Bible Strands
Nehemiah 9:8
You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Levites lead the returned exiles in a corporate prayer recounting Israel’s history. They pause at the patriarchal era to acknowledge God’s initiative toward Abraham before moving to the Exodus narrative.
The words — נֶאֱמָן (ne'eman) translates literally to "faithful" or "trustworthy," describing Abraham’s heart. עִמּ֜/וֹ (immo) means "with him," standing adjacent to הַבְּרִית (ha'brit) to mark the covenant as a direct agreement with Abraham.
The thread — The promise of land to Abraham’s descendants appears in Genesis 15:18, while the credit of faith as righteousness is recorded in Genesis 15:6. The assurance of God’s unchangeable promise is echoed in Hebrews 6:18.
Why it lands — The text states that God recognized Abraham’s faithfulness and initiated a land promise, then confirms He has kept that promise because of His own righteousness. A reader must acknowledge that covenant fulfillment rests on God’s character, not human performance.
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 foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
Cross-references
- Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
- Genesis 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
- Hebrews 6:18 Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
- Joshua 23:14 Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the LORD your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.
- Genesis 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 17:7 I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
- Joshua 21:43 Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.
- Titus 1:2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
- Genesis 12:1 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.
- Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”