CHAPTER IV _Sanballat and Tobiah mock the Jews, and endeavour to prevent_ _the completing of the wall_, 1-3. _Nehemiah prays against them, and the people complete one half of_ _the wall_, 4-6. _The Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, conspire together, and_ _come to fight against the Jews_, 7... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:2. _THE ARMY OF SAMARIA_] As he was _governor_, he had the command of the army, and he wished to excite the soldiers to second his views against Nehemiah and his men. _WHAT DO THESE FEEBLE JEWS?_] We may remark here, in general, that the enemies of God's work endeavour by all means... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:4. _TURN THEIR REPROACH UPON THEIR OWN HEAD_] A prayer of this kind, understood literally, is not lawful for any _Christian_. Jesus, our great master, has said, "Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you." Such sayings as the above... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:5. _LET NOT THEIR SIN BE BLOTTED OUT_] These are the most terrible imprecations; but probably we should understand them as _declaratory_, for the same form of the verb, in the Hebrew, is used as _precative_ and _imperative_. _Turn their reproach _- Their reproach _shall be_ turned.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:6. _FOR THE PEOPLE HAD A MIND TO WORK._] The original is very emphatic: ויהי לב לעם לעשות _vayehi leb leam laasoth_, "For the people had a _heart_ to work." Their _hearts_ were engaged in it; and where the _heart_ is engaged, the work of God goes on well. The whole of this _6_th ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:7. _THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM WERE MADE UP_] That is, they were made up _to the half height of the wall_; for the preceding verse seems to intimate that the _whole wall_ was thus far built; not _half of the wall_ completed, but the _whole wall built to half_ _its height_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:9. _WE MADE OUR PRAYER UNTO OUR GOD, AND SET A WATCH_] The strongest confidence in the protection and favour of God does not preclude the use of _all_ or any of the _means of self-preservation_ _and defence_ which his providence has put in our power. While God works in us to _will... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:10. _THE STRENGTH OF THE BEARERS OF BURDENS IS DECAYED_] They worked both _day_ and _night_, scarcely ever putting off their clothes, except for the purpose of being _washed_, Nehemiah 4:21; Nehemiah 4:23. _MUCH RUBBISH_] The ruins they were obliged to clear away, before they could... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:12. _FROM ALL PLACES WHENCE YE SHALL RETURN UNTO US_] This verse is extremely difficult. Our translators have supplied the words, _they will be upon you_, which have nothing correspondent in the Hebrew. The Septuagint have given a good sense, Αναβαινουσιν εκ παντων των τοπων εφ' ἡ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _BE NOT YE AFRAID OF THEM_] Are they more terrible or stronger than God? _FIGHT FOR YOUR BRETHREN_] Your own _countrymen_, who worship the same God, and are come from the same stock; _your sons_, whom they wish to slay or lead into captivity; _your daughters_ and _wives_, whom they wish t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _THEIR COUNSEL TO NAUGHT_] The word _counsel_ used here countenances the _emendation_ in the Nehemiah 4:12, Nehemiah 4:12 verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _HALF-WROUGHT IN THE WORK_] This is no unusual thing, even in the present day, in Palestine: people sowing their seed are often attended by an armed man, to prevent the Arabs from robbing them of their seed, which they will not fail to do if not protected. _HABERGEONS_] In the Franco-Gall... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _WITH ONE OF HIS HANDS WROUGHT IN THE WORK, AND WITH_ _THE OTHER HAND HELD A WEAPON._] That is, he had his _arms_ at hand, and was as fully prepared to _fight_ as to _work_. So OVID, _Epist_. xi., _Canace Macario_, ver. 1: - _Si qua tamen caecis errabunt scripta lituris_, _Oblitus a domi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _YE HEAR THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET_] As the walls were very extensive, and the workmen consequently much scattered, their enemies might easily attack and destroy them successively, he therefore ordered them all to work as near to each other as they could; and himself, who was everywhere sur... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _LET EVERY ONE WITH HIS SERVANT LODGE WITHIN_ _JERUSALEM_] The country people were accustomed, after their day's labour, to return to their families; now being so formidably threatened, he obliged them all to sleep in Jerusalem, that they might be ready, in case of attack, to help their br... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Nehemiah 4:23. _NONE OF US PUT OFF OUR CLOTHES, SAVING THAT EVERY ONE_ _PUT THEM OFF FOR WASHING._] The Hebrew for all this is only אין אנחנו פשטים בגדינו איש שלחו המים _ein anachnu poshetim begadeynu_ _ish shilcho hammayim_; which _Montanus_ translates, _Non nos exuentes_ _vestes nostras, vir... [ Continue Reading ]