Nehemiah 2:20

The God of heaven see on Nehemiah 1:4.

will prosper us See Nehemiah 1:11. The Vulgate -juvat nos," the present tense corresponding to the following clause -we are his servants," is quite permissible: but is not so suitable to the occasion of Nehemiah's reply.

we his servants as in Nehemiah 1:6; Nehemiah 1:10.

arise and build Nehemiah 2:18. The LXX. by a strange error renders δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ καθαροί‚ καὶ οἰκοδομήσομεν, reading -n'qiyyim" for -naqûm."

no portion, nor right, nor memorial These words closely resemble the declaration in Ezra 4:3, and imply some sort of claim on the part of these adversaries to a share in the fortunes of Jerusalem. If so, the adversaries must be regarded as mainly consisting of the Samaritan community. Nehemiah renouncing connexion with the Samaritans, affirms that they have no share in the present community, no ground for claiming it in the future, no memorial or justification of such claim in the past.

no portion Cf. 2 Samuel 20:1.

nor right The word here used has generally the sense of righteousness. Here it means -right," -just claim;" so in 2 Samuel 19:28 -What right therefore have I, &c.;" and Joel 2:23, -he giveth you the former rain in just measure" (marg. -Or in (or for) righteousness").

nor memorial i.e. the Samaritans had no memorial nor proof of their past connexion with Jerusalem. The word is rendered -remembrance" in Ecclesiastes 1:11; Ecclesiastes 2:16; -memorial," Numbers 16:40; Numbers 31:54. Cf. -write this for a memorial in a book" (Exodus 17:14); -a book of remembrance" (Malachi 3:16).