The Cycle of Rebellion and Deliverance in Nehemiah 9

Introduction

“⁵Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kad-mi-el, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, ‘Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise.’ ”

A second interpolated introduction

“⁶And Ezra said:”

God the creator

“⁶‘Thou art the Lord, thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them.…’”

The God of Abraham

“⁷‘Thou art the Lord, the God who didst choose Abraham and bring him forth out of Ur of the Chaldeans and give him the name Abraham.…’ ”

God the deliverer from Egypt

“⁹‘And thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and hear their cry at the Red Sea, ¹⁰and didst perform signs and wonders against Pharaoh.…¹¹thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land.…’”