Nehemiah 9:6
in Nehemiah 9You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
KJV
Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
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This verse in Nehemiah 9
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThou preservest them all - ואתה מחיה את כלם vettah mechaiyeh eth cullam, and thou givest life to them all: and the host of the heavens, לך משתחוים lecha mishtachavim, prostrate themselves unto thee. How near is this to the opinion of Kepler, that all the heavenly host are instinct with life, and navigate the great expanse on pinions adjusted to their situation in their respective orbits! But to preserve in life, or in being, is a very good meaning in the original, which does not necessarily imply vitality.
This site's exposition
You alone are the LORD
The prayer opens where Genesis opens: "You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host" (9:6). It adds "You give life to all things," so the maker of the world also keeps it. Adoration of God as creator comes before any word of confession.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And Ezra said: You alone, Lord, etc. What was previously stated, Because they confessed their sins and the sins of their fathers; is shown in more detail with Ezra beseeching how it was done. Moreover, in the conclusion he says, Therefore over all these, we …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The congregation is called upon to signify their concurrence herewith by standing up; and so the minister directs himself to God, Blessed be thy glorious name. As the only living and true God: Thou art Jehovah alone, self-existent and independent; there is no God besides thee. As the Creator of all things: Thou hast made heaven, earth, and seas, and all that is in them.
(3.) When we are seeking to God for mercy and relief in the time of distress it is an encouragement to our faith and hope to look back upon our own and our fathers' experiences: "Lord, thou hast done well for us formerly; shall it be all undone again?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the L ORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the L ORD their God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v2-3
Thou, even thou art Lord alone,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Thou, even thou, art Lord alone, &c.--In this solemn and impressive prayer, in which they make public confession of their sins, and deprecate the judgments due to the transgressions of their fathers, they begin with a profound adoration of God, whose supreme majesty and omnipotence is acknowledged in the creation, preservation, and government of all.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The host of heaven worshippeth thee - i. e the angels. See 1Ki 22:19; Psa 103:21.
The words behind it
28 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַתָּה־ | ʾatah- | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יְהוָה֮ | yahweh | [are] Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְבַדֶּךָ֒ | levadekha | to alone you | H905 → | |
| אַתָּ֣ה | ʾat | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עָשִׂ֡יתָ | ʾasita | you made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַשָּׁמַיִם֩ | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| שְׁמֵ֨י | shemei | [the] heavens of | H8064 → | 421 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| צְבָאָ֗ם | tzevaam | host their | H6635 → | |
| הָאָ֜רֶץ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ | ʾaleiha | [is] on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַיַּמִּים֙ | haiyamim | the seas | H3220 → | 396 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּהֶ֔ם | bahem | [is] in them | ||
| וְאַתָּ֖ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| מְחַיֶּ֣ה | mechaiyeh | [are] preserving alive | H2421 → | 282 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כֻּלָּ֑ם | kulam | all of them | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| וּצְבָ֥א | utzeva' | and [the] host of | H6635 → | |
| הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| לְךָ֥ | lekha | to you | ||
| מִשְׁתַּחֲוִֽים׃ | mishtachavim | [are] bowing down | H7812 → | 172 times |
אַתָּה־you
ʾatah-H859 →1094 times
ה֣וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יְהוָה֮[are] Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְבַדֶּךָ֒to alone you
levadekhaH905 →
אַתָּ֣הyou
ʾatH859 →1094 times
עָשִׂ֡יתָyou made
ʾasitaH6213 →2628 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַשָּׁמַיִם֩the heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
שְׁמֵ֨י[the] heavens of
shemeiH8064 →421 times
הַשָּׁמַ֜יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
צְבָאָ֗םhost their
tzevaamH6635 →
הָאָ֜רֶץthe earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָלֶ֙יהָ֙[is] on it
ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times
הַיַּמִּים֙the seas
haiyamimH3220 →396 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בָּהֶ֔ם[is] in them
bahem
וְאַתָּ֖הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
מְחַיֶּ֣ה[are] preserving alive
mechaiyehH2421 →282 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כֻּלָּ֑םall of them
kulamH3605 →5413 times
וּצְבָ֥אand [the] host of
utzeva'H6635 →
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
לְךָ֥to you
lekha
מִשְׁתַּחֲוִֽים׃[are] bowing down
mishtachavimH7812 →172 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
it leads to
- John 1:1–3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
- Isaiah 45:18
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens—He is God; He formed the earth and fashioned it; He established it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be…
- Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
- Hebrews 1:10
And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
- John 1:1–3
Through
Deuteronomy 6:4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
it leads to
- Mark 12:29–32
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
- Mark 12:29–32
Through
Revelation 4:11“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
it leads to
- Colossians 1:16–17
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
- Revelation 5:12
In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
- Colossians 1:16–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Nehemiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.