Cp. AN De.
firft-fruits: and fet up the doors of it 5 and fo finifhed it: even unto the tower of Meah they fanétijied it, unto the tower of Hananeel; fo far they Uuilt, and what they built they fanctified. The tower of Meabh, or a hundred, as the word fignifies, might be fo called, either becaufe it was 100 cubits from the fheep-gate on one fide, and as many from the tower ot Hananeel on the other fide, ftanding between both; or becaufe it was roo cubits high: thefe two towers perhaps were firm and ftrong, and needed no repair, fince no mention ig made of any; though they feem to me'to be one and the fame tower; fee Fer. xxxi. 38. Zech. xiv. 10. y.2. And next unto him builded the men of Fericho, &c.|] The pofterity of thofe that formerly inhabited that city; thefe began where E/iafhib and the priefts ended, and went on from thence: and next to them; or rather to him; the high-priett: builded Zaccur the fon of Imri; who probably was the chief of the men of Jericho, ‘ ae chapter contains thé names of the builders of the wall of Ferufalem, the ord in which they worked, where they began, an where they ended, which was the fheep-gate, ¥. I—}32:
¥. 2. Then Eliafhib the bhigh-prick rofe up with bis brethren the priefts, &c.] ~ This was the grandfon of Fefbua or Fo/bua the high-prieft, his father’s name was Joickim, ch. xii. 10. being high prieft, and rifing firft, he fet a good example both to the priefts and to the people, and ferved no doubt greatly to animate and encourage them:, and they built the fheep-gate; fo called, becaufe the. fheep were led through it to the temple; and near it was the fheep-market, where they were fold, and the fheep-pool, where the facrifices were wafhed; and this being near the temple, and for the fervice of it, the priefts undertook that; not that they laboured with their hands at it, though it is poffible fome of them might; but they were at the expence of it, employed labourers, and paid them, and direéted them, and had the overfight of them; this gate was-to the fouth of the city; wolf fays, it was ftill ftanding by Moriah, the| mountain of the temple, which the Turks have taken to themfelves, and built onit a Turki/h mofque or temple. — Near the gate, you fee ftill, he fays, the fheep-pond, which is large and deep, wherein the Nethinim ufed to wafh the beafts, and then gave them to the priefts; it is faid“, to lead to the - mount of Olives, to Bethany, to ‘fericho, the fert, and all the eaft-country to ordan: they fanctified it, this being for facred ufe, and they facred perfons; and this the firft part of the building, they prayed for a bleffing on it, and in it on the whole work undertaken, of which this was the
¥. 3. But tbe fio-gate did the fons of Haffenaab 2ui/d, &c.} So called, becaule fith was brought from the fea-coafts through it, and near it was thé and Ray- fifh-market; this alfo was fouthward, according to Dre Lighifoot*; others fay northward; fome fay it led to the fea of Gafiiee, Jordan, and all the eaft and north-country: but it is moft likely to be weftward towards the Mediterranean fea, Tyre and /eppa, from whence fifh were brought; and Razwolf fays ’, it is ftill ftanding towards the’ weft, behind mount Sion, and over-againft mount Gibon, de- fee 2 Chron. xxxiii. 14. he alfo fays, this gate was called the gate of Hebron, becaufe the road of He- /rew went through it, which is about feven or eight hours walking diftant from it: who alfo laid the deams thereof, and fet up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof; completely finifhed it.
¥. 4. Aud next unto themrepaired Meremoth, the yt. fon of Uriah, the fon of Koz, 8¢c.] And the men un der him; fee Azra viii. 33. this part of the wall on which they worked, was not wholly demolifhed, only weakened, and therefore did not rebuild but ‘repaired and ftrenethened it, and this phrafe is ufed.all along afterwards: and next unto them repaired Mefoullam, the fon of Berechiah, the fon of Mefhezabeel: and next unto them repaired Zadok, the fon of Baana, but who they were cannot be 10. And next unto him repaired Fedaiah, the /on of Harumaph, over-againft his boufe, 8cc.) Thar © part of the wall which ftood right againft his houfe; and to take this part he could not well objeét to it, it,)and it might be reafonably thought he would take — care to repair. it well, and make it ftrong for his | own fafety: and next unto bim repaired Hattufh, the fon of Hafhabuiah, but who he was is no known. a y.11. Malchijab the fon of Harim, and Hafoub | faid.. the fon of Pabhath-moab, &c.] The fathers of thefe y¥.5. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired, &c.| Theinhabitants of Tekoa, acity in the tribe of Fudah; fee Amos i. 1. but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord; either of Nehemiab, asfome, or rather of the Lord, and prince appointed over their families, as ben, Ezra, to whom they would not be fubject; though it feems beft with archi, to underftand it of the Lord| their God, by whofe command this work was begun; but they refufed to give any affiftance to it with their purfes or prefence, but withdrew from it, as refractory oxen withdraw their necks from the yoke. This is oblerved to their difgrace, when the common people of their city were ready to were heads of families that came out of captivity with Zerubbabel, Ezra ii. 6, 32. repaired the other piece 5 or fecond piece, below and next to that which Hat/ufd repaired, the laft builder mentioned: and the tower of the furnaces; near to which were furnaces for the baking of bread, or of bricks.
¥.12. And next unto him repaired Shallum, the on of Halloeh, &c.] So called, as Ben Melech fays, from his being an inchanter of ferpents, ora wife prudent couniellor: ¢he ruler of the half part of Ferufalem; of the other half; feey. 9, he and dis daugheers,; who were rich widows or heirefles,. and employed men to build at their own expence; — he. feems to have had no fons.
work, and did. ¥..13. The valley-gate répaired Hanuh, &e.| OF. y¥.6. Morecver the old gate repaired Feboiada, the fon of Pafeab, and Mefhullam the fon of Befodaiah, &c.| Which fomethink was fo called, becaufe it} daz led to the old city Salem. Dr. Lightfoot* thinks it is the fame with the fecond or bird-gate, i.10. According to Vatablus, it was the gate of the old pool, J/ xxii. 11. or rather perhaps it was the gate of the old wall 7o/ephus {peaks of °; it led to the north of the land: shey laid the beams thereof; which fee ch. ii. 13. -and the inhabitants of Zanoah; a city in the tribe of Fudah, Fob. xv. 34. they ¢ it, and fet up the doors thereof, &c. fee. 3. and 1000 cubits on the wall to the dung-gate; that Zeph.Jis, they repaired the wall to fuch a length from the valley-gate to the dung-gate; fee ch. ii. 13.
y.14. But the dung-gate repaired Malchiab the /on of Rechab, &c.] If this was’ one of the Re-° chabites, they were forbid to build houfes, Fer.
asin ¥. 3.. xxxv, 7. but perhaps though they might not build y. 7. And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Fadon the Meronathite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpab, &c.| Which places were both in the tribe of Benjamin, Fob. xviii. 25,26. and one of thefe men was of the one place, and the other of theother: unto the throne of the governor on this fide the river-, where the governor of thofe parts under the king of Perfa had his feat, and now Nebemiah; but, according to Aben Ezra, Ciffe, rendered throne, is the name of a man who was the goprivate houfes for themfelves to dwell in, they might be employed in building walls and fortrefles for public fecurity; though it is more probable that this man was not of that family: the ruler of part of Beth-baccerem; or of the tract of Beth-baccerem, a place between Tekoab and Ferufalem; fee Zer. vi. 1. be built it, and fet up the doors thereof; &c. as in y¥. 3. ‘
¥.15. But the gate of the fountain, &c.] O which fee ch. ii. 14. repaired Shallum, the fon of vernor. Colbozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpab; of a tratt,
¥. 8. Next unto bimrepaited Uzziel the fon of haiah, of the goldfmiths, &c.) Or Tzorephim, which, according to Yarchi, was the name of a family fo called from their trade and bufinefs: unto kim alfo repaired Hananiah the fon of one of the apothecaries; or confectioners, which alfo might be the name of a family fo called for the fame reafon: and they fortified Ferufalem unto the broad wall; which reached from the gate of Ephraim to the corner-gate, which was broken down by Foaf, king of Jrael, but was rebuilt fo ftrong by Uzziah, king of Fudab, that it ftood firm to this time; wherefore thefe men repaired up to it, but left that as they found it; fee 2 Chron. xxv. 23. and xxvi. 9, were not careful to repair it, it not Har-)diftri€t, town, or city fo called; psrhaps that in the tribe of Benjamin, fee y. 7. he built it, and co= vered it; roofed it, which is not faid of any of the wext) other gates, whether becaufe of the fountain at it and fet up the doors thereof, &c. finifhed it compleatly: and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king’s garden; which was formerly without the wall, on the weft, but afterwards taken in by Manaffeh, who built it;. fee 2 Chron. xxxiii, 14. and from hence the king’s garden was watered: and unto the ftairs that go down from the city of David Vie Zion, which was built on an eminence, from which — they went down by fteps into thé lower city Acra. ger ia i y. 16. After him repaired Nebemiah the fon gy
wanting any repair. Axbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur;) A
¥.9. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah, the fon of Hur, the ruler of the balf part of Ferufalem; That city belonging partly to the tribe of Yudab, and partly to the tribe of Benjamin, one part of it ftrong fortified place in the tribe of Judab, Jofo. \xv. 58. unto the place over-againft the Sepulchre ec‘: David; where he and his family, and the ae ‘OF. - his race were buried, which remained to any a was under a governor that was of the tribe of Judah, as this man feems to be; and the other untouched by the Babylonians, and to many ages — after; fee Aésii. 29. and to the pool that was wee
Ch.ut.17—322 NEAHE MIAB 127 boufe of the mighty; where was a garrifon of foldiers in former times for defence. ¥. 17. After him repaired the Levites, Rebum the fon of “Bani, &c] Who was one of them, as he that follows was another: next unto bim repaired Hajfbabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilab, a city of the tribe of Fudah, Foo. xv. 4. in his part 5 either with the men of that part of Keilab under his jurifdiction, or at the expence of that part
¥.18. After him repaired their brethren, &c.] Kither the brethren of the two before named ‘particularly, or the Levites their brethren in general, as Farchi: Bavat, the fon of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilab; the other half of that den, the valley of Sebofbaphat, and from thence a place. ° plain way to Bethany: and the tower that lieth out;
¥.19: And next tohim repaired Exer; the fon of Fefaua, the ruler of Mizpab, &c.] Either of another Mizpab, or of the other half of Mizpab, y. 15. another piece 3 or a Second piece; one of the two pieces; for another is mentioned in the next verfe: over againft the going up to the armoury, the turning of the. wall; the weftern wall towards the fouth, near to which was a place where armour was laid up; perhaps the fame with the tower of David, to which there is an allufion in Cant. trom the wall.
y. 27. After them the Tekoites repaired another pieve, &c.] Having finifhed what tHey undertook: in another part of the wall, y. 5. they engage in this part of it; which fhews their great zeal and at diligence, when their nobles were fo backward to it, and withdrew from it: over againft the great tower that lieth out; the fame as in the preceding verfe: even unto the wall of Opbel, from right acainft the great tower unto the wall the Tekoites
¥. 20. After bigs Baruch the fon of Zabbai, earneftly repaired the other piece, &c.] Towards and next to the /zer that laft builder mentioned had repaired; and this he did earneffly, or in anger, as the word fignifies, being angry with himfelf or others, that there was any backwardnefs fhown to the work; and therefore, with all hafte and eagernefs imaginable attended to it: from the turning of the wall; fee the preceding verfe: unto the door of the boufe of Eliafoib the high-prieft, of whom fee y. 28: From above the horfe-gate repaired the priefts, &c.] So called, either becaufe near it were {tables for horfes; or through it horfes were led to be watered at the brook Kidron, to which it was near; or to be exercifed in the valley; Fofephus © {peaks of the Hippic, or horfe-tower, which might be near it: every one over againjt his boufe; for it {feems there was a row of houfes in which the priefts dwelt, and each of them repaired as much of the wall as was right againft his houfe.
y. 1. now either his houfe was upon the wall, or that part of the wall that was right againft the door of his houfe is here meant.
y. 29. After them repaired Zadok the fon of Immer, over againft his houfe, &c.] After the lat of the priefts, this begun where they ended, and repaired as far as his houfe reached; and being, per- He haps, a perfon of fome note, his houfe might be a large one: after him repaired alfo Shemaiab, the fon of Shemaiah, the keeper of the ea/t-gate; that is, of the temple; for the gates of the city having been: burnt fo long, it cannot be thought there fhould be a keeper of any of them.
y. 21. After kim repaired Meremoth the fon of Uriah, the fon of Koz, another piece, 8c.) had wrought before in another part, ¥. 4. but having finifhed that, he fets his hand a fecond time to the work: from the door of the houfe of Eliafbib, even to ihe end of the houfe of Eliafbib, the door of his houfe feems to have been at one end of it, and from that end to the other was a confiderablelength; be being a great man, the high-prieft, had a large
y¥. 30. After bim repaired Hananiah the fon of Shelemiah, and Hanun the fixth fon of Zalaph, ano-
houfe. ther piece, &c.] This laft man had fix fons; but
¥. 22. And after him repaired the priefts, the men of the plain.\ Either of the plain of Fericho, where, in after-times at leaft, there was a ftation of the priefts, or of the plain about Feru/alem; thofe alfo affifted in the repairs of the wall.
¥. 25. Palal the fon of Uzai, over againft the turning of the wall, Gc.) Who dwelt there, and fo repaired what was right againft him: and the bower which keth out from the king’s high boufe: only his youngeft fon wrought at this work, which is obferved to his great commendation: after him repaired Me/bullam the fon of Berechiab, over againft his chamber; the fame as in y. 4. whio having “ finifhed what he engaged in there, took his part where his chamber was, and repaired over againft that.
y. 23. After him, &c.] The laft of the priefts before-mentioned: repaired Benjamin, and Hafbub, éver againft their boufe,; as much of the wall as the length of their houfe, or houfes, were: after bim repaired Azariah the fon of Maafeiah, the fon of| Ananiah, by bis boufe; as far as that reached.
y. 31. After him repaired Malchiab, the goldfinith’s fon, &c.] Or the fon of Tzoreph, as fome, o called from his bufinels: unto the place of the Nethinims, and of thé merchants: he repaired up to \the place where thefe dwelt: over againjt the gate Miphkad; where fome think was an houfe of vifitation or correétion; and others, where the Sanbedrim fat, tried caufes, and exercifed jultice: and to corner; from the eaft to the north.
¥. 24. After him repaired Binnui the fon of Henadad, another piece, &c.] Beginning where dza-) riah ended: unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner, the corner where the wall turned from the fouth to the eaft. |4he going up of the y¥. 32. And between the going up of the corner unto the fheep-gate, &c.] Where the building firft began, and where it now ended: repaired (pans which might. be built for profpe&, or his upper houfe: that was by the court of the prifen; and wé often read in Feremiah of the court of the prifon being in or near the king’s houfe, fee ch. xxxii. 2. after him, Pedaiab the fon of Parofo; went on from hence with the repair.
¥.26. Moreover, the Nethinims dwelt in Opbhel, &c.] An high tower upon the wall, in this part of it, fee 2 Chron. xxvii. 3. thefe were fervants to the Levites, and repaired here, where their dwellings were: unto the place over againft the watergate toward the eaft; and as one part of their work was to fetch water for the temple, they were here very properly fituated; it led to the king’s gar- fniths and the merchants; or druggifts; which was done at their expence; and fo the wall all round, with the gates of it, were rebuilt and sepaired, pa which was all done in 52 days, ch. Vi. 15.0 =
4 HIS chapter relates, how the Hews, whilft building, were mocked by their enemies, to which no anfwer was returned but by prayer to| God, and they went on notwithftanding in their work, ¥. 1—6. and how that their enemies confpired againft them, to hinder them by force of ae. ¥.7—12.. to oppofe which, both fpiritual | proached us, let them be defpifed and reproached by their neighbours: give them for @ prey in the and of captivity; let them be carried captive, as we have’ ‘been, and become a ‘prey and Booty to their enemies. aa y¥.5. And cover not their iniquity, and let not their z be blotted out from before thee, &c.] Letit not go unpunifhed, and even let it not be pardoned;, which is fpoken, not from a private fpirit of fevenge, but from a public fpirit for the glory of |God, and his juftice; and not as 4 mere imprecation, but as a prophecy of what would be the eafe, in like'manner as many of David’s petitions in the pfalms; and for this there was a good foundation, fince God had threatened the Moadites and Ammonites with utter deftruction: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders; by defpifing his people, and mocking at the work the Lord had called them to; and this they did publickly, and on purpofe to difcourage the workmen.
¥.6. So built we the wall, &c.| Went on ia building it, notwithftanding their feoffs and threats: and all the wall was joined together unto the balf thereof 5 it was carried all round the eity to half the height of it: for the people had a mind to werk, their heart was in it, they had a good will'te ir, and they made hafte to finifh it. ': ¥.7. And it came to pals that when Sanballat, and
Lobiab, and the Arabians, &c.} Who wete under and influenced by Gefbem the Arabian: and the Ammonites; over whom Todieh was governor’: and the
Afdodites, who were of A/hdod or Azotus, one of che principalities ‘of the Péi/iftines, who were always enemies to the Jews: heard that the wails of
Ferufalem were- made up; or the tength of them went ap; that is, the height of thems; that they
Tofe up high apace, and were got up to, or almoit
‘to their proper height: aud that the breaches began to be fropped, for the walls were not all thrown down by the Chaldeans, but breaches made’ here and there, which were now repaired: shen they ag very wroth; and could not avoid thewing it; before they mocked them, as attempting what they
‘could not go through with, but now perceiving the work, went on with great fuccefs, they were enraged. y 8. And confpired all of them togethers 8cc.]
All the above men and people entered into a con- and temporal weapons. were made ufe of,. fo that the work was ftill carried on, ¥. 13—23.
y¥.1. But it came to pafs, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, &c.| Or were building it; for as yet it was not finifhed, fee ¥. 6. be wes wroth, and took great indignation,; inwardly, though outwardly he pretended to treat the work with contempt, as if it never would be accomplifhed, which yet he feared: aud mocked the Fews; as a fet of foolith builders, and unable to finifh what they had begun, _ ¥. 2. And be fpake before bis brethren, &c.] Tobich the Ammonite, and Gefhem the Arabian, and perhaps fome other goyernours of the king of Perfia in thofe parts: and before the army of Samaria; which, and the inhabitants of it, were implacable enemies of the Jews: and faid, What do thefe feeble Jews? what do-they pretend ‘to do, or what can they do? will they forii[y themfelves? by building a wall about their city; can they think they fhall ever be able to do this, or that it will be allowed? will they facrifice 2? meaning not their daily facrifice, as Farchi, that they had done a long time, but for the dedication of their building, as dden Ezra: qwill they make an end in a day? they feem to be in as great a hurry and hafte as if they meant it; and indeed unlefs they can do it very.quickly, they never will; they'll foon be ftopped: will. they revive the ftones out of the heaps of the rubbifh which ave burnt? where will they find materials? do they imagine that they can make burnt {tones firm ‘and ftrong again, or harden the duft and rubbith into-ftones, or make that which is as if dead, alive? to do this is the fame as to revive a dead man, and they may as well think of doing the one as the other; burnt ftones being reckoned as dead, as ben Ezra obferves. 3. Now Zobiah the Ammonite wags by him, 8c.) Who was one of his brethren he fpake before, y. 2. and be faid; in the like contemptuous and f coffing manner: even that which they build, if a fox go up, be foall break down their fione wall, fignifying not only, that it was fo. low that a fox could eafily get up to it, or leap over it; but that the materials were fo bad, and the work fo poorly done, that, the weight of a fox would. break ir down; of which creatures, many were thereabout, fince Ferufalem was defolate, fee Lam. v. 18.
¥.4. Hear, O our God, for we are defpifed, 8ec.] Here begins the prayer of Nehemiah, who had. been informed of what thefe men faid in contempt of him, and his builders, to whom he fent no anfwer, but applied to-God: aad turn their reproach upon their own bead; a3 they have defpifed and re- or 20 make a wandering for him"; fo 1 or the people, or both, to caufe them to ftray their work, to fright them from it, that they might become like men at their wits a 1¢ courfe to fteer, but to wander about asiperfolis out, of their fenfes; fo Aben Ezra. De Dieu joins this __ to wander, we prayed, Gee TF Pemene L yt. 9. Neverthelefs, we made our prayer unto our | God, &c.} Spread their cafe before him in prayer, intreating direction and help from him: and fet a watch againft them day and night, becaufe of them; to give notice of their approach, that they might prepare to defend themfelves; though they prayed to God, and trufted in him for deliverance, they did not neglect the ufe of means.
¥. 10. And Fudab faid; &c.] Several of the men of Fudab: the ftrength of the bearers of burdens is decayed through much labour, in carrying heavy loads of ftone and timber to the builders, and yet more through fear of the enemy: and there is much rubbifo,; which ought to be removed, but that the labourers were fo weak that they could not do it: fo that we are not able to build the wall, to finifh it before the enemy comes to attack us. - Wi 11. And our adverfaries faid, they fhall not know, &c.], Qur defigns upon them: zeither fee; or perceive what we are about to do: /é/] we ‘come in the midft of them; with an army fuddenly, at an unawares, and unexpected: and flay them, they being unarmed, and not prepared to defend themfelves: and caufe the work to ceafe; as it-muft in courfe, the builders being flain..
'. 12. And it came to pafs when the Fews that
¥. 18. Aid it came'to pafs when tur eneimies beard it was known unto us, &c.} What they intended, as might be reported to them from the preparations made by the'¥ews to receive them, and defend themfelves; and God had brought their counfel to nought; which was to come upon them fecretly and unawares; but being difcovered, they dropped their defign, and their icheme came to nothing: Jo that. we returned all of us to the wall, every man to bis work; to that part of it where he wrought, in order to finith it. '
¥.16. And it came to pafs from that time forth, &c. J] -That*they were thus alarthed of danger from their enemies: that the half of my fervants wrought in the work; of building the wall; his domeftic fervants, his guards, or mighty men, as Yarchi, men of war, the foldiers: and the other half of them held both the {pears, the fhields, and the bows; fome offenfive, others defénfive weapons; fome ‘to fight with’ at a diftance, others near at hand: and the babergeons; coats of mail, which they took and cloathed themfelves with: aad the rulers were behind all the houfe of Fudab, the fews that were working at the wall, to animate and encourage them, protect and defend them.
¥.17. They which builded on the wall,.8te.| That laid the morter and ftones upon it, and timber where it was neceflary: and they that bore burdens; that carried the mofter, {tones and timber to the builders, and ferved them: with thofe that laded, which prepared the above for’them, and laid them on their fhoulders: every one with one of bis hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand beld a weapon, which is not-to be underftood ftricly and literally, for without both hands, they could. not well perform ‘either of the above woiks; bur proverbially, fignifying, that they were intent on both working and fighting, and were ready and prepared to’ do the ‘latter, as well as the former, having weapons lying.by them, or girt about them, as is explained in the following verte.
-y¥.18. For the builders had every one his fword girded by bis fide, and {> builded, &c.] Thus accoutred he wrought, and was prepared for either fervice ¢ and be that founded the trumpet was by ine; to give the alarm of war, that every one might lay afide his work, and prepare for the battle: this officer ftood by Nebemiah, that when’ he found it neceffary, might give him orders to found his ttumpet, for the men to gather to him.
| ¥.19. And I faid anto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the reft of the people, &c.] See the note on ¥.14. the work is great and large; the building: of the wall all around the city of Ferufalem: and we are feparated upon the wall one far from another; fome at work on one part of it, and fome at another, fo that the diftance between one another, at leaft in the farther patt, was vety confiderable.
¥.20. In what place therefore ye hear the found of the. trumpet, &c.] Be it what part of the wall. foever they were at work, even the moft diftant: refort ye thither to us; td Nebémiah, and the haif of his fervants armed, where the trumpet was blown; that was to be the place of rehdezvous: our God fhall fight for as and give us victory over our enemies; none have any reafon to be intimdated, when they fhall hear the found of the trumpet.
y¥. 21. So we laboured in the work, &c.} Of building the wall; and half of them held the fpears;
y. dwelt by them, &c.| Near Samaria, Arabia, and Afhdod, and had intelligence of their defigns: came, they aid tous ten times; that is, they came to them at Ferufalem, and often told them, as this phrafe ten times, fignifies, fee Gen. xxxi. 7. from all places whence ye foall return unto us; they will be upon you, come which way you will, fo that ye are in the utmoft. danger: or from all places; where you are repairing and rebuilding: return to us; that ye may enjoy peace and. profperity with us under Sanballat, &c. and efcape the wrath and fury you are now expofed to; or from all places we come, that ye may return tous; fo De Dieu; thefe Jews, though tbey pretended to be friends to their brethren, yet feemed.to be in friendfhip with their enemies, and fought to difcourage them, and weaken their minds, and caufe them to ceafe building,
¥.13. Therefore fet Lin the lower places behind the wail, &¢.|). Where the wall was loweft, and the enemy could more eafily break it down, or get over it: and on the higher places; where the wall was higher; or rather on the towers upon the walls, as the word fignifies the tops of ‘focks, which are dry and fmooth, fee Ezek, xxiv. 2, 8. Leven fet the people after their families; according to their rank, number, ftrength, and valour: with their fwords, their {pears, ‘and their bows; with weapons they could ufe both near, and ata diitance.
¥. 14. And I looked, &c.| “Took a view of the people, and obferved, that they were in their proper place, and fufficiently armed, and alfo whether the enemy was coming: and rofe up and faid unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the ref of the people; who were under their nobles and rulers, as their captains and commanders: de not ye afraid of ikem; of their enemies, their numbers, and their threats: remember the Lord which is great and terrible; who is greater than they, and is to be feared’ and trufted in by his people, and is terrible even to the kings of the earth: and fight for your brethren, your fons and your daughters, your wives and your houjes; intimating, that they were in danger of lofing all that was near and dear, ‘valuable and-precious to‘them, if they did not fight for them; and therefore it became them to quit themfelves like men, and be ftrong.
and other weapons before mentioned, y. 16. from _ the rifing of the morning, till the flars appeared that is, from morning to evening, the fpace of time the builders and labourers worked. Perfia for 22. Likewife at the fame time faid I unto thejour people, &c,| That were, at work upon the wall: let every one with bis fervant lodge within Ferufalem; every. builder had a fervant, or a lad, as the word fignifies, to wait upon. him, to bring morter or flone, or what he wanted; and fome of thefe builders, with their lads, came out of the country-towns and vies in the morning, and returned at night; now Nebemiah propofed for the fafety of the city, and its walls, that for the prefent they would lodge in Ferufalem: that in the night they may be a guard i us, and labour on the day; might help’to protect them in the night, fhould they be furprized with the enemy, and be ready for their work in the attended him as a commiffioner of the king of tate and grandeur: none of us put of clothes, at night when they laid themfelves down to fleep, but laid im them, that they might be ready upon an alarm made: faving that every one put them off for wafhing; not for common wathing becaule dirty, bur for wafhing on account of ceremonial uncleannefs, which required wathing, both of bodies and garments, fee Lev. xv. 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, &c. and the Vulgate Latin verfion exprefies’ it by baptifm, asthe apoftle calls fuch ceremonial ablutions in Heb. vi. 2. and ixs 10, It is in the margin of our bibles, every one went with his weapon for water; when he went to Siloam, or any other place, for water, he took a weapon with him to defend himfelf upon occafion,; which is no bad day-time. fenfe of the words. Noldius* renders the words, yf. 23. So neither I, nor my brethren, 8cc. nobles and rulers: nor my. fervants; his domeftic fervants that waited upon him: or the men of the Thejevery one with bis weapon (and) water 5 both were at his bolfter, ready, if wanted, fee 1 Sam. xxvi. 11, 12. 9 Qa aD guard which followed me; his body-guard, which Meee ie this chapter is a complaint of the poor againft the rich for oppreffion of them, ¥.1—5. for which Nehemiah being angry, reproved them, and| made them promife, and {wear to it, to make reftitution, ¥. 6—a3. and fet them an example himfelf, taking nothing of them during his 12 years government, fupporting himfelf and his at his own were fo poor, that they could not pay it without borrowing upon their eftates, and giving large ufury for it, fee Ezra vi. 8. and vii. 24. 0 y¥, 5. Yet now our flelo is as the flelo of our brex thren, &c.| We are of the fame nature, nations ftock and religion: our children as their children; are circumcifed as they, and have a right to the expences, ¥. 14—I9, fame privileges in church and ftate: and lo, we bring into bondage our fons and daughters to be fers
¥.1. And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives, &c.] Thofe of the poorer fort:| againft their brethren the Fews; the rich that opprefled them, and this cry or complaint was made to Nebemiab for redrefs, were fometimes taken to y.2. For there were that faid, we, our fons, and our daughters are many, &c.) Not that they complained of the number of their children, for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a bleffing with the Yews; but this they obferved to fhew that their families, being large, required a confiderable quantity of food to fupport them: ¢herefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live; that is, they were obliged to take it at an exvants; thall be obliged to it, unlefs relieved: aad ome of our daughters are brought into bondage falready fold to be fervants, as they might in cafe: of the poverty of parents, Exod. xxi. 7. and fome be bondmen in payment of their parents debts, 2 Kings iv. 1. neither is it in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards, asypledges for money borrowed. i:
y. 6. Aad I was very angry when I beard their cry, and thefe words.) Their complaint exprefied in this manner; it not only raifed pity and compaffion in his breaft towards thefe poor diftrefied peopley but indignation at the rich that opprefied orbitant price, which is the thing complained of!them.. or otherwife they muft ftarve, the rich taking the advantage of their poverty, and prefent dearth. y¥. 3. Some aljo there were that faidy we bave mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and boufes, 8cc. Made them over to others, put them into hands as pledges for money received of them): that we may bay corn; for the fupport of their families: becaufe of the dearth; or famine, which might be occafioned by their enemies lying in wait and intercepting all provifions that might be brought to them; for this feems not to be the famine fpoken of in Magg.i. 10, 11. for that was fome years before this, and for a reafon which now y¥. 7. Then 1 confulted with myfelf, &ec.| What was to be done, what method to be taken to redrefs fuch grievances: and I rebuked the nobles, \and the rulers; who were the men that monopotheirjlized the corn in this dear feafon, and fold it at an extravagant price, and had got the lands, vine- - yards, and houfes of the poor mortgaged to them,” and to whom they had Jent money on ufury: aad /aid unto them, you exact ufury every one of bis bro= ¢ber; which was contrary to the exprefs law of God, Exod. xxii. 25. and which even the Indians *ftridtly obferved, who neither let our money, nor took wasjany upon ufury: and J fet a great affembly againft not. them; either of ‘the poor that were opprefied, who
Y. 4. There were alfo that faid, &c.] Who tho’ they were able to buy corn for their families without mortgaging their eftates:
borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards, for tho’ the priefts, Levites, and Nethinim were exempted from it, yet brought in their accufations and complaints againft them, or a large body of the people, who were not yet fay they, we have guilty, to hear ther, that the delinquents: mi be put to public fhame; or he called a large courtof judicature, and fet them to examine thefe allega« tions, and to do juftice. 4 tu ph pa not the people in common; and fome of thefe
¥. 8. Aud I {aid unto them, 8c.) The nobles, and rulers, and other rich perfons that exacted ulury of the poor: we after our ability; {peaking of hinvelf in the plural number, which now obtained in the court of Perfia; or of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and others, who, according as their worldly circumftances, having been captives, would admit of: ave redeemed our brethren the Fews, which) of were fold unto the beathen; not that they had given a ranfom for them to Cyrus, or any other king of Perfia, which would be contrary to the prophecies concerning their redemption, J/: xlv. 13. 3; but fuch who had fold themfelves to particular perfons in Babylon, who without being redeemed, could not take the advantage of the liberty granted by Gyrus, and his fucceffors; and it may be, there were others alfo in the like circumftances in other neighbouring nations, that had been redeemed this way. The Yewifo canon ' now is, he that fells himfelf, and his children, to Gentiles, they don’t redeem; but they redeem the children after their father’s death; which the commentators * explain of the third time that he fells himfelf: aud wi// you even fell your bretbren? their lands and vineyards mortgaged to them, and even their perfons: or fhall they be fold unto us? muft we be obliged to buy them, and to redeem them: shen they held their peace, and found nothing to an{wer; being convinced they had done wrong, by the arguments ufed, to which they could make no reply.
¥. 10. J likewife, and my brethren, and my fervants, might exact of them money and corn, &c.] For our maintenance, in confideration of the fervices done by us, which would appear but reafonable, but this we decline for the fake of eafing our poor brethren: I pray you let us leave off this ufury, and not exact it, as has been too much, and too and wil/ require nothing of them not the hundredth part.of the fruits of the earth by way of falary: /o will we doas thou faye? they approved of his propofal, and readily agreed to it: then I called the prief#s, and took an cath of them, that they foould dé according to this promifé; not that the priefts were delinquents, they were not charged with any thing this kind, nor were they the men that promifed reftitution; but the priefts were called to adminifter the oath to the nobles, and rulers, and rich men, to oblige them the more to keep their word 3 and lii.jan oath being facred, priefts in an holy office, were made ufe of to give it, that it might be the more folemn, and the more ftrictly regarded.
y. 13. Al/o Lfoook my lap, &c.| The fore-fkirts of his garment, fhaking the duft out of them, as a fymbol of what follows; a like rite was ufed in the cafe of peace’and war, the choice of either, by the Romans, as propofed by their ambaffadors to the Carthaginians, as having either in their bofom to fhake out': and faid, fo God hake out every man from bis bouje, and from bis labour; what he has got by his labour: that performeth not his promife; confirmed by an oath: even thus be be Jhaken out, and emptied; of ali that he has’ in the world, and out of the world too, as archi adds: and all the con: gregation faid, Amen; fo let it be, even thofe that had taken pledges and ufury, as well as others: end praifed the Lord; that had given them fuch a governor to direct, advife, and exhort them to \ their duty, and had inclined their hearts to attend thereunto: and the people did according to this pro» mife; they punétually kept it, and the oath they had f{worn.
¥. 9. Al/a I faid, it is not good that ye do, &c. The meaning is, that it was very bad; it is a meiofis, by which more is intended than is expreffed: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God; in reverence of him and his law, and according to that: because of the reproach of the beathen our enemies; whole mouths will be open to reproach the true|&c. religion, and the good ways of God; and fay, thefe are the men that pretend to fear God, and ferve him, and yet break his law, and ufe their brethren il}, fee Rom, ii. 24.
¥.14. Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land ‘of Judah, That is, by the king of Perfia, which was not done when he was firft fent into Fudea; but very probably when he had finifhed the wall in 52 days, he returned to Perfia, and gave the king an account of his fuccefs, and how things ftood in thofe parts, when he judged it neceflary to fend bim again in the character of a governor, and which was {till within the fame year, as follows: from the 20¢b year, even unto the 32d year of Artaxerxes, that is, 12 years; fee ch. xiii. 6. T and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor, which was fit and proper for him, and ufed to be long ufed.,, {given him; neither he, nor thofe that affifted him
¥.11. Reftore, I pray you, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houfes, &c.] Which they had made over to them for corn they had had, or money they borrowed of them; it 4s intreated that an immediate reftitution be made, and the rather, if what 4den Ezra obferves is true, that this was the year of releafe, when debts were not to be exacted, but forgiven, Deut. xv. 1, 2, 3. alfa the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the cil, that ye exa& of them; the hundredth part of the money might be what they took for ufury, as the Romans did in after-times, even fo much a month; fo that if the loan was 100 pounds, a pound was given every month for it, and fo 12 pounds in the year; and the hundredth part of the corn, wine, and oil might be the hundredth part of thofe fruits of the earth, which the rulers demanded for their falary, in the government, the principal men he brought along with him, and put into pofts and places under him.:
y.15. But the former governors that had been. | defore me, were chargeable to the people, &c.] Between him and Zerubsabel, for Ezra was no governor; according to the fewifh chronology ®, when Ezra came to Ferufalem, Zerubbabel returned to Babylon, and there died, and his fon Methullam was in his ftead, and after him fucceeded Hananiab his fon: and had taken of them bread and wine, befides 40 fhekels of filver; which amounted to between four and five pounds, and this they had every day: yea, even their fervants bare rule over the people, required a falary, or at leaft perquifites of them, which the governors connived at: du /o did not I, becaufe of the fear of Ged; neither took any thing himfelf of the people, nor fuffer- fee. ¥. 25s 3 ed his fervants 3 becaufe the fear of God was upon
¥.12. Then faid they, we will reftore them, &c.] The Jands, vineyards, olive-yards, and houtes: his heart, and before his eyes, and therefore could not allow himfelf to opprefs the poor.
y.16. Yea, alfo I continued in the work of wall, &c.}* Of building the wall of ‘Yerujalem; here he gave his conftant attendance to direct and thisitity, abundantly fufficient for his guefts and fervants, and fhows what a good table he kept: a//o fowls were prepared for me, what number is not encourage the workmen, and fee that they kept to to their work, and did it well: neither bought we any land; neither he nor the principal men with him, though they could have boughte it cheap, but they chofe not to take the advantage of the poverty of the people: and all my fervants were gathered thither unto the work; all were employed in it, taking no wages for their work, being maintained at his expence.
faid: and once in ten days ftore of all forts of wine; the country afforded; that is, either once in ten days his ftock of wine was renewed, or a more liberal entertainment was made, a banquet of wine, Efth. v. 6. yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor; the falary that ufed to be given him, but did this at his own expence out of his eftate in Fudea; or what he had got by his ‘office as cup-bearer to the king of Perfia, the falary of y. 17. Moreover, there were at my table 150\which perhaps was continued: decaufe the bondage of the Fews and rulers, &c.J] Every day at his! was beavy upon the people, the tribute of the king own coft, which muft be confiderable to provide of Perfia, and their labour and expence in building for fuch a number, and of fuch rank: defides thofe that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us, who were profelytes, and came, thither to worfhip, or on a civil account, to give intelligence, and take directions,
¥. 19. Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that Ihave done for this people.} He expected not any recompence from the people, but from the Lord; and from him not in a way y. 18. Now that which was prepared for me|of merit, but of grace and good-will, who for-. daily, was one ox, and fix choice fheep, cc.) Orjgets not what is done for his name’s fake, Heb, fat ones; of beef and mutton a confiderable quan-\vi. 10..