Nehemiah 1:5 kjv

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:

Nehemiah 1:5 nkjv

And I said: "I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,

Nehemiah 1:5 niv

Then I said: "LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Nehemiah 1:5 esv

And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Nehemiah 1:5 nlt

Then I said, "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,

Nehemiah 1 verses

Nehemiah 1 5 Meaning

Nehemiah 1:5 encapsulates Nehemiah's reverent address to God, establishing God's immutable character and attributes before presenting his profound plea. He identifies God as the sovereign LORD of heaven, immensely powerful and deserving of awe, yet simultaneously faithful to His covenant promises and abundant in steadfast love (mercy) towards those who genuinely love Him and diligently keep His commandments. This theological declaration sets the indispensable foundation for Nehemiah's subsequent prayer concerning Jerusalem's desolate state and His people's plight.

Nehemiah 1 5 Context

Nehemiah 1:5 begins a pivotal prayer in response to the devastating news Nehemiah receives regarding the condition of Jerusalem. Earlier in the chapter, Hanani and others inform Nehemiah that the surviving remnant in Judah is in "great distress and reproach," with Jerusalem's walls broken down and its gates burned (Neh 1:3). This report deeply affects Nehemiah, leading him to sit down, weep, mourn for days, fast, and ultimately turn to the God of heaven in prayer. The prayer is initiated by acknowledging God's attributes, establishing a profound theological foundation. This event is set in the Persian period, decades after the first return from Babylonian exile, underscoring the lingering vulnerability and spiritual degradation faced by the Jewish community in their homeland, prompting Nehemiah's intercession for divine intervention and restoration.

Nehemiah 1 5 Word analysis

• And said,: This indicates the initiation of direct, fervent communication with God. It sets the scene for a formal prayer.
• I beseech You,: Hebrew: אָנָּא ('anna'). This expresses an earnest, humble, and urgent request, conveying desperation and deference to God's authority.
• O LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH). The Tetragrammaton, the sacred personal name of the covenant God of Israel. This name emphasizes God's self-existence, eternal nature, and His intimate, covenantal relationship with His people, reminding Him of His promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• God: Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim). A generic term for God, often conveying power and sovereignty. Combined with YHWH, it highlights the powerful, supreme Deity who is also personally invested in His people.
• of heaven,: Hebrew: הַשָּׁמַיִם (hashamayim). This phrase underscores God's transcendence, omnipresence, and ultimate authority over all creation and earthly powers. In the post-exilic period, this title became particularly significant, emphasizing God's universal sovereignty even when Israel's earthly kingdom was diminished and under foreign rule. It differentiates God's domain from any earthly or pagan deities.
• the great: Hebrew: הַגָּדֹול (haggadol). Signifies God's immense power, majesty, vastness, and superiority, demonstrating His unparalleled dominion and might. He is supreme in His attributes and actions.
• and awesome: Hebrew: וְהַנֹּורָא (v'hannora'). Conveys God's capacity to inspire fear, reverence, and holy dread due to His immense power, purity, and glory. This "awe" leads to worship and humility, acknowledging His sacred and unapproachable nature.
• God: Again, אֱלֹהִים (Elohim), reinforcing the divine identity of the One being addressed with such reverence.
• who keeps: Hebrew: שֹׁמֵר (shomer). Implies an active guardian and upholder; one who faithfully observes, preserves, and fulfills. This denotes God's consistent and unwavering commitment.
• covenant: Hebrew: הַבְּרִית (habbrit). A solemn, binding agreement or pact, often accompanied by oaths and stipulations. It refers to God's faithful adherence to His sworn promises, especially those made with Abraham (Gen 15) and through Moses (Exod 19-24), which underpin Israel's identity and future hope.
• and mercy: Hebrew: וָחֶסֶד (v'chesed). Often translated as "steadfast love," "lovingkindness," or "loyal love." It describes God's compassionate faithfulness that goes beyond legal obligation, extending undeserved grace and benevolence from His enduring commitment within the covenant.
• with those who love Him: This specifies the reciprocal condition: deep, genuine devotion to God Himself, arising from a sincere heart and not mere lip service. This love is fundamental to the covenant relationship.
• and keep His commandments: Hebrew: וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו (ul'shomrei mitzvotav). This refers to active, obedient adherence to God's divine instructions, laws, and precepts. Keeping commandments is the tangible demonstration and outworking of loving God (cf. John 14:15, 1 John 5:3).

• O LORD God of heaven,: This initial address establishes God's absolute sovereignty and transcendent power over all creation and earthly affairs, signaling that Nehemiah acknowledges God as the supreme and true authority.
• the great and awesome God: This phrase highlights God's magnificent power, grandeur, and ability to inspire profound reverence and holy fear, underscoring His unique majesty and incomparability among all beings.
• who keeps covenant and mercy: This describes God's faithful and loving nature. It assures the supplicant that God is not only powerful but also trustworthy in upholding His sworn promises and extends compassionate loyalty to His people, even in their failures.
• with those who love Him and keep His commandments: This final clause defines the recipients of God's covenant blessings and mercy, pointing to the prerequisite of reciprocal love and obedient loyalty from humanity within the established covenant relationship. It sets the context for God's blessings, implying that faithfulness on the human side is crucial, yet opening the door for mercy when there is a lapse.

Nehemiah 1 5 Bonus section

• The title "God of Heaven" (אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא) is characteristic of the post-exilic biblical literature, especially in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. It underscores the universal, cosmic scope of God's sovereignty and rule over all nations and realms, which was a comfort and reaffirmation for a people whose earthly kingdom and political independence had been lost. It also contrasts with local, national gods, asserting the one true God's global supremacy.
• Nehemiah's invocation precisely parallels Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9:4, suggesting a common and deeply ingrained theological formula used by faithful Jews in the post-exilic era when appealing to God in times of national crisis and repentance. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of God's unchanging nature despite their changing political landscape.
• The combination of "covenant and mercy (chesed)" points to the very core of God's redemptive dealings with humanity. It emphasizes that His faithfulness is not cold adherence to terms, but flows from a profound, loyal, and unyielding love that pursues His people despite their failures, making reconciliation and restoration possible.

Nehemiah 1 5 Commentary

Nehemiah 1:5 acts as a potent preamble to Nehemiah's lament and petition. Rather than immediately listing Jerusalem's woes, Nehemiah commences by extolling God's immutable character and attributes. This approach is not merely ritualistic but strategically wise and deeply theological. He identifies God as YHWH Elohim – the personal, covenantal, and supremely powerful God – uniquely adding the descriptor "of heaven," which became a significant theological identifier for God during and after the exile, signifying His universal and ultimate dominion even when His earthly temple and people were in disarray.

By declaring God "great and awesome," Nehemiah acknowledges His unparalleled majesty and overwhelming power, establishing God's capacity to intervene. Most crucially, Nehemiah invokes God's active role as the one "who keeps covenant and mercy." This foundational attribute – God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises (berith) and His steadfast, loyal love (chesed) – forms the bedrock of Nehemiah's hope. Despite Israel's collective failure to uphold their end of the covenant, Nehemiah grounds his prayer in God's unilateral faithfulness. The qualification "with those who love Him and keep His commandments" implicitly reminds Nehemiah, and God, of the brokenness of the covenant on Israel's part, which precisely creates the desperate need for the very mercy he is about to request. Thus, this verse lays a strong theological basis for a prayer for restoration, rooted not in human merit but in the unchanging character and steadfast love of God.

Practical usage:

• Begin prayers with praise: Acknowledge God's attributes before presenting requests, cultivating a humble and trusting heart.
• Trust God's character: Even in dire circumstances, rest in God's faithfulness and steadfast love, knowing He keeps His covenant.
• Examine personal obedience: Recognize that our love for God is expressed by keeping His commands, prompting self-reflection and a desire for obedience.