Nehemiah 1:1

Words, or transactions written by Nehemias. (Menochius) --- Helcias, or Hebrew and Septaugint, "Chelcias." --- Casleu, the third of the civil year, 1 Esdras x. 9. --- Year of Artaxerxes, (Calmet) after he was associated with his father on the throne; (Tirinus) or rather the death of Xerxes. From this period the seventy weeks of Daniel are dated, (Du Hamel) or from the 23rd of Artaxerxes, and the 28th of Xerxes, (Tirinus) as above three years must have been consumed in making preparations for the walls, &c. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xi. 5.) --- The name of Nehemias, "comforter of God," as well as his being sent by a king to build, &c., prefigured Jesus Christ, sent by God to comfort and establish his Church. (Ven. Bede) (Worthington) (Haydock) --- Susa. Hebrew, "in Susa, the palace," where the kings of Persia resided in the months of winter, (Atheneus xii. 1.) and of spring. (Xenophon) (Cyr. viii.) (Curtius v. 8.) --- Here Darius probably kept his court at other times, Esther i. 2. (Calmet) --- Susa was situated on the river Coaspes, between the provinces of Babylon and Persia. (Du Hamel)