Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 8:6

And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with [their] faces to the ground.

6. the great God ] cf. Neh 9:32; Ezr 5:8. In Nehemiah’s own writing it occurs Neh 1:5.

Amen, Amen ] The people’s response: see note on Neh 5:13; cf. 1Ch 16:36.

with lifting up their hands ] See note on Ezr 9:5. Cf. Psa 134:2, ‘Lift up your hands to the sanctuary (Marg. Or, in holiness) and bless ye the Lord.’ 2Ma 14:34 .

worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground ] The phrase ‘with the face to the earth,’ occurs very generally of reverence without the idea of worship; cf. Gen 19:1; Gen 42:6; Gen 48:12 ; 1Sa 20:41; 1Sa 24:8; 1Ch 21:21. But it is also used of worship before God, as in Num 22:31; 2Ch 7:3 ; 2Ch 20:18; and compare the expression ‘let us worship and bow down,’ Psa 95:6; Job 1:20. After this united act of worship they resumed their attitude of attention ( Neh 8:3).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Neh 8:6

And all the people answered, Amen, Amen.

Amen in public worship

The subject is: That it is a lawful and laudable practice for people, in the conclusion of public prayer or praising God, to pronounce an amen.

I. I will explain what is meant by amen.

1. There is an amen substantive. And that is God Himself (Rev 3:14).

2. There is an amen affirmative–a phrase used in the beginning of any momentous truth, as an asseveration (Mat 16:28; Luk 9:27).

3. There is an optative amen–Let it be so (Jer 28:6; 1Ki 1:36; Num 5:22; Deu 27:15-26).

II. Show what warrant there is for the practice.

1. Assent to repetitions is essential unto prayer, and it is not signified publicly but by our amen.

2. We have the practice of the Old and New Testament believers for our example. Moses in Numbers and Deuteronomy; David (Psa 51:18; Psa 106:48); Jeremiah (Jer 11:5); Paul (1Co 14:16; Eph 3:21); Christ Himself (Mat 6:9-18; Rev 5:14; Rev 7:11-12; Rev 19:1-6; Rev 22:20).

3. Amen after prayer and praise is the mans consent, judgment, and approbation of what is offered unto God.

4. This vocal amen is, as it were, the epitome and sum of all our petitions and praises to God. It is the centre which all those lines are drawn towards. It is all the duty virtually reduced to one word and point. It is the repeating and echoing, or redoubling of all over again. As the mercury behind the glass, it reverberates the lively image of all preceding devotion, it is the drawing the arrow to the pile by a strong ejaculation in Bellarmines phrase, Whereby the whole heart is darted up to God. It is a stirring up of ourselves to take hold of God (Isa 64:7). It is taking aim, and directing our prayer to Him and looking up (Psa 5:3), as if they would hand up Gods praises to Him, and stand ready to receive His mercies with open hands and mouths. It winds up all together in one bundle.

5. Amen, rightly pronounced, is an intensive act of faith, or it involves a strong faith.

(1) That God is firm and immutably true in Himself and His Word.

(2) That we will not only believe His truth, but trust to His veracity and build upon it (Jer 11:5). The Jews say amen hath three kernels; the one is of an oath, the second of faith, the third of confidence.

6. The unanimous pronunciation of amen is an assurance that God will accept our praises and answer our prayers (Mat 18:19; Mar 11:23).

7. This unanimous amen of faith strikes terror in the enemies of the Church, whether devils or men. When the Romans had conquered Philip and the Grecians, and Flaminius caused peace to be proclaimed to the Grecians, there was such a shout, says Plutarch, that the very crows and other birds fell down to the ground. Our amens must not drop like a cold bullet of lead out of the mouth of a musket, bowing to the ground; but they must be fired by preparations of the heart and warm affections, they must be discharged and shot off with the utmost vehemency of the soul and fervency of the spirit. When Gods people can unite in one voice, God gives His voice with them and for them. (Thomas Woodcock A. M.)

Amen

St. Jerome tells us it was the custom in his days to close up every prayer with such a unanimous consent that their amen rang and echoed in the church, and sounded like the fall of waters or the noise of thunder. The Chinese have no word which will compare with our English word amen. They say instead: Sin yenen ching sing–The heart wishes exactly so.

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 6. Ezra blessed the Lord] In imitation of this, we say, when the gospel for the day is commenced, Glory be to God for his holy Gospel! and conclude this thanksgiving with, Amen.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God,…. Before he began to read in the book of the law, he addressed himself to God in a short prayer, wholly in the benedictory way; ascribing blessing, honour, and glory to him, celebrating his being and perfections, setting forth his greatness and his excellency, who was the author and giver of the law he was about to read; and this he the rather did, that what he read might be the more carefully attended to, and come with the greater authority, weight, and influence on those that heard it; and so, Maimonides o says, it is the custom with the Jews, in their synagogues, for the reader, after he has opened the book, and looked out the place he reads, to say this blessing,

“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, who hath chosen us out of all people, and hath given us his law; blessed art thou, O Lord, who hast given us the law; and all the people answer, Amen;”

as they now did, as follows:

and all the people answered, Amen, Amen: repeating the word, to declare their hearty assent to what Ezra had expressed; the Jews have many rules concerning pronouncing the “Amen”, that it must not be too quick, curt, and short, nor with too high a voice p:

with lifting up their hands; a prayer gesture, to which the apostle refers, 1Ti 2:8,

and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground; expressing hereby the awful sense they had of the Divine Being, and their profound adoration of him.

o Hilchot Tephillah, c. 12. sect. 5. p Schulchan Aruch, ut supra, (par. 1.) c. 124. sect. 12.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(6) And Ezra blessed the Lord.The book was formally and solemnly opened in the sight of the people. At this request the multitude arose, and, after a doxology offered by Ezra, they all uttered a double Amen, with lifting up of their hands, in token of their most fervent assent; and then with faces bowed to the ground, in token of adoration.

The great God is Nehemiahs expression, not Ezras; the sentence used is not reported.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

6. Ezra blessed the Lord After the manner of David in 1Ch 29:10-20.

People answered, Amen Such responses characterized the ancient worship, and ought ever to be retained. They show that not one but all are interested.

Lifting up their hands An ancient custom in worship, (compare Psa 27:2; Psa 63:4; Lam 3:41; 1Ti 2:8,) as was also the bowing of the head. Comp. marginal references. This latter sign of reverence and respect is the least that can be expected of any attendant upon Divine worship. An irreverent looking around over an assembly engaged in prayer is a mark of ill-breeding, to say nothing of the respectful reverence which all true worship demands.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Neh 8:6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with [their] faces to the ground.

Ver. 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord ] i.e. He called upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, Psa 18:3 . He prayed before he read and preached. So ought we to do by his example, as Lyra well noteth; and as is commonly done by all our ministers. Luther’s usual prayer before sermon was this, Confirm, O God, in us what thou hast wrought; and perfect the work that thou hast begun to thy glory. Lord, open our eyes, that we may see the wonders of thy law, &c. Zuinglius began his public lectures thus, O Almighty, everlasting, and merciful God, whose Word is a light to our feet, and a lantern to our paths, open and enlighten our minds, that we may piously and holily understand thine oracles, and be so transformed thereinto, that we may not in anything displease thy majesty, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. The Platonists could say, that the light of our minds whereby we learn all things is no other but God himself, the same that made all things. This made Ezra here bless the Lord, that is, say, with David, Psa 119:12 , Blessed be thou, O Lord: teach us thy statutes.

The great God ] The true Trismegist, the Fortissimus Maximus, Opt. Max. All whose attributes are in the highest degree, yea, in a degree beyond any superlative.

And all the people answered, Amen, Amen ] This word is Hebrew; but used in all languages, in the close of prayers. The doubling of it here importeth their assent, and their assurance. It is the voice of one that believeth and expecteth that he shall have his prayers granted. The Septuagint render it, so be it; or, so it is. The apostle reckoneth it for a great loss when people either say not Amen to public prayers, or not heartily and affectionately, as here, 1Co 14:16 , “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say, Amen?” The Turks also, when their priest hath said his litany, such as it is, make answer in manner of a shout, Homin, that is, Amen.

With lifting up their hands ] And with their hearts, unto God in the heavens, Lam 3:41 . This Nazianzen judgeth to be optimum opus manuum, the best work of the hands, sc. in caelos eas extendere, ad precesque expandere, to stretch them towards heaven, and to hold them out in prayer. This way David ennobled his tongue (therefore called his glory), and so men may their hands.

And they bowed their heads ] In token of the lowliness of their hearts. These outward gestures, as they issue from the fervency of a good heart, so they reflect upon the affections, and do further inflame them. Only note, that these bodily exercises are not always or absolutely necessary in Divine worship. God looks chiefly at the heart, and hateth all outside service and heartless devotion, Isa 1:11-23 ; Isa 66:3 , and such as is that of the Jews at this day. Their holiness, saith one, is the outward work itself, being a brainless head and soulless body. And the like may be said of the Papist, and of the common Protestant, whoso body is prostrate, but his soul bolt upright within him.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

God. Hebrew. Elohim.(with Art.) = the [true]God. App-4.

Amen, Amen. Figure of speech Epizeuxis, emphasizing the great solemnity.

lifting up. Hebrew. mo’al. Occurs only here. Compare 1Ti 2:8.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

blessed: 1Ch 29:20, 2Ch 6:4, Psa 41:13, Psa 72:18, Psa 72:19, Eph 1:3, 1Pe 1:3

Amen: Neh 5:13, Jer 28:6, Mat 6:13, 1Co 14:16

with lifting: Gen 14:22, Psa 28:2, Psa 63:4, Psa 134:2, Psa 141:2, Lam 3:41, 1Ti 2:8

bowed: Gen 24:26, Exo 4:31, Exo 12:27, 2Ch 20:18, 2Ch 29:30

with their faces: Lev 9:24, Mat 26:39, Rev 7:11

Reciprocal: Jos 22:33 – blessed 1Ch 16:36 – said Rev 19:4 – Amen

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge