Nehemiah 9:36

Neh 9:36 Behold, we [are] servants this day, and [for] the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we [are] servants in it:

Ver. 36. Behold, we are servants this day] This is twice here bewailed, as a singular unhappiness. They that live under the Turkish slavery feel it so. Poor Greece, that was once Sol et sal gentium, terrarum flos, et fons literarum, the sun and salt of the nations, the flower of countries, and the font of literature, is now -- vel Priamo miseranda manus even [is become] the wretched hand to Priam.

Princess of nations, queen of provinces

She was, that now thus tributary is, Lam 1:1.

Out of Greece and other countries that had sometime received the faith of Christ, the Turkish tyrants draw with them to the wars great multitudes of wretched people, whom they call Asape. These carry all the baggage; these carry wood and water for other soldiers of better account; these serve instead of pioneers to cast up trenches, and raise bulwarks; and when battle is to be given, if it be in a plain field, these have then weapons put into their hands, and are thrust into the forefront of the battle, to blunt the enemy’s swords: but if a city is to be besieged, these serve as fit matter to fill the ditches with their dead bodies, or to make bridges for other soldiers to pass over upon. And if they shrink to attempt anything they are commanded, then are they more cruelly used by their commanders than by their enemies. And this the Ottoman kings count good policy.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Neh 9:36. Behold, we are servants in the land — In that land wherein heretofore, under thee, and by thy favour, we were rightful lords and owners. God had, indeed, marvellously restored them to their own country; yet the marks of his displeasure for their sins still remained very visible: for they were tributary unto others, and not free owners and proprietors of the land which God had given to their fathers.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, to be the Lord’s therof.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Behold, we are servants this day--Notwithstanding their happy restoration to their native land, they were still tributaries of a foreign prince whose officers ruled them. They were not, like their fathers, free tenants of the land which God gave them.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 36. Behold, we are servants] They had no king of their own: and were under the government of the kings of Persia, to whom they paid a regular tribute.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

36, 37. Israel’s present humiliation: her children slaves, her land subject to foreign kings, who oppress it

36. servants] i.e. subject to Persian supremacy. Cf. Ezra’s very similar words in his confession, Ezr_9:9.

for the land] R.V. as for the land.

behold, we are servants] Repeated for emphasis. Israel who should have been mistress of the promised land is a bondservant in it.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, we are servants this day,.... For though they had leave to return to their land, and rebuild their city and temple, yet they were still in subjection to the kings of Persia:

and for the land thou gavest unto our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it; though the rightful owners and proprietors of it by the gift of God to their ancestors, to hold it and enjoy the good of it, and yet were obliged to pay tribute for it to the kings of Persia, all excepting priests and Levites; see Ezr 6:8.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In it. Tributary to Persia, chap. v. 4., and 1 Esdras vii. 24., and ix. 9. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

In that land wherein heretofore, under thee, and by thy favour, we were rightful lords and owners.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

We are servants this day. i.e. we have now no kingdom, we are slaves the Persian is our master. As we would not be God"s servants, we are handed over to him. (comp. 2Ch_12:8, where "the service of God" and "the service of the kingdoms of the countries" are contrasted)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel.

its good gifts

"all the good things in it" or "all the good things we can get from it"

The rich yield from our land goes to the kings

"We pay tribute to kings for working our own land"

They rule

The kings rule.

translationWords

servant

fruit

good

gift

king

sin

rule

livestock

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Behold, today we are slaves upon it [the land], for we pay tribute to all the nations.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.