Nehemiah 9:38
New International Version
“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”

New Living Translation
The people responded, “In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing. On this sealed document are the names of our leaders and Levites and priests.”

English Standard Version
“Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

Berean Standard Bible
In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”

King James Bible
And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

New King James Version
“And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.

New American Standard Bible
“Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites, and our priests.”

NASB 1995
“Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”

NASB 1977
“Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Now because of all this We are cutting an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.”

Amplified Bible
“Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.”

Christian Standard Bible
In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.

American Standard Version
And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal unto it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And among all these we swear in the truth and we testify to the seal, our Elders and the Levites and our Priests and all those who lived among us.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And in regard to all these circumstances we make a covenant, and write it, and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, set their seal to it.

Contemporary English Version
And so, a firm agreement was made that had the official approval of the leaders, the Levites, and priests.

Douay-Rheims Bible
and because of all this we ourselves make a covenant, and write it, and our princes, our Levites, and our priests sign it.

English Revised Version
And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal unto it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"We are making a binding agreement [and putting it] in writing because of all this. Our leaders, Levites, and priests are putting their seals on the document."

Good News Translation
Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.

International Standard Version
"Because of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our descendants of Levi, and our priests hereby set their seals upon it."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and subscribe it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, set their seal unto it.

Literal Standard Version
And for all this we are making a steadfast covenant, | And are writing, | And over him who is sealed | [Are] our heads, our Levites, [and] our priests.”

Majority Standard Bible
In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”

New American Bible
In view of all this, we are entering into a firm pact, which we are putting into writing. On the sealed document appear the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

NET Bible
"Because of all of this we are entering into a binding covenant in written form; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have affixed their names on the sealed document."

New Revised Standard Version
Because of all this we make a firm agreement in writing, and on that sealed document are inscribed the names of our officials, our Levites, and our priests.

New Heart English Bible
Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests, seal it."

Webster's Bible Translation
And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, set their seals to it.

World English Bible
Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”

Young's Literal Translation
And for all this we are making a stedfast covenant, and are writing, and over him who is sealed are our heads, our Levites, our priests.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The People Confess Their Sins
37Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress. 38In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”

Cross References
Matthew 27:66
So they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.

Nehemiah 10:1
Now these were the ones who sealed the document: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah,

Nehemiah 10:29
hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to carefully obey all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.

Isaiah 44:5
One will say, 'I belong to the LORD,' another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, 'The LORD's,' and will take the name of Israel."


Treasury of Scripture

And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal to it.

we make.

Nehemiah 10:29
They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

2 Kings 23:3
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

2 Chronicles 15:12,13
And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; …

seal unto it.

Nehemiah 10:1
Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,

Jump to Previous
Agreement Binding Covenant Document Faith Firm Good Levites Making Names Priests Princes Rulers Seal Sealed Seals Subscribe Sure View Write Writing
Jump to Next
Agreement Binding Covenant Document Faith Firm Good Levites Making Names Priests Princes Rulers Seal Sealed Seals Subscribe Sure View Write Writing
Nehemiah 9
1. A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4. The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness














(38) Because of all this.--On the ground of this confession, and to prove our sincerity.

Seal unto it.--On the sealed [document]. Each party impressed his seal on moist clay, which was then hardened. Sometimes these seals were attached to the document by separate strings. In Nehemiah 11, "those who sealed" is, literally, those on the sealed [documents], in the plural.

Verse 38. - Because of all this. Because of our past sins and their punishment - to prevent a recurrence of similar conduct and similar afflictions. We... seal unto it. In the East it is always the seal that authenticates a document. Babylonian documents were often stamped with half a dozen seals or more. These were impressed upon the moist clay, and then the clay was baked. Sometimes each party to the contract stamped his seal upon a separate piece of sealing clay, which he then attached to the document by means of a string (Layard, 'Nineveh and Babylon,' p. 154). Any number of seals could be attached in this way.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In view of all
וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

this,
זֹ֕את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

we
אֲנַ֛חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

make
כֹּרְתִ֥ים (kō·rə·ṯîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

a binding agreement,
אֲמָנָ֖ה (’ă·mā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 548: Something fixed, a covenant, an allowance

putting it in writing
וְכֹתְבִ֑ים (wə·ḵō·ṯə·ḇîm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

and
וְעַל֙ (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

sealing it with [the names of]
הֶֽחָת֔וּם (he·ḥā·ṯūm)
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 2856: To seal, affix a seal, seal up

our leaders,
שָׂרֵ֥ינוּ (śā·rê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Levites,
לְוִיֵּ֖נוּ (lə·wî·yê·nū)
Noun - proper | first person common plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

and priests.”
כֹּהֲנֵֽינוּ׃ (kō·hă·nê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3548: Priest


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OT History: Nehemiah 9:38 Yet for all this we make (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 9:37
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