Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Tite Enemies are Wroth, and Scoff. NEHEMIAH IV, V. The Usurers Rebuked. he has important public work to do, never tails to rase up instruments for accomplishing it, and in the person of Neheraiali, who, to great naiuial acuteness and energy added fervent piety and heroic devotion. He provided a leader, whose liigli qualities fitted him for llie demands of the crisis. Nelieiniah's vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again " a city fortified. at tlie turning of the wall—i. e., the wall across the Tyropojon, being a continuation of the first wall, connecting Mount Zion witli the temple wall. [Barclay.] 25. the tower which lietU out from the king's liigli house i. e., watch-tower by the royal palace. [Barclay.] 26. tlie IVetliinims—Not only the priests and the Levites.bat the meanest persons tliat belonged to the house of God, contributed to the work. The names of those who repaired the walls of Jerusalem are commemorated, because it was a work of piety and patriotism to repair the holy city. It was an instance of religion and courage to defend tlie true worshippers of God, that they might serve Him in quietness and safety, and, in the midst of so many enemies, go on with tills work, piously confiding in the power of God to support them. [Bishop Patrick.]
CHAPTER V.
Ver. 1-5. ThePeople Complain of their Debt, Mortgage, AND Bondage. 1. there was a great crj' of tlie people . . . against their brethren—Such a crisis in tlie condition of tlie Jews in Jerusalem—fatigued with hard labour, and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hopeh.ad painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fatliers being unrealized—must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding tbem by usurious exactions. Numbers of them had, in consequence of these oppressions, been driven to such extremities, that they had to mortgage their lands and houses, to enable them to pay the taxes to the Persi.an'goveriiment, and ultimately even sell their children for sla ves to procure the means of subsistence. The condition of the poorer inhabitants was indeed deplorable; for, liesides the deficient liar\-ests caused by the great rains (Ezra 10. 9; also Haggai 1. 6-11). a dearth was now threatened by the enemy keeping such a multitude pent up in the city, and preventing the country people bringing in provisions.
CHAPTER IV.
Ver. 1-6. While THE ENEMiEsScorF,NEHEMiAH Prays TO God, and Continues the Work. 1. when Snnballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wrotli—The Samaritan faction showed their bitter animosity to the Jews on discovering the systematic design of refortifying Jerusalem. Their opposition was confined at first to scoffs and insults. In heaping which the governors made themselves conspicuous, and circulated all sorts of disparaging reflections that might increase the feelings of hatred and contempt for them in their own party. The weakness of the Jews in respect of wealth and numbers—the absurdity of their purpose apparently to reconstruct the walls, and celebrate the feast of dedication in one day—the idea of raising the walls on their old foundations, as well as using the charred and mouldering debris of the ruins as the materials of the restored buildings and the hope of such a parapet as they could raise being capable of serving as a fortress of defence—these all afforded fertile subjects of hostile ridicule. 3. if a fox go up-The foxes were mentioned from their having been known, in great numbers, to infest tlie ruined and desolate ])laces in the mount and city of Zion (Lamentations
6-19. The Usitrers Ueruked. 0. I was verjangry when I heard tlieir ery and tliese words—When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil, and having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity—contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or otherwise had lost their personal lilierty in Babylon—urged the rich creditors not only to abandon their illegal and oppressive .system of usury, but to restore the fields and vineyards of the poor, so that a remedy might be put to an evil, the introduction of which had led to much actual disorder, and the continuance of which wouUl inevitably pro o ruinous to the newly restored colony, by violating the fundaiiiental principles of the Hebrew constitution. The remonstrance was etrectnal. The conscience of the usurious oppressors could not resist Ili(> touching and power-
5. IS). 4-, .5. Hear, O our God ; for we are despised-The imprecations invoked here may seem liarsli, cruel, and vindictive; I)ut it must be remembered tliat Nehemiah and his friends regarded those Samaritan leaders as enemies to the cause of God and His people, and tlierefore as deserving to be visited with heavy judgments. The prayer, therefore, is to be considered as emanating from hearts in whicli neither hatred, revenge, nor any inferior passion, but a pious and patriotic zeal for tlie glory of God and tlie success of His cause, held the ascendant sway. G. nil tlie wall was joined togetlicr unto tlic half tlnereof—Tlie whole circuit of tlie wall had '^een distributed in sections to various companies of the people, and was completed to the half of the intended height.
7-23. Hk Sets a Watch. 7. But . . . when .Snnballat ful appeal, and with mingled emotions of shani(>, contrition, and I'ear, they with one voice expressed their readiness to comply with tlie governor's recoinniendatloii. The proceedings were closed liy the parlies bimling tliem.sel ves by a solemn oath, administered by the priests, that they would redeem their pledge, as well as by the governor invoking, by the solemn and signiticant gesture of shaking a corner of Ills garment, a malediction on those wiio should violate it. The historian has taken care to record tliat the peojile did according to this promise. 14. Moreover from tl>e time that I was appointed ... I and my brethren liave iioi I'alen tlte l>rend of tlir governor We have a remarkable proof hot h iil the (>;iuU'iice and the . , . Iieni-d that the walls . . . were made up, and . . . the breacliea . . . stopped—The rapid progress of the fortifiratioiis, despite of all their predictions to the contrary, goaded the Samaritans to frenzy, and they, dreading danger from the growing greatness of the Jews, formed a conspiracy to surprise them, demolish their worlis, and disperse or intimidate the builders. The plot being discovered, Nehemiah adopted the most energetic measures I'or ensuring the common safety, as well as the uninterrupted building of the walls. Hitherto the governor, for the sake of despatch, had set all his attendants and guards on the work—now h.alfofthem were withdrawn tobeconstaiilly in arms. The workmen laboured with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other ; and as, in so large a circuit, they were far removed from each other, Nehemiah, who was night and day on the sjiot, and, by Ills jiious exhortations and example, animate<l the minds of his people, kept a trumpeter by his side, so that, on any inlelligence of a surprise being brought to him, an alarm might be immediately sounded, and assistance ren<lered to the most distant detachment of their brethren. ]!y tliese vigilant precautions, the counsels of the enemy were deteated, and the work was carried on apace. God, when 296 disiiiteresteiliiess of Nehemiah. .\s he declined, on conscientious grounds, to accept the lawlnl emoluments attached to his government, and .vel maintained a stylo of princi ly hospitality for twelve years out of his own re-.sources, it is evident that Ills odiee iil cup-bearer at the court ot Shusliaii must have been very lucrative. 15. Uie former gov<'riiors . . . had talien . , . bread and wiuo, besides forty sliekels of silver—Tlie Income of lOasteru governors Is jiaid jiarlly in product', partly in money. " Bread " means all sorts of provisions. Tlie forty shekels of sllvr per day would amount to a yearly salary of JC1800
Sanballat rraclises against Nehemiah. NEHEMIAH VI, VII. The Churje of Jerusalem, sterling. 17. Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews—In the East it has been always customary to calculate the expense of a king's or grandee's est Jiblishment, not by the amount of money disbursed, but bj' the quantity of provisions consumed thus built in troublous times (Daniel 9. 2.5) was happily completed {v. 15) in tlie brief space of fifty-two days. So rapid execution, even supposing some parts of the old wall standing, cannot be sufficiently accounted for, except by the consideration that the builders laboured with the ardour of religious zeal, as men employed in the work of God.
(see I Kings 4. 22; 18. 19; Ecclesiastes 5. 11).
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VI.
Ver. 1-19. Sanballat Puactises against Nehemiah BY INSIDIOUS Attempts. SJ. Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me—The Samaritan leaders, satisfied that they could not overcome Nehemiah by open arms, resolved to gain advantage over him by deceit and stratagem. With Ver. 1^. Nehemiah Commits the Charge of JekuSALEM TO Hanani AND Hananiah. 3. I gave my brother Hanani . . . charge over Jerusalem— If, as is commonly supposed, Nehemiah was now contemplating a return to Shushan according to his promise, it waa natural that he should wish to entrust the custody of Jerusalem and the management of its civic aflairs to men on whose ability, experience, and fidelity, lie could confide. Hanani, a near relative (ch. 1. 2), was one, and with him was associated, as colleague, Hananiah, "the ruler of the palace"— i. e., the marshal or chamberlain of the viceregal court, which Nehemiah hud maintained in Jerusalem. The high religious principle, as well as the patriotic spirit of tliose two men, recommended tliem as pre-eminently qualified for being invested with an offithis view, under pretext of terminating their difl'erences In an amicable manner, they invited him to a conference. The place of rendezvous was fixed " in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono." " In the villages " is, Heb., "in Cephirim," or Cephirah, the name of a town in the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 9. 17 ; 18. 26). Nehemiah, however, apprehensive of some intended mischief, prudently declined the invitation, and, though it was repeated four times, his uniform answer was, that his presence could not be dispensed with from the Important work in which he was engaged. This was one, though not the only, reason. Tlie principal ground of his refusal, was, that his seizure or death at their hands would certainly put a stop to the further progress of the fortifications. 5-9. Then sent Sanliallat his servant . . . the fifth time cial trust of such peculiar importance, he feared God above many—The jiiety of Hananiah is especially mentioned as the ground of his eminent fidelity in the discharge of all his duties and, consequently, the reason of the confidence which Nehemiali reposed in him, for he was full}' persuaded that Hananiah's fear of God would preserve him from those temptations to treachery and unfaithfulness which he was likely to encounter on the governor's departure fVom Jerusalem. 3. Liet not the gates of Jeiiisnlem be opened until the sun be hot, wltiiL an open lett«T in his hand—In Western Asia, letters, after being rolled up like a map, are flattened to the broa<lth of an inch, and instead of being sealed, are pasted at the ends. In Eastern Asia, tlie Persians make up their letters in the f<n m of a roll about six inches long, and a bit of paper is fastened round it with gum, and sealed with an Impression of ink, which resembles our printers' ink, but i&c.—In the East it is customary to open the gates of a city at sunrise, and to bar tliein at sunset—a rule which is very rarely, and not except to persons of authority, infringed. Nehemiah recommended that the gates of Jerusalem should not be so early opened; a precaution necessary at a time wlien the enemy were pnictisiug all sorts of dangerous stratagems, to ensure that the inhabitants were all astir, and enjoyed the benefit of clear broad daylight for observing the suspicious movements of any enemy. The propriety of regularly barring the gates at sunset was, in this instance, accompanied with tlie appointment of a number of the people to act as sentinels, each mounting guard in front of his own liouse. 4. IVow the city was large and great—The walls being evidently built on the old foundations, the city covered a large extent of surface, as all Oriental towns do, the houses standing apart with gardens and orchards intervening. This extent, in the then state of Jerusalem, was the more observable as the population was comparatively small, and the habitations of the most rude and simple construction—mere wooden sheds or coverings of loose, unmortared stones. it is not so thick. Letters were, and are still, sent to persons of distinction in a bag or purse, and even to equals they are enclosed—the tie being made with acoloured ribbon ; but to inferiors, or persons who are to be treated contemptuously, the letters were sent open i. e., not enclosed in a bag. Nehemiah, accustomed to the punctilious ceremonial of the Persian court, would at once notice the want of tlie usual formality, and know that it was from designed disrespect. The strain of the latter was equally Insolent. It was to this effect—that the fortifications with wliich he was so busy were inten-ipd to strengthen his position in the view of a meditated revolt—that he had engaged propliets to incite the people to enter into his design, and support his claim to be their native king—and that, to stop the circulation of such reports, which would soon reach the court, he was earnestly besought to come to the wished-for conference. Nehemiali, strong in the consciousness of his own integrity, and penetrating the purpose of this shallow artifice, replied, that there were no rumours of the kind described—that the idea of a revolt and the stimulating addresses of hired demagogues were stories of the writer's own invention, and that he declined now, as formerly, to leave his work. 10-14. Afterward I came Into the honse of Shcmaiali, &c.—This man was the son of a priest, who was an intimate and confidential friend of Nehemiah. The young man claimed to be endowed with the gift of prophecy. Having been secretly bribed by Sanballat, he, in his pretended capacity of prophet, told Nehemiah that his enemies were that night to make an attempt upon his life, and advised him, at the same time, to consult his safety by concealing himself in the sanctuary, a crypt which, from its sanctity, was strong and secure. But the noble-minded governor determined at all liazards to remain at his post, and not bring discredit on the cause of God and religion by his unworthy coM'ard ice in leaving the temple and city unprotected. This plot, together with a secret collusion between the enemy and the nobles of Judah who were favourably disposed towards the bad Samaritan in consequence of his Jewish connections {v. IS), the undaunted courage and vigilance of Nehemiali were enalilcd, with the blessing of God, to defeat, and the erection of the walls
5-.38. Genealogy or those who Came at the Fiust OUT OF Babylon. 5. my God put into mine heart to gather together thenobles, Ac—The arrangement about to be described, though dictated by mere common prudence, is, in accordance with the pious feelings of Nehemiali, ascribed not to his own prudence or reflection, but to the grace of God prompting and directing him. He resolved to prepare a register of the returned exiles, containing an exact record of the family and ancestral abode of every individual, and while thus directing his attention, discovered a register of the first detachment whohad come under the care of Zerubbabel. It is transcribed in the following verses, and diflers in some few particulars from that given in Ezra 2.; but the discrepancy is suf Uciently accounted for from the different circumstances in which the two registers were taken; that of Ezra having been made up at Babylon, while that of Nehemiah was drawn out in Judea, after the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt. The lapse of so many years might well be expected to make a difference appear ill the catalogue, through death or other causes ; in particular, one person '^eing, according to Jewish custom, called
Manner of Reading and Hearing the Law. NEIIEMIAH VIII, IX. The Fast and Repentance of the People. was of use partly to show their cordial agreement with by different names. Thus Ilaviph {v. 24) is the same as Ezra's declaration of Divine truth; and partly to take
Jorali (Ezra 2. 18), Sia {v. 47) the same as Siaha (Ezra 2. 44), their share with him in the important duty of publicly reading and expounding the Scripture. 5. when h« opened it, all the people stood up—This attitude they assumed either from respect to God's word, or, rather, because the reading was prefaced by a solemn prayer, which was concluded by a general expression of amen, amen. 7, 8. caused the people to understand tlie law . . . gave the sense—Commentators are divided in opinion as &c. Besides other purposes to whicli this genealogy of the nobles, rulers, and people was subservient, o:;e leading object contemplated by It was to ascertain with accuracy the parties to whom the duty legally belonged of niiuisteriug at the altar and conducting the various services of the temple ; and for guiding to exact information in this important point of inquiry, the possession of the old register of Zerubbabel was invaluable. to the import ol this statement, some thinking that Ezra read the law in pure Hebrew, while the Levites, who assisted him, translated it sentence by sentence into Chaldee, the vernacular dialect which the exiles spoke
39-78. Of the Priests. 39. The priests—It appears that only four of the courses of the priests returned from the captivity, and that the course of Abia(Luke 1. 5) is not in the list. But it must be noticed that these four in Babylon ; while others maintain that the duty of the.se courses were afterwards divided into twenty-four, which I.evites consisted in explaining to the people, many of whom had become very ignorant, what Ezra had read. retained the names of the original courses which David appointed. 70. some of the chief of the fathers, etc. With verse 69 the register ends, and the thread of Nehemiah's history is resumed. He was the tirshatha or gov-
9-15. The People Comforted. 9. This day is holy unto the Lord . .
.' mourn not, nor weep—A deep sense of their national sins, impressivel.v brought to their remembrance by the reading of the law and its denunciaernor, and tlie liberality displayed by him and some of the leading men for the suitable equipment of the ministions, afl'ected the hearts of the people with penitential sorrow; but notwithstanding the painful remembrances of their national sins which the reading of the law awakened, the people were exhorted to cherish the feelings of joy and thankfulness associated with a sacred ters of religion, forms the subject of the remaining portion of the chapter. Their donations consisted principally in garments. This would appear a singular description of gifts to be made by any one amongst us; but, in Jie East, a present of garments, or of any article of use, is jfonformable to the prevailing sentimeatsand customs of festival (see on Leviticus 23. 23-2.5), and by sending portions of it to their poorer brethren (Deuteronom.y U, societ.y. dr.Tms of gold—), c, darics. A daric was a gold
14 ; Esther 9. 19), enable them to participate in the public rejoicings. coin of ancient Persia, worth £1 5s. 11. pound of silver — /. c, mina (sixty shekels, or £9). 73. So . . . all Israel, dwelt in their cities—The utility of these genealogical
1(J-IS. They Keep the Feast of Tabernacles. IG. tlie people went forth, and brought . . . anti made themselves booths, &c. — (see on Leviticus 23. 34-44; Deuteronomy 10. 13-17). 17. since the days of Joshua registers was thus found in guiding to a knowledge of the cities and localities in each tribe to which every family anciently belonged.
. . . had not the clkildren of Israel done so—This national feast had not been neglected for so protracted a period; for, besides that it is impo.ssible that sucli a flagrant disregard of the law could have been tolerated by .Samuel, David, and other pious rulers, its observance
CHAPTER VIII.
Ver. 1-8. Religious Manner of Reading and IIear-
THE Law. 1. all the people gathered themselves together as one man—The occasion was the celebration of the feast of the seventh month (ch. 7. 73). The beginning of every month was ushered in as a sacred festival; but this, the commencement of the seventh month, was kept witli distinguished honour as "the feast of trumpets," which extended over two days. It was the first day of the seventh ecclesiastical year, and the new year's day of the civil year, on which account it was held as " a great day." The place where the general concourse of people was held was "at the water-gate," on the south rampart. Through that gate the Nethinims or Gibeonitcs brought water into the temple, and thei-e was a spacious area in front of it. tliey spake unto Kzra the scribe to bring the book of (lie law of Moses—lie had come to Jerusalem twelve or thirteen years previous to Neliomiah ; and either remained there, or had returne<l to Bal)ylon in obedience to the royal order, and for the discharge of important duties. He had returned along with Neliemiah, but in a subordinate capacity. From tlie time of Nehemiah's appointment to the dignity of tirshatha, Ezra had retired into private life; and.allhougli cordially and zealously co-operating with the former pat riot in his Important measures of reform, the pious i)riest had devoted his time and attention principally toward producing a complete edition of the canonical Scriptures. The public reading of the Scriptures was required by tlie law to Ije made every*seventh .year, but during tlie long period of tliecaptivity this excellent practice, with many otiiers, had fallen into neglect, till revived on this occasion; and it indicates a greatly improved tone of religious feeling, that there w.as a strong and general desire among the returned exiles in .lerusalem to hear tlie word of God read to them. 4. Eira . . . stood upon a pnlplt of wood—Not made in the form known to us, butonl.v a raised scad'old or platform, broad enough to nllc)w fourteen persons to stand with ease upon It. Ezra's duty was ver.v laborious, as he continued reading aloud from morning until midday, but his lal)()ur was lightened by the aid of the otlier priests present. Their presence 298 is sufliciently indicated (1 Kings 8. 2, (w; 2 Chronicles 7. 9) and expressly recorded (Ezra 3. 4). But the meaning is, that the popular feelings had never been raised to such a height of enthusiastic joy since the time of their entrance into (Canaan, as noAV on their return after a long and painful captivity. 18. Also day by day . . . he read in the book of the law of God—This was more than was enjoined (Deuteronomy 31. 10-12), and arose Ironi the exuberant zeal of the time, on the eighth day was a solemn assembly—Thi.s was the last and great day of the feast (Numbers 3(1. X)). In later times, other ceremonies which increased the rejoicing were added (John 7. 37).
CIIAPTEE IX.
Ver. 1-3. A Solemn Fast, and Repentance ok the People. 1. Now in the twenty and fourth day of thia month— /. e., on the second day after the close of the feast of tabernacles, which commenced on the fourteenth and terminated on the twenty-second (Leviticus 23). The day inuneiliately after that feast, the twenty-thinl, had been occupied In separating the delinciuents from their unlawful wives, as well, ]H'rluips, as in taking steps for keeping aloof in future from unnecessary intercour.so with the heathen around them. For although this necessary measure of reformation had been begun formerly by Ezra (Ezra 10.), a nd .satlsfactoril.v accomiilished at that time, so far as he had Information of the e.\isling abuses, or possessed the power of correcting them, yet it apjiears that this reform.atory work of Ezra had been only partial and imperfect; many ca.ses of delinquency had escaped, or new defaulters had appeared who had contracted those forbidden alliances; and there was an urgent necessit.v for Nehemlah again to take vigorous measures for the removal of asocial evil which lln'eatened the most dUsastrous conse(iuences to the character and prosperlt.v of the chos(ui people. A solemn fast was now observed for the expression of those penitential and sorrowful feelings which the reading of the law had pro-
Tlie Confesaicm of the Lmilex. NEHEMIAII X. The Points of the Covenant, throwing tiiemselves on Jlis merc.y, express their purpose of entering into a national covenant, b.y which they pledge themselves to dutiful oliedience in future. 'M. Jloreovcr, tliou gnvest tliein kingdoms and nations— i. e., put them in possession of a rich country, of an extensive terdncofl.but which hnd boon suppressed cUirins; the oclebration of the feast ; and the sincerity of tlieir repentance was evinced by tlie decisive steps talcon foi' the correction of existing abuses in the matter of inarriaue. 2. confessed their sins, and <5ie iniquities of tlieir fat Uers—Not only did they read in tliiMr recent sufl'erinfcs a punishment of tlie nation;)! apostasy and guilt, but tliey liad made themselves partakers of their fathers' sins by folritory, wliich had been once occupied by a variety of princes and people, and didst divide tliem into corners —/.(?., into trilies. The propriety of the expression arose from the various districts touching at points or angles on lowiiis the same evil ways. 3. they . . . read in tlie boolt of the law—Tlieir extraordinary zeal led them to continue this as before, one foui-th part of tlie clay— eacli other, tlie land of Slhon, and the land of the king of Heshbon—Heshbon being tlie capital city, the passage sliould run thus: the land of Sihoii or tlie land of llic king of Heshbon. 3:i. Now tliercfore, our God t. e., for three hours, twelve hours lieing the acknowledged length of the .lewisl) day (.Tohn 11.9), so that this solemn diet of worshij), which probably commenced at the morning sacrifice, was continued for six hours, /. c, . . . who keepest covenant and mercy—God's fidelity to Ilis covenant is prominently acknowledged, and well it miglit, for their wliole national history bore testimony to till the time of the evening sacrifice. The worship which they save to the Lord their God, at this season of solemn it. ISut as this could afford them little ground of comfort or of hope while they were so painfully conscious of liaving violated it, they were driven to seek refuge in llie riches of Divine grace; and hence the peculiar style of invocation here adopted: "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who kcepail covenanl and mere}/-" 30. Behold, we are servants this day —Notwitlistanding their hajipy restoration to their native land, they were still tributaries of a foreign priiic<' wliose national humiliation, <'onsisted in acknowledging and adoring Ilis great mercy in the forgiveness of tlieir great and multiplied ott'enccs, in delivering them from the merited ,ju<igments which they had already experienced or which tlie.v had reason to apprehend, in continuing amongst them the light and blessings of His word and worship, and in supplicating the extension of his grace and piotection. ofllcers ruled them, and were not, like their fathers, free tenants of the land which God gave them. 37. it yieldeth much increase unto the kin|;s wliom thou hast set over us because of our sins—Our agricultural laliours have been resumed in the land—we plough, and sow, and 4-;?.S. The Levites Confess Gon's MANiroi.D Goodness, AND their own Witkedness. 4. Then stood up upon the stairs—The scafi'olds or pulpits, whence the l.evites nsually addressed the people. There were probably several placed at convenient distances, to prevent confusion, and the voice of one drowning those of the till, and thou blessest the work of our hands with a plenothers, cried with a lond voice unto the Lord—.Such an exertion, of course, was indispensably necessar.y, in order that the speakers might lie heard by a vast multitude congregated in the open air. But these speakers were then engaged in expressing their deep sense of sin, tiful return ; but this increase is not for ourselves, as once it was, but for our foreign masters, to whom we have to pay large and oppressive tribute, they have dominion over our bodies—Their persons were liable to be pressed, at tlie mandate of their Assyrian conqueror, into the service of his empire, either in war or in public works. .\.nd our beasts are taken to do their pleasure. 38. we malte a sure covenant, and write i. e., subscribe or sign it. This written document would exercise a wholcsonuiii Huence in restraining their baekslidings or in auiinating them to duty, by being a witness against them if in future as well as fervently imploring the forgiving mercy of God, and "crying with a loud voice" was a natural accompaniment of this extrnordinarj' prayer-meeting, as violent gtstures and vehement tones are always the way in which tlie .Tews, and other jieople in the East, have been accust<imed to give utterance to deep and earnest feelings. 5. then the Levites . . . said. Stand up and 1>less the Lord your God—If this prayer was uttered by all these Levites tliey were unfaithful to their engagements.
CHAPTER X.
In common, it must have been prepared and adopted beforehand, perhaps, by Ezra; but it may only embody the enbstame of the confession and thanksgiving. 6. Tliou, even tliou, art Lord alone, &c.—In this solemn and impressive prayer, in which they made public confession of their sins, and deprecated thejudgments due to the transgressions of their fathers, they begin with a profound adoration of God, whose supreme majesty and omnipotence is acknowledged in the creation, preservation, and government of all, and then they proceed to enumerate his mercies and distinguished favours to them as a nation, from the period of the call of their great ancestor, and the gracious promise intimated to him in the divinely-hestowed name of Abraham, a promise which implied that he was to be the Father of the faithful, the ancestor of the Messiah, and the honoured individual in whose seed
Ver. 1-27. The NAiMes of those who Sealed the Covenant. 1. Nehemiah, the tirshatha — iiis name was placed first In the roll on account of his high official rank, as deputy of the Persian monarch. All classes were included iu the subscription list; but the people were represented by their elders {v. 14), as it would have been impossible for every one in the country to have been admitted to the sealing.
2,S. The Rest of the People Bound themselves to Obseuve it. Those who were not present at the sealing ratified the covenant by giving their asse'nt, either in words or by lifting up their hands, and bound themselves, by a solemn oath, to walk in God's law, imprecating a curse upon themselves in the event of their violating it.
29-39. Points of the Covenant, ao. to observe and do all the commandments, &c.—This national covenant, besides containing a solemn pledge raf obedience to the Divine law generally, specified their engagement to some particular duties, which the character and exigency of the times stamped with great urgency and importance, and which may be summed up under the following heads: that they abstain from contracting matrimonial alliances with the heathen; that they would rigidly observe the sabbath ; that they would let the land enjoy rest and remit debts every seventh year; that they would contribute to the maintenance of the temple sei vice, the necessary expenses of which had formerly been defrayed out of the treasury of the temple (1 Chronicles 2G. 20), and when it was drained, given out from the king's privy purse all the families of the earth should be blessed. Tracing in full and minute detail the signal instances of Divine interposition for their deliverance and their interest—in their deliverance from Eg.yptian bondage—their miraculous passage throngli the Red Sea—the promulgation of His law—the forbearance and long-suffering shown them amid their frequent rebellions—thesignal triumphs given them over their enemies—their happ.y settlement in tlie promised land—and all the extraordinary blessings, both in the form of temporal prosperity and of religious privilege, with which his paternal goodness had favoured tliem above all other people; they charge themselves with making a miserable requital—confess their numerous and determined acts of disobedience—read, in the loss of their national independence and their long captivity, the severe punishment of their sins—acknowledge that, in all heavy and continueit .ludgments upon theii iiatiou, God had done right, but they had done wickedly, and iu (2 Chronicles 31. 3) ; and that they would make an orderly payment of the priests' dues. A minute and particular enumeration of the first-fruits was made, that all might The Inhabitants of Jerusalem,. NEIIEMIAH XI. and of the Other Cilia.
Their Names. .3. the chief of the province— i.e., Judea. Neheiiiiali speaks of it, as it then was, a small appendlx of the Persian empire, in tlie cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities—The returned exiles, wlio had come from Babylon, repaired generally, and by a natural impulse, to the lands and be made fullj' aware of their obligations, and that none might excuse themselves on pretext of ignorance from withholding taxes which the ])overly of many, and the irreligion of others, had made them exceedingly prone to evade. 32. tlie thiril part of a sUekel for t!ic service of tlie liouse of our God—The law required every individual above twenty years of age to pay half a shekel to the san(;- cities throughout the country which had been anciently assigned them. Israel—This general name, which designated the descendants of Jacob before the unhappy division of the two kingdoms under Kehoboam, was restored alter the captivity, tlie Israelites being then united with the Jews, and all traces of their former separation being obliterated. Although the majority of the returned exiles belonged to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, they are here called Israel; because a large number out of all the tribes were now intermingled, and these were principally the occupiers of the rural villages, while none but tuary. But in consequence of the general poverty of the people, occasioned by war and captivity, this tribute was reduced to a third part of a shekel. 34. we cast tSae Ints . . for t!ie wood offering—The carrying of the wood had formerly been the work of the Nethinims. But few of them having returned, the duty was a.ssigned as stated in the text. The practice afterwards rose into great importance, and Josephus speaks [Wars, 2. 17, sect. 6] of the Xylophoria, or certain stated and solemn times at which the people brought up wood to the temple. 38. Tlie priest tlie son of Aaron shall be witU tlie Ievitcs, when the tliose of Judah and Benjamin resided in Jerusalem, the Levites—these took possession of the cities allotted to them, according as tliey had opportunity, the Netliin1ms—a certain order of men, either Gibeonites or persons joined with them, who were devoted to tlie service of God. 4;. at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah—The discrepancy that is apparent between lliis and the list formerly given in 1 Chronicles 9. 1-9, arose not only from the Jewish and Oriental practice of changing or modifying the names of persons from a change of circumstances, but from the alterations that must have been produced in the course of time; the catalogue in Chronirevltes take tithes—This was a prudential arrangement. The presence of a dignified priest would ensure the peaceful delivery of the tithes; at least his superintendence and »nfluence would tend to prevent the commission of any wrong in the transaction, by the people deceiving the levites, or tlie Levites defrauding the priests, the tithe of the tithes—i. e., the Levites, having received a tenth of all land produce, were required to give ,a tenth of tliis to the priests. The Levites were charged with the additional obligation to carry tlie tithes when received, and deposit them in the temple stores, for the use of the priests. 39. we will not forsake the house of our God—This solemn pledge was repeated at the close of the covenant as an expression of tlie intense zeal by which the people at this time were animated for the glory and the worship of God. Under the pungent feelings of sorrow and repentance for their national sins, of which apostasy from the service of the true God was tlie chief, and under the yet fresh and painful remembrance of their protracted captivity, they vowed, and, feeling the impulse of ardent devotion as well as of gratitude for their restoration, flattered th(>mselves they would never forget their vow, to be the Lord's. cles containing those who came with the first detachment of returned exiles, while the listin this passage probably included also those who returned with Ezra and Nelieniiah ; or it was most probabl.v made out afterwards, when several had died, or some, who had Vieen inserted as going on tl;e journey, remained, and others came in their stead. 9. overseer -i. c., captain or chief. 11. the ruler of the house of God—Assistant of the high priest (Numbers
3. :!•_'; 1 t'hronicles 9. 11 ; 2 Chronicles 19. 11). 16. the oversight of tlie outward huslness of the house of God— /. e,, those things which were done outside, or in the country, such as the collecting of the provisions (1 Chronicles 2(i. 29). 17. the principal to begin the thanksgiving in pruyei: —1. c, the leader of the choir which cliaunted the public
CHAPTER XI.
Ver. 1, 2. The Rui-ers, Volitntary Men, and every Tenth Man Chosen by Lot, Dwell at Jeru.salkm. 1. the rulers . . . dwelt at Jerusalem—That city being the metropolisof the country, it was right and proper that the seat of government .should be there. But the exigency of the times required that special measures should be taken to insure the residence of an adequate population for the custody of the buildings and the defence of the city. From the annoyances of restless and malignant enemies, who tried every means to demolish the rising fortillcations, there was some danger attending a settlement in .Jerusalem, and hence the greater part of the returned exiles, in order to earn as well as secui-e the rewards of their duty, preferred to remain in the country or the provincial towns. To remedy this state of things, it was resolved tc select every tenth man of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin by lot, to become a permanent inhabitant of the capital. The necessity of such an expedient cominended it to the general approval. It was the more readily submitted to, that the lot was resorted to on all the most critical conjunctures of the Jewish history, and regarded by the people as a Divine decision (Proverbs 18. IS). This awakened strongly the national spirit; and patriotic volunteers came readily forward to meet the wishes of the authorities, a service which, implying great self-denial as well as courage, was reckoned In the circumstances of so mucli Importance as entitled them to the public gratitude. No wonder that the conduct of these volunteers drew fortli the tribute of pul)lic admiration ; for they sacrificed their personal safely and comfort for the interests of the community ; Jerusalem being at that lime a place against which the enemies of the Jews wer(t directing a thousand plots; and, therefore, residence In It at such a Juncluro was attended with expense and various annoyances from which a country life was entirely free. praise at the time of the morning and evening sacrilice. That service was always accompanied by some appropriate psalm, the sacred music being selected and guided by the pei'son named. the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God—They were seh'cted to take charge of providing those things which were required for the interior of th(^ temple and its service, whilst toothers was committed the care of the "outward businesH of tlie house of God " {v, Iti). This duty was veiy properly assigned to the sons of Asaph ; for, though they were Levites, they did not repair In rotation to Jerusalem, as the other ministers of religion. Being permanent residents, and employed In duties which were comparatlvel.v light r.nd easy, they were very competent to undertake tliis charge. !43. it was the king's eoinluandnient— It was the will of the Persian monarch in issuing Ills edict that the temple service .should be revived In all Its religious fulness and solemnlt.y; and as this special provision for the slng<'rs Is said to have been by the king's commandmeiil, the ordi'r was jirobably given nt the re(iuesl or suggestion of V./.vw or Nelicmiali.
S2'l. I'etltahiith , . . was at the king's hand in all matters eoiicerniiig <he people—Tills person was entrusted with judicial power, either for the Interest, or by the appointment, of the Persian monarch, and Ills dul.v consisted either In adjusting cases of <! vil dispute, or in ri'guliitlng fiscal concerns. 'Zy, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Ivirjatli-arl>a—The whole region in which the villages licrct mendoned were situated had been completely devastati'cl by the CliMlilean Invasion; and, tlierefore, 1 1 must be assuiui'il, t hat I liese vil luges liad been rebuilt belore "tlie <'hililren dwell In tliem." .'Ifi. And of the Levites were divlsioiiN In Judah, and In Ileiijaiiilii—rather, there were divisions for the Levites, i. (.'., those who were not resldcrt In Jerusalem were dls-