King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
Complete Jewish Bible:
I said, "Please, ADONAI! God of heaven! You great and fearsome God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot!
Berean Standard Bible:
Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,
American Standard Version:
and said, I beseech thee, O Jehovah, the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And said{H559}, I beseech{H577} thee, O LORD{H3068} God{H430} of heaven{H8064}, the great{H1419} and terrible{H3372} God{H410}, that keepeth{H8104} covenant{H1285} and mercy{H2617} for them that love{H157} him and observe{H8104} his commandments{H4687}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 20:6
- And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Daniel 9:4
- ¶ And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
Daniel 9:19
- O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Deuteronomy 7:21
- Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God [is] among you, a mighty God and terrible.
Deuteronomy 7:9
- Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Nehemiah 4:14
- And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, [which is] great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
Nehemiah 9:32
- 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.
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Commentary for Nehemiah 1:5
Nehemiah 1:5 is a verse that captures the heartfelt prayer of Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes I, after he hears about the distressing condition of Jerusalem following its destruction by the Babylonians. The historical context is set in the 5th century BCE, after the first wave of Jewish exiles had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the Temple, but before the walls of the city had been restored.
In this verse, Nehemiah addresses God with a deep sense of reverence, referring to Him as "the Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God." This title reflects both the awe and respect that Nehemiah has for God's power and might, as well as His role as the sovereign ruler of the universe. Nehemiah's prayer is significant because it acknowledges several key theological themes:
1. **God's Covenantal Faithfulness**: Nehemiah appeals to God's character as one who "keepeth covenant," highlighting the belief that God is faithful to His promises, particularly the covenant He made with the Israelites.
2. **Divine Mercy**: Nehemiah's prayer also asks for God's mercy, indicating a reliance on God's grace and compassion for those who turn to Him.
3. **Conditional Blessings**: The verse suggests that God's mercy is extended to "them that love him and observe his commandments," which reflects the conditional nature of the covenant as understood in the Deuteronomic tradition—blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
4. **Personal and National Repentance**: Nehemiah's prayer is not only personal but also intercessory, as he identifies with the sins of his people and seeks forgiveness and restoration for the nation as a whole.
Nehemiah 1:5 is a poignant example of individual and communal prayer, expressing humility, repentance, and a deep trust in God's power to restore and redeem. It sets the stage for Nehemiah's subsequent leadership in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, an act that would physically and symbolically restore the identity and security of the Jewish people in their homeland.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H577
There are 339 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָנָּא
Transliteration: ʼânnâʼ
Pronunciation: awn-naw'
Description: lemma אָנּאָ second vowel, corrected to אָנָּא; or אָנָּה; apparent contracted from אַהֲבָה and נָא; oh now!; I (me) beseech (pray) thee, O. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H8064
There are 395 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַיִם
Transliteration: shâmayim
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'-yim
Description: dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve); air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s). - Strong's Number: H1419
There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּדוֹל
Transliteration: gâdôwl
Pronunciation: gaw-dole'
Description: or גָּדֹל; (shortened) from גָּדַל; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent; [phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very. - Strong's Number: H3372
There are 305 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָרֵא
Transliteration: yârêʼ
Pronunciation: yaw-ray'
Description: a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten; affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing). - Strong's Number: H410
There are 307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵל
Transliteration: ʼêl
Pronunciation: ale
Description: shortened from אַיִל; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity); God (god), [idiom] goodly, [idiom] great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in '-el.' - Strong's Number: H8104
There are 440 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַר
Transliteration: shâmar
Pronunciation: shaw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.; beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man). - Strong's Number: H1285
There are 264 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּרִית
Transliteration: bᵉrîyth
Pronunciation: ber-eeth'
Description: from בָּרָה (in the sense of cutting (like בָּרָא)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh); confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league. - Strong's Number: H2617
There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵסֵד
Transliteration: chêçêd
Pronunciation: kheh'-sed
Description: from חָסַד; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty; favour, good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing. - Strong's Number: H157
There are 257 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָהַב
Transliteration: ʼâhab
Pronunciation: aw-hab'
Description: or אָהֵב ; a primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise); (be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend. - Strong's Number: H4687
There are 177 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִצְוָה
Transliteration: mitsvâh
Pronunciation: mits-vaw'
Description: from צָוָה; a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law); (which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept.