It. 1 1 LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON. N. J. Presented by The Widow oT* G-eoroeDi4£fan, ^^ S«*IOIi .W...4. ' k V/7 ccp\7 2. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/bookofnehemiah73cros THE BOOK ce NE HE MI AH. CRITICALLY AND THEOLOGICALLY EXPOUNDED INCLUDING THE HOMILETICAL SECTIONS OF Dr. SCHULTZ, REV. HOWARD CROSBY, D.D., LL.D. CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK. NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 743-745 eroadway. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by SCRIBNEE, ARMSTRONG & CO., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. INTRODUCTION. § 1. THE BOOK AND ITS CONTENTS. The Book of Nehemiah holds a conspicuous place in the sacred canon as the last his- to'ic composition of the ante-christian period. With the exception of the prophecy of Ma- lrchi, it gives us the last clear look at the Jewish state before it reappears in the bright light of the gospels. We see the returned people— a small remnant of the children of Jacob — continuijg the national line in the ancestral land toward the Messiah, with holy vitality enough (as it were) for this one purpose, but with a general mortification existing through- out the nation. The ark of the covenant was gone, the Shechinah no longer illuminated the holy of holies, the Urim and Thummini had long ceased, the bulk of the people were lost in captivity from Armenia to Elam, and Israel, instead of being an independent common- wealth, with a mighty and magnificent capital, had become a petty province of Persia, while Jerusalem was but a half-rebuilt ruin. Yet, with all this, prophets were still vouchsafed to the Abrahamic line. Haggai and Zechariah had by the use of their prophetic power certi- fied the special presence of Jehovah at the building of the second temple, and Malachi, more than a century later, urged the people to renewed spirituality in the name of the Lord. From Neh. vi. 10, 12, 14, we are led to believe that between Haggai and Malachi many pro- phets appeared before returned Israel, although some of them prostituted their divine gift to low and false ends. This twilight age of Jewry is lighted up by the writings of Ezra and Nehemiah as the evening is often re-illuminated by the absent sun's reflection upon a cloud high in the zenith. They give us an inlook into the style of life assumed by the nation in its lingering decadence. We enter the holy city — we see and hear the men — we note their tendencies, and mark the old, strange mingling of patriotism and devotion with a philoxeny that was destructive of both. The narratives bring us into close contact with the people. Nehemiah 's words are simple, betraying not the least effort of the rhetorician, but their very homeliness makes the scenes described most life-like. We see throughout the writing of an honest, earnest man, — and through him the history closes with a sublime dignity. The book of Nehemiah was included by the old Jews with the book of Ezra, and the latter name was given to the two. In the Vulgate the book of Ezra appears as the first book of Esdras, and the book of Nehemiah as the second book of Esdras. The Geneva Bible in- troduced our present nomenclature, and thus made the Apocryphal third and fourth hooks of Esdras to be numbered as the first and second. The language is a pure Hebrew, with here and there such an Aramaism as >?n in the sense of "deal corruptly" (chap. i. 7), H'lO in the sense of "tribute" (chap. v. 4), and ^]0 in the sense of " consult " This book, Ezra and the Chronicles offer to us the same general linguistic appearance. Such a™f ?.ey6ueva as '3'r (chap. vii. 3) and naSjW (chap. xii. 31) are the peculiarities of the individual writer, and no marks of a different period. 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. The main subject of the book ia the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, which, iu uo largest sense, if we include the dedication of the walls and the events occurring during the building, occupies nearly ten chapters of the thirteen which compose the book, namely, chap. iii. — chap. xii. 43. Previous to the wall-building we have the account of Nehemiah's con- cern for the holy city, his earnest prayer for the divine guidance, his request of the king of Persia, his journey (by royal permission and order) to Jerusalem as its governor, his careful examination of the ruined walls, his encouragement of the people to rebuild them and their consent, and his bold front against the neighboring enemies of the Jews. This preliminary narrative occupies the first two chapters. We may divide ths next ten chapters regarding the wall-building and the dedication into — (1) The apportionment of the work, chap, iii.; (2) The opposition from enemies without, chap, iv.; (3) The hindrance from domestic dis- sensions, chap, v.; (4) The opposition by combination between the outer enemies and their Jewish allies. The wall finished, chap, vi.; (5) The ordering of the city. To this end the genealogies are examined, chap. vii. (6) Religious services follow, to wit: the public read- ing of the law by Ezra and his assistants. Preparation for and keeping the feast of taberna- cles, chap, viii.; (7) Extraordinary fast with confession, chap, ix.; (8) A covenant sealed touching obedience to the law, separation from foreigners, observation of the Sabbath days and years, and support of the temple service, chap, x.; (9) The settlement of the families in the holy city and the other towns, chap, xi.; (10J A preliminary list of priests and Levites. The dedication of the wall, chap. xii. 1-43. The remainder of the book, viz., chap. xii. 44 — chap, xiii., contains an account of the appointment of officers over the treasures, and the ordering of the si> gers and porters, the thorough separation of Israel from the strangers, according to the law, and lastly (from chap, xiii. 4), an account of Nehemiah's second visit to Jerusalem, and his stern dealing with Eliashib's family for their alliances with Sanballat and Tobiah, together with his other reso- lute measures of reform. (See the scheme following.) J 2. THE AUTHOR AND HIS TIME. That Neherniah is the author of the book, all agree. Much of it is written in the first person, and claims thus to be tb- writing of Nehemiah himself. But while it is agreed that Nehemiah is the author of the book, yet some learned commentators, such as Archdeacon Heevey, pronounce a large part of the book to have been inserted by other (though author- ized) hands. From chap. vii. 6 to xii. 26 inclusive the matter is supposed to be inserted, as also the passage chap. xii. 44-47. Keil, on the other hand, stoutly argues for Nehemiah's authorship throughout. The truth is probably between these extremes. The genealogy in chap. vii. 6-73 (virtually the same as that in Ezra ii. 1-70) is undoubtedly an inserted pub- lic document, and yet in this we can see Nehemiah's hand making the addition of ver. 65 and ver. 70 b regarding his own (the Tirshatha's) action in reference to matters alluded to in the older document .* So the record in chap. xii. 1-26 is evidently an insertion, giving lists of priests and Levites from Zerubbabel's day to the time of Alexander the Great ( Jaddua— vers. 11, 22), a century after Nehemiah. Keil's attempt to explain away this latter is la- bored and unsatisfactory. The rest of the supposed inserted portion we take to be Nehemi- ah's own. The fact that Nehemiah does not there speak in the first person only parallels his book with that of Daniel, where the first person and the third person are interchangeably used. Ezra's prominence in this part of the narrative is simply caused by Ezra's priestly duties requiring him to be the prominent figure,! and only exhibits Nehemiah's modesty in the record. The resemblance to Ezra's style and the different construction of the prayer in chap. ix. from that in chap. i. are arguments of a very frail character. The general likeness of chap. xi. 3-36 and 1 Chron. ix. 2-34 makes nothing against Nehemiah's authorship of that portion. There is no good reason for denying a regular chronological sequence in this part • This document, so amended by Nehemiah, has been incorporated in Ezra. t The Rev. Mr. Haigh has urged a very bold and ingenious theory, but one that will not bear examination,-' that Ezra and Nehemiah went to Jerusalem together. (See Transact, of the Soc. of Bib. Arch., Vol. II.) 3 2. THE AUTHOR AND HIS TIME. of the book in perfect consonance with the rest, and we cannot but consider the attempts to throw doubt here on Nehemiah's authorship as an effort of the destructive criticism that is so headlong and heedless in its efforts. Nehemiah* (Heb. ■"'^Hr', Nehemyah, "compassion of Jehovah'') was of the tribe of Judah, and probably of the royal stock. The expre.-sions in chap. i. 6 and ii. 5, together witli his special activity in the matter of re-establishing Jerusa- lem, and his acceptability by his countrymen, and also his high position at the Persian court, all seem to suggest this fact of Nehemiah's birth. His father was Hachaliah, of whom we know nothing. The name Nehemiah was probably a common one. Many have sup- posed that Nehemiah was a priest, but there is no more satisfactory ground for such a notion than the occurrence of his name, as Tirshatha, before the names of the priests in chap. x. 1. He was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes (Heb. KflDB'nfn*!, Arlahshasta), king of Persia. This posi- tion was a very high one at court, and brought him into close and intimate relations with the monarch, whence came his ability (when his soul was stirred for Jerusalem) to carry out his measures of aid and reform for his beloved auce=tral country. His character appears to us as faultless. Patriotism, piety, prudence, perseverance, probity and courage equally marked his administration of affairs. He renounced the luxuries of the Persian court for the hardships of what might almost be called a primitive and frontier life, in order to save his country from physical and moral ruin; in all his varied trials he looked up to the guidance and protection of h.s God; he used methods with careful discrimination, he pursued his de- termined course unflinchingly, he set an example of self-abnegation and liberal dealing, and met the enemies without and within the nation with equal firmness and success. The time in which Nehemiah flourished was clearly that of Artaxerxes I. (Longimnnus). This king's 32d year is mentioned in chap. xiii. 6. Only three kings of Persia had a 32d year in their reigns — Darius I. (Hystaspis), Artaxerxes I. (Loiigimanus), and Artaxerxes II. (Mnemon). Now this Artaxerxes could not be Darius, for in Ezra vi. 14 the two names are contrasted, as nf different monarchs. Whoever the Artaxerxes may be there, his name in that connection shows that Darius was not known as Artaxerxes. The date of Artaxerxes II. is far too late for the chronological position of Eliashib. as high priest. We are therefore shut up to Artax- erxes I. as the monarch mentioned by Nehemiah. Josephus calls the king Xerxes, but the chronology of Joseph is so wretchedly corrupt in the matter of Nehemiah, Ezra, Sanballat, etc., that it is waste time to give him attention.! In Artaxerxes I.'s time Persia was in its zenith of splendor and power, although the ele- ments of decay were already beginning to work in the empire. Artaxerxes had come to the throne through the assassination of his father, Xerxes, by the chief of the guard, Artabanus. At the instigation of Artabanus, he put his brother Darius to death as the murderer of his father, but on discovering the designs of Artabanus against himself, he slew the double trai- tor. He subdued a revolt headed by his brother Hystaspes, reduced rebellious Egypt, and terminated the long hostilities with Greece by the peace of Callias. The empire then enjoyed a period of quiet, which may be regarded as the culminating point of its glory, during which the events of Nehemiah's history occurred. The name Arin.rerxes is the Greek and ArtahshnHa is the Hebrew for the old Persian Artakhshatra from Aria (very) and Khshatra (powerful). Herodotus translates it /»';o nptfioc. Khshalra is allied to the Khshatram (empire) of the Behistun inscription (Col. i. Par. 9, 11, 12, 13, 14) and to Kkshayafhiya (kingl. The second element of the name is not iden- tical with the name Xerxes, which is in old Persian Khshayarsha. * The name Nehemiah occurs twice in the book as referring to others than the author— to Nehemiah, son of Azbuk, in chap. iii. 16. and to Nehemiah, a companion of Zerubbabel in chap. vii. 7. t Josephus puts both Ezra and Nehemiah in the reiirn of Xerxes, son of Darius, and speaks of Xerxes' twen- ty-eighth year! He also mak^s Nehemiah to be two years and four months building the walls. He puts trie story of Esther in the time of Artaxerxes, and makes Sanballat to be appointed satrap at Samaria by Dai ius Oodomannus. INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. I 3. SCHEME OF THE BOOK. I. Before the wall-building (chaps, i., ii.). 1. Nehemiah's sadness (chap. i.). 2. Nehemiah's request of the king (chap. ii. 1-8). 3. Nehemiah's journey (chap. ii. 9-11). 4. Nehemiah's inspection and counsel (chap. ii. 12-20). II. The wall-building (chap. iii. — xii. 43). 1. The stations (chap. iii.). 2. The opposition from without (chap. iv.). 3. The opposition from within (chap. v.). 4. The craft used by the enemies (chap. vi.). 5. The ordering of the city (chap. vii. 1-4). 6. The genealogy (chap. vii. 5-73). 7. The law-reading on the first of Tisri (chap. viii. 1-12). 8. The preparations for the feast of tabernacles (chap. viii. 13-16) 9. The feast of tabernacles (chap. viii. 17, 18). 10. The extraordinary fast (chaps, ix., x.). 11. The distribution of inhabitants (chap. xi.). 12. The Levitical Genealogy (chap. xii. 1-2G). 13. The dedication of the walls (chap. xii. 27-43). III. After the wall building. 1. Levitical apportionments (chap. xii. 44-47). 2. The separation of the Erev (mixed multitude— chap. xiii. 1-3). ******************** 3. Nehemiah's reforms twelve years later (chap. xiii. 4-31). THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. Chapter I. 1-11. 1 The words [history] of Nehemiah. the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, iu the twentieth year [of Artaxerxes], as I was in Shushun 2 the palace [the citadel of Susa], that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain, men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped [the Jews, the delivered ones], which were left [over] of the captivity, and con- 3 cerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, Tb.3 remnant [the left-over ones] that are left [over] of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach : the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are 4 burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, 1 and prayed before the God of hea- 5 ven, and said. 1 beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great aud terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy [i. e. the merciful covenant] for them that love him 6 and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayst hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now [to-day], day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have Mimed against thee: both I and 7 my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly' against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou 8 commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, Zf ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad 9 among the nations: but if ye turn unto me and keep my commandments, aud do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have 10 chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom 11 thou hast redeemed by thy grett power, and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive 'o the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man [i. e. Artaxer- xes]. For I was the king's cup-bearer. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. 1 Ver. 4. DV 'HXV Here and in 2 Sam. xii. 23 the participle. Here the auxiliary verb expressed. After T ' vrr D^O* supply D^-V as in Dan. x. 14. • T ' - 2 Ver. 7. "p IJ^Dn 7jn. Alien Ezra and most of the Jewish commentators count this a Chsldaism as in Dan. vi. 23, '4 (22, 23). In Gen. vi. 12 "IET3-73 TVntyrr-'J) is translated by Onkelos K"l»3 ^3 1T2n "IX. ttt ':•• t: - t .-..-, The meaning of " act corruptly " is, however, found in Job xxxiv. 31. It may be an early Aramaic signifi- cation. THE BOOK OF NEHEMIVH. EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. The Tidings from Jerusalem. Ver. 1. The title of the book is contained in its first four (Hebrew) words, Divre Nehemyah Ben 'Hachulyah* i. e., The words of Nehe miah, the son of Hachaliah. — Even the pro- phets sometimes begin their books in this way (see Jer. i. 1, and Amos i. 1), although with them the Devar Yehovah (the Word of ihe Lord) finds its place socn after. The absence of the Devar Yehovah here is nothing against the inspired character of the book. Its presence in the pro- phets is simply a token of their prophetic cha- racter, as they speak to the people directly in God's name will) a special message. In the his- torical books, even in the Pentateuch, the sacred foundation of them all, this phrase very natu- rally is not. found. Here, as in 1 Chron. xxix. 29, and elsewhere, "the words of" are really "the words about," or "the history of." In Jer. i. 1, Amos. i. 1, etc., they have the literal meaning. (Dathe rightly "historia Nehemiah "). (For the name and history of Nehemiah, see the Introduction). The starting point of Nehemiah's words (or history) is in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, in Shushan the palace. — Chisleu was the ninth month, Abib or Nisan (in which the passover fell) being the first. Chisleu would thus answer to parts of November and De- cember. Josephus makes it (Xaa?.ev) the same as the Macedonian Apelloeus (Ant. xii. 7, 6), which was the second month of the Macedonian year, whose first month Dins began at the autum- nal equinox. Apellaeus would thus be from the latter part of October to the latter part of No- vember. Josephus was probably satisfied in identifying the two months of Chisleu and Apel- lseus, to find some portion of time belonging equally to both. They certainly did not coin- cide throughout. Chisleu is not likely to be a Persian month- name, as has been conjectured. The Behistun inscription gives us eight Persian month-names, to wit., Bagayadish, Viyakhna, Garmapada, At- riyatiya, Anamaka, Thuravahara, Thaigxrchish and Adukanish. It is true that in all but the first of these battles are recorded as occurring, so that they are not probably winter months. Yet the style of the names would scarcely war- rant us in supposing that Chisleu would be in such a list. As Chisleu appears on aPalmyrene inscription (Chaslul), it niay be of Syrian ori- gin. This month-name occurs in the Hebrew only after the captivity, to wit, in this place and in Zech. vii. 1. Fuerst. suggests Chesil (Orion- Mars) as the base of the name, the name being brought from Babylonia by the exiles; but the name is found in the Assyrian, as are the other (so-supposerl) Persian month-names of the Jews, which is strong presumptive evidence of their Shemitic origin. The " twentieth year" is, as in chap. ii. 1, the twentieth year of Artaxerxes (Heb. Arta'hshas/a), who reigned from B. C. 465 to 425. The year * The Hebrew is transliterated for the benefit of the . h reader. designated is therefore parts of B. C. 446 and 445, when the " age of Pericles" was beginning in Athens, and when Rome was yet unknown to the world. (For Artaxerxes, see Introduction). "Shushan the palace" (Heb. Shushan Habbirnh) was the royal portion of the " city Shushan " (Esther iii. 15). Shushan or Susa (now Sus\ lay between the Eulreus (Ulai) and Shapur rivers, in a well-watered district, and was the capital of Susiana or Cissia, the Scriptural Elam ( Isa. xi. 11) (lie country lying between the southern Zagros mountains and the Tigris. It early fur- nished a dynasty to Babylonia (Gen. xiv. ] ), was conquered by Asshur-bani-pal about B. C. 660, and shortly afterward fell to the lot of the later Babylonian Empire. When the Persians had conquered this Empire, Susa was made a royal residence by Darius Hystaspes, who built the great palace, whose ruins now attract the atten- tion of archasologists. Artaxerxes (the king of Nehemiah's time) repaired the palace, whose principal features resembled those of the chief edifice at Persepolis, the older capital of the Persian Empire. The present ruins of Susa cover a space about a mile i-quare, the portion of which near the river Shapur is probably " Shushan the palace." Athenaeus (xii. 8) says, K?.!/f>f/rai ra Sorod (pnaiv ' Apiard/iov^oc nal Xapnc (Jm T V V apaioTT/za tov t6ttov covoov yap elvai tti E?./7)rwv (?'EAv- paiuv) (jiuvri to Kpivov. So Steph. Byzant, 'Znvca, airb tuv npivuv^ a Tro~Ar\a ev tt) xupa rrepuKEt EKeivn. If this be true we must accord it a Shemitic ori- gin, which is against other evidence. Shushan may be a Turanian or an Aryan word, whose likeness to "Shushan" (Shemit. for lily) has deceived the old writers. Susa was the court's principal residence, Ecbatana or Persepolis being visited for the summer only, and Babylon being sometimes occupied in the depth of winter. Ver. 2. Nehemiah is informed of the sad con- dition of Jerusalem and the colony of Jews in Judea by Hanani and others. His words are Hanani. one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah, etc. Hanani was literally brother to Nehemiah, as we see from chap. vii. 1. He afterward was appointed one of the assistant governors of Jerusalem by Ne- hemiah (ch. vii. 2). He is not to be confounded with Hanani, a priest, mentioned in chap. xii. 36, and (perhaps the same) in Ezra x. 20. Of Judah may be read from Judah as denoting place rather than tribal distinction. The words would thus refer to the verb "came," and naturally introduce Nehemiah's question. That the co- lony was called " Judah," see chap. ii. 7. Nehemiah asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jeru- salem. Heb. happelelah asher nisharu nun hash- shevi (lit. "the deliverance which were left over from the captivity " ). The abstract is used as a concrete collective noun. Although the greater part of the Jews preferred to live in the land to whioh their ancestors had been carried captive, yet to the pious heart those who returned to the old country were recognized as the ''deliver- ance," or the "delivered ones," "escaped ones." The journey from Jerusalem to Susa by Tadmor or by Tiphsah is over a thousand miles long, and CHAP. I. 1-11. . • Ibe usual rate of Oriental travelling would take at least 45 days. With the natural causes to retard so long a journey, we niay safely call it a two months' travel. Ezra, with his caravan, was four months on his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra vii. 9). Ver. 3. Nehemiah's informers tell him that the remnant [han-nisharim, "the left-over ones" ) in the province are in great affliction ( the gene- ral word for adversity) and reproach (the word ex plaining the cause of the adversity). They were the objects of scorn and contemptuous treatment from the neighboring peoples. The wall of Jerusalem they also represent as broken down and its gates burned. Nebuchadnez- zar had broken down the walls a hundred and forty-two years before (- Kings xxv. 10) and the attempt to rebuild them had been stopped by the Psoudo-Smerdis (the Artaxerxes of Ezra iv. 7) seventy-six yeors before this embassy to Nehe- miah. After that, in the reign of Darius Hys- taspes, the temple had been finished, but the walls seem not to have been touched. The burnt gates were also, doubtless, the old wreck from Nebuchadnezzar's time. There is no reason for supposing that the walls had been rebuilt, and again destroyed Hanani and the men of Judah add to their statement of the affliction and re- proach of the province that the walls still remain in th"ir old ruined condition. Ver. 4. Nehemiah? s prayer. The tidings brought by Hanani and the others deeply moved Nehe- miah. and led him to a special season of humi- liation and prayer. His grief was doubtless in- creased at the thought that all this evil existed in »| ite of Ezra's work, for Ezra hud gJne to Jerusalem thirteen years before. He sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed. — That is, he withdrew from his court duties, and spent a period of re- tirement (comp. Ps. cxxxvii. 1 for the phrase "sat down and wept") in most sincere sorrow, which compelled his fasting and prayer, as its godly manifestations. The phrase God of hea- ven {Eioke hash-shamayim) is supposed by some to be only found with the writers of the Babylo- nish or post-Babylonish period, Daniel, Ezra, Ne- heuiiah, and the author of the 136th Psalm, but we find it in Gen. xxiv. 3, 7, and in Jonah i. 9. The style is repeated in Rev. xi. 13 and xvi. 11 (d \)eoc tov ovpavov). It was a natural epithet to distinguish Jehovah from the gods of eartl^ lot med of earthly substances. The phrase can- not property be called Persian, as the reference in Jonah proves. Moreover, it does not occur in the long Behistun inscription. If it was used by the later Persians, it is as likely to have been taken from the Jews as vice versd. Ver. 5. Terrible is awe-inspiring, &Oij, the Ni- phal participle of to' (to tremble). That keep- er covenant and mercy. — Lit. That heepeih the covenant and mercy, by hendiadys for "the covenant of mercy," or "the merciful covenant " established in the world'9 Messiah, but centrally and typically in the Isrnelitish system. Ob- serve his commandments — or keep his com- mandments ; the same verb as before. God keeps the covenant for them who keep His command- ments. This is not a doctrine of meritorious works, but of adhering faith. See its explana- tion in John vi. 28, -'.*, where the work of God is a sincere faith. The essence of faith is love, whose definition is given in 2 John 6. "The great and terrible God" is a phrase borrowed from Deut. vii. 21, and "that keepeth observe his commandments" is from the 9th verse of the same chapter. The Pentateuch has furnished much of the religious phraseology of the nation in all ages. (Comp. Dan. ix. 4.) Ver. 6. After this address to Jehovah as the awe-inspiring and yet covenant-keeping God, he asks God to hear him as the representative of his nation. The phrase, let thine ear be atten- tive, and thine eyes open, that thou may- est hear, is peculiar. It is derived from Solo- mon's prayer (1 Kings viii. 29, 62), and has re- ference, doubtless, to the greater attention paid by the ear when the eyes are opeued towards the source of the sound. Now, day and night. — Lit. to-day, day and night. His prayer was oft repeated in the course of these days of separation and mourning at hours of the night, as well as at the usual hours of daily prayer. 'Which we have sinned. — Nehemiah has a clear sense of his identification with his people in sin as in misery. Both I and my father's house have sinned. — From this mention of his father's house we have a strong reason to believe that Nehemiah was of the royal house of Judah. It is bard to understand his special mention of his father's house, unless it had been a conspicuous family in the nation. (See the Introduction ) Ver. 7. The commandments, nor the sta- tutes, nor the judgments — Hob : eth-ham- nutzoth iveth-hahukkim iveth-hammishpatim. It is almost impossible to draw the distinction be- tween the meanings of these three words. They were probably used in the fulness of the legal style. Commandment, statute and judgment are the nearest English equivalents, but here they are all subjected to the verb corresponding to the first noun ("command"), and we must. thu9 loosely refer them to the various forms of the divine commandments. The 119th Psalm seems to use these words as synonymous. (See on ch. ix. 13, 14.) Ver. 8. Remember, I beseech thee, the ■word. — After the confession of sin comes the plea of God's promise. See Deut. iv. 25-31, xxx. 1-10. Not the words, but the spirit of the pro- mise, is given. Ver. 11. Who desire to fear thy name. — The name of God is His expression in His word or work. The declaration of a desire to /far God is a modest assertion of a true fear of God, but with a consciousness of its imperfection. This man=King Artaxerxes. — Nearness to God ena- bles Nehemiah to think of the "great king" as only a man. The "this" does not indicate that he was in the king's presence when he prayed, but that he was brought into close relations with the king. For I was the king s cup-bearer. — The position of cup-hearer to the king was an exalted one (comp. Gen. xl. 21). Rab-shakeh (the name given to one of Sennacherib's envoys to Hezekiah, 2 Kings xviii. 17) means "chief cup-bearer." The monuments of Egypt. Assy- ria, and Persia show the high rank of the cup- 8 THE BOOK. OF N EH EM! AH. bearer. Nehemiah's high position as cup-bearer is an additional argument for his relationship to the royal family of Judah, for the Oriental de- spots loved to have men of royal blood to wait upon them. (See Dan. i. 3.) This phrase, "for I was t lie king's cup-bearer," is added as expla- natory of the allusion to the king. HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL. 1. The interest of Nehemiah in the forlorn condition of Jerusalem had a deep religious cha- racter. Patriotism and piety were closely re- lated in a people whose land had been the scene of a theocracy, and in a man of Nehemiah's cha- racter the piety is conspicuous in every impulse of his patriotism. It is sad to reflect that when such opportunity for a return to the Holy Land had been given by Cyrus, that, only 50,000 Jews availed themselves of it, out of, probably, an ag- gregate of millions. The manner in which the affairs of the Jewish province dragged from Cy- rus' day to the time of Nehemiah, a period of nearly a hundred years, was not due only or chiefly to the opposition of loea> enemies, sup- ported by the Persian governm-ut, but had its chief cause in the apathy and self-seeking of the Jewish people Nehemiah's piety is thus no type of the religious condition of the Jews of his day, but is a conspicuous exception to the general state of his people. '1. Fasting, with the exception of that on the day of atonement, was with the Jews (before tradition supplanted God's word) left to the sug- gestion of the occasion. It grew out of a di'ep grief or an anxious foreboding. Nehemiah's fasi, continuing for several days, must have been nut a total abstention from food, but a withdrawal from all pleasurable forms of eating, his sorrow rendering him averse to all indulgence in the pleasures of the palate. 3. The "day and night" prayer of Nehemiah was no "vain repetition," as his wounded spirit and his humble faith gave life to every utterance. He had two facts before him — the greatness of God and the sinfulness of God's chosen people. On these he would graft the return of the people and the mercy of God. Some, like himself, were looking Godward, and had not God promised mercy to such? The favor of the Persian mo- narch would b.8 the expression of God's grace. 4. The rule of obedience ("if ye turn unto me and keep my commandments, and do them," etc.) is not the way of salvation, but of continued pros- perity. The love of God is assumed in his chil- dren. Their happiness now depends on their obedience. "If ye love me, keep my command- ments." The Jews were in covenant with God. Keeping commandments had not brought them there, but keep;ng commandments would fill them with the blessings of the covenant. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Vers. 1-4. Genuine patriotism. 1) When and where it is roused: both at a distance and in those who, in their prosperity, could easily for- get their country and the people to whom they belong. 2) Concerning what it asks: concern- ing the prosperity of those whom the Lord has preserved or selected, that they should strive for a better future. 3| What it finds the hard- est to bear: that, its country and people are in distress, and even in reproach, and that they are wanting in power to protect the goods con- fided to them. Starkk: In prosperity we should not forget our poor relations or acquaintances, but should ask after them, (Jen. xliii. 27. We should make the necessities of the saints our own, and give account of them to others. Rom. xii. 12. Our greatest aud final wish: 1) Concerning what, we ask ; there remains to us, even in pros- perity aud high position, if indeed we are godly, still one question, that is. concerning the king dom of God, aud its approach, and indeed only this certainly can satisfy us, that it comes con tinually more to us, to our families and our peo- ple ; without it nothing is of worth to us, for without it there is no stability. 2) Concerning what we mourn for; that thus far. always so much the opposite of that takes place which should take place in relation to the kingdom of God. 3) Before whom we bear it: before the Lord with mourning, fasting and prayer. Starke: If the saints of God had great love and yearning for their fatherland, the earthly Jerusalem (Ps. li. 20: exxxvii. 5), how much greater love and yearning should we have for the heavenly Jerusalem! Heb. xii. 22; xiii. 14. Although a Christian is neither bound to the Jewish nor to the Romish fasts of the present day, still he should practice sobriety. 1 Pet. iv 8. The judgments of God cannot better be averted than by true humiliation, fervent prayer and honest reformation. Gen. xviii. 23 sq. Vers 5-11. The nature of the true petition (for Jerusalem, for the Church): 1) It proceeds from true love; is therefore persistent and fer- vent: Nehemiah prays (ver. 6) day and night for the children of Israel. 2) It rests upon the humble recognition ol one's own worthlessness (although standing before God as priest, the petitioner includes himself nevertheless to the inmost with those for whom he prays). 3) It is full of faith, in spite of sin ajid punishment, on tlie ground of the divine promise. The foundations for our faith in the time of oppression: 1) God's promise, after the chas tisements which we have merited, to allow mercy again to rule. 2) God's former evident proofs of grace, particularly the greatest, that. He has freed us by His great power {shinm/ deed), and has made us His servants. 3) God's divine nature itself, which cannot be false to itself, and cannot leave unfinished that which it has begun. Starke: The knowledge of God through the law and through the gospel must be united, otherwise the latter makes confident epicurean and rough people; but the former, hesitaiing and timid doubters (vers. 4, 5). Neither must we excuse the sins and transgressions of our ancestors. Dan. ix. 16. — Whoever stands in the consciousness of the poverty of his spirit doi's not exclude himself from sinners, but still al- ways humbles himself before God. Dan. ix. 7; 1 Tim. i. 15; 1 John i. 8. God knows our weak- ness beforehand, and knows that we will stum- ble in the future. Mat',, xxvi. 31. God's cho.co CHAT. II. 1-20. is unalterable, and He keeps faith forever. Ps. cxlvi. 6; Jer. iii. 12. We should grasp God's promises and favors by true faith, and base ourselves upon them in prayer. Ps. xxvii. 8; Mark xi. 24. We are God's property and ser- vants, and have been dearly bought and freed. 1 Pet. ii. 9. If we wish to obtain anything from men, especially from those in power, we should first seek it in prayer from God, for their hearts also are in God's hand, and He can in- cline them as He will. Prov. xxi. 1 ; Esther iv. 16. Chapter II. 1-20. 1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the King that wine was before him : and I took up the wine and gave it unto the 2 king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore [and] the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing eke but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, and said unto 3 the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof arc 4 consumed with fire ? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make re- 5 quest? So I praved to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send 6 me unto Judah, unto the city of my father's sepulchres, that I may build it. And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? And when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and 7 I set him a time. Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river [Euphrates], that they may convey 8 me over [i. e. from country to country] till I come into Judah; and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house [t. e. temple], and for the wall of the city, and for the house [i. e. temple] that I shall enter into [to in- spect]. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. 9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river [Euphrates], and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with 10 me. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare 11 of the children of Israel. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me ; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast 13 with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon-well and to the dung-port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed 14 with fire. Thn I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool, but 15 thtre tvas no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the 16 gate of the valley, and so returned. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did ; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that [afterwards] did the work. 17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come and let us build up the 18 wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me ; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise and build. So they strengthened their hands 19 for this good work [or rather, for good]. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? Will ye 1(1 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 20 rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore [and] we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial [i. e., record of remembrance] in Jerusalem. TEXTUAL AND GKAMMATICA 1.. 1 Ver. 6. 7j$. Only here and in I's. xlv. 10. See Exegetical Note. T" - Ver. 7. niinS"?^'- This later use of 7J> for 7X, found in Ezra and Esther, is also found in Job fre- quently. Compare Exeg. Note on eh. i. 7. 8 Ver. 8. ni"1p7, infin. construct of the Piel rpp, as in eh. iii. 3, 6. So 2 Chron. xxxiv. 11. See also Ps. civ. 3. D V3- This la* Hebrew word is applied to the temple in 1 Chron. xxi. 19, and to the royal portion of T Susa in Neh. i. 1. (Comp. Ezra. vi. 2.) See Exeg. Note here, and on ch. vii. 2. « Ver. 12. H3 33^ for D ,% 7t' 33^. Comp. Is. lxvi. 20. T T V T 6 Ver. 13. 131^. In LXX. nw v avvrpLfiuv. So also in ver. 15. Doubtless the correct reading is, with some MSS. and commentators, "I3IC, which, however, never elsewhere occurs in Kal.— D'XHS Oil. The open Mem. suggests D'SlflDD as the proper reading. i,Comp. ch. i. 3.) « Ver. 14. T\X\F\_ 13i^7_. A clumsy form for ~Oy\ \nnn itfK- ; Ver. 16. p-TJ>, not " as yet," but " until so," i. e. |3 'jlfrj; "IC/X "l£. » ver. 17. nsin for riinrn. t : v t : v : » Ver. 18. ?yj31 Dm for HJ3J1 D*pJ- So in ver. 20. EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. The Interview with the King. Ver. 1. The month Nisan (called "Abib" in the Pentateuch, Exod. xiii. 4) — the first month of the Hebrew national year. This name Nisan is found in the Assyrian, but its derivation is obscure. It corresponded to parts of our March and April The twentieth year of Artax- erxes the king. — Artaxerxes' reign-years counted from some other month than Nisan, for the preceding Chisleu was in the 20th year. The unlikely supposition (as by Bp. Patrick) that I he "twentieth year" of chapter i. 1 re- fers to Nehemiah's life, is thus unnecessary. (See on chap. i. 1.) Wine was before him. — It is the custom among the modern Persians to drink before dinner, accompanying the wine- drinking with the eating of dried fruits. (See Rawlinson's Herod. I. 133, Sir H. C. R.'s note ) Compare the "banquet of wine' 1 in Esther v. 6. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. — Lit. And I was not ««/ in hit pre- tence. Thai is, it was not his wont to be sad in the king's presence. The exactions of Persian monarchs would not endure any independence of conduct in their presence. Everyhody was expected to reflect the sunlight of the king's ma- jesty. Ver. 2. Wherefore the king said. — Lit. And the fang satd. The word translated "sad" in vers. 1, 2, 3, and the noun "sorrow" in ver. 2, are very general words for "bad" and "bad- ness." But ihe bad countenance was the sad countenance (see Gen. xl. 7 for the same phrase). Ver. 3. Let the king live for ever. — Heb. hammelek I'olam yihyeh. Compare 1 Kings i. 31 ; Dan. ii. 4; v. 10; vi. 6, 21. The mere formula of address to an Oriental king, so that eveu a Daniel used it without compunction. The city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres. — Lit. the city, house of graves of vty fathers. This em- phasis of "the house of graves" not only seems to prove Nehemiah a Jerusalemite in descent, I. e., of the tribe of Judah, but also of the royal house. An obscure person would scarcely have chosen such a way of designating the city before the king. (Comp. on chap. i. 6.) Ver. 4. For what dost thou make re- quest? — Lit. On what account this thou art asking? The king takes for granted that the look of sad- ness is an assumed preliminary to asking a fa- vor. There is a true Oriental touch in this. So I prayed to the God of heaven. — A beautiful mark of Nehemiah's piety. He first addresses the King of kings, and then the earthly monarch. He knew in whose hands were kings' beaits. For the phrase "God of heaven," see on chap. i. 5. Ver. 5. That I may build it — This was Nehemiah's first great aim, to rebuild the city. Without walls and foriifications, it was but a large village, exposed to sudden ruin. Could the walls be r> built, its permanence would be secured, and the province of Judah have a strong centre. That Nehemiah saw that this was the true course to conserve the special interests of God's people, there can be no doubt. A man of his piety could not rest in the mere external view of things. Ver. 6. The queen also sitting by him. — We have a good illustration of this scene in a sculpture from Asshur-baui-pal's palace (Koy- linjik). The king reclines on one side of the ta- ble, and is in the act of drinking. The queen siit upright in a chair of state at the side of the table, near the king's feet, but facing him. She is also in the act of drinking. Attendants with large fans stand behind each. (See copy of this interesting scene in Rawlinson's Ancient Monar- CHAP. II. 1-20. 11 chies, Vol. I., p. 493). That tbe word "shegal ' refers to the principal wife of the king seems clear from its use in Ps. xlv. 10. The chief wife of Artaxerxes at one time was Damaspia, ac- cording to Ctesias. Ver. 7. The governors. — Heb. pahawotk, from pechah, the modern pacha t the Oriental name for a viceroy used by Assyrians, Babylo- nians, and Persians. Beyond the river, i. e., the river Euphrates. The course to Judea would leave the Euphrates probably at Tiphsah, 700 miles from Susa or Shushan, whence there would be 400 miles of travel through the Syrian coun- tries before reaching Jerusalem. They were letters to governors or pachas in this Syrian re- gion that Nehemiah requested. Ver. 8. Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, may have been a Jew, as the name is Israelitish. It may, however, be a form of As- patha (Esther ix. 7), from the Persian Aspa (horse). The word translated "forest" is par- Ides, which is our familiar paradise. It is an Aryan word (Zend, pairidaeza), and signifies a walled round place, a preserve of trees and ani- mals. There was probably a royal park set off for the king in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and Asaph was its keeper. The word pardes is found in the Scriptures only here and in Sol. S. iv. 13 and Eccl. ii. 5. As it is not an old Persian word, but found in the Sanscrit and Armeninn, no argument for the late date of Solomon's Song and Ecclesiastes can be derived from it. In Solomon's day, with that king's extensive con- nections with distant countries, the word may readily have entered into his vocabulary from any I Aryan source. The palace which apper- tained to the house. — It is supposed by some that this is the well-kuown Birah or Baris (af- terward Antonia) at the north side of the tem- ple-area. But that was probably constructed at a 1 iter date. Nehemiah sought simply to recon- struct the old buildings. Now the palace next to the house (i. e., to the temple, the house, as the house of God) was Solomon's palace, inha- bited by all the kings after him, which was situ- ated at the south-east corner of the temple-area. (See 2 Chron. xxiii. 12-15). The house that I shall enter into. — Not Nehemiah's own house (he was too high-minded to think of that), but the house of God, spoken of before. He de- sired limber (1) for the palace gates, (2) for tho wads and (3) for the house of God. "That [ shall enter into" means "which I shall visit and inspect." According to the good hand of my God upon me. — .For this beautiful expression of piety, compare Ezra vii. 9 and viii. 18. In ver. 18 of this chapter we see it again, slightly varied in form. The Journey to Jerusalem. Ver. 9. The king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. — Nehe- miah's high rank made this a matter of course. — Ver. 10. Sanballat the Horonite.— There were two Horons (" Beth-horons " in full) in Palestine, a few miles north of Jerusalem. There was also a Horonaim (lit. "the two Ho- rons") in Moab (Isa. xv. 5). Sanballat was probably from the latter, and was a Moabite, as ' we find his associate is Tobiah, an Ammonite. He was probably satrap or pacha of Samaria under the Persians, and Tobiah was his vizier or chief adviser. The hatred of the Moabites and Ammonites toward Israel, and the equal hatred of the Israelites to Moab and Ammon appear to have grown stronger in the later ages of the Jewish state. In David's time, his family found refuge in Moab, as Elimelech's family had done long before, and Ruth a Moabitess was ancestress of the line of kings in Israel and Judah. After the attack upon Moab by Jehosh- aphat and the terrible scene upon the wall of Mesha's capital (2 Kings iii. 27), there was pro- bably nothing but intense bitterness between the children of Lot and the children of Israel. Sanballat and Tobiah represented the Moabitish and Ammonitish hatred.* The origin of the name Sanballat is uncertain. It seems akin to the Assyrian Assur-uballat, and may be, in its correct form, " Sinuballat," Sin being the moon (conip. Sin-akhi-irib or Sennacherib), or it may be San-uballat, San being the sun. Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite. — Tobiah is a Jewish name (see Ezra ii. BO and Zech. vi. 10). We could scarcely expect to find the element Jah in the name of an Ammonite. Tobiah was probably a renegade Jew, who had become a slave among the Ammonites, and, by his talents and cunning, had risen into promi- nence, and was now chief adviser of Sanballat. Hence the epithet, which probably his enemies had fastened on him: "Tobiah the slave." — It grieved them. — Samaria had become the leading state west of the Jordan, and any resto- ration of Jerusalem would threaten this predo- minance. Ver. 11. And was there three days. — Days, probably, of prayer and observation be- fore any determinate action. (See Ezra viii. 32, for a precisely similar conduct on Ezra's pan thirteen years before.) The Inspection. Ver. 12. In the night — few men— neither told I any man. — These facts and that of only one animal being used in the night-survey show the prudence of Nehemiah, who would avoid calling the attention uf Sanballat to any survey of the walls until all was ready for building. Any formal survey made in the day-time would soon have reached Sanballat's ears, for he and Tobiah were both closely allied by marriage- alliances with the Jerusalem Jews (ch. vi. 18 and xiii. 28). Ver. 13. The gate of the valley, Sha'ar hag-gui (2 Chron. xxvi. 9; Neh. iii. 13), was probably a gate overlooking the great valley of Hinnom, which is called in Jer. ii. 23 simply "the valley." It was between the Tower of the Furnaces (iligdal hat-tannurim) and the Dung- gate. We may place it about twelve hundred feet south of the present Jaffa Gate. — The dragon-well (Ain hattannin) is perhaps the present great pool, Birket Sultan, along the * The Sanballat of Josephus is evidently a very dif- ferent person, living a century later. He may have been a descendant of this one, inheriting his office and his hostile tactics toward the Jews. THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. eastern side of which and above it would be Neheniiah's course southward from the Jaffa- gate. The strange name [Fountain of the Sea- monster) may have been given to it because some curious large water-snake or crocodile was kept in it in Neheniiah's time. — The dung-port (Sha'ar ha-ashpoth) is rather the rubbish-gate, and was probably the gate iu the valley before which the rubbish of the city was cast and burned. It was the " east gate " (lit. pottery-gate) of Jer. six. 2. So the Jewish authorities. We may suppose this gate was at the southern extremity ofZion. The false rendering of "duug-port" has given rise to the idea that it was near the temple ; that through it the filth from the animals offered iu sacrifice was carried. It is possible that this filth may have been carried over the bridge to Zion, and through this gate to the brink of Hin- nom's deepest portion, and there dumped with the other rubbish. But the rubbish-gate or dung- port was only one thousand cubits from the val- ley gate (see ch. iii. 13), and no gate near the temple could have been thus near the valley- gate, if the valley-gate were anywhere on the west of the city. We should consider the Rub- bish-gate as directly before that part of Hinnom known as Tophet (Jer. vii. 31, 32, and xix. 6, 11, 12, 13, 11). (But see Excursus.) Ver. 11 The gate of the fountain, Sha'ar ha-ayin, is certainly a gate in front of the pool of Siloam (see ch. iii. 15). It would be where the ancient wall turned northward beyond its south-eastern corner. — The king's pool, be- rechalh hammelek, must be the pool of Siloam. Comp. ch. iii. 15. The "virgin's fountain" of to-day is too far away. It probably received this name from its watering the king's garden (ch. iii. 15). See Joseph. Ant. 7, 14, 4. Also Jeiom. Com. ou Jer. vii. 30. There was no place for the beast that ■was under me to pass. — The ruin was so great, and the rubbish so accumulated, along Ophel, that Neherniah could not pursue his course along the wall any further (ver. 15), but was obliged to go down into the valley of the Kidron (the brook, nachal), up which he went and surveyed the wall, and then turned back and pursued the same route back again to the valley-gate. It is evident that this survey was confined to the southern aud eastern walls, which were perhaps the most ruined and the most neglected, as being on the sides of greater natural defence.* Ver. 16. Neither had I as yet told it to the Jews. — Rither: Neither did I, until I had done (Aim, tell it to the Jews.— The rulers (sega- nim, a Persian word) were the executive officers of the colony. Neither to the Jews in general nor to the rulers, priests or nobles specially had Nehemiah communicated the fact of his survey. He, however, now summons an assembly, and urges them to build the walls, showing them as arguments God's mercies to him and toe king s favor.— The rest that did the work, i. e. the * It is generally thought that Nehemiah made the full circuit of the walls; but, although the language might allow such an interpretation, the want of any hint of another way back ' no mention of ths Fish-gate or Old-gate or any other prominent land-mark on the north and "est side) seems to force us to take shuv in the sense of going back iu the way he went out. others engaged in the public service. Or (more probably) it may be proleptic for "those that afterward engaged iu the wall-building." Ver. 18. So they strengthened their hands for this good work, or for good, i. e„ for a prosperous time. Ver. 19. Geshem or Gashmu (vi. 6), who was third with Sanballat and Tobiah in hostility to the Jews, was perhaps ehief of those Arabs whom Sargon had settled in Samaria (see Raiv- linson's Anc. Hon., Vol. II., p. 146). Ver. 20. Ye have no portion nor right nor memorial in Jerusalem. — This was Ne- heniiah's firm protest against the slightest inter- ference on the part of these heathen chiefs. lie will not acknowledge their right even to com- plain, and refuses to answer their false charge implied in their question. With such enemies there should be a clear understanding from the first. One of the strong points of Neheniiah's character was his uucouipromising aud prompt method in all things. HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL. 1. Like Joseph and Daniel, Nehemiah carried into a high office near the throne of an Oriental despot the vigor of a holy life. It did not make him a recluse, nor yet a sad-faced servant of flic- king. His sad visage at this time was a thing remarkable. He had been an acceptable officer of the court, and the king's treatment of his re- quest shows the high favor in which he stood. True religion does not incapacitate one from of- fice, but furnishes the man with a power to please, while it preserves him from the tempta- tions of rank. 2. No doubt there had been from the founda- tion of the Persian empire a sincere sympathy on the part of the Persians with the Jews. The monotheism of the Jews gained them favor with the Persian throne, and was, doubtless, the chief reason of Cyrus's edict concerning their return to Jerusalem. By the twentieth year of Artaxerxes this sympathy had piobably dimin- ished (as under Magian influences it had been previously hindered), and yet the king's readi- ness to send an escort with Nehemiah (chap iv. 23), and to make his way easy, may be attributed in part to this traditional regard for the Jewish hostility to polytheism. 3. Nehemiah's secresy was a part of his exe- cutive ability. Although he had the king's en- dorsement, he knew the value ot keeping his own counsel, for there were jealous foes around the Jews ready to throw hindrances in his way. Moreover these had allies among the Jews them- selves — men high in rank and position — and the distance was so great from the Persian capital that Nehemiah's firman needed great wisdom on his part to make it efficient. 4. The encouragement which Nehemiah held out to his countrymen to rebuild the walls was not simply the king's willingness, but the guiding hand of God. He saw behind the throne ot Per- sia the power of Israel's Jehovah, and sought to strengthenhis brethren by the same view. Piety teaches the heart to see second causes as only indicators of the Divine will and action, and law, whether it be from man s mouth or in the CHAP. II. 1-20. 13 forces of external nature, is rightly referred to an overruling Providence that guides and guards the people of God. It was this consideration that formed Nehemiah's answer to Sanballat, To- hinh, and Geshem. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Vers. 1-0. Love towards suffering Jerusalem: 1) Its sorrow (vers. 1, 2), in spite of personal prosperity, and even in the midst of the enjoy- ments of the royal banquet. 2) Its confession (vers. 2, 3); it is not ashamed of belonging to the congregation of the Lord; neither is it ashamed of its poor brethren, but declares itself candidly as love, and indeed in spite of the dan- ger of displeasing in a very hazardous way. 3) Its petition (vers. 4, 5): it begs for help, first indeed of God the Lord, and then also of men, but particularly for the permission to give its own aid, and that too with self-denial. 4) Its joy (vers. 6, 9): its prayer is not only granted, but it receives almost more than it could hope for. Brentius : Hrec enim est vera amicitia, qine in afflletionibus perdurat. Exemplum imitandum: si, quid pelendum est ab homine, prinium a Deo petamus, qui hominis cor nobis amicum reddere potest. Starke: To speak to princes of weighty mat- ters demands great precaution. 2 Sam. xiv 2. Soul, if a heathen lord takes a servant's griefs so tenderly to heart, how should not the Father of mercy allow thy griefi to penetrate His heart! Jar. xxxi. 20, 25. The sighs of the go lly are powerful petitions before God. Ps. xii. 6. One should not frighten timid supplicants still more, but speedily encourage their petition by generous bounty. Matt. v. 32; Rom. xii. 8. Princes and lords should willingly listen to the complaints of their subjects, and grant as much as possible. 2 Sam. iii. 16. God gives accord- ing to His great goodness more than we can hope or ask for. Eph. iii. 20; 1 Kings iii. 13. The sorrow for suffering Jerusalem: 1) In spite of our own prosperity; 2) On account of the sad position of the congregation; 3) In presence of those who are able to help, and must be gained over. — The self-denial of a pa- triot: 1) He grieves in spite of his own pros- perity, for the misery of his country; 2) He risks his position by a frank confession; 3) He wishes to relinquish his position, in order to aid his fatherland. Starke : It is a token of a godless spirit when one do.'S not reverence his fatherland; but it is villainy when one desires to injure it. 2 Mace, v. 8. Ver. 10. The conduct of the worldly-minded towards the congregation of the Lord: 1) Their latitudinarianism : Sanbillat and Tobiah main- tained friendship with the Jerusaletnites. Chap vi. 10, 17; xiii 4-9. 28. 2) Their narrowness: they cannot endure that any one should seek to advance the welfare of the congregation of the Lord, as such. Venerable Bede: Nntanda animarum rerum- que diversittts. quia supra guidon dirti aunt hi, qui remansvrunt tie captivitate in Juda, in nfflictione m tgna et npprobrio fuisse ; s»d et Nehemiam Inngum cum jltt u f, precibus duxissejejunium, eo quud muros Uieruaulem dissipatvs, et porlie illius essenl igne combustw, et nunc versa vice hastes ejusdem sone;x eivitatis contrislati et in ajfliclione sunt magna con stttuti, eo quod mdificia dims restuurandu. JJndt colligendum, rtiam in hac vita sewentiam donuni posse comphri, qui cuvi dixissit : Amen, amen, dico vobis, quia plorabitis et jlebttis vos, mundus autrtu gaudebit, vos autem centrist a bimini, continue subje- cit : sed tristitia vestra Vertctur at gaudium. Vers. 11-18. Bright zeal in the concerns of God: 1) It foresees (vers. 11, 12) and hastens at times because dangers threaten ; 2) It looks around (vers. 13-15) to fully estimate the diffi- culty of the work to be performed; 3) it looks, and points, on high (vers. 17, 18), to God's help, to the hand of God, which is extended in favor above it, and therefore succeeds with those whose help is necessary. Venerable Bede: Diversa urbis destructie loca lustrandro pervagalur Sic et doclorum est spirit ualiutn, ssepius node surgere acsolerte indagine statum sanctss ecclesise quiescentibus ceteris inspicere, ut vigilanter inquirant, qualiter ta, quae vitiorum belhs .... dejecta sunt, casligando emendent et eri- gant. Starke: When one has suitable means at hand for avoiding the danger, he must not de- spise them. Josh, ii 15; 2 Cor. xi. 33. When something is granted to us by the authorities hrough favor, we must ascribe it to God. When one will perform anything great, he must keep it secret 1 Sam. xiv. 1. When the Church sleeps, God awakens pious people, who work and watch for its welfare. There is a time for speaking and a time for silence. Well begun is half gained. Vers. 19, 20. In our work for the kingdom of God what position must we take towards the objections of the world? 1) We must be pre- pared for scorn, contempt, and anxiety. The worldly-minded consider the aim which we truly have as foolish, as it is too elevated for them ; they therefore attribute to us another aim, which is foreign to us; and in this way they give a most suspicious look to our activity. 2| We must not, however, lay any importance upon this; that which they consider foolish is our highest task, that we should keep ourselves unspotted from the world, and therefore concede to them, in so far as they are the world, no part or right in our intercourse. Vers. 17-20. The admonition to build up the kingdom of God. 1) It complains: you see the distress, etc., for it always finds again the rea- son that it may pass beyond to the demand : come, let us build, resting upon the former proofs of the Lord, who also has known how to make the kings of the earth serviceable to His ends. 2) It excites the ridicule and the suspi- cions of the world, but overcomes them through reference to the God of heaven, who causes Hs people to succeed, but never allows the evil to prevail. — Venerable Bede: Doetores tancti, itnmo omnes, qui zelo Dei fervent, in afflictione sunt maxima, quomdiu Hierusalem, hoc est, visionem pads, quam nobis Dominns reliqnit et commenduvit, per bella dusensionum cernunt esse desertam, et por- tas r/rfutttm,qutisfuxta Es/tium laudatio occupare de- buerat, prxvalmtibus infcroTum portis dejectas atque opprobrio habitas contuenlur. — Starke : It is a 14 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. good sign when envious people combat a work; for one can conclude from that ihat it provokes the devil, and that makes us the more joyful. Gen. xxxvii. 4; 1 Sam. xvii. 28. The devil is aever idle: theiefore when he can undertake nothing actively against the people of God, he makes use of poisonous tongues; but whoever fears God has a secure fortress. Sir. xiv. 26, 31. One should be firm in his confidence in God, aud allow nothing to be abstracted from it. Chap. III. 1-32. 1 • Then Eliashib, the high-priest, rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep-gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the 2 tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hauaneel. And next unto him [lit. at his hand] builded the men of Jericho. And next to them [rather, next 3 to him, i. e., next to Eliashib] builded Zaccur the son of Iruri. But [aud] the fish-gate did the sons of Hassenaah [sons of Senaah] build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks [sockets] thereof, and the bars thereof. 4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz [Hak- k z], aud next unto them repaired Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, the soi 5 of Meshezabeel. Aud next unto them repaired Zadok, the son of Baana. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the 6 work of their Lord. Moreover [and] the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the sou of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set 7 up the doors thereof, and the locks [sockets] thereof, and the bars thereof. And next unto them tepaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah [the Mizpah which belonged] unto the 8 throne of the governor on thi* side the river. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hauauiah the sou of one of the apothecaries [the son of Shelemiah of the apoLhecaries (?'], and 9 they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. And next unto them repaired Re- phaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part [half the circuit] of Jerusalem. 10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his 11 house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah. Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece 12 [a second piece], and the tower of the furnaces. And next unto him repaired Shal- lum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part [half the circuit] of Jerusalem. 13 The valley-gate repaired Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks [sockets] thereof, and the bars thereof, and a 14 thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung-gate [rubbish gate]. But [and] the dung-gate [rubbish gate] repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part [the circuit] of Beth-haccerem ; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks 15 thereof and the bars thereof. But [and] the gate of the fountain tx paired Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler of part [the circuit] of Mizpah; he built it, and co- vered it, aud set up the doors thereof, the locks [sockets] thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah [Shelah] by [that appertained to] the 16 kind's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk the ruler of the half part [half the cir- cuit] of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the 17 part that was made, and unto the house of the mighty. After him repaired the Levites, [under] Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah the 18 ruler of the half part [half the circuit] of Keilah in his part. After him repaired their brethren, [under] Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part [half 19 the circuit] of Keilah. And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece [a second piece] over against the goiug up to the armory CHAP. III. 1-32. 15 20 at the turning of the wall [armory of the corner]. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece [a second piece], from the turning of the 21 wall [from the corner] unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high-priest. After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the sou of Koz [Hakkoz] another piece [a second piece] from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house 22, 23 of Eliashib. And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain. After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him repaired 24 Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Auaniah by his house. After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad auother piece [a second piece] from the house of Aza- riah unto the turning of the wall [unto the corner], even unto the corner [and unto 25 the turret]. Palal the sou of Uzai [repaired] over against the turning of the wall over against the corner] and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh [re- 26 paired.] Moreover [and] the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel unto the place over against 27 the water-gate towards the east, and the tower that lieth out. After them [him] the Tekoites repaired another piece [a second pi°ce], over against the great tower 28 that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. From above the horse-gate repaired the priests, over against his house. After them (him, i. e ., the last one of these 29 priests] repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him re- 30 paired also Shemaiah the son of Shechauiah, the keeper of the east gate. After him repaired Hanauiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, ano- ther piece [a second piece]. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah 31 over against his chamber. After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place [house] of the Nethinim and of the merchants over against the gate 32 Miphkad [gate of the visitation] and to the going up of the corner [turret]. And between the going up of the corner [turret] uuto the sheep-gate repaired the gold- smiths and the merchants. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. 9. ^] 73. In this sense of " circuit" the word is Chaldee. See Targum on Josh. xvii. 11. In Heb. it mearu " staff," or " distaff" See 2 Sam. iii. 29 ; Prov. xxxi. 19. 13. ni£JDn. The omission of the J< is to be noted as comp. with ver. 14. Geseniua considers the fc< as pros- thetic, and makes the root j"l3i?, but it is as likely to be TON. 30. ':£?, a lapsus for Pi'lU. T H2)Dj, here and in ch. xii. 44 and oh. xiii. 1, seems to be a varied form of n3C/'7. EXEGETICAL and critical. The Wall-Building. Ver. 1. Eliashib the high-priest. — This man was afterwards closely allied to Jerusalem's enemies, one of his grandsons having married Sanballat's daughter (ch. xiii. 28). His alliance with Tobiali became so close that he prepared a room for Tobiah in the temple (ch. xiii. 4. 7). Eliashib may have excused this desecration on the ground that Tobiah was a Jew by birth. (See on ch. ii. 10.) Eliashib was grandson of Jeshua, who. with Zerubbabel, led the original return. Notwithstanding the unworthines-i of this high-priest and bis probable want of sym pathy with Nehemiah's piety and patriotism, he could not refuse to take the lead in the wall- building. Public opinion vvas too strong under the appeals of Neheniiah. The sheep-gate. Sha'ar hatz-tzon, must have been by the temple, or el, translating: " will they (the governors) for- sake the matter to them?" or "will they allow them?" May not this general notion be in- tended here: "they loosened (t. e freed from exposure and peril) Jerusalem?" Keil retains the common meaning of azab, and reads: "they (the builders, or else the Chaldeans) left Jeru- salem untouched as far as the broad wall." The broad wall, hahomah harehavah (ch. xii. 38) seems to have been a special fortification at the north-west corner of the city. Keil would identify it with the four hundred cubits destroyed by Joash, and afterward rebuilt by Ozziah. (See Excursus.) Ver. 9. Ruler of the half part of Jerusa- lem. — Compare vers. 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. J'elek means a circuit, and is a governmental term. Rephaiah was ruler of half the circuit of Jerusalem, and Shallum (ver. 12) was ruler of the other half. The circuits of Beth-zur and Keilah bad each two rulers also (see vers. 16, 17, 18). These circuits were probably districts deriving their names from their chief towns. Ver. 11. The other piece, middah shenilh, "a second piece," as in vers. 19, 21, 27, 30. The first piece ("first," perhaps, because first assigned to them) which they repaired is men- tioned in ver. 23, where Malchijah is called Ben- jamin. The Harim and the Pahath mnab, who are mentioned as the fathers of Malohijah and Hashub, who repaired this second piece, were probably remote ancestors, Harim being the third of the twentj-four who in David's time CHAP. III. 1-32. IV gave name to the priestly divisious or courses (1 Chron. xxiv. 8), and Pahath-moab being one of the chiefs of families who came back with Zerubbahel a century before (see ch. vii. 11). The name Pahath-moab (governor of Moab) i> one of the evidences of a close connection with Moab on the part of some of the families of Israel. Elimelech's residence in Moab and Da- vid's use of Moab as a place of safety for his family are other evidences. (See also 1 Chron. iv. 22 for another allusion.) The Tower of the Furnaces, Migdal hat- tannurim would naturally fall into the neighbor- hood of the Jatfa Gate, and may be represented by the north-eastern tower of the citadel, which Dr. Robinson identifies with Herod's tower of Hip picus. (See Excursus.) Ver. 12. Shallum. the son of Halohesh. Halo'hesh, or Hallo'hesh, is another ancestral name, and not that of an immediate father. (See ch. x. 24.) He and his daughters not ruling, but building. The zeal of these women is em- phasized. Ver. 13. The valley-gate. See on ch. ii. 13. Hanun and the inhabitants of Za- noah. — Hanun is called in ver. 30, "the sixth son of Zalaph." Zanoah was about twelve miles west of Jerusalem. The dung-gate. See on ch. ii. 13. Ver. 14. The ruler of part of Beth-hacce- rem, or the ruler of the circuit of Beth-haccerem. Beth-haccerem was near Tekoa, and was a height where a beacon could be displayed (Jer. vi. 1). It is identified by modern travellers with Jebel Fureidis. or the Frank Mountain. Ver. 15. Gate of the Fountain. — See ch ii. 14. Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, a Judahite (ch. xi. 5). The ruler of part of Mizpah, or the ruler of the circuit of Mizpah. The circuit of Mizpah, and Mizpah itself, had different rulers. (See ver. 19.) Covered it. Probably equivalent to "laid the beams thereof" of vers. 3, 6. The pool of Siloah, by the king's garden, Brrechath hash Shelah, legan ham-melek. It is Shiloah in Isaiah, and Shelah here. The pool is the present Birket Sil- wan, and probably includes the Birket el- Hamra. It was outside the city, near the Tyro- poeon valley, where it, enters the valley of the Son of Hinnom Just at this junction was the king's garden (see 2 Kings xxv. 4, and Joseph., A. J. 7, 11), watered by this pool. It receives its water through a subterranean canal under the lower end of Ophel (the ridge running south from the temple-area) from the Fountain of the Virgin, on the west side of the Kidron valley. The old wall probably embraced all Zion, run- ning along its southern brow, and stretched over to Ophel, in the neighborhood of the pool of Siloam, the fountaiu-g lie being nearby. The stairs that go down from the City of David would then be an access to the Tyro- poeon from Zion, ending in this neighborhood of the pool. (See Excursus.) Ver. 16. The ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, or the ruler of half the circuit of Beth- zur. Beth-zur is about four miles north of He- bron. Unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty. — The sepulchres of David were proba- bly the same as the sepulchres of the kings (2 Chron. xxviii. 27, et al.), and we may place them somewhere on Zion (1 Kings ii. 10). The part of the wall here designated would be that on Ophel, opposiie that portion of Zion where the sepulchres were, the valley of the Tyropoeon being between. The "pool that was made" may be the present fountain of the Virgin, which perhaps Hezekiah formed with its remarkable galleries (see Capt. Warren's account in "the Recovery of Jerusalem") for the supply of Ophel (see 2 Kings xx. 20). The "house of the mighty" (heth-hag-geborim) we have no clue to. Ver. 17. The ruler of the half part of Kei- lah in his part, or the ruler of the half circuit of Keilah for his circuit. Those of the other half- circuit of Keilah are next mentioned. Ver. 19. The ruler of Mizpah another piece. — The first piece is given in ver. 7. Over against the going up to the armory at the turning of the wall. — Rather,/™™ opposite the ascent of the armory of the corner. The armory of the corner was perhaps at an angle in the eastern Ophel wall. Ver. 20. Baruch the son of Zabbai is ho- norably mentioned for his distinguished zeal. He worked at a second piece from the corner mentioned above to the high-prit si's house, which seems to have been on Ophel. Perhaps this Ba- ruch's first piece of work has slipped from the text. Zabbai may be the same mentioned in Ezra X. 28. Baruch may be the priest of ch.x.6. Ver. 21. Meremoth, the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. — See on ver. 4. As a conspicuous priest, it was appropria'e that he should be connected with the work on the wall in front of the high-priest's house. Ver. 22. The men of the plain. — The word translated "plain'" is kikkar, which is generally used for the Jordan valley, but in ch. xii. 28 it is used of the environs of Jerusalem. It literally signifies a circuit. As no qualifying word or phrase is found here, this kikkar is probably the Jordan valley. Ver. 23. Benjamin (see on ver. 11) one of the descendants of Harim. (See Ezra x. 32.) Hashub was son (or descendant) of Pahath- moab. (See on ver 11.) Their house may refer only to Benjamin, who was a priest (one of the Bene-Harim), llasbub, perhaps, being in some way allied to him. Azariah may be the Levite mentioned in ch. viii. 7. Vers. 24, 25. Binnui is the Levite mentioned in chs. x. 9 and xii. 8. Unto the turning of the wall, even unto the coiner. — Or, unto the corner of the wall and unto the turret. By this seems to be intended the corner, where the "tower which lieth out" (ver. 25) formed a projection. Capt. Warren found about four hundred feet south-west of the south-east corner of the temple area the remains of an outlying tower to the wall, which he conjectures may be the " tower which lieth out." This tower is described in the next verse as the tower which lieth out from the king's high house. — Solomon's pa- lace, doubtless, occupied the south-east corner of the present Haram. It probably had a high fortified position extending south to the Ophel la THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. wall (see Capt. Warren's map). This part was perhaps built by Jotham (2 Chron. xxvii. 8), or Hezekiah (2 Chrou. xxxii. 5), or Manasseh (2 Chron. xxxiii. 14). The height of Manasseh's building is especially mentioned. The court of the prison is 6poken of in Jer. xxxii. 2 as appertaining to the king's house. Ver. 26. Moreover the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel. Some with the Syriac, insert the relative and read, " the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel," and then supply Ihe verb "repaired." This is not needed. We may count this an in- terjected statement, showing what an important Bite had been given to the Nethinim. See, more- over, the VinK of ver. 27, referring to Pedaiah. The water-gate was, perhaps, a gate opening into the subterranean water galleries, lately dis- covered by Capt. Warren. If so, then the Ne- thinim dwelt in all Ophel from a point a little north of the Fountain of the Virgin to this "tower which lieth without," that is, along a distance of about eight hundred feet. This po- sition of the water-gate answers to the narrative in ch. xii. 37. (See Excursus.) The Nethinim (». «., dedicated ones) were servants of the temple, who performed the me- nial duties of the precinct. In Josephus they are kpodovloi (temple-servants). They were ap- pointed by David (Ezra viii. 20), as another guild of service (Solomon's servants, or Andh6 Sbelo- moh) was appointed by Solomon (Ezra ii. 58). The Levites, as compared with the priests, were called Nethunim (Num. viii. 19), a word of the same signification as Nethinim. (Comp. the K'tib of Ezra viii. 17.) Perhaps David's Ne- thinim were the Gibeonites (hewers of wood and drawers of water) restored to their service in a regular manner, after a dispersion of their num- ber in Saul's time. (See 2 Sam. xxi. 2.) Ver. 27. The Tekoites repaired their first piece near the old gate (ver. 5). The great tower that lieth out is proba- bly the same as "the tower that lieth out" of ver. 25. The wall of Ophel would be the southern wall of the temple-area where it joined the dis- trict of Ophel. Ver. 28. The horse-gate was where Atba- liah was slain. It was between the temple and the palace. This would put it about 200 feet north of the present S. E. corner of the Harani (See 2 Chron. xxiii. 15, and Jer. xxxi. 40). The part from the " wall of Ophel" to the horse-gate (Sha'ar Has-susim) was probably in good order, as it was the wall of the old royal palace, and had been occupied by the governors of the city. Hence it is not mentioned as rebuilt at this time, but the next builders to the Tekoites begin from above (i. e., up the Kidron) the horse-gate. (See Excursus). Ver. 29. The keeper of the east gate.— This Sha'ar ham-mizrah is the sha'ar hak-kadmoni of Ezek. xi. 1, one of the inner temple-gates, not a city gate. If this Shemaiah, the son of Shechaniah, is the same as the one mentioned in 1 Chron. iii. 22, then he was a descendant of the kings, and his title may have been one of honor only. He may, however, have been an- other and a Levite. Ver. 30. Hananiah. See on ver. 8. Hanun another piece. — See on ver. 13. Meshullam the son of Berechiah. See on ver. 4. Ver. 31. The place of the Nethinim and of the Merchants over against the gate Miphkad and to the going up of the cor- ner. Lit. The house of the Nethinim and the traders opposite the gate of the visitation even to the ascent of the projecting turret. The "house" ot the Nethinim and traders was not their dwelling- place, but, we suppose, the place where under the direction of the Nethinim the traders (see Matt. xxi. 12) brought their doves, etc., for sale to worshippers. We may place it near the north- east angle of the Haram. For the gate Miphkad, see Excursus. The ascent of the turret would be the stairs at the north-east angle leading up to a corner-tower, not far from the sheep gate. Ver. 32. The goldsmiths may have been also connected with these matters of the Nethi- nim and traders. For a plan of the walls of the city, see Excursus. From this outline it will be 9een that only those gates whose bars and locks and doors are mentioned do we consider a9 belonging to the city wall, to wit: 1. Sheep-gate, ver. 1. 2. Fish-gate, ver. 3. 3. Old-gate, ver. 6. 4. Valley-gate, ver. 13. 5. Dung-gate, ver. 14. 6. Fountain-gate, ver. 15. The other gates are not spoken of as now con- structed, and we take them to be inner gates be- longing to the inner temple and palace divisions, to wit: 1. Water-gate, ver. 26. 2. Horse-gate, ver. 28. 3. East-gate, ver. 29. 4. Gate Miphkad, ver. 81. We also consider the wall along the southern brow of Zion to have continued across the Tyro- poeon to Ophel near the pool of Siloam. HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL. 1. Eliashib's connection with Sanballat and Tobiah (chap. xiii. 7, 28) must have taken place at a later date, when Nehemiah had returned to Susa,and was not expected to revisit Jerusalem. If the high-priest had already made those scan- dalous alliances. Nehemiah certainly would have taken him to task, and the record of such repri- mand would have been here given. With a heart disaffected, Eliashib nevertheless takes his place in the rebuilding of the wall. His prominence in the work was doubtless a great help to Ne- hemiah. 2. It is an interesting feature of this wall- building that those whose local interests were far off, as at Jericho, Tekoah, and Beth-zur, took CHAP. 111. 1-32. ID such deep interest and such conspicuous part iu the work. The old love for Zion and for the temple was still warm in the breasts of the re- turned Jews. They felt that the true life of the nation flowed from Jerusalem ag the central heart. Their union in this work was a powerful means of renewing their patriotic affection and strengthening the interests of the commonwealth. Co-working for defence always brings souls toge- ther; and when the co-working is in defence of the citadel of religion and country, the strongest bond of union is formed. The wall-buildings formed a strong basis, on which Nehemiah could introduce his reforms. 3. However, there must have been many who refused the service, and were apathetic, if not hostile to the work. Otherwise we should not see some of them engaged doing a second piece of the wall, and perhaps a longer list of leaders in the service would be recorded. It is not to be be- lieved that, if the high-priest himself was in- clined to ally himself to Sanballat, there were not many others who had no hearty interest in the restoration of Jerusalem's glory. The nobles of Tekoah (ver. 5) were but samples of a large number. 4. And yet, again, the thirty-four leaders whose names are given us cannot be considered as the only chief men engaged in the wall-build- ing. Other prominent men whose names occur later in the book may have held office under them, and hence are here unmentioned. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Ver. 1. The importance of Zion's walls. 1) For uniting the congregation, the congregation must be able to shut itself off and secure itself to protect its peculiar goods. 2) For exclusion of the world, — the world must be kept at a dis- tance, so long as it only strives to rob the goods of the congregation. Vers. 1, 2. The precedence of the high-priest in making the city of God secure. 1) He him- self is the first to build. 2) By this he conse- crates the work of the others. 3) He is a pledg? for the success of the work. — The duty of build- ing the walls of Zion. 1) For those in authority (as Nehemiah), who have to incite and uphold the priests and people in their work. 2) For the priests who are not exalted above the common obligation. — 3) For the people whose members must not forget in their household and inferior cares, those which are higher and more uni- versal. — Bede: Qui porlas et turves sedificant, per quas vel civet ingrediantur vel arceanfur inimici, ipsi sunt prophetse, apastoH, evangelists, per quos nobis forma et ordo fidei ac rectse operalionis, per quam unitatem ecclesUe sanctse inlrare debeamus. ministrata est, quommque verbis, qualiter adversa- ries veritatis redarguamus ac repellamus, discimus. Qui vera reliqms verbis cr.lruunt, ipsi stmt pastores el doctores. — Starke: The clergy should set to work first in building tho city of God, and pre- cede others by a good example. The memory of those who have rendered services to the church aud to the commonwealth remains, justly, blessed. Prov. 10:7. The most powerful and richest people do, generally, the least in the temporal and spiritual edifice of the city of God. Happy he who willingly pu's on tho light and easy yoke of Christ at the building of the spi- ritual Jerusalem. Ver. 31. The honor of the mechanics and art- ists. 1) They may be, and shall be at the same time priests of God. 2) Their products can and shall serve for God's honor. 3) Their doing has in itself worth and reward. Vers. 33-35. Why the world so easily pretends that our work will have no result. 1) Because in truth of ourselves we are not capable of great efforts: only the sacrifice and the power of Christ can make us willing and endow us with perse- verance. 2) Because in truth the work is indeed altogether too lofty and glorious, — -only the Spirit of Christ can consecrate us to it. 3) Because the world only sees that which is before its eyes ; there is, however, something higher. — Starke: Fleshly-minded spirits consider the undertaking and the work of God's children as contemptible and small, and measure it according to their standard. Wisd. v. 3 ; 2 Kings xix. 10 There are different degrees among the godless, in re- gard to their wickedness. The worst are those who notonly do wickedly themselves, butalsocan- not bear to see others doing good, and express their rage in poisonous jeers. John x. 32 ; Ps. cix. 4. Vers. 36-38. Prayer is the most powerful weapon against the enemy. 1) It secures to us the best allies. 2) It makes us sure of the weak- ness of the enemy. If they are Hod's enemies at the same time, they have God's holiness opposed to them, before which nothing which is evil can endure. 3) It pledges the final victory to us. They can only escape by change of heart. — Starke: When we are in the greatest straits, there God is our safety, our rock, our strength and refuge, and we must fly to Him in prayer. 2 Chr. xx. 12 j Prov. xviii. 10; Nah. i. 3. Ver. 38. The blessing of the oppression which the scorn of the world exercises upon us. 1) We work the more steadily under it, we do not indeed know how long the evening will permit us to work. 2) The joy in the work increases as surely as it is elevating to bear the disgrace of Christ. 3) The work advances so much the better. Starke: In the work of the Lord we must confidently proceed, heedless of all opposi- tion. 2 Tim. iv. 3-5. At pleasure's call nil work seems small, therefore he not slothful in what you should do Rom. xii. 11; Prov. vi. 6. If God has given us successful progress in our work, this should be an admonition to us that we should the more boldly persist in pursuing our calling. 8 20 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. Chapter IV. 1-23. 1 But [and] it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, 2 he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his bretnren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews ? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day [by da), i. e., openly]? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the 3 rubbLli which are burned? Now [and] Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, be shall even break down their 4 stonewall. Hear, O our God ; for we are despised [a contempt]: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity. 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked thee to anger before [they have acted vexatiously against] 6 the builders. So built we [and we built] the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for [and] the people had a mind [heart] to work. 7 But [and] it came to pass, that when Sauballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up [that a bandage was applied to the walls of Jerusalem], and that the breaches 8 began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come an I to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it [to do wickedness to it]. 9 Nevertheless [and] we made our prayer unto our God, and seta watch against them 10 day and night, because of them. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish ; so that [and] we are not able to 11 build the wall. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we 12 come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to pass, when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they wilt be upon you [they said unto us ten times, i. e., frequently, from all places, Ye shall return unto us]. 13 Therefore [and] I set in the lower places [lowest parts] behind the wall [at the place behind the wall], and in the higher places [in the exposed parts], I even set 14 the people after their families wita their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, 15 and your houses. And it came to pass when our enemies heard that it was known unto us. and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to 16 the wall, every one unto his work. And it came to pass from that time forth [from that day], that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the 17 rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, [while carrying] every one with one 18 of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For [and] the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. 19 And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are 20 separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear 21 the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. So [and] we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of 22 the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that [and] in the CHAP. IV. 1-23. 22 23 night they may be a guard to us, and labor on the day [by day]. So [aud] neither I, nor my brethren, uor my servants nor the men of tue guard which lolluwed me, none of us put oli'our clothes, saving that every one put them otf lor washing. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. 16. The 1 seems to be misplaced. It should be with O^JQn, and ilut with DTI^^n. Or the words may have ■ • t - • T : T changed pbres. 17. In D'J/ jj? the \0 takes the place of D. 22. Note the absence of 'j with "|OB?a and njilho. EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. The Hindrances (1) From Sanballat and his allies. (N. B. — Vera. 1-6 are in the Heb. vers. 33- 38 of ch. 3). Ver. 1. Mocked the Jews. — Sanballat was evi lently afraid to use violence directly on ac- count of the favor shown by the Persian monarch to the Jews. His great rage could exhibit itself only in mockery. Ver. 2. Before his brethren, ('. e., Tobiah and ins brethren in council. The army of Sa maria. — It is likely that Sanballat had actually brought an armed force in sight of the city to intimidate the Jews. In a speech to his officers he uses the language of mockery here given, Will they fortify themselves? — Perhaps. will they help themselves? Keil, comparing Ps. x. 14, reads it " will they leave it to themselves?" which is harsh. (See on ch. iii. 8 for the use of this word azah). Will they make an end in a day ? Rather, will they make an end (i, e., accomplish it) by day (i. e., openly). So bay- yom in Gen. xxxi. 40; Prov. xii. 16; Judg. xiii. 10. Ver. 3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him. — The style of phrase in this verse sug- gests what we have already supposed, that when Sanballat addressed his armed men he was in sight of Jerusalem, looking with Tobiah and Others at the Jews' work. Ver. 4. Hear, O our God. — Eight times in this book Nehemiah interjects a prayer. They are prayers while writing, not while acting. The grounds of this prayer are, (1) God's people are despised ; (2) excited to fear by the enemy. As in the imprecatory psalms, there is a pro- phetic power in this prayer. The prayer anti- cipates God's justice. Ver. 5. They have provoked thee to an- ger befoie the builders. Rather, they have vexed (with alarm) the builders. So kaas in Ezek. xxxii. 0. The lenegrd is that of hostility as in Dan. x. VA. Ver. 6. Unto the half thereof in height. The people had a mind to work. — The dis- affected (incmding prohably the high-priest or at least many of his family) were a few, and they had to yield to the zeal of the great mass. Pa- triotism, piety and security made the wall-build- ing a popular work. (The fourth chapter in the Heb divisions begins here). Ver. 7. The Arabians. — Those in Samaria. See on ch. ii. 19. The Ammonites. — Tobiah's influence had probably induced many Ammo- nites to take active part with Sanballat in op- posing the Jews. If Sanballat was a Moabite (as we suppose), that fact would account for an Ani- monitish alliance, as the two nations of Moab aud Amnion were always closely united, espe- cially against Israel. The Ashdodites. with the Philistine traditional hatred, remained hos- tile to the Jews until Jonathan, brother of Judas Maccabeus, three hundred years after this, de- stroyed Ashdod at the defeat of Apollonius. That the walls of Jerusalem were made up. — Lit., that a bandage was ayplted t> the walls uf Jerusalem. So in 2 Chrou. xxiv. 13. Ver. 8. To hinder it. — Lit., to do wider in< • .,• to it. (So the word la ah in Isa. xxxii. 6). These various nationalities might suppose that by acting in concert, they could show to the Persian king they were only acting in his behalf for the safety of the empire against an insurrectionary move- ment of the Jews. An attack of Sanballat alone might readily be understood at court as a matter of personal jealousy and aggrandizement. Hence the confederacy. Vers. 10-12. And Judah said .... and our adversaries said . . . the Jews which dwelt by them said. Here were three sources of discouragement: (1) The severity of the work. (2) The threat of destruction by the confederacy. (3) The recall of the country Jews from the work by their timid fellows. They said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. — Rather, They said unto us ten tin's (i.e., frequently), From all places ye shall return unto us. The Jews from the out- side towns that were near the enemy came to Jerusalem and endeavored to make their towns- men desist, through fear of injury from Sanbal- lat. [Th- Heb. Asher as in Esther iii. 4.] Ver. 13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall and on the higher places I even set, etc. — Rather, Therefore set I in the lowest parts at the place behind the wall, in the exposed parts, I even set, etc. Nehemiah placed 'tetachments, properly armed, at such points of the wall as had attained the least height and were thus most exposed to attack. These de- tachments were formed of the families who had been working at the portions of the wall where these gaps were. There was a temporary cessa- tion from the work. "The lowest parts" and "the exposed parts" are in apposition. "The higher places" (E. V.) is a mistaken rendering. The word tsehihi means ''a dry or bare place (comp. Ezek. xxvi. 4-14), and hence by a meta- phorical use. ;in exposed part of the wall. Ver. 14. And I looked. — Implying perhaps an observation of some fear on the part of the 22 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. iliffereut classes of the community. Or it may refer to a simple review of the defenders in their positions. Ver. 15. We returned all of us to the wall every one unto his work. — This shows that there hud been a cessation of the work at the first alarm. Ver. IB. My servants cannot be equal to ''my subjects'' as some hold, for naar could not be so used by Nehemiah, nor would he consider the people of Judah in the light of subjects. Nehemiah had probably a special band of men attached to his person, either by order of the king of Persia, or by the will of the people at Jerusalem. To these we suspect reference is here made. There is adistinctiou made between these and the others. These divided themselves into two parts, the one working while the other kept guard; but the others held a weapon while they wrought (ver. 17). Habergeon. Old Eng- lish for "coat of mail." From hals (neck) and bergen (to protect). Ver. 17. Read The builders of the wall and the burden-bearers while carrying. The builders and the burden-bearers each bore a javelin (shelah) in one hand, the builders (as distinct from the burden bearers) also wearing a sword, as we see in ver. 18. Ver. 18. For.— Read "And." The signal trumpet was directly under Nehemiah's order, as commander of the defence, Ver. 22. Lodge within Jerusalem. — That is, during the alarm, those that had their homes in the villages and distant towns should now con- tinue night and day in the city. Ver. 23. Only Nehemiah and his immediate family and attendants are here referred to as not putting off their clothes. It became them to be patterns of watchfulness and and diligence to the rest. — Saving that every one put them off from washing. — A puzzling sentence. It is literally "man his weapon the water." The rendering of the E. V. is in accordance with the old Jewish authorities who regard shilho as a verb of equivalent meaning with pashat (to put off). Probably some words are lost. HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL. 1. The wrath and great indignation of San- ballat prove the insiucerity of his taunts. If the Jews were so feeble a folk in his estimation, he would not have sought an alliance (ver. 8) to fight against them. He had good reason to fear the sudden restoration of the Jewish power, and was merely exercising that which is praised as political wisdom when he used every energy to thwart Nehemiah's purpose. It is probable that in Galilee there existed a growing remnant of Israel (the men of Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamalh and Sepharvaim (2 Kings xvii. 24) having been settled by the King of Assyria in Central Palestine), who, of course, sympathized with the movement at Jerusalem. Sanballat, Minuted between these two fragments of Israel, was the more alert to see danger in Israel's growth. Hence his forwardness to move in the matter, for he was evidently the chief mover, although Arabians, Ammonites and Ashdodites ware ready enough to take part. 2. The prayer of Nehemiah that the enemy's reproaehes might he turned upon their own head, and that their sin might never be forgiven (cornp. Ps. lxix. 27, 28, and Jer. xviii. 23), can only be understood by the soul that is so allied to God as to see His judgraews proceeding lorth from His holiness. The final judgment by the saints as assessors with God (Ps. cxlix. 6-9 and Rev. iii. 21) has the same character. Where the natural mind can only imagine revenge, the spiritual miud sees faith and holiuess. 3. Prayer did not slacken the energy of the Jews. They experienced the redoubled zeal and activity which all true prayer produces. They made their prayer to God, and set a watch against their foes day and night. All the natu- ral means whether of mind or matter form chan- nels through which God conveys His grace in answer to prayer. To stop these channels is to cancel prayer. Prayer was never intended to foster idleness or diminish responsibility. 4. The remembrance of the Lord is the sure safe-guard against our afflictions. David says; "I have set the Lord always before me; beciiu^e He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved" (Ps. xv. 8). Remembering the Lord is an act of faith, a new grasp upon His divine help, and, at the same lime, a purification of the heart. Forget- fulness of God is the uuguirdedness of the soul. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Vers. 1-17. Our abiding ta-ks. 1) From work to conflict. ^Vers. 1-8.) a) On account of de- fying enemies from without andwitliin. b) In spite of faint-hearted friends, c) With faith in the Lord. 2) From conflict to work. Vers. 9-« 17.) a) Work remains the principal task, b) It can and must be advanced even during the preparation for conflict ; the preparation for con- flict does not hinder, but makes us active, zeal- ous and strong, c) Laziness and ease must be renounced, with self denial. Starke: We must guard ourselves well on all sides, that the devil may not make a breach, for he goes about us like a roaring lion, 1 Pet. v. 8. In the common struggle againBt Satan and his hosts we must support and help one another. True builders of the church of Christ must not only industriously build, i. «., teach and preach, but also diligently act on the defensive, and resist all the powerful incursions of the devil, and all godless conduct, Tit. i. 9. In the church militant we must work in full armor, and have the sword of the Spirit at hand, that we may be a match for temptations, Eph. vi. 16, 17. God can easily put to naught the crafty attacks of the enemy, Job v 12. Vers. 1-8- The assaults of the people of God. 1) How they originate against it a) Through enemies who threaten to undo His work, b) Through weak friends, who, in spite of, or, on account of watching and prayer, become de- pressed and dissuaded from the work. 2) How they are to be overcome, a) By readiness for the conflict, h) By confidence in the great, only- to-be-feared God, who fights for His people.— Bkde: Plane hxc ira hxreticorum, hxc verba eorum sunt, qui se Samaritanos, hoe est, custodes legit CHAP. V. 1-19. 23 Dei, fnutra cognominant. cum sinl maxime Deo con- trurii ac legibus ejus, ut potejariidudum a domo David, hoc est, ab imitate Christ i et ecclesise per heereses aut srbismata aut mala opera segregali : gui ne sua forte impugnetur atque excludalur impietas, muros fidei fedi/ieuri metwunt . . . Tales Solent imbecilles appel- lare Judteos, hoc est, confessores tidei, et facile a gen- tibus superandos, dum in qwitidiano animarum cer- tamme plus amant vitia quam virtutis victorise pal- nam obtmere. — Starke: To pray and keep good watch are the best means in the time of danger, Eph. vi. 18. This is the way of many people; they innke, indeed, a good start in the Lord's work, hut when it becomes hard they draw back, and wish to take no trouble, Matt, xiii 20, 21. Honest souls should not allow themselves to be frightened back by them. Nothing makes one more oourageous in war than to be entirely assured that God is with us, and fights for us, Rom. viii. 31 ; Ps. xxvii. 1. — Our task at the time of attack. 1) Towards defying ene- mies — to pray and watch, i. e., to be prepared for conflict (vers 1-3). 2) Towards depressed friends, who yet increase the defiance of the enemy — to confirm their confidence in Him who alone is to be feared, and to sharpen their con- sciousness of the duty of the conflict (ver 8). — What attacks befall the servants of the Lord (as Nehemiah) in their work for the honor of God. 1) Through dangers on the part of de- fiant enemies, who cannot endure the difference between the kiugdom of God and the world. 2) From the dejection, hesitation, and foolishness on the part of weak friends, who easily inter- rupt the work and put it back. 3) Through the breaches in the walls of Jerusalem, which ren- der the defences of the city difficult. — Our duty to watch and pray. 1) Its cause — the malice of the enemy, their power, their aim, the whole altitude of their hearts towards the king- dom of God. 2) Its result : its fulfilment is diffi- cult to many, certainly faithlessness, increased defiance of the enemy, and dissuasion from the work on the part of weak friends are excited; but in contrast to these are a) watchfulness — b) readiness for the conflict — and c) the increasing the confidence in the Lord. — Bede: Hoc est uni- cum adversus hostes universos ecclesire suffugium. ora- tio videlicet ad Deum, et indistria doclorum qui die noefuque in lege ejus meditantes corda fidelntm contra lusidias diaboli ac militum ejus pr&dicando, conso~ lando, exhorlando priemuniant. Vers. 9-17. What obligation due* I he enmity of the world against the buildiug of the kingdom of God lay upon us? 1) To advance the build- ing with all our might, in spite of dangers (vers. 9. 10). 2) To be armed while at work (vers. 11, 12). 3) To heed I lie signal of the leader, when he calls to conflict (vere. 13, 14). 4) Perseve- rance in the preparation for war (ver. 15); joy- ful, sacrificing zeal in the work (ver. l(i). In all positions severity towards ourselves, particu- larly towards our love of ease, and laziness. — Starke: The church always needs those distin- guished people, who can comfort the weak iu faith, and timorous, and can give them a certain hope in the help of God, 1 Thes. v. 14. In Ne- hemiah the rulers of the city, and heads of the church, have an example of godliness in his con- fidence in God — of foresight and diligent watch- fulness in his management of this important work, and his arrangement of such good order and war discipline, also of courage and boldness in his proved heroic spirit in the midst of such great fear, danger, and difficulty as that with which he was surrounded on every side in this difficult work. Also in the spiritual conflict it is obligatory upon teachers and watchmen of the church that they should set the example in watchfulness and perception of the public: good, and not allow themselves to be annoyed by any trouble. Rev xvi. 15; Luke xii. 35. Vers. 11, 12. The preparation for war of the Christian. 1) Why it is necessary the Christian has to build. His buildiug is an attack upon the world, which is irritated by it to the conflict. 2) In what it consists. The Christian bears, even at work, the right weapons. 3) At what it aims. We must and will secure the continuance of the work, and cultivate the feeling of joy and assu- rance. God will exercise us at the same time in sobriety, self-denial, and activity. Vers. 18- 21. The voice of our general in face of the ene- my 1) What it takes for granted — that we are prepared for the conflict, even when at work. 2) Of what it reminds us — of the greatness of the work which imposes upon as the building of the kingdom of God in others, and particularly in ourselves; and on the many dangers connected with it. 3) What it demands — that we should heed the signal for conflict, and join ourselves with all the faithful in the strife. 4) What it promises — that God will fight for us, and finally cause our work to succeed. Chapter V. 1-19. 1 And there was a great erv of the people and of their wives against their brethren 2 the Jews. For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters are many ; therefore we take up corn [perhaps, our sons and our daughters we mortgage, that 3 we might buy corn] for them, that we may eat and live. Some also there were that said. We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy 4 corn, because of the dear'h There were also that said, we have borrowed money 5 for the king's tribute, ittd that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet [and] now our THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children [sons] as their children [sons] : and In, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already : neither is it in our power [and our hand is uot to God] to redeem them; for [and] other men have our lands and 6, 7 vineyards. And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said uuto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against 8 them. And I said unto them, We, after our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen ; and will ye even sell your brethren ? or shall they be sold unto us ? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to 9 answer [and found no word]. Also [and] I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our 10 enemies? [And] I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants might exact or' 11 [have lent] them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Re- store, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lauds, their vineyards, their olive yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the 12 wine and the oil, that ye exact of [lent] them. Then [and] said they, We will re- store them, and will require nothing of them ; so will we do as thou sayest. Th^n [And] I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according 13 to this promise. Also I shook my lap [bosom], and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performest not this promise [word], even thus be he shaken out and emptied [empty] And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise 14 [word]. Moreover from the time that I was appointed [he (Artaxerxes) appointed me] to be their governor in the land of Judab, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my 15 brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor But [And] the former gover- nors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver ; yea, even their servants bare 16 rule over the people : but [and] so did not I, because of the fear of God. Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land : and all my 17 servants were gathered thither unto the work. Moreover [And] there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides [and] those that came 18 unto us from among the heathen that are about us. Now [and] that which was prepared for me {i. e., at my expense) daily [for one day] was one ox and six choice sheep; als > fowls were prepared for me (i. e., at my expense), aud once in ten days store [large quantity] of all sorts of wine: yet [anil] for all this required not I the 19 bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. Think upon [remember to] me, my God, for good, according to [om. according to] all that I have done for this people. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. ' Ver. 5. The E. V. rightly supplies an equivalent to 0(1137. » Ver. 6. IpS'l. This Niphal evidently carries the Chaldee, Syriao, and Samaritan meaning of the verb- Oomp. Dan. iv. 24 (27) where the derivative noun is used. The literal translation here is "and my heart was con- sulted upon me." Why the lexicographers give it a Kal meaning I know not. 3 Ver. 15. inx is rightly rendered "besides." After the forty shekels salary they received the bread an EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. Hindrances (2) from the Tyranny of Jews over one another. It. might at first sight seem as if this episodical chapter was out of plice, and should properly follow chap viii.; but there is no sound reason why we should not consider the complaint to have been made while all were engaged in the important work of fortifying the city, as a time when it would be the easier to remedy the evil under the pressure of the common danger. •i e Ver. 2. We, our sons and our daughter are many, etc. The error of the Heb. text 1 in writing rabbim for orebim (requiring only one letter prefixed in the Hebrew) is very evident (according to Houbigant), so that it should read in English, we have mortgaged our sons and our daughters that we might buy corn. Compare the structure of the next verse. The complaint was three-fold: 1. We mortgage our children for food. 2. We mortgage our estates for food. 8. We mortgage our estates for the royal tribute. In all these their brethren were the exactors, not only acting tyrannically towards them, but break- CHAP. V. 1-19. 25 '. The use of S^' for *7K is noticeable. See ver. 17, et al. 8 Ver. 6. (Dltfl for DtfJ. not after the analogy of the prop, names in ^TT (where the variation is owing to a form of the r'ivine name),' but rather to be compared with "yv (Ex. iv. 18) and nri' (Ex. iii. 1). « Ver. 8. CN"tf3, Aramaic for DXT3- See 1 Kings iii. 33, for the only other use of the verb. 6 Ver. 13. Ii'jl is properly "to trie intent that." The first one here anticipates the other two, thus " To this intent he was hirer], to the intent that, etc." EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. (3) Hindrances from the Heathen and their Jewish Confederates. Ver. 2. The omission of Tobiah's name is an indication that he was merely an attache: of depression; but the name of Lod is generally identified with Ludd or Lydda in the Sharon plain, twenty-five miles north-west of Jerusalem. If so, the ordinary siting of Ono in that plain is doubtless correct. Eus.biui places it at three miles from Lydda. Sanballat. Notice also (in ihe Hcb.) that the , Why Sanballat should select so distant a spot prep, is not repealed before Tobiah, as it is is puzzling, unless he happened to be stationed before Geshem. — Villages — Some take this as there himself at the time. Otherwise he would a proper name, Chephirim. Ono, with Lod and I know that the invitation would arouse Nehe- Hadid, is mentioned in ch. vii. 37 between Jeri- ! miah's suspicions. There may be another Ono cho aud Senaah, as if it might be in the Jordan ! near Chephirah, which is ten miles north-west 28 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. of Jerusalem, and Chephirim (villages) may stand for Chephirah. Ver. 6. An open letter, that its contents might alarm all the Jews, and create opposition to Nehemiah. Ver. G. Gashmu, i. e. Geshem. — According to these 'words. — Sanballat throughout makes no accusation, but refers to rumor. Nehemiah's answer is (ver. 8) : There is not according to these words which thou sayest, i. e. there is no such rumor. Strengthen my hands. — This interjected prayer must be taken from Nehemiah's journal at the time. When he writes the narrative, he quotes his ejaculation, as showing where his dependence was at that trying time. Ver. 10. Shemaiah evidently (see ver. 12) was a prophet. The gift of prophecy did not prevent a man from selling himself to lie for others (see 1 Kings xxii. 22). — Shut up. — See Jer. xxxvi. 5. He was shut up perhaps in per- formance of a vow ; Keii suggests as a Bymbol of his charge to Nehemiah. This use of 'azar is related to the derivative 'azarrah (a court). The temple, i. e. the innermost building, the temple proper. Ver. 11. Would go into the temple to save his life — Lit. : " would go into the temple and live." The last clause may refer to the death of any one violating the sanctity of the temple. See Num. xviii. 7. It may also mean what our translators give. Ver. 13. Do so and sin, i. e. shut myself up in fear, and enter the holy place, into which only the priests could enter. Ver. 14. Sanballat evidently had a strong party in Jerusalem, and among them many of prophetio rank hired with his money. Ver. 15. Elul was the sixth month corres- ponding to parts of August and September. — Fifty and two days — -Hence the work was begun on the fourth of Ab, the fifth month. The work wtnt on during the hottest part of the year (say, from July 19th to Sept. 8th). Ver. 16. The marvellously short time in which the work had been done, and that, too, by Jews, whom Sanballat knew to be divided into mutu- ally hostile parties, impressed him and his co- adjutors with the sense of a divine co-operation with Nehemiah. Josephus turns the fifty-two days into eight hundred and forty days, probably in his desire to tone down the marvellous for his readers. Ver. 18. Meshullam. See ch. iii. 4. HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL. 1. Nehemiah, when persistently declining the invitation to meet Sanballat at the plain of Ono, exposed himself to the charge of opposing peace measures. This is one of the hardest trials of virtue, to continue steadfast in a true course at the risk of impugned motives and damaged reputation. Sanballat's fifth message and open letter sought to endanger Nehemiah with the king, while it seemed to show Sanballat's devo- ton to the king's interests. The refusal now to at i end a conference would appear the worse. Yet the sturdy patriot and man of Ood rests upon his integrity and trusts in God. This persistence in the right, come what would, makes Nehemiah a great man as well as a good man. 2. "Shemaiah" was such a common name among the Jews, that it is impossible to identify this prophet with any other person of his name (as e. g. the one in Ezra x. 21). He must, how- ever, have been a man of prominence, and one, too, who had been in Nehemiah's confidence, or else the attempt would never have been made by Tobiah and Sanballat through him. It may have been the high position and reputation of Shemaiah that led the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets (ver. 14) into the false dealings with Nehemiah. 3. The expression of Nehemiah's soul for their punishment from God is the outcry for vindication, which one's very purity of heart demands. In such outcry the persecuted and innocent soul finds rest. Let none confound this with revenge. 4. It is not strange that Sanballat saw that the wall-building was wrought of Israel's God. The trouble with God's enemies is not that their knowledge is defective, but that their hearts are alienated. Evidences are multiplying con- stantly before them, but produce no change in their opposition. Sanballat was vexed because he was thwarted by the Lord God of Israel. Those fifty-two days of wall-building were clearly to his mind a token of divine assist- ance; but this knowledge did not stop his oppo- sition. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Vers. 1-3. Can the enticements of the dis- sembling world really make any impression upon us? 1) What are they? They all come to this one thing in the end, that we shall care before all for ourselves, that is, for our temporal well- being, and therefore shall descend from our due height as children of God, and they aim not towards our salvation, but towards our destruc- tion. 2) What have we to place in opposition to them? That we have a great work to do, the building of the walls of Jerusalem, that is, the securing the kingdom of God in others, and p irticularly in ourselves, the spreading and the improvement thereof, only through the most faith- ful performance of this great, infinite work, can we reach the high goal of our salvation. — Bede: Nehemias personam fidelium doctorum tenens, nequa- quam ad pro/anos descendere neque eorum hostiis iriquinari sentit, sed in conceptis virtutum operibus devotus persistit; et quo acrius terrere nitebantur inimici, eo magis ipse bene operando ierribilis eisdem inimicu fieri contendit. Vers. 1-9. The behaviour of those who grudge independence to the congregation. 1) They act as if they wish to aid it. 2) They seek to in- timidate, as if the representatives of freedom were rendering themselves worthy of suspicion in a dangerous way. 3) Their only design is to rob the congregation of its capable leaders. Vers. 10-19. The friends of the enemy. 1) They pretend that they are caring for the well- being and the security of the good. 2) They serve the enemy. 3) They only aim at destroy- ing the good leaders. Vers. 15-19. The most repulsive enemies. 1) They are not those from without who are grieved CHAP. VII. 1-73. £9 when the independence of the congregation is secured, and its work crowned with success. 2) They are much rather the false brethren, who always desire to incite the outside enemy anew to disturbing interference by smooth words. — Bede: Semper habent deed /oris pugnas, inlus timores; nee solum aposlolis, sed el prophetse pert- culis ex genere, pertculis ex, genlibus, periculis ex fuhis fratribus suspectam vitam agebant. Starke: What Paul writes concerning false brethreu (2 Cur. xi. 20) that has Nehemiah also experienced for his portion. And it is indeed one of the heaviest griefs of the true servants of God, when they must see that that those connected wilh them in religion, yes, iudeed at times their col- leagues, who labor with them in the same work, stand in prejudicial intercourse with the enemies of Christ and His church, aod yet wish to be con- sidered as co-members, striving for the honor of God. Those whom God awakens for spiritual building should conduct themselves circum- spectly and courageously against the snares of the enemy, and not allow themselves to be fright- ened off by their slander, but cheerfully pro- ceed. In the end the enemy will be cast down with fear in their consciences, and must ac- knowledge that the work is of God. Acts v. 39. When we wander in the midst of anxiety God refreshes us, and stretches His hand over the rage of His enemies, aud helps us with His right hand. Ps. xcvii. 1 1. Vers. 1—19. Concerning the most critical and saddest hinderance whicli opposes us in defence of the congregation. I) From whom it proceeds. Not principally from the outside enemy, not even then when they feign friendship, and, under the pretence of helping us, aim at the worst, but much more from false prophets, who make com- mon cause with the outside enemy, and yet pre- ttnd that they wish to protect us from tiieir suares. They excite our humanity to allow our- selves, for our security or ease, that which can become ruinous to us. 2) How it serves us. Our zeal, our fidelity and perseverance, and our watchfulness must be so much the greater; we shall have opportunity to keep ourselves in suf- ferings, not for our injury, but for our salvation. 3) How it is to be overcome. Through precau- tion aud fearlessness, through the fear of God in which are united humility and genuine high courage, also through great watchfulness. — Stakke: Great lords, who seek to further the good of the church of God and of the common- wealth, are a thorn in the devil's eye. The cross is often never lifted from the godly, that they may live in continual communion with God. Ah, my God, I have also a great business to perform, namely, to save my soul, and better that of my neighbor. Grant that I may be faithful therein, then shall it go on well and succeed. Chapter VII. 1-73. 1 Now [And] it came to pass when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, 2 and the porters aud the siugcrs aud the Levites were appointed, that I gave my brother Hanani aud Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem, for 3 he was [as] a faithful man, and feared God above [i. e. more than] many. And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while [uutil] they stand by, let them shut the doors aud bar them : and ap- point watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every oue in his watch, and every 4 one to be over against his house. Now [And] the city was large [broad on both hands] and great ; but the people wi re few therein, and the houses were not builded. 5 And my God put into my heart to gather [and I gathered] together the nobles, and the rulers, aud the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found 6 written therein. These are the children [sons] of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried awa,* [of the carryiug away], whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carrie I away, and [who] 7 came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city; who came with Zrubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Morde- cai, Bilshau, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, / s'iy, of the 8 men of the people of Israel was this; The children [sous — so everywhere in this 9 lint] of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy ami ttvo. The children of She- 10 phatiah, three hundred seventy and two. The children of Arab., six hundred fifty 11 and two. The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two 12 thousand and eight hundred and eighteen. The children of Elam, a thousand two THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 13 hundred fifty and four. The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. 14, 15 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and three-score. The cnildren of Bin- nui, six hundred forty and eight. 16, 17 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. The children of Azgad, 18 two thousand three hundred twenty and two. The children of Adonikam, six 19 hundred three score and seven. The children of Bigvai, two thousand three-score 20,21 and seven. The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five. The children 22 of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. The children of Hashuin, three hundred 23 twenty and eight. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty aud four. 24, 25 The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve. The children of Gibeon, ninety 26 and five. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, a hundred four-score and eight. 27, 28 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. The men of Beth-azma- 29 veth, forty and two. The men of Kirjath-jearim, (Jhephirah, and Beeroth, seven 30 hundred forty and three. The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and 31, 32 one. The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two. The men of 33 Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three. The men of the other Nebo, fifty 34 and two. The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 35, 36 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The children of Jericho, 37 three hundred forty and five. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hun- 38 dred twenty and one. The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. 39 The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua. nine hundred 40, 41 seventy and three. The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. The 42 children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. 43 The Levites: The children of Jeshua. of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hode- vah, seventy and four. 44 The singers : The children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight. 45 The porters : The children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Tal- mon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hun- dred thirty and eight. 46 The Nethinim : The children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of 47 Tabbaoth, the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, 48 the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai, 49, 50 the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the 51 children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children 52 of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah, the children of Besai, 53 the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim, the children of Bakbuk, 54 the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, the children of Bazlith, the 55 children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, the children of Barkos, the children 56 of Sisera, the children of Tamah, the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 57 The children of Solomon's servants : The children of Sotai, the children of So- 58 phereth, the children of Perida, the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, 59 the children of Giddel, the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the 60 children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon. All the Nethinim and 61 the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. And thess were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addou, and Immer : but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they 62 were of Israel. The children of Djlaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. 63 And of the priests : Tne children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and 64 was called after their name. These sought their register among those that were, reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found : therefore were they, as polluted, put 65 from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. 66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and 67 three-score. Besides thiir man-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there CHAI\ VII. 1-73. 31 were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven : and they had two hundred 68 forty and five singiug men and singing women. Their horses, seven hundred thirty 69 and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five: their camels, four hundred thirty and five : six thousand seven hundred aud twenty asses. 70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty 7) priests' garments. And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pounds 72 of silver. And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and three-score and seven priests' gar- i"3 ments. So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. 1 Ver. 3. Ifj'V vxft rmni. T T I " ""I TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. for 11JDV «•«{ \eyov-tvov. The Targum Jonathan on 2 Kings iv. 4, nS^H mjDl EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. The Ordering of the City. Ver. 1. The setting up of the doors on tho gates is anticipated in the description in chap, iii. (See ch. iii. 1, 3, 6, 13, 14, 15.) It occurred after the wall was completed. (Comp. chap, vi. 1). The porters and the singers and the Lsvites (comp. ch. xii. 45-47). For the ternple-porters in David's time, see the accounts tn 1 Chron. ix. 17-27, and xxvi. 1-19. The Korhites or descendants of Korah, who were porters, were also singers, to whom are inscribed so many psalms. All of these porters and sing- ers were Levites. Hence the threefold titles might not indicate distinct classes, but we might read it as a hendiatris " the Lcvitical singing porters." Yet from the later portions of this book (ch. x. 28; ch. xi. 15—19) we may gather that the singers and porters formed two distinct guilds, separate from one another and separate ;rom the other Levites. Hence the three terms here represent three bodies of men. It is pro- bable that the opening and shutting of tb^ temple gates were made with song. Perhaps ome of the psalms inscribed to the Bene-Korah were so used. Nehemiah seems to have set these Levitical porters at all the city gates, perhaps to give a more religious aspect to his work of defending Jerusalem. Ver. 2. Hin.m; — See ch. i. 2. Hananiah's position as ruler of the palace (sar habbiraK) was probably the old office of the monarchy (Jal- iabbayith) which Eliakim held (2 Kings xviii. 37) and which Jotham hell while tjzziah still lived ('al beth-hammclek, 2 Chron. xxvi. 21). See note on ch. ii. 8. Tho old office was probably retained and its incumbent acted as vizier or prime officer to tho governor. Nehemiah probably contem- plated temporary returns to Persia, and there- fore consolidated the government in this way, putting faithful men in the highest positions. Ver. 3. While they stand by. — Rather, until they stand by. The command is, not to open the gates till high day, and not even then, unless the guard is ready to stand by end defend them. The watchers were stationed throughout the city. These were forced of the inhabitants ge- nerally. Ver. 4. The houses were not builded.— A general expression. The city was full of waste places. Ver. 6. Here begins a copy of the list of Zo- rubbabel's company of ninety years before. See Ezra ii. It continues through this chapter. Verses 6 and 7 form the title of the list. Pro- vince. — Judea was now a province of the Per- sian empire. That went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away whom Nebuchadnezzar, etc. — Rather, that went tip from exile, the captives whom Nebuchadnezzar, etc. Ver. 7. Nehemiah. — Not the Nehemiah of this book. Azariah. — In Ezra ii., Xrraiah. Raamiah. — In Ezra ii., Reelaiah. Nahamaui. — Not mentioned in Ezra ii. Perhaps a mistaken repetition of Nehemiah. Mispereth. — In Ezra ii., Mizpar. Nehum.— In Ezra ii., Jiehum. Ver. 10. The C52 of this verse is 775 in Ezra ii. Ver. 11. The 2818 of this verse is 2S12 in Ezra ii. Ver. 13. The 815 of this Ezra ii. Ver. 15. Binnui. — la Ezra ii. Hani. of this verse i3 642 in Ezra ii. Ver. 16. The 628 of this verso i Ezra ii. Ver. 17. The 2322 Ezra ii. Ver. 18. The 667 of Ezra ii. Ver. 19. The 2067 Ezra ii. Ver. 20. The 655 Ezra ii. Ver. 22. The 328 Ezra ii. Ver. 23. The 324 of this verse is 2-6 iu Ezra ii. Ver. 24. Hariph.— In Ezra ii. Jorak. Ver. 25. Gibeon. — In Ezra ii. Gibbar, __ Ver. 26. The 188 of this verse is 179 in Ezra ii., and divided into two parts. At this verse. verse is 915 in The 643 623 in of this verse is 1222 in this verso of this verso of this verse 6G6 in 2f56 ia 454 in of this of this 32 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. when "children " changes to "men," the names of towns (instead of those of fathers) begin. Ver. 28. Beth-azmaveth. In Ezra ii. Azma- veth. Ver. 32. The 123 of this verse is 223 in Ezra ii. Ver. 33. The other Nebo {Nebo A'her). In Ezra ii. Nebo simply. Ver. 34. The word " children" resumed, but the names of fathers are resumed for two verses only. Ver. 37. The 721 of this verse is 725 in Ezra ii. Ver. 38. The 3930 of this verse is 3630 in Ezra ii. In Ezra we find "the children of Mag- bish a hundred fifty and six," which is omitted in this copy of Nehemiah. Ver. 43. Hodevah. — In Ezra ii. Hodaviah. Ver. 44. The 148 of this verse is 128 in Ezra ii. Ver. 45. The 138 of this verse is 139 in Ezra ii. Ver. 46. Hashupha. — Heb. Hasupha. Ver. 47. Sia. — In Ezra ii. Siaha. Ver. 48. In Ezra we find " the children of Akkub, the children of Hagab," which is here omitted. Shalmai. — Heb. Salmai. Ver. 52. In Ezra we find " ihe children of As- pah," which is here omitted. Nepliishesim. — In Ezra ii. Nephusim (K'ri). Ver. 54. Bazlith. — In Ezra ii. Bazluth. Ver. 57. Perida. — In Ezra ii. Peruda. Ver. 59. Amon. — In Ezra ii. Ami. Ver. 60. Thirty-five families of Nethinim were represented, and ten of Solomon's servants. Hence there was an average of less than nine to each family. For the Nethinim see on ch. in. 26. Solomon's servants were doubtless tho e whom Solomon enslaved of the Canaaniles. (See 1 Kings ix. 20, 21). Their descendants were probably regarded as engrafted into Israel, as were the Gibeonites. Ver. 61. Addon. — In Ezra ii. Addan. Ver. 62. The 642 of this verse is 652 in Ezra ii. Ver. 65. The Tirshatha. — This title is given expressly to Nehemiah in ch. viii. 9, but in this list of those who came with Zerubbabel nearly a century before, it, of course, cannot refer to Ne- hemiah, unless we suppose that both in Ezra's list and in this of Nehemiah's there had been interpolated in the original record this 65th verse, to show a decision made by Nehemiah in his time. If that be the case, which is perfectly possible, then, the latter part of the 70lh verse is also an interpolation of Nehemiah to show his gifts to the work of separation in his time. If we do not accept this explanation, we must be- lieve that Zerubbabel was the Tirshatha of Ne- hem. vii., and Ezra ii. Fueest derives the word from tarasfi, and supposes this root means " to fear," or " to reverence," and refers Teresh (Esth. ii. 21) to the same. But may it not be from the more common root yarash (to possess) ? The Persian torsh (revere) is in favor of the former. It is used as synonymous with pc'hah, (governor). See ch. xii. 26. Till there stood up a priest with TJrim and Thumrnim.— This seems to be a circumlo- cution for " forever." The Urim and Thummim. (whatever they were) were connected with the High-priest's breastplate (Ex. xxviii. 30) and with the oracular response of Go l on application by the High-priest (comp. Num. xxvii. 21 and 1 Sam. xxviii. 6). When these responses ceased or when the Urim and Thummim were lost, we cannot tell. We hear nothing of them after Da- vid's reign. The prophets seem to have tiken their place. The Urim and Thummim being ab- sent, there was no authority in Israel to deter- niine the priestly status of these unregisu-red one3. Ver. 66. The whole congregation toge- ther was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore. — 1 lie numbers given in this chapter, up to this verse, amount to only 31,089. luEzraii. the amount is 29,818. If we add to the former sum the number of ser- vants given in ver. 67, we have only 38,671, or 3,689 less than the gross amount of this verse. We have noted the omission in this list of four families. The differences in the numbers of the two lists also show how liable are numbers to be changed in transcription. The grand total, being the same in both lists, is probably correct. Ver. 67. Singing men and singing wo- men, meshorerim umeshoreroth. Comp Eccl. Ii. 8. These were probably a guild of servants, dating from Solomon's day. Ver. 70. The work of restoration. The Tirsbatha. — See on ver. 65. Ver. 71. The repetition of the chief of the fathers seems to support Ihe view of the T.r- shatha sentence being an interpolation by Ne- hemiah. The 20,000 drams of gold here is 61.- 000 in Ezra ii., and the 2200 pounds here are ." i I.) pounds there, but if we add the people's ,i of v. r. 72 (not found in Ezra) we have here 40.000 and 4200 against 61,000 and 5000 there. So the sixty-seven priests' g rments here are one hundred there. See remark on numbers in ver. 66. The children of Israel were in their ci- ties. — This seems to bu the real ending of the quotation from the old register of Zerubbabel's day, and then Nehemiah's narration begins again, using almost the same words as Ezra's concerning the first migration. In Ezra it is wayyeasphu ha'am keisk e'hadh, and in Nehemiah it is wayyeasphu khol ha'am keisk e'hadh. This likeness was doubtless designed. HISTORICAL AXD ETHICAL. 1. The walls were not to be substitutes for, but encouragements of, watchfulness. A perfect sjstem of opening, shutting, barring and guard- ing the gates was to follow the successful up- building of the city-bulwark. Faithful men were to be put into the highest positions, and a larger number of Jews were to be induced to dwell in Jerusalem in order to its defence. The order, security and growth of Jerusalem, as the city of the Great King, Jehovah of Israel, formed the undivided aim of the son of Hacba- liah. 2. The genealogies occupied an important place in Israel. They contained the certificate of church-membership for each Israelite. They CHAP. VII. 1-73. also contained the claims lo official dignity that belonged to priest and Levite. The family-idea thus received a marked emphasis in God's re- demptive government — an emphasis which is echoed by Malachi (Mai. iv. 0) and the angel that appeared to Zacharias (Luke i. 17). The appearance of the Nethiuim in the genealogies is a forcible illustration of the impartial grace of God. That grace which would bring in all the Gentiles as children was foretokened by the brotherly position of the Nethinim (of Gentile blood) among the people of God, the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 3. Those priests whose names were not in the lists were counted the same as polluted, that is, not simply as having a blemish (see Lev. xxi. 17- 21), for such priests could eat of the holy things, but as having an uncleinness (see Lev. xxii. 8-6), which prevented all contact with holy objects. This shows the prominence of externals in the Jewish religion — a necessary prominence where the externals had a precise spiritual significance. For, after all, it was the spiritual truth which was the basi9 of such exactness, and by no means the mere intrinsic value of externals. 4. The entire number of Jews who returned in Cyrus* day to Jerusalem was small — about. 50,000, out of millions. Piety, patriotism and desire for change were three motives at work in the 50,000. But what a vast mass were unmoved by any of these motives, and were well satisfied with their exile! Some, however, like Daniel, remained from high and holy motives. The Jewish people is a remnant. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. The Lord, on nis side, appoints watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, who must allow them- selves no rest day or night, and must not even give the Lord Himself any rest until lie fortifies Jerusalem, and makes it for a praise in the earth. Isa. lxii. 6, 7. But now, when Jeru- salem is scantily rebuilt, Nehemiah appoints watchmen, who shall guard the city and its gates. The first thing necessary for the congregation is praying hearts, whose petitions shall not slacken until the Lord is persuaded ; these the Lord Himself must give. But when the prayers have been granted care mu^t be taken for the preservation and using of that which has been granted. That the congregation itself must see to. And that they themselves can ami must watch, that they must remain separated from the world, and that they will be secured in the main- tenance of their peculiarity and independence, is their honor and joy. 2 There are always two tasks in the congregation, or church, of the Lord. As there are always enemies remaining (so long as the kingdom is not of God and of His Christ), who cannot endure the spread of the blessing, which might proceed from the church, who would much rather indeed win its possessions and gifts, aud would wish to make it like the world, so these enemies, especially then, when the powers of life are most active in it, come out to attack it most energetically, and fall upon its representatives mosl sharply in word aud deed, therefore it must always have homic to keep watch, to protect it. and fight the enemy. But again: so long as everything is in em' ryo, aud the conclusion has not been reached, and there are yet those to be found capable of re- ceiving and becoming participants iu the goods and gifts of the church and in the salvation of the Lord, that is, those who can and will enter the congregation of the Lord, and increase and extend the Lord's kingdom, therefore, just on this account, such are necessary as will be engaged in the winning and reception of new members to the kingdom, who understand the situation, and can point out the spot where they also can build. 3. As Jerusalem, in Nehemiah's time, extended far on both sides, and was scan- tily populated, so also the city of God in all times has had space for new additions to its po- pulation. For, in truth, the rich possessions which God has prepared in His church for man- kind, would only then be sufficiently turned to profit when every one culled man should enjoy them, and it were itself full and sufficiently built out, and all had entered in. For that God, who has made all things for Himself, and for that Lord who has redeemed all, the totality alone, from which none is lost, forms a sufficiently great peo- ple. — Bede: Pracepit autcm Kehemias, ne aperian- tur porta: Werusalem tisque ad calorem solis, hoc est toto tempore noctis, ne videlicet aut obtectus tenebris hostis erumpat, aut eerie aliquis incautus exiens ah hoste captus pereat. Quod etiam in hujus suculi node iota custodes animarum dtbent solirter agere, ne observantia pix conversationis neglceta diabolus aut cohortem fidelium perturbaturus subintret aut de ipsorum numero fidelium quempiam perditurus rapiat. Apparente autem sole j'ustilue et clarescente luce fu- turse beatitudinis jam non opus erit claustris conti- nentue ; quia nee adversariis ultra dabitur facullas impugnandi sive tentandi fidcles, utpote sempiterna cum suo principe ullione damnatis. Uude in Apoca- h/psi sua Joannes de futura ejiisdem sancta: civitalis gloria dicit ; et porta; ejus non claudenlur per diem; nox enim non erit illic. — Starke: This is the final cause why cities and countries, kingdoms and principalities are founded, and filled with people that God may dwell there, and 11 is church may have a certain shelter. God provides help, pro- tection, and rest for His church, ard as human protection is very insignificant, God with His angels is the best watchman. TIIE BOOS OF NEHEMIAH. Chapter VIII. 1-18. 1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water-gate ; and they spake unto Ezra the scrioe to bring the book 2 of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding [that understood in hearing] upon the first 3 day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the screec that was before the water-gate from the morning until midday [from the light until half of the day], before the men and the women, and those that cauld understand [and the understanding] ; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the 4 law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit [tower] of wood, which they had made for that purpose; and beside him stood Mattidriah. and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand ; an 1 on his left hand Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah 5 and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight [to the eyes] of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people 6 stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people an- swered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands : and they bowed their heads, 7 and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also [and] Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to under- 8 stand the law : and the people stood in their place. So [And] they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to under- 9 stand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God ; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people 10 wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then [And] he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat [fat things], and drink the sweet [sweet things], and send portions unto them [him] for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto 11 our Lord : neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. So [And] the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is 12 holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions and to make great mirth, because they had understood 13 the words that were declared unto them. And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests and the Levites, unto 14 Ezra the scribe, even to understand [consider] the words of the law. And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by [by the hand of] Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh 15 month; and that they should publish and proclaim [cause the voice to be heard and to pass] in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine [oil-tree] branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick [thick-leaved] tree-, to make booths, as it is 16 written. So [And] the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house [upon his roof], and in their courts, and in the street [square] of the water-gate, and in the street [square] of the gate 17 of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was 18 very great gladness. Also [And] day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days ; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly according unto the manner [statute]. chap. Viir. 1-18. EXEGETICAL AXD CRITICAL. The Instruction of the People. Ver. 1. Street. — Rather "square" or plaza. The ■water-gate, according to our view (sue on ch. iii. 26 and xii. 37), was an inner gate connected both with the temple and with the subterranean water galleries of Ophel, by which there seems to have been a large open square for public assemblies. (See Excursus). Ezra the scribe, Ezra hassoplnr. In the next verse it is Ezra the priest, Ezra hakkohen. This is the first mention of Ezra in the book of Nehe- miah. He had come to Jerusalem thirteen years previously, with about three thousand returning Jews (1751 males), holding a commission from Artaxerxes to appoint magistrates in Judsea. He had forced the Jews to separate from their heathen wives, and had then probably returned to Persia, a3 we find the Jews had relapsed into their former condition. As we do not meet with his name in Nehemiah till now, it is probable he followed Nehemiah to Judea to assist him in an- other movement of reform. Ver. 2. All that could hear -with under- standing — Lit.. AH that understood in hearing, i. c. those old enough to understand. The first day of the seventh month. — This was a spe- ci ti "Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trum- pets, a holy convocation." (Lev. xxiii. 24). A specific offering was appointed for that day, be- - 1 ■■ the burnt-offering of the month. (Numb. xxix. 1-6). Ver. 3. From morning. — Lit., from the light, i. e., from daylight or an hour as early as was available. The reading must have occupied at least six hours. About one-quarter of the Pen- tateuch might be read in that time. Ver. 4. Pulpit. — Probably the same that is called tltiri in ch. ix. 4. The word here is strictly tower and there ascent. It was doubtless a very high platform bo as to overlook a large crowd. (Comp. ver. 5). Anaiah. — See chap. x. 22. TJrijah. — See ch. iii. 4. Hilkiah. — Not the Hilkiah of xii. 7. He lived in Zerubbabil's day. Maaseiah. — See xii. 41. Malchiah — See x. 3. Zechariah. — See xii. 41. Meshul- lam. — See x. 7. All these named as standing with Ezra may hive been priests. If so, the Anaiah of ch. x. 22 must be a different one from this one here named. As far as we can trace the other names, they appear to be priests. Ver. 7. Jeshua. — S>e ch. x. 9. Bani. — See ch. x 13. Sherebiah. — See ch. x. 12. Ja- min. — Perhaps the Benjamin of ch. iii. 23. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. 1 Ver. C. nnrO^l np'1. This frequent combination, the former verb being never without the latter, indi- cates the two steps of the movement : "they stooped and bowed down." The verbs nnt?', HDl? and rut? aro T T -t stj-oncer than TO. -It 2 Ver. 7. The Hiphil of p3 i3 used in vers. 7, S. tt, with t tie true Iliphil force ; but in vers. '2, 3. 12, it has the K:tt sense. » Ver. 10. i 1 } jijj ["S 1 ? for lS Ti"JJ J'S liVX 1 ?, by suppression of the relative, which is far harsher than the Eng suppression of the antecedent, e. >j. " Honor to whom honor is due." Comp. 1 Chron. it. 12. * Ver. 17. Notice the alliterative use of the three roots 71-*J/, 2"<2l y and 31C- tt - T Akkub. — See ch. xii. in. Shabbethai.— See ch. xi. 16. Hodrjah. — See ch. x. 10. Maa- seiah. — Probably not the Maaseiah of ver. 4, or of ch. x. 25, or of ch. xi. 5, but possibly the Maa- seiah of ch. iii. 23. Kelita — See ch. x. 10. Azariah. — Perhaps the priest mentioned ch. x. 2. Jozabad. — See ch. xi. 16 Hanan. See ch x. 10. Pelaiah. — Seech, x. 10. And the Levites. i. e., and other Levites, for the thirteen mentioned were Levites. These Levites seem to have read after Ezra and to have explained it to different parts of the crowd, while the Aniens, the lifting up of the hands, the bowing and tho worshipping (in ver. 6) occurred at intervals during the reading. The explanation may havo been principally of archaic Hebrew words. Ver. 8. So they read. — That is Ezra read and the Levites re-read and explained whero necessary. Ver. 9. The Tirshatha. — See on ch. vii. 65. The holiness of the day is used as an argument against mourning. Note tho fact that the high- priest on whose mitre was written " Holiness to the Lird," was forbidden to mourn. (See Lev. xxi. 10. Comp. Lev. x. 6). Ver. 10. Send portions. — See tho spirit of this enjoined in Deut. xvi. 11, 12, with regard to the Pentecost season. The joy of the Lord is your strength, i. e., a mirtbfulness which spring from right re- lations to God is an element and sign of spiritual strength. Ver. 13. To understand. — r.ather, "to con- sider." Ver. 14. In the feast of the seventh month, i. e., the feast of tabernacles. See Lev. xxiii. 34-43. Ver. 15. This is a pregnant sentence, thus: And that the;/ should publish and proclaim in all their cities (Lev. xxiii. 4); so they proclaimed in Jerusalem, etc. The order is given on the 2d of Tisri, and the work is done in readiness for the 15th. The narrative runs the two together, con- fusing the time to the careless reader. Unto the mount, i. e., mount of Olives. Pine branches, 'ale ' ' e'z shemen, branches of the oil- tree (Isa. xii. 19) Mr. Houghton (in Smith's Diet.) thinks it may be tho Zaekum or Balanites JEgyptiaca. Branches of thick trees, 'ah 'etz 'avotk ; either specifically "branches of the Avoth tree," or branches of tangled trees." In Lev. xxiii. 40, the command is to use, 1. The fruit of goodly trees. 2. The leaves of pilm trees. 3. The boughs of Avoth trees. 4. Willows of the brook. 9 65 THE BOOK OF NEUEMTAII. Ilere the oli\c tree, the oil tree, and the myrtle would come under the first head (" fruit" being used for any produce), while the willow-tree ia emitted, perhaps because there happened to be none near Jerusalem at that time. Ver. 16. Street of the water-gate. — See on ver. 1. Street of the gate of Ephraim. — From 2 Kings xiv. 13 and Neb. eh. xii. 39, we see that this gate was near the north-west cor- ner of the city, between "the broad wall" and the " old gate," the "old gate" and " corner- gite" being perhaps the same. According to Keil, the Gate of Ephraim may have been at- tached to the broad wall and not have been de- stroyed. Hence it is not mentioned in chap. iii. There was, we may suppose, a large open place in the N. W. part of the city, corresponding to ill it by the water-gate in the S. E. part. Ver. 17. Done so. — That is, kept the feast cf Tabernacles with such gladness. Ver. 18. He read, i. e., Ezra. They kept the feast, i.e., of tabernacles. They had been from the second day (ver. 13), to this the 15th day of Tisri (Lev. xxiii. 34) pre- paring for it. The solemn fast-day of the 10th of Tisri had doubtless been excepted. It is passed over without mention in the narrative. A solemn assembly, atzereth (comp. Lev. xxiii. 36; Num. xxix. 35; Dent. xvi. 8; Jer. ix. 2; Amos v. 21). It seems to have been something more than the " mikra-kodesh" (holy convoca- tion), and yet what more we cannot say. It is ap oiled to the last day of the feast of tabernacles a'ul to the last day of the passover week. Jose- piius (Ant. 3, 10, 5) applies it to Pentecost (in the Greek form-lserrM''),as especially belonging to that day, which is the use of the word b" the later Jews. HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL. 1. The constant study of God's word by the people was always, and is still, a distinguishing characteristic of the Jewish nation. The Le- vites were originally entrusted with the duty of reading (lie law before Israel every seventh year (Deut. xxxi. 9—13), and when Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xvii. 7-9) sent Levites throughout all the cities of Judah to teach the people from the book of the law of the Lord, he was doubtless using the Levites in a way familiar to the nation from the first. God's people were to keep in mini that they were not to follow the light of nature, but to consult the divine oracles for all their guidance (Rom. iii. 2). Redemption was a plan, and the Church was a scheme, and the soul of the scheme was the written word of God. 2. Th") tears of penitence naturally lead to joy. When men mourn for sin, the Lord com- forts tli ''0, saying: "Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet." The sinful woman who bathed our Saviour's feet with tears heard him say: "Go iu peace" (Luke vii. 50). There nny have been much that was only mere excite- ment, without a religious basis, both in the weeping and the merriment of this month of Tisri; yet we cannot but believe that there was a nucleus of true devotion in the movement, a mark of the holy succession that reached down to Simeon and Anna. 3. The booths of the tabernacle-feasts were memorials of the booth life of Israel (on leaving Egypt) that began at Succoth. The memory would encourage humility and gladness, bring- ing the thoughts of the people back to first prin- ciples, and making them to feel the Divine pre- sence and protection (see Lev. xxiii. 43). The roofs of the houses were battlemented so as to preclude danger (Deut. xxii. 8) nnd the houses were low. The building of booths on the roofs was therefore a very natural thing. They would not be in the way of the multitude, and would have in each case somewhat of domestic pri- vacy. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Vers. 1-12. The holiday of the Lord's congre- gation. 1) Its cause: the exterior one lies in the time, it is the seventh month, the true one in the proofs God has given, since He has secured the existence of the congregation before the world, fortified their city, etc. 2) Its celebra- tion. The congregation shows a longing for God's word, uses it in good order, and listens to it with reverence. 3) Its blessing: sadness turned into joy. The ever permanent elements in the true service of God. 1) On the side of the congregation: hunger for the word of God. 2) On the side of the teachers — the right hand- ling of the word of God — commences with the praise of God, which awakens the assenting ac- knowledgment of the congregation, communica- tion of the divine word, the explanation and ap- plication of the same. On both sides resignation to God's word and being. — Bede: liorjaverunt ipsi pontificem suum, ut allato libro viandata sibi legis, qnx agere debeant, rcplicaret, ut cum civitate fed'Jl- cata, open's quoque placiti Deo structura consurgerct, ne sicut anted propter ne). 3) TUe greatness of our need and trouble (vera. 36, 37). Vers. 3--S7. The debasement of the congrega- tion at the present time. 1) Wherein it cousisis. 12) What is its cause. 3) What its aim. — Starke: It is very consoling to thiuk of the mercy of God which He has shown to our ancestors, for the same Uod lives yet. We must hold ourselves in trtu' faith to the promises of God, for they will niver fail. When the godly are involved in the greatest danger God cares for them the most, and knows how to rescue them. We are chas- tised by God that we may not be condemned with the world. When God wishes to deliver His people, He does not look at what they have de- served, but at what His immeasurable mrrcy demands. Those who have provoked God to auger by their sins have little happiness to ex- pect eo long as they go on without penitence. True confession — confession of the name of God and believing prayer, are the right means by which the enemy are again to be driven away. Lord, when trouble is present, they seek thee, etc. Isa. xxvi. 10. Although a false religion may have a great appearance of sanctity ami piety before people, yet is it in the sight of God a great abomination. What beautiful surnames has God. Oh soull mark them well, that thou mayest remember them when conscience accuses, and when thou art in trouble, that thou mayest not despond. Chapter X. 1-39. 1 Now those thatsealed [and on the sealed documents] were Nehemihh, the Tir- 2 shatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah [i. e., Zedekiah] Seraiuh, Azarii.h, Je- 3, 4, 5 remiah, Pashur, Arnariah, Malehijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harini, G, 7 Mcremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 9 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. And the Levites : both Je- 10 shua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel ; and their bre- 1 1 tliren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah. Hanan, Mieha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12, 13, 14 Zaecur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Bani, Beninu. The chief of the ]■>, 16 people: Parosh, Pahnth-moab, Elam, Z.lthu, Bani. Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Ado- 17, 18 nijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hizkijah [i. e., Hezekiah], Azzur, Hodijah, Hashuni, 19, 20,21 Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabcel, 22,23, 24 Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah. Ha.-hub, Hal- 25, 26 lohe?h, Pileha, Shobek, Rehum, Hcshabnah, Maastiah, and Ahijah, Hanan, 27 Anan, Malluch, Harini, Baanah. ^8 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters the singers, the Nethinim, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters every one having 29 knowledge and having understanding; they clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by [the hand of] Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the com- 80 mandments of the Loed our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daugh- 31 ters for our sons: And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath or on the holy day: and that we would leave [i.e.. leave the land to lie untitled] the seventh 32 year and the exaction [loan] of every debt [hand]. Also [And] we made ordi- nances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the ser- 33 vice of the house of our God; for the shewbread [the bread of arrangement], and for the continual meat-offering, and for the continual burnt-offering of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin-offer- ings, to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood- offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is 35 written in the law : And to bring the first-fruits of our ground, and the first-fruits CHAP. X. 1-09. 48 36 37 cf all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord: also the first- born of our sous, and of our cattle, as it is written iu the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: and that we should bring the first-fruits [begin- ning] of our dough [groats], and [of] our offerings [oblations], and [of] the fruit of all manner of trees, of [new] wine and of oil, uuto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God ; and the tithes of our grouuJ unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes [perhaps, and they the Levites pay tithes] iu all the 38 cities of our tillage [service]. And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levite3 take [perhaps, pay] tithea: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the titlus [tithe] unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into [belonging unto] the treasure house. For the children [sons] of Israel and the children [sons] of Levi shall bring the offering [oblation] of the corn, of the new wine, and [of] the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, aud the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not for- sake the house of our God. 39 TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. i Ver. 31. T-Sd Ri?D* [or KSD1J WZWTl lUBfrViK 11)031- The ellipsis is to be filled from Ex. xxiii. TT T- T - ••:- TT- "•: 11. nnt?M riilDOiyn r)^"3tyni, where the pronoun refers to XTS of the preceding ver o. ' Ver. 37. D'Sli'l'Dn here and "\!0^3 in ver. as. (Piel part, and Hipk. ml', of "liyjJ), if we follow the analogy of Deut. xlv. 22, and xxvi. 32, must refer to the paying aud not to the receiving tithes. EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. The Covenant. Vers. 1-8. Because of these twenty-three names fifteen are supposed to be found iu the list (ck. xii. 1—7) of the priests who came wilU Zerubba- bel in the preceding ceuiury, it is held by many that this list contains only family names, and that these families were represented by descendants in the signing, Ezra, for example, signing for his ancestor Seraiah. But as we Hud Neheuiiah iu the list, and also the very Levites (vers. 9-13), who in livi dually stood upou the stairs on the 21th of Tisri (chap. is. 4, 5), it is better to sup- pose that the similarity of the names is acciden- tal, and that family names only occur in the list of ike people, vers. 14-27, if even there. The only alternative is karsk iu two features: first, that tke Levites on the stairs should be called, iu a plain historical statement, by their family names; and secondly, that family names aud personal names should tie so strangely mixed. Moreover, it is to be noted that the family names of chap. vii. and of Ezra ii. are not all repeated bere. We have abundant evidence of the very common use of tke same names among the Israel- ites, and a theory, whicb that fact will explain, seems the easier one here. Vers 9-27. See above note. Vei 28. The test of the people, i.e., besides the chiefs given ill vers. 14-27. The word rest (Ileb. she"r) seems to carry its force to the other classes enumerated, to wit, tke rest of the priextt, etc.; that is, besides those enumerated. Every one having knowledge and having under- standing. — This evidently qualifies t lie general phrase before it. Not all the rest, but those who had knowledge and understanding, joined their brethren in the reform. Ver. 29 Clave to their brethren, their nobles. — That is, to their brethren, the chiefs above mentioned. Commandments, etc. — See on chap. ix. 13, 14. Ver. 31. We would leave the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. — The verb natash (leave) here seems to have a pregnant meaning. We would leave fallow the land each seventh year (comp. Exud. xxiii. 11), and remit at that lime (lit.) the debt of every hand. See Deut. xv. 2. Ver. 32. The third part of a shekel.— This tax, thus first laid, became afterward a half she- kel. (See Matt. xvii. 24, where the Greek is didrachma, i.e., a half shekel.) The half shekel tax of Ex. xxx. 13 is another matter, not. an an- nual tax, but ransom money to be taken at a census as a mark of the Lord's ownership. Ver. 33. The shew-bread. — Hcb. lehem ham- inaareheth (bread of arrangement). The older phrase is lehem happanim (bread of the face). The continual meat-offering. — Ileb. minhath haitamidh. — The continual burnt-offering. — Ileb. olalh haitamidh. So the shew-bread is called lehem haitamidh (Num. iv. 7). So called as oft-recurring in distinction from the occasional offerings. Here, as we see, the offerings are those of each day, of the sabbaths, and of the new moons. — The set feasts are mentioned separately with lamcdh (for). Ver. 34. For the wood-offering. — Ileb. kur- ban haetzim. The feast of the wood-offering (Jo- sephus, B. J„ II. 17, 6) on the 14ih of Ab arose from this institution of Nehemiah. It was the day when those assigned to the duty brought in the wood for the altar. (See Lev. vi. 12 ) Ver. 35. The first fruits of all fruits of all trees. — See Lev. xix. 2 1 and comp. Deut. xxvi. 2. Ver. 30. The first born of our sons. — That is. by bringing redemption-money, as ordered in Numb, xviii. 15, 10. Cattle. — Heb. behemoth. Here unclean beasts, as contrasted with the herds and flocks below. These were also redeemed. (See Num. I. c.) 44 THE BOOK OF NIIIEMI.VIT. Ver. 37. First fruits of our dough (groats or grouucl meal) See Num. xv. 2J. Offerings — i.e., all special offerings. Chambers. — Ileb. lishcoth. The cells or chambers in the courts of the temple. Might have the tithes. — Many read might pay tithes, anticipating the statement of the next verse. Tillage. — There may be a reasonable doubt whether anodhah ever means tillage, unless, as in 1 Chron. xxvii. 2G, it is qualified by another noun. It may mean here "service" in the relation of servants to God, as elsewhere. To suppose that the cities of work or service must mean the country towns, is scarcely credible. Ver. 38. To the chambers, into the trea- sure house. — Rather, to the chambers of the trca- mre house, one of the buildings in the temple area. The tithe of the tithes belonged to the priests (Num. xviii. 2G-28), the children of Aaron. HISTORICAL, AND ETHICAL. 1. The natural leaders of a people are largely responsible for the people's conduct. The priests, Lcvitcs, and chiefs, the nobles of the nation rea- dily find a following. Nehemiah, as Tirshatha, puts his own name first to the solemn reform- document, and then he causes the nobles to set their names to the instrument. A reform begun the other way in the lower circles of society is apt to degenerate into the excesses of revolution. The healing salt should be thrown in at the sources of the streams, if the waters are to be cured. 2. The points specially indicated, wherein the reform was most pressing, are (1) marriage al- liances, (2) Sabbalh-observance, (3) usury, (1) temple-taxes of the third part of a shekel, of first-fruits and of tithes. On these points wo may believe the people had been especially re- miss. They were the points where their covet- ousness would operate to undermine their piety, and thus the integrity of the commonwealth. Was not that, which has become a distinctive trait of the Israelitish raoe, already in Nehe- miah's time beginning to develop itself? 3. When a people grow remiss in the support of religious privileges, the foundations of society are shaken. The moral tone of any people can only be cultivated and sustained by systematized methods, for natural depravity must take advan- tage of the lack of discipline, and prove too strong for morality. Eeligion, in any true and high sense, is an exotic, and must bo tenderly cared for in thi3 Bin-grown earth. The zeal of Nehemiah and other reformers for the thorough establishment of rclijrious rites is a wiso exam- ple to all who come after them. Where the state cannot enforce such a result, public opinion cau be made. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Ver. 1. To what the consideration of the Lord's faithfulness to the covenant leads us: 1) To pe- nitence and conversion which shows it self through obedience. 2) To faith — particularly in the fact that the Lord always keeps His covenant with us, and that it is only necessary that we on our part should confirm and maintain it. 3) To hope that the Lord will set us free, and evermore aid us to the glorious liberty of the children of God. Vers. 31, 32. The principal duties of the con- gregation and its members: 1) To keep them- selves unspotted, and particularly separated from the world. 2) To practice communion with the Lord, and especially in the way that is beneficial to us in this mortal state. BEDr. : JPorro sabbatismus orationum ac dei'otionis nostra?, in qua vacamus a temporalibus agendis, ut ozterniia- tis gaudia dulcius gusiare mereamur, recte diei scpti- ino adsignattir quia fitfuroz quictem vitce ac beatoz laudationis imitatur: scd diem wbbathi alienigcneo qucerunt prqfanare, cum lerrence cogitationes in te.a- pore nostra? orationis importune nos conturbant, et memoria sive dcleetatione tcmporalium rcrum ab amore intimo nituntur extrahcre. — Imponunt asinis vinum, was et Jicus et omne onus, et inferunt in Uierusalem, cum oblectamentis carnalib:is stulios animi nostri motus onerantcs, per hece et hvjus modi ientamenta quictem nostri cordis deo debitam molars conantur. C'omp. chap. xiii. 15. Vers. 33-40. The tasks to which each member of the congregation must submit himself. 1) T;.c offerings which must be made direcily to the Lord for the erection of His buildings, expenses of the service, etc. 2) The doing that which as- sists the servants of the Lord. STAr.Kr. : My Godl I remember that I too made a covenant with Thee at my baptism. I beseech Ihee seal the same also in me, and give me in my heart the pledge, the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. i. 21, 22; 2 Cor. v. 5). We must not only ourselves have a Chris- tian zeal for true religion, but also incite others to it, and admonish them. (Heb. x. 24; Ps. xlix. 2). Marriages with the godless are displeasing to God, and dangerous (1 Tim. ii. 14). Nothing must be so near to us that it withdraws us from the service of God. CHAP. XI. 1-3G. 45 CnAr-rr.it XI. 1-36. 1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem : the rest of the people also [and the rest of the people] cast lot3, to bring one of ten to dwell iu Jerusalem, th • 2 holy city, and nine parts to dwell in [the] other cities. And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. 3 Now [And] these are the chief of the province that dwelt iu Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt [and which dwelt in the cities of Judah] every one in his possession in their ciiies, to wit, Israel [;'. e., the people], the priests, and the Le- 4 vites, and the Nethioim, and the children [sons] of Solomon's servants. And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children [sons] of Judah, and of the children [sons] of Benjamin. Of the children [sons] of Judah; Athaiah, the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahala- 5 leel, of the children [sons] of P. rez (i. e., Pharez): and Maaseiah, the son of Ba- ruch, the sou of Col-hozeh, the son of Hozaiah, the sou of Adaiah, the son of Joia- 6 rib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni [Shelah's family]. All the sons of Pe- rez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred three-score and eight valiant men. 7 And these are the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullarn, the son of Joed, the sou of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, 8 the son of Jesaiah [i. e., Isaiah]. Aud after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred 9 twenty and eight. And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: And Judah the 10 son of Scnuah was second over the city [was over the second city]. Of the priests: 11 Jedaiah the sou of Joiarib, Jachin. Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of M - thullam, the fon of Za^ok, the sou of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of 12 the house of God. Aud their brethren that did the work of the house were eight. hundred twenty and two : and Adaiah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, th i 13 son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah, and Li j brethren, chief of i he fathers, two hundred forty and two: and Amashai, the so i 1-1 of Azareel, the s >n of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and the r brethren, mLhty men of valour, a hundred twenty and eight, and their overseer was ZabJiel, the sou of one of the great men [son of the mighty]. 15 Also [And] of the Levites : Shemaiah the sou of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, 16 the son of Hashabiah, the son of Buuni ; and Shabbethai a'jd Jozabad, of the chief of the Levitts had the oversight of [were over] the outward busine. s of the house of 17 God. Aud Mattaniah, the sou of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the pr ncipal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer [perhaps, the chief of the prai e- soug who gave thanks at prayer-service] : aud Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, aud Abda the son of Shammua, the sou of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18, 19 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore aud four. More- over [And] the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their breth en that kept the gates, were a hundred seventy and two. 20 And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of 21 Judah, every one in his inheritance. But [And] the Nethmim dwelt iu Ophel : 22 and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethiuim. The overseer also [and the overseer] of the L vi ea at Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashahiah, the son of Mattauiah, the fon of Micha. [Some] Of the sons of Asaph, the singers 23 were over the business of the house of God. Ft it [there] was f'e king's com- mandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers [and a sure ordinance conceriing the singers] due for every day [the thing of a day on 24 its day] And Pethahiah, the son of Meshezab?el, of the children of Zerah, the sou of Judah, was at the king's hand ia all matters concerning the people. 40 THE BOOK OF NEIIEMIAII. 25 And [As] for the villages with their fields, some of the children [sons] of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba and in the villages [daughters] thereof, and at Dibon, and in 26 the villages [daughters] thereof, and at Jekabzeel and in the villages thereof, and 27 at Jeshua, and at Moladah, an 1 at Beth-phelet, and at Ilazar-shual, and at Beer- 28 sheba, and in the villages [daughters] thereof, aud at Ziklag, aud at Mekouah, and 29 in the villages [daughters] thereof, and at Eu-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jar- 30 muth, Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages [daughters] thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-sheba into the valley of Hinnom. 31 The children also of Benjamin [and the sons of Benjamin] from Geba dwelt at Michmash [dwelt from Geba to Michmash] and Aija, aad Bethel, and in 32 their villages [daughters], and at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Haz >r, Ramah, Git- 33, 34, 35 taim. Hadid, Zsboim, Neballat, Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. 36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin [divisions of Ju- dah were to Benjamin]. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. 1 Ver. 17. nHnfin instead of being an error for rnnfin. may be for 7171103. " chief at the beginning of T . . - T • : T ■ : prayer he gave thanks." Ver. 7. The family of Jesaiah in Benjamin, of which Sallu was chief, is not otherwise known. Sallu's pedigree is differently reckoned in 1 Chron. ix. 7. The text in Chronicles is pro- bably defective. Ver. 8. Gabbai and Sallai are other Benja- mite chiefs. Ver. 9. Joel the son of Zichri was overseer (Heb.: pakid, e-^ioicoiroc) over both the Judahites and Benjamites of the city. His office was pos- sibly a police one. Judah the son of Senuah was over the second city (not second over the city). — The second city was a well-known part of Jerusalem. It was there Huldah the pro- phetess lived in Josiah's time. See 2 Kings xxii. 14, where the Eng. vers, has "college" for the Heb. mishieh. In Zeph. i. 10 the Eng. vers, has ''second." It was probably the part of the city built up north of the temple. The parallel chap- ter in 1 Chroa. (chap. ix. ), which seems to be very corrupt in its reading, appears to have "Joel, the son of Zichri," in "Elah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri," and to have "Judah, the sou of Senuah," in "Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah," the former a Benjamite, and the latter an ancestor of Sallu. That list also intro- duces as Benjamites " Ibneiah, the son of Jero- hum," and " Meshullam, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Read, the son of Ibnijah." Joel and Judah were the two inspectors or overseers over the Judahites and Benjamites in the entire city. Vers. 10, 11. There is great confusion in this part of the record, and we are not helped much by 1 Chron. ix. Both lists have been copied probably from a defective record. Jedaiah, Joiarib and Jachin were the heads of three of the twenty-four courses of priests in David's lime (1 Chron. xxiv. 7, 17). Seraiah was high-priest hefore the captivity (1 Chron. vi. 14). These names appear to be fragments of a record which in its fulness showed t lie heads of these families in Nehemiah's time. The phrase "ruler of the house of God (negid belh ha-elohim) can belong to Ahitub or Serniah. The Eng. vers, wrongly inserts " was." It is a title of the high- EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. The Places of Abode* Ver. 1. The rest of the people also. — And the rest of the people — that is, other than the rulers. Ver. 2. That willingly offered them- selves — I. e., those of the people, beside the tenth part chosen by lot, who also consented to dwell in Jerusalem as the place of greatest dan- ger and need. (See chap. vii. 4.) Ver. 3. The relative construction should be used with both clauses, thus: now these are the chi'fs of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem, and those who dwell in the cities of Judah (every one in his possession in their cities) — to wit, Israel, etc. Israel — i. e., the people of Israel as contrasted with priests, Levites, etc. The children of Solomon's servants. — See on chap. vii. 57. Ver. 4. Athaiah was chief of the Bene-Pha- rets, or children of Perez (Pharez). See Gen. xxxviii. 29; 1 Chron. iv. 1. In 1 Chron. ix. 4 he is called Ulhai, and his genealogy traced by a different line. Ver. 5. Maaseiah was chief of the Shilonites or children of Shelah. His grandfather Colho- zeh is probably the same as the father of Shallun in chap. iii. 15. He is called Asaiah in 1 Chron. ix. 5. Shiloni. — Heb.: hash-shiloni. Not a man's name, but a family's title, to wit, the children of Shelah, Judah's son. See 1 Chron. ix. 5. These descendants of Shelah are counted with those of Pharez. Athaiah and Maaseiah were thus the chiefs of Judah. Jeucl of the sons of Zerah, mentioned in 1 Chron. ix. G, is omitted here. Ver. 6. This verse appears to be out of its place. It should precede ver. 5. * This chapter is intimately connected with chapter vii. 4, showing Nehemiah's plan of increasing the popu- lation of the city. The genealogies and then the con- fession and covenant came in parenthetically — the for- mer as part of the process in the plan, and the latter as chronologically happening while Nehemiah was ma- turing the plan. CHAP. XI. 1-36. 47 priest. See 2 Chroo. xxxi. 13. Also compare 1 Chron. ix. 11. Also see 1 Chrou. xii. '-7, where Jehoiada (negid of the Anrouites) seems lo be the same >ts Aliitub the father of Zadok. In vcr. 10 Jedaiab, the son of Joiarib. is doubtless wrong, and the form ill 1 Chron. ix. 10 should be followed, to wit, Jedaiah and Jeho- inrib. In ver. 11 (as in 1 Chron. ix. 11) the words the son of Meraioth are out of place and should follow "Aliitub," as Meraioth was grandfather ( 1 Chron. vi. 7) or great-grandfather (Ezra vii. 3) of Ahimb. For this last discrep- ancy we may suppose the two sequences in the high priesthood of "Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok" (one before Solomon, ami tlie other after Solo- mon) are the occasion. One list has taken the latter, where Ahitub's grandfather is Azariab, and the other has taken the former where Ahi- tub's grandfather is Meraiotu. [We use ''fa- ther" and "grandfather" in the formal sense, denoting the proximity of the names in the re- cords, not the actual relationship.] Ver. 12. And their brethren — i. e., the bre- thren or kinsfolk of the chiefs of the pries:s whose names are lost in the above record (as we have seen in the preceding note). Adaiah was chief of the children of Malchiah, the head of the fifth course in David's day (1 Chron. xxiv. 9). Ver. 13. Chief of the fathers. — This clause seems to be out of place, for we can hardly sup- pose that the Malchiah family were all chiefs. Adaiah had 242 in his kinsfolk, over whom he was chief, just as the representatives of the high- priest's family and the families of Jedaiah, Joia- rib and J ichin had 822 in their kinsfolk (ver. 12). This plirise '-chief of the fathers" be- longs to all these head men of families, and was probably at the head of the list originally. It may have found its pi ice here from the analogy of the phrase "mighty men of valour" in ver. 14. See 2 Chron. xxvi. 12 for a collocation of the t wo phrases. Ama3hai (JLiasiaiin 1 Chron. ix. 12) was chief of the children of Immer, the head of the sixteenth course in David's time. His pedigree iu 1 Chron. ix. is merely a corrup- tion of tsis one. Ver. 14. Their brethren. — Probably an er- ror for ''his brethren" — that is, Amashai's. Their overseer was Zabdiel. — He was paltid (see on ver. 9) of all the priests. He is call 1 son of the mighty ones — a phrase that sterns to de- note a remarkable ancestry. The numbers here and in 1 Chron. ix. 13 differ by 5158. Errors in numbers and in names are almost necessities in transci ibing. Vers. 15-17. This list of Levites omits the names of Heresh, Galal and Derechiah, given in 1 Chron. ix. 15, 16; hut contains the names of Shabbethai and Jozabad not mentioned there. In this list (ver. 14) we have the son of Bunni («. e., Bani, one of the families of Merari), where in 1 Chron. ix. 14 we find "of the sons of Me- rari." Bakbukiah here is Bakbakkar there. Zabdi here is Zichri there. Abda here is Oha- dinh there. Of the Levitical chiefs, Shabbethai and Jozabad had the oversight of the out- ward business of the house of God. — That is, attended to the secular depnr'ment of service as directors therein (comp. 1 Chron. xxvi. 29). The principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer.— Literally ''the chief of the In gin- ning gave thanks to pray r." Some would read tehiUah instead of teh/ulluh, a most natural cor- rection. We should then have " the chief of the praise-song [who] gavo thanks (as introductory) to prayer." Ver. 18. These six (or nine) Levitical chiefs had a constituency of 281. Ver. 19. Akkub, Talmon.— The list in 1 Chron. ix. adds Shallum (as chief of all) and Ahiman, and makes the number 212 instead of 172. The account in 1 Chron. is much more ex- traded on this matter of the porters, thus show- ing that this record (as is that also) is but a fragment of an older document. Both copies bavo been marred in the transcribing. V/ of John v. 2 is another gate than that of Nehemiah, situated on Ophel. On the whole, we are inclined to place the Sheep-Gate in the north wall of the temple-pre- cinct, and in clo^e neighborhood to the Birket Israil. In that case the two towers of Meah and Hananeel would be parts of the old Baris or fortification north of the temple, which after- ward became altered and enlarged into An- tonia. 2. The Fish-Gate.— Heb. DUnn 1.jm.— LXX. 7; tt-{'?.77 r) ix^vrfpa. (ix9vpa t xii. 39; ixflvina, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 14; in Z ph. i. 10, it is iriiXn a-OKSvrovvTuv, gate of the stabbers, probably D"J^n being read for D'Jirt). It is mentioned in 11, cc. It was between the sheep-gate and the old gate, as we see from the Nehemiah passages. The Zephaniah passage doe* not help us. The passage in 2 Chronicles seems to describe the building of the second wall (comp. Joseph, v. 4, 2) by Manasseh ("on the west to Gihon in the valley, and on the east to the entering in at the fish-gate"). If so, it would put the fish-gate 63 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. near the Baris, where that wall ended (J09. *•<■•)■ 3. The Old Gate.— Heb. ruern 1;'!?. LXX. T T : - il ■Kvkri 'Iaoavai. Keil insists that 713 EFH is genitive, and follows Arnold in supplying Plain, thus calling it ''the gate of the old wall." Schultz says: "the gate of the old town." If we take it as a genitive, it may be "the gate of Jcshanah," a name given because the road through it led to Jeshanah in Ephraim (2 Chron. xiii. 19), mentioned by Joseph. Antiq. 3, 11, 3, and 14, 15, 12. The LXX. seem to have taken this view. But it need not be a genitive, as we have in Is. xiv. 31 "ijy? 'T/D (the lyB' being treated as feminine) and rnraarj ~*i%0 (Ezek. via. 3). Weave inclined to identify this gate with the "corner gate" of Zech. xiv. 10 and Jer. xxxi. 38 (n33n -\$J3 or D^SH *>Jgg), and so to let it mark the north-east corner of the city-wall. The cited passages in Zechariah and Jeremiah seem to put the gate in relation with the tower of Hananeel. If the Fish-gate were close to that tower, then it would be very natural to mention the Old Gate or Corner Gate next to the tower, in describing a section of the wall. In 2 Kings xiv. 13 the "corner gate" is only four hundred cubit3 from the gate of Ephraim, but in which direction we cannot tell. If east- ward, then it was very likely the same as the Old Gate; but if westward, then the gate of Ephraim, and the corner-gate may be unmen- tioned in Nehemiah's account of the rebuilding, because belonging to the undestroyed portion of the wall on the western end of the north wall, which part many suppose is the "broad wall" of Nehemiah. Of course in this case, the corner gate and the old gate are different gates. We can, at any rate, quite confidently claim that the corner-y- gate would have been a misnomer. If the val- ley-gate were just north of the northern end of the Birket Sultan, the Dung-ga'e would come exactly at the southern extremity of Zion, over the di.'cp ravine of Hinnom. The name of val- ley-gite was doubtless derived from the broad a'.d de~p Wady er Rababl (Hinnom), out to which it led. The most natural point for a gate on this side the city is where the present Jaffa Gate is. If we put the Valley-gate there, then the Dung- gate will come opposite the Birket Sultan. 5. The Dung-Gate.— Heb. nbiJNH nj». In Neh. iii. 13, T\2W7\ 1J£». LXX. r) ttvIti nfr KOirpi'af. The Heb. is not so strong a word as the Greek, and may be rendered Rubbuh-yuu.* This gate was a thousand cubits from the Val- ley-gate (ch, iii. 13). The extreme southern point of Zion would be a very natural place, from which to empty rubbish down into the deep valley below. Here we might place the Dung-gate, making it the same as the (later) Gate of the Essenes. With Kobinson, we would consider the Bethso of Josephus the Heb. nSIX JV3 or Dung-place. The Dung-gate, how- ever, must be opposite the Birket Sultan, if the Valley-gate is placed at the present Jaffa Gate. See the preceding note. 6. The Fountain-gate.— Heb. j'J?n ~\%q. LXX. r) TTi?.r/ rye Triyw. In Neh. ii. 14 t) irilr/ tov Xiv (untranslated). In Neh. xii. 37 tov alvelv by B gross error. That this was close to the pool of Siloam (the "King's pool" of ch. ii. 14, the "pool of Siloah by the king's garden," comp. ch. iii. 15), there can be no doubt. In 2 Kings xxv. 4 it is called "the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden." It was a gate down in the Tyropceon Valley, and at a corner, as the expression in 2 Kings xxv. 4 indicates. 7. The 'Water-gate. — Heb. D.'Drj "I1NP. LXX. t) txv\tj tov vdaroQ. At this gate one pro- cession halted at the dedication-service, while the other halted at the Prison-gate (ch. xii. 37, 39). This would place the Water-gate at the south of the temple, and the Prison-gate at the north of the temple. They could scarcely have been in the city- wall, but were probably gates leading from the inner temple-enclosure to the outer. The water-gate may have derived its name from its leading to the remarkable cisterns lately discovered by Capt. Warren south of the Haram. It will be noticed that nothing is said of rebuilding either of these gates. We would put the Water-gate at the southern limit of the "mountain of the house," near the present entrance to El-Aksa. This accords with the Talmud, Mid. 2, 6. 8. The Prison-Gate.— Heb. n^QSn ~\yv. This is referred to in the last section. It was probably the same as the IppOH T£i7 of ch. iii. 31 (i. e. gate of visitation of punishment). If we follow the course of the second dedica- tive company (ch. xii. 38, 39), we are constrained to put this gate between the sheep-gate and the temple, probably at the north limit of the " mountain of the house." But in ch. iii. 25 we find the "court of the prison" mentioned, as in Jer. xxxii. 2; xxxiii. 1, and xxxvii. 21. This * [The "east gate" of Jer. xix. 2 is in Heb. 1OTJ mD"inn, which is indicative of either noinil 1y& or IVD^nn 1>'iy. If the former be the right reading, t'l^n this ?ate ("the pottery-gate'') may very likely be tlie same us tlio dung or rubbish-gato. — Ta.J EXCURSUS ON TU.E GATES, ETC. 61 was attached to the king's palace, and was therefore at the south of the Haram. Thi prison, into which Jeremiah was cast, was pro- bably the State-prison, while another prison, near the "prison-gate" (whence it derived its name), was a temple-prison, for offenders against the worship. 9. The Gate of Ephraim. — Heb. 0]128 ">j£Br. LXX. 7} irlihi 'E^pal/i. Nch. viii. 16: xi'i. 30; 2 Kings xiv. 13. This gate was four hun- dred cubits from the corner-gate (wherever that was), and had an open square near it like that at the water-gate. It was also between the broad wall and the old gate. So much the cited passages show. It doubless derived its name from the fact that the main northern road to the Ephraimite country led through it. For a like reason it may have been called the " gate of Benjamin " (Jer. xxxvii. 13 ; Zech. xiv. 10), the Benjamite country lying north of the city, and the road through this gate leading to its chief cities. This gate was not rebuilt by Ne- herniah, because, probably, it was in the "broad wall" (j. e., as Keil and others hold, in that 40 J cubits of wall which Joash broke down, and which Uzziah rebuilt in a stronger manner. 2 Cbron. xxvi. 9). It probably coincided with the modern Damascus Gate, at which ancient sub- structions are found. 10. The first Gate. Hcb. jteMOn "ll>» LXX. ij irVkn 7} Ttphrr). (Zech. xiv. 10). From this only mention of this gate, we would naturally place it. between Benjamin's gate and the corner gate. If the Old Gate and Corner Gate are the same, then we should have to suppose an important gate on the north of the city not elsewhere mentioned. But may not the peculiar phraseology of the Ze- chariah passage lead us to identify the first gate and the corner gate? The words are " unto the place of the first gate unto the corner gate." That may mean " unto the place where the first city gate i9, beginning at the north, to wit, unto the corner gate." The adjective "first" seems more appropriate to distinguish one of a series, than to represent the peculiar name of a gate. 11. The High Gate. Heb. [VWH -\yjB LXX. 7) irv\-q fi v^tTjXij (in Jer. is. 2, irl<7ri rov v-repCov: in 2 Chron. xxiii. 20, ij trvXn /} tauripa). The passage in Jeremiah calls this the "high gate of Benjamin by the house of the Lord." " The pas- sage in 2 Chron. xxvii. 3 calls it the ' high gate' of the house of the Lord." In 2 Chron. xxiii. 20, we see that it was between the temple and the palace. Of course, then, it was not a gate of the city wall. It is called " gate of the guard " in 2 Kings xi. 6, 19. 12. The Inner Gate. Heb. JVO'jan 1£B>. v Ezek. viii. 3). 13. The New Gate. Heb. Ehnri 1£». (Jer. xxxvi. 10). 14. The Middle Gate. Heb. }Wn "\£W. (Jer. xxxix. 3). 15. The Gate of Sur or of the foundation. Heb. "HD "l£» or I'lD^n "\%B. (2 Kings xi. 6 ; 2 Car. xxtii. 5). 1G. The East Gate. Heb. ITUOn 1J«», (Neh. Hi. 29). 17. The Horse Gale. Heb. D'CHDn "l£t?. (2 Chron. xxiii. 5; Jer. xxxi. 40. Comp. 2 Kings xi. 16). These six, together with the gates mentioned by Ezekiel in his vision of the temple, are very evidently, like No. 11, gates of inner walls, and do not belong to the circuit of the city fortifica- tions. 18. The Corner Gate. See above, under Nos. 3 and 10. 19. The Gate of Benjamin. See above under No. 9. 20. The Gate Miphkad. See above under No. 8. 21. The Tower of Mcah. 22. The Tower ,f Hananeel. These were evidently near one another, and stood between the Sheep Gate and the Fish Gate. We have supposed that they were towers of the special fortification north of the temple, known alterwards as Baris, and in Roman times as An- tonio. (Neb. iii. 1 ; xii. 39 ; Jer. xxxi. 38; Zech. xiv. 10). 23. The Tower of the Furnaces. Heb. SlJO D^U.nn. LXX. irvpyoc tOv davovpip.. The na- tural point in the circuit for this would be any- where between the second wall's beginning and the valley gate. What is more likely than the very old N. E. tower of the present citadel (the supposed Hippicus) should be it ? 24. The Broad Wall. Heb. rcmn HD^nn. LXX. to Tei^oc to itIuitv. Keil supposes with much probability that this was that four hundred cubits of wall broken down by Joash from the gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate (2 Kings xiv. 13) and afterwards rebuilt of greater breadth by Uzziah. 25. The stairs that go doion from the city of Da- vid. Heb. TH Tl/a nVVrt'n niSl/On. These, mentioned in Neh. iii. 15, are again referred to in ch. xii. 37. From the latter passage we should gather that the company marched around the wall as far as the neighborhood of the fountain of Siloam, and then left the wall and passed up the stairs to Zion and along Zion's eastern edge till they crossed over to the water gate at the temple. We suppose, therefore, that these stairs ascended from the king's gardens to his palace, (the Davidian pnlacej on Zion (ch. xii. 37, " the house of David "). 26. The Sepulchres of David. Heb. TIT nap- The places of sepulture of David's family were probibly near his own palace on Zion. Vie should place them at the S. E. corner of the pre- sent Zion wall. The wall along Ophel is marked by reference to sites on the opposite side of the Tyropoeon. 27. The Pool that was made. Heb. ri3"Gn ^'ifj.in. This may be the Fountain of the Vir- gin, about which there has been so much careful work of human hands in the galleries and cis- terns connected with it. 28. The Bouse of the Mighty. 29. The Armory. To these we have no clue. They may have been both on Ophel. The des'ruetion of the city was so complete by Titus, and then by Hadrian, that the gates of the GJ THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. later city can be no guide lo the position of those of the ancient city. We must depend on the Scriptures and Josephus, with perhaps a little help from Rabbinical tradition. It seems very clear that the main city wall in Nehemiah's day ran directly from the southern brow of Zion over to Siloam, and then northward along Ophel to the S. E. corner of the Haram. On Ophel there may have been an intricacy of wall, by reason of which the topography in the latter part of ch. iii. is very difficult to explain. As Ophel was a, fortress, there may have been Beveral angles in the wall there for strategic purposes. We have given a crude sketch of the walls, gates, etc., as we suppose them to have existed in the days of Nehemiah, as a help to the under- standing of the 3d and 12ih chapters. 1. Tower of Meah. 2. Tower of Hananeel. 3. Prison Gate (Miphkad) 4. 'Water Gate. 5. Tower of the Furnaces. 6. Pool of Siloam. 7. Horse Gate. 8. High Gate. THE END. Date Due fr 14^3 9 ' fcftimw?* ^M»>«mjiMS . — n --»*