KJV: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
YLT: And Thy holy sabbath Thou hast made known to them, and commands, and statutes, and law, Thou hast commanded for them, by the hand of Moses Thy servant;
Darby: And thou madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and prescribedst for them commandments and statutes and a law, through Moses thy servant.
ASV: and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses thy servant,
madest known unto them
This important passage fixes beyond all cavil the time when the sabbath, God's rest Genesis 2:1-3 was given to man. Cf. Exodus 20:9-11 . In Exodus 31:13-17 the sabbath is invested with the character of a sign between Jehovah and Israel.
sabbath (1) The sabbath ("cessation") appears in Scripture as the day of God's rest in the finished work of creation. Genesis 2:2 ; Genesis 2:3 . For 2500 years of human life absolutely no mention is made of it. Then the sabbath was revealed; Exodus 16:23 ; Nehemiah 9:13 ; Nehemiah 9:14 made a part of the law Exodus 20:8-11 and invested with the character of a "sign" between Jehovah and Israel, and a perpetual reminder to Israel of their separation to God Exodus 31:13-17 . It was observed by complete rest Exodus 35:2 ; Exodus 35:3 and by Jehovah's express order a man was put to death for gathering sticks on the sabbath day. Numbers 15:32-36 . Apart from maintaining the continued burnt-offering Numbers 28:9 , and its connection with the annual feasts; Exodus 12:16 ; Leviticus 23:3 ; Leviticus 23:8 ; Numbers 28:25 the seventh day sabbath was never made a day of sacrifice, worship, or any manner of religious service. It was simply and only a day of complete rest for man and beast, a humane provision for man's needs. In Christ's words, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." Mark 2:27 .
(2) Our Lord found the observance of the day encrusted with rabbinical evasions Matthew 12:2 and restrictions, wholly unknown to the law, so that He was Himself held to be a sabbath breaker by the religious authorities of the time. The sabbath will be again observed during the kingdom age Isaiah 66:23 .
(3) The Christian first day perpetuates in the dispensation of grace the principle that one-seventh of the time is especially sacred, but in all other respects is in contrast with the sabbath. One is the seventh day, the other the first. The sabbath commemorates God's creation rest, the first day Christ's resurrection. On the seventh day God rested, on the first day Christ was ceaselessly active. The sabbath commemorates a finished creation, the first day a finished redemption. The sabbath was a day of legal obligation, the first day one of voluntary worship and service. The sabbath is mentioned in the Acts only in connection with the Jews, and in the rest of the N.T. but twice. Colossians 2:16 ; Hebrews 4:4 . In these passages the seventh day sabbath is explained to be to the Christian not a day to be observed, but a type of the present rest into which he enters when "he also ceases from his own works" and trusts Christ.
Context Summary
Nehemiah 9:1-21 - God's Hand In History
What a blessed result of the Bible-study of the previous chapter. It led to confession, separation from evil association and worship. It is good to review the dealings of God with us and with our people in bygone days. There are hilltops in our experience where the air is clear, and we can see the way by which we have been led. At such times we look beyond second causes to the great Orderer of our lives, and our history is one perpetual assertion of THOU. The history of God's dealings with Israel is an epitome of His dealings with ourselves. The choice in Ur, the redemption from Egypt, the wilderness wanderings, the land of rest-all these have their counterparts in our life-story. Side by side with the story of God's care runs the story of transgression, Nehemiah 9:16-18. The gold and black strands are closely interwoven. In the midst of God's best gifts, we break out into sin; yet He still gives us His good spirit, and withholds not the manna which He promised, Nehemiah 9:20. [source]
Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 9
1A solemn fast, and repentance of the people 4The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness
What do the individual words in Nehemiah 9:14 mean?
AndSabbathYour holyYou made knownto themand preceptsand statutesand lawscommandedthemby the handof MosesYour servant