Bible Strands
Nehemiah 1:5
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,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nehemiah addresses Yahweh, identified as the God of heaven, immediately after weeping and fasting over Jerusalem’s desolation. He speaks during a period of sustained mourning and intercession before God.
The words — אָֽנָּ֤א ('a.Na') means "I beg you" and introduces the petition, while יְהוָה֙ (Yah.weh) identifies the speaker’s address as the covenant name of God.
The thread — The description of God as "great and awesome" and the note of His covenant faithfulness appear in Deuteronomy 7:21, Exodus 20:6, and Daniel 9:4. These passages link Nehemiah’s prayer to Israel’s broader confession of divine character and covenant obligations.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge God’s covenant faithfulness as the basis for approaching Him in prayer. It directs attention to obedience and love for God as the context for receiving His promises.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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:
Cross-references
- Exodus 20:6 but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- Daniel 9:4 And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments,
- Deuteronomy 7:21 Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.
- Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- Nehemiah 4:14 After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
- 1 Kings 8:23 and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
- Nehemiah 9:32 So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.
- Hebrews 6:13 When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
- 1 Chronicles 17:21 And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself? You made a name for Yourself through great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt.
- Psalms 47:2 How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!