Bible Strands
Nehemiah 9:5
Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—address the assembled community immediately after standing on a raised platform to cry out to the LORD. They command the people to respond to God’s ongoing sovereignty with vocal praise.
The words — The text opens with וַ/יֹּאמְר֣וּ (va/i.yo.me.Ru) = “and they said,” and הַ/לְוִיִּ֡ם (ha/l.vi.Yim) = “the Levites,” establishing the speakers and their immediate action.
The thread — The command to bless God echoes the psalmist’s directive in Psalms 103:1, while the declaration of God’s creative supremacy in the surrounding context aligns with the theological emphasis found in Nehemiah 9:6.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to verbally acknowledge God’s eternal nature and exalted name before proceeding to theological reflection. It demands an active, communal response of praise rather than silent contemplation.
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
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Cross-references
- Psalms 103:1 Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- 1 Chronicles 29:13 Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks, and we praise Your glorious name.
- Ezra 3:11 And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.
- Psalms 72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
- Psalms 106:2 Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD or fully proclaim His praise?
- Psalms 117:1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!
- Jeremiah 33:10 This is what the LORD says: In this place you say is a wasteland without man or beast, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted—inhabited by neither man nor beast—there will be heard again
- Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.