The Chief Levites Who Led The Confession, Worship And Intercession (Nehemiah 9:4-5).
In Nehemiah 9:4 we presumably have a list of the princes of the Levites, who took their stand on the stairs of the Levites, and led the continual worship, and in Nehemiah 9:5 the names of those who actually led the final confession and intercession, some as chiefs and some on behalf of their chiefs. Some of these probably took up places among the crowds so that they could relay the central prayer onwards.
‘Then stood up on the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, (and) Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to YHWH their God.'
These would appear to be the eight chiefs of the Levites, probably representing ‘houses'. Jeshua, Bani (Binnui) and Kadmiel would appear to have been the three most prominent Levites as we find from Nehemiah 10:9, where Bani (Binnui) is distinguished by being described as ‘of the sons of Hanadad' so as to distinguish him from the other Bani. But the fact that in both Nehemiah 9:4-5 Jeshua is followed by ‘and', whereas the others are not, suggests that he was the chief Levite. All but Chenani were sealants of the covenant (taking Bunni = Benini), but he may have sealed under another name, i.e. the family name. The point being made was that all were present, and all were as one.
‘They cried with a loud voice to YHWH their God.' The verb suggests a cry of distress. They were as moved by what they had heard of the Law as anyone. The Spirit was truly at work. This is not describing the prayer that follows, (conveyed by those mentioned in Nehemiah 9:5), but their own participation in the general worship
‘The stairs (ascent) of the Levites' may well be those in the Temple described in the Mishnah as the place where ‘the Levites used to sing' (Middoth Nehemiah 2:5). Alternately it may have been a kind of platform which raised the chief Levites above the heads of the congregation.
‘Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said,
These eight presumably represent the eight ‘houses' with some being the same as the chiefs mentioned above, while others were representatives of the chiefs not mentioned here in Nehemiah 9:5. The otherwise unnecessary repetition of the list indicates clearly that the names are intended to be different from Nehemiah 9:4. Each was acting on behalf of his ‘house'. They were the spokesmen. Some of them wowuld almost certainly have been sprinkled among the crowd so as to relay the prayer as it was spoken.
The Call To Prayer (Nehemiah 9:5 b).
The Levites now made the call to prayer as had become customary. They called on the people to stand up and bless the everlasting Lord. And they then moved into spontaneous worship, spontaneous, but a worship based solidly on past tradition. We need not assume that the people were not already standing. It is a call to stand as those abut to pray and confess their sins and the sins of their fathers. Over a thousand years had passed since the covenant had been given, and yet they were even now not in full possession of the land. And the reason was because they and their fathers had sinned. That is why the prayer covers so much ground. There was a long history of sin to be repented of.
“Stand up and bless YHWH your God from everlasting to everlasting, and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” '
Standing was the usual attitude for prayer. They may already have been standing. Now they are to stand ready for prayer. This initial prayer is a summarising prayer divided up into two parts, the first addressed to the people and the second to God Himself. Such a movement from address to worship is a regular feature of many kinds of worship as the worshipper realises the wonder of what he is saying and turns to praise. It is again suggestive of spiritual revival. The speaker was probably Jeshua the Levite, acting on behalf of the group.
Firstly the people are called on to stand up and bless YHWH, Who is described as ‘their God from everlasting to everlasting'. He is seen as the One Who encompasses all things and all time, and as the One Who has been His people's God throughout the ages, and will continue to be so into the distant future. That very thought then fills their minds with praise and leads on into direct worship.
For, subsequently, having made the call to worship the Levites then address YHWH and bless His glorious Name ‘which is exalted above all blessing and praise'. He is thus seen as both eternally existent (He is exalted), and as being beyond the ability of men to appreciate (He is above all blessing and praise). In other words He is seen as so great that it is impossible to express a sufficiency of blessing and praise. His uniqueness and distinctiveness is thus being emphasised. He is being seen as above and beyond all things.