Le 25 35 Ge 13 7.8: ? Sam. 12 14: E. 362); Ro. 2 24; 1 PM 2 12 walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and 11 corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day," their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil,we refe Le. & 4,5 that ye exact of them. 12 2 x ver. 7: P 15 5: Exe. 18, 8, 18. Chr. 6 22; Fra Mt 10 14; Ac 11 10. 5; Jer. 34. 8,9. 51; 18. 6 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, 13 that they should do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to KL 23. 3 this promise. 14 a 61 Cor. 9. 4, 15, 18: 2 Thes. 38,2 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of eh. 13 6 Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten 15 the bread of the governor. But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but 16 so did not I, because of the fear of God. d Yea, also I continued in the work of 2 Cor. 11. 9; 12 13 this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither 17 unto the work. Moreover there were at my table fan hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are 18 about us. Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread5 of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. 19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. 6 Plots against Nehemiah; his faith and stedfastness. 6 d ver. 9: Ps. 112 1; 147. 11; Pro 16 6 18. 19. Sam, 9. 7; 1 KL 28; 1 P. 49. 1 Ki 42 vers. 14, 15. eh. 13, 4, 22, 31 ; Fa 106. 4 keb. 2 10, 19: 4.1,7. Ior, Gashmu, vez. & "Pro. 26. 24, 25. NOW it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and 'Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (" though at that time I had not set up the doors ch. 3. 1, 2 2 upon the gates ;) that Sanballat and Geshem "sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they 3 thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, 4 whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an 6 open letter in his hand; wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words; 7 and thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. 8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, 9 but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.8 10 ch. 11. 35; 1 Chr. 8 12 PP. 37. 12. 32 9 Mt. 10. 16 Ecc. 9. 14 'or, Gexhem, ver. 1. #eb. 2. 19; Ears 4 12 1 Sam. 30 5: Pr. 52 3; 138 3; Is 41 ja Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house | Pa. 12 2; 37. 12 1 That is, an interest of one per cent. monthly, or twelve per cent. per annum. Nothing can be more forcible, touching, or generous than this address. The result of this disturbance must have been greatly to strengthen Nehemiah's hold on the affections of the people. 2 The priests were summoned, that the oath might be administered with religious solemnity. See refs. 3 The mantle, or outer garment, was often used to carry goods in. See Exod. xii. 34; Ruth iii. 15. Significant actions of this kind have always been common in the See Acts xviii. 6. them the usual allowances to which, as governor, he was entitled. 6 The Hebrew word is 'Cephirim;' which should probably be read here as a proper name'Come and let us meet in Cephirim.' It is supposed to be the same as Chephirah, a town in the tribe of Benjamin. See ch. vii. 29; Josh. ix. 17; xviii. 26. 7 Letters sent by Orientals to superiors, and even to equals, are carefully sealed, and enclosed in silken bags. By sending the letter open, contrary to the universal prac-i tice, Sanballat doubtless intended both to insult Nehemi th and to excite the fears and discontent of the people by making the accusations generally known. 8 Such a prayer is particularly suitable on entering on any duty or conflict. of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they 11 will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would 12 go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for 13 Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets,* that would have put me in fear. 15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty 16 and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. 17 P. 11. 1; Pro. 28. I. Jer. 14 14; 23 16: Fze. 13. 7. Jer. 18. 18: 29. 10: 15. deh. 4. 4, 5; 13 29: Ps. 140. 5-11; Jer. 11. 20-23. Eze. 13. 17. ch. 2. 10; 4.1,7; 6 1. 14.25: Num. 23 23; Ps. 126. 2. Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and 18 the letters of Tobiah came unto them. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words [or, matters] | Pro. 29. 4. to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear. 7 Regulations for the safety of the city; a list of the exiles who first returned from Babylon. NOW it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had 'set up the doors, 2 and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem :7 3 for he was a 'faithful man, and "feared God above many. And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house. 4 5 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a registers of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein, 8 ich. & 1. k ch. 2. 8. Num. 12. 7; Dan. 6. 4. Ex. 18. 21; 2 Sain. 23.3. nch. 5. 19: 6. 14. • Ezra 7. 27. Ezra 2. 1, etc. Ezra 1. 8, 11, Sheshbazzar. or, Seraiah: see Ezra 2. 2. 6 These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his 7 city; who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, 8 I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this; The children of Parosh, two see Ezra, ch. 2. 9 thousand an hundred seventy and two. The children of Shephatiah, three 10 hundred seventy and two. The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two. 11 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand 12 and eight hundred and eighteen. The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred 13 fifty and four. The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. The 15 children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. The children of " Binnui, six 16 hundred forty and eight. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. 17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two. The 18 children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven. The children of 20 Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven. The children of Adin, six hundred 1 The environs of the temple were secured by walls and gates, while the gates of the city were not yet set up. 2 Shemaiah probably shut himself up, feigning the fear with which he desired to infect Nehemiah: but Nehemiah saw through the artifice. 3 In such circumstances, even the preservation of life formed but a subordinate consideration, compared with the importance of setting an example of courageous confidence in God. It is worthy of notice that Nehemiah, whilst he took every reasonable precaution, never allowed fear to hinder his work. 4 These pretended prophets having sold their services to the enemies of religion, Nehemiah prays for their confusion and disappointment. "or, Bani. 5 The serious mischiefs resulting from these connections with the enemies of their country, show the necessity of the strong measures which Ezra adopted to prevent them (Ezra x.) 6 The same mentioned in ch. i. 2. 7 It is supposed that Nehemiah, having finished the wall and made other necessary regulations, returned to the Persian court, according to his engagement (ch. ii. 6); that he soon afterwards came to Jerusalem again, with a new commission as governor; and that after twelve years he returned again to Persia, and remained there some years, during which time the abuses mentioned in ch. xiii. occurred. 8 See note on Ezra ii. 2. a or, Amareth aor, Kirjath-arim. 21 fifty and five. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. The children 39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred 40 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 44 The Levites the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight. 45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight. 46 A see ver. 12 1 Chr. 24. 7. 41 Chr. 2014 see 1 Chr. 2. 12; HS 1 Chr. 24. & 8 or, Hodarich, Exra 2. 40; or, Juda, Ezra 3 A ior, Shamiai. kor, Nephusi The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children 47 of Tabbaoth, the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, or, Sinha, 48 the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai, the 50 children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of 51 Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 52 the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah, the children of Besai, the children 53 of Meunim, the children of Nephisheshim, the children of Bakbuk, the children 54 of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, the children of 'Bazlith, the children of | er, Baziufh 55 Mehida, the children of Harsha, the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, 56 the children of Tamah, the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. The 57 children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, 58 the children of Perida, the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the 59 children of Giddel, the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children 60 of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of " Amon. All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. 61 63 P m And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, and Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, nor 62 their seed [or, pedigree], whether they were of Israel. The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, 64 and 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 65 polluted, put from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha [or, the governor 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 67 and threescore, beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred 68 forty and five singing men and singing women. Their horses, seven hundred 69 thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five: their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. 70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha 9. gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and 71 thirty priests' garments. And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the 1 This account of the free-will offerings towards the work is more explicit in some particulars than that in Ezra ii. 68, 69; but it does not include the whole of the offerings, unless there be an error in the numbers of Ezra 1 73 8 a 'And when Ezra 3. 1. "Ezra 3. 1. ? Ezt 7, 6. Den. 31. 11-13. @ Le. 23. 24. Public reading and expounding of the law; celebration of the feast of tabernacles. SO the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities. the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. 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 scribe to bring ch. 3. 26. 2 the book 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, upon the first day of the seventh? 3 month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning3 until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of 4 the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit [or, tower] of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, 5 Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight 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 answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their 7 heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, & caused the people to under8 stand the law and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. с A e 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha [or, the governor], 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 10 people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, "eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye 11 sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. 12 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 the words that were declared unto them. 13 14. Judg. 3, 20; 1 KI. 8. ech. 5. 13; 1 Cor. 14. 16. d P. 28. 2; 63 4; Lari, nh ; I Tr 2.8. Ex. 4. 31: 12. 27: 2 Chr. 18. 1.9.24. Le. 10. 11; Den 33. 10: 2 Ch.. 17.7-9; MA. 2. 7. Ach. 7 65; 10. 1; Ezra 2. €3. i ver. ; 2 Chr. 25, 3. k ver. 2: Le. 23. 24; Num. 29. 1 I Den. 16. 14, 15; Eec. 31. Fec. 9 7. "Cant. 5. 1. Den. 2611-13: Tx. 9. 19.2: Rev. 11. 10. PP. 7, N: 1:92; Is 12. 2, 3: 61 19; Joel 2. 23, P. 3. 4. 9 ver. 10. * P、, 125, 1-3 ' vers. 7. 8; P. 1:9. 14: 1.k. 24. 3. Te. 22 34, 42, Deu. 16. 13. 4 Le. 23.4. r Deu. 16. 16. And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the 14 words of the law [or, that they might instruct in the words of the law]. And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in 'booths in the feast of the seventh month: 15 and "that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, L. 23. 40. and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make 16 booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and 17 in the street of the gate 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.8 And there was very great gladness. 1 Ezra, having taken a journey to Babylon after his first coming to Judea, had now returned. 2 On the first day of the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year, or the new year's day of the civil year, was the feast of trumpets (Lev. xxiii. 24). In the seventh month, also, the feast of tabernacles was held; and it was commanded that at this feast, in every seventh year, the law should be publicly read (Deut. xxxi. 10, 11), which may have suggested the people's request. 3 Heb., the light; that is, from about six in the morning till noon. 4 The Hebrew word is often used for a watch-tower: here it signifies a large platform, as it was capable of holding fourteen persons. 5 Some take this as meaning that Ezra interpreted the Hebrew in the Chaldee dialect, which the Jews are sup * Den. 22. 8. 13. 2 Chr. 30. 21. posed to have used after the captivity. But it may mean that passages of Scripture which were publicly read were expounded and applied by Ezra, who appears to have been assisted, both in reading and explaining the law, by the persons here mentioned. 6 The festivals of trumpets and tabernacles were to be observed with joy. 7 The feast of tabernacles was appointed to be heid on the fifteenth day of this month. The people, having heard the directions given respecting it in Lev. xxiii., were eager to commemorate it. 8 Although the sacred festivals had been greatly neglected during long portions of the Jewish history, instances are expressly recorded of the feast of tabernacles having been kept (2 Chron. viii. 13; Ezra iii. 4.) This must refer, therefore, to the mode rather than the fact of celebration. 18 Also 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. A national fast; confession of sin, and prayer; repentance and solemn covenant of Deu 31. 19, etc. * Le. 23 3; Num. 5 25. Jude. 20. 25 A Jo. 7. 6; 1 Sam. 4 19: 2 Sam. L. 2; Jab 2 12 ích 1% 5; Em 9 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be 6thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou 'preservest them all; and "the host of heaven worshippeth thee. 7 Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him 8 forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites,-to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous: i 9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry 10 by the Red Sea; and showedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt 11 proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, 'as a 12 stone into the mighty waters. Moreover thou "leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light " in the way wherein they should go. 8 13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from 20 i Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thymanna from their mouth, and gavest them 'water for their thirst. Yea, 21 forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked 22 nothing; their "clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. Moreover 1 This is supposed to have given rise to the regular public reading of the Scriptures every sabbath day, and to the establishment of synagogues in all the cities of the Jews for that purpose; which was probably one principal means of keeping them from ever again relapsing into idolatry. 2 See note on Deut. xxxi. 12. 3 This was not the day of atonement, which fell er the tenth day of the seventh month; but this natu fast was an introduction to the solemn covenant which followed (ver. 38; ch. x.) One day only had intervenes since the last of the feast of tabernacles." 4 A platform on which the Levites are said to have stood when they sung at the time of worship. |