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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Nehemiah 4:5

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. Give them for a prey - They shall be given for a prey. Cover not their iniquity - Their iniquity shall not be covered. Let not their sin be blotted out - Their sin shall not be blotted out. All who know the genius of the Hebrew language, know that the future tense is used to express all these senses. Besides, we may rest assured that Nehemiah's curses, or declaration of God's judgments, had respect only to their bodies, and to their life: not to their souls and the world to come. And then they amount to no more than this: What a man soweth that he shall reap.

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See also Nehemiah 4:5 in other biblical comments:

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The indignation and sneers of the enemies (Nehemiah 4:1)_ 2. Nehemiah's ejaculatory prayer (Nehemiah 4:4) 3. Conspiracy, and more prayer (Nehemiah 4:7) 4. Nehemiah's precautions and...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    SAMARITAN ATTEMPT TO FRUSTRATE THE BUILDING OF THE WALLS. In Nehemiah 4:2 f. the text is very corrupt, though the general sense of the passage is fairly clear, viz. the Samaritans mock the efforts mad...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    COVER NOT. Hebrew. _kasah =_ conceal not. Not _kaphar,_ to cover by atonement. SIN. Hebrew. _chata'._ App-44....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _and cover not their iniquity_ i.e. forgive it not. Cf. Psalms 85:2, -Thou hast _forgiven_the iniquity of thy people, thou hast _covered_all their sin" i.e. so as not to see and visit it. _and let not...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT D. The enemies try ridicule and rumor to block construction. 1. Their enemies try to block them with ridicule. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 4:1-6 1. Now it came about that when S...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND COVER NOT THEIR INIQUITY, AND LET NOT THEIR SIN BE BLOTTED OUT FROM BEFORE THEE: FOR THEY HAVE PROVOKED THEE TO ANGER BEFORE THE BUILDERS._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MACHINATIONS OF THE ENEMIES OF THE JEWS 1. Sanballat] His irritation at Nehemiah's arrival (Nehemiah 2:10) was increased by the work accomplished by the latter....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    So Nehemiah prayed. That is what we would expect him to do. Perhaps he called the people together to pray. (He says ‘us’ in his prayer.) He knew that his enemies were not just insulting the *Jews. Th...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE *JEWS BUILD JERUSALEM’S CITY WALL AGAIN NEHEMIAH _ROBERT BRYCE AND ROBERT BETTS_ CHAPTER 4 V1 Sanballat heard that we were building the wall again. So he became very angry. He laughed at the...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Nehemiah 3:37]_ וְ אַל ־תְּכַס֙ עַל ־עֲוֹנָ֔ם...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Nehemiah 2:19 ON GUARD Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 4:1 ALL his arrangements for rebuilding the walls of Jerusale

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BRAVING RIDICULE AND TREACHERY Nehemiah 2:12; Nehemiah 4:1 _ Suspicion_, Nehemiah 2:12. Sanballat was probably a Moabite, a native of Horonaim; Tobiah had been a slave. There are many descendants of...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    As the work proceeded, the opposition of outsiders turned from derision to anger, but rose no higher at the moment than contempt. However, Nehemiah was conscious of the menace of this attitude, and li...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And cover not their (e) iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders. (e) Let the plagues declare to the world that they...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Face. Punish the obstinate. (Tirinus) --- He does not wish that they may continue impenitent. (Calmet) --- But, on that supposition, he approves of the divine justice, and foretells what will happen....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (4) Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: (5) And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blo...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Overcoming the Opposition St. Teresa of Avila (d. A.D. 1582), founder of the Carmelites, was noted for an ironic sense of humor and a deft way of turning a phrase. One day, Teresa was about to go on...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 2, 3, 4, 5, AND 6. The time in which Nehemiah laboured for the good of his people was not one of those brilliant phases which, if faith be there, awaken even...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders. _Ver 5. And cover not their iniquity._] O fearful impr...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Hear, O our God_ Nehemiah here interrupts the relation, to mention the prayer he made on the occasion. _Turn their reproach upon their own head_ Let them really be as contemptible as they represent u...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 While the enemies scoffe, Nehemiah prayeth and continueth the worke. 7 Vnderstanding the wrath and secrets of the enemy, hee setteth a watch. 13 Hee armeth the labourers, 19 and giueth military p...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee; for they have provoked Thee to anger before the builders, in the sight of the Jews engaged in the work of building...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE PLANS OF THE ADVERSARIES...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    DECISION IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION (vv. 1-23) The diligent labor of the Jews drew out more bitter anger on the part of the enemy. Sanballat was furious and resorted to the moral weakness of mockery,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 Many a good work has been looked upon with contempt by proud and haughty scorners. Those who disagree in almost every thing, will unite in persecution. Nehemiah did not answer these fools accordi...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    LET NOT THEIR SIN BE BLOTTED OUT FROM BEFORE THEE; let their wickedness be in thy sight, so as to bring down deserved judgments it. upon them, that either they may be convinced and reformed, or others...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Nehemiah 4:5 cover H3680 (H8762) iniquity H5771 sin H2403 out H4229 (H8735) before H6440 anger H3707 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CONTINUAL OPPOSITION TO THE BUILDING OF THE WALL AND PROBLEMS RELATED TO IT (NEHEMIAH 4:1 TO NEHEMIAH 6:14). Meanwhile the work did not go on unopposed. Powerful men were involved in seeking to ensure...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SANBALLAT AROUSES THE NEIGHBOURS OF THE JEWS TO RIDICULE THEIR ATTEMPTS TO REBUILD THE WALLS, BUT WITHOUT EFFECT (NEHEMIAH 4:1). We note here the deepening of the already revealed opposition to the J...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Opposition by ridicule, anger and discouragement. CHARACTERS: God, Nehemiah, Sanballat, Tobiah. CONCLUSION: God's people are often a despised people, loaded with contempt, but the reproach...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Nehemiah 4:2. _He spake before his brethren;_ that is, before Tobias, &c. his brother governors, and other great officers whom he had convened for counsel against the Jews. Nehemiah 4:5. _Let not thei...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NEHEMIAH 4:1 Opposition Intensifies, but the People Continue Watchfully. While the building continues, Sanballat and his allies resort to direct action in order to stop it, but their plot is foiled....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    EXPLANATORY NOTES.] Nehemiah 4:1 are in the Hebrew v. 33–38 of chap. Nehemiah 3:1 NEHEMIAH 4:1. SANBALLAT] See on chap. Nehemiah 2:10. That

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSTION OPEN OPPOSITION OFFERED TO THE WORK BY SANBALLAT AND TOBIAH, AND ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY NEHEMIAH TO MEET IT ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now it came to pass, when [this antagonist] Sanballat [and Tobiah] learned that they had started building the wall, they were very angry, and they began to mock the Jews (Nehemiah 4:1). And they gath...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Timothy 4:14; Isaiah 36:11; Isaiah 36:12; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Cover not — Let their wickedness be in thy sight, so as to bring down judgments upon them, that either they may be reformed, or others may be warned by their example. God is said to cover or hide sin...

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