above all people on the earth, they now held by as base a tenure as villenage itself, by, from, and under, the kings of Persia, whose vassals they were. A sad change! But see what work sin makes! They were bound to personal service: They have dominion over our bodies; they held all they had precariously, were tenants at will, and the land-tax that they paid was so great that it amounted even to a rack-rent; so that all the rents, issues, and profits, of their land did in effect accrue to the king, and it was as much as they could do to get a bare subsistence for themselves and their families out of it. This, they honestly own, was for their sins. Poverty and slavery are the fruits of sin; it is sin that brings us into all our distresses.
V. Here is their address to God under these calamities. 1. By way of request, that their trouble might not seem little, Ne 9:32. It is the only petition in all this prayer. The trouble was universal; it had come on their kings, princes, priests, prophets, fathers, and all their people; they had all shared in the sin (Ne 9:34), and now all shared in the judgment. It was of long continuance: From the time of the kings of Assyria, who carried the ten tribes captive, unto this day. "Lord, let it not all seem little and not worthy to be regarded, or not needing to be relieved." They do not prescribe to God what he shall do for them, but leave it to him, only desiring he would please to take cognizance of it, remembering that when he saw the affliction of his people in Egypt to be great he came down to deliver them, Ex 3:7,8. In this request they have an eye to God as one that is to be feared (for he is the great, the mighty, and the terrible, God), and as one that is to be trusted, for he is our God in covenant, and a God that keeps covenant and mercy. 2. By way of acknowledgment, notwithstanding, that really it was less than they deserved, Ne 9:33. They own the justice of God in all their troubles, that he had done them no wrong. "We have done wickedly in breaking thy laws, and therefore thou hast done right in bringing all these miseries upon us." Note, It becomes us, when we are under the rebukes of divine Providence, though ever so sharp and ever so long, to justify God and to judge ourselves; for he will be clear when he judgeth. Ps 51:4.
VI. Here is the result and conclusion of this whole matter. After this long remonstrance of their case was made they came at last to this resolution, that they would return to God and to their duty, and oblige themselves never to forsake God, but always to continue in their duty. "Because of all this, we make a sure covenant with God; in consideration of our frequent departures from God, we will now more firmly than ever bind ourselves to him. Because we have smarted so much for sin, we will now stedfastly resolve against it, that we may not any more withdraw the shoulder." Observe, 1. This covenant was made with serious consideration. It is the result of a chain of suitable thoughts, and so is a reasonable service. 2. With great solemnity. It was written, in perpetuam rei memoriam—that it might remain a memorial for all ages; it was sealed and left upon record, that it might be a witness against them if they dealt deceitfully. 3. With joint consent: "We make it; we are all agreed in making it, and do it unanimously, that we may strengthen the hands one of another." 4. With fixed resolution: "It is a sure covenant, without reserving a power of revocation. It is what we will live and die by, and never go back from." A certain number of the princes, priests, and Levites, were chosen as the representatives of the congregation, to subscribe and seal it for and in the name of the rest. Now was fulfilled that promise concerning the Jews, that, when they returned out of captivity, they should join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant (Jer 50:5), and that in Isa 44:5, that they should subscribe with their hand unto the Lord. He that bears an honest mind will not startle at assurances; nor will those that know the deceitfulness of their own hearts think them needless.
七月第十日，介于吹角节（尼 8:2）与住棚节（尼 9:14）之间，被定为赎罪日；我们有理由相信它必被敬虔地遵守了，虽然此处未明提。但本章所记，乃是在那之后两周所守的一次临时禁食，是针对他们当时处境而设的；与那日一样，这也是一个谦卑自卑的日子。既有笑的时候，也有哭的时候。本章记述：I. 这禁食如何遵守（尼 9:1-3）。II. 在那场合向神所献祷告的要点：他们以感恩承认神的怜悯，以悔改认罪，并谦卑顺服神公义的手在所降灾祸中的作为，最后以郑重立志重新顺服作结（尼 9:4-38）。