Nehemiah 13:19

_THERE DWELT MEN OF TYRE ALSO THEREIN, WHICH BROUGHT FISH, AND ALL MANNER OF WARE, AND SOLD ON THE SABBATH UNTO THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH, AND IN JERUSALEM._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

15-22 The keeping holy the Lord's day forms an important object for their attention who would promote true godliness. Religion never prospers while sabbaths are trodden under foot. No wonder there was a general decay of religion, and corruption of manners among the Jews, when they forsook the sanctuary and profaned the sabbath. Those little consider what an evil they do, who profane the sabbath. We must answer for the sins others are led to commit by our example. Nehemiah charges it on them as an evil thing, for so it is, proceeding from contempt of God and our own souls. He shows that sabbath-breaking was one of the sins for which God had brought judgments upon them; and if they did not take warning, but returned to the same sins again, they had to expect further judgments. The courage, zeal, and prudence of Nehemiah in this matter, are recorded for us to do likewise; and we have reaso...

Verse 19. _WHEN THE GATES - BEGAN TO BE DARK_] After sunset on Friday evening he caused the gates to be shut, and kept them shut all the Sabbath; and, as he could not trust the ordinary officers, he set some of _his own servants_ to watch the gates, that no person might enter for the purpose of traffic....

The gates were closed at the sunset of the day before the Sabbath; since the Sabbath was regarded as commencing on the previous evening....

EXPOSITION NEHEMIAH'S EFFORTS FOR THE REFORM OF RELIGION (Nehemiah 13:1). After having exercised the office of governor for twelve years, from B.C. 444 to B.C. 432, Nehemiah had had occasion to visit the Persian court, either to consult Artaxerxes personally on certain matters connected with his province, or for some other reason unknown to us. During his absence various evil practices, to which some reference has been already made in connection with the renewal of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:30-16), acquired so much strength, and came to such a head, that, on Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem at the expiration of a year (verse 6),

CHAPTER 13 _ 1. The separation of the mixed multitude (Nehemiah 13:1)_ 2. The unholy alliance repudiated (Nehemiah 13:4) 3. Nehemiah's action in behalf of the Levites and singers (Nehemiah 13:10) 4. Provision for Sabbath observance (Nehemiah 13:15) 5. Nehemiah's protest (Nehemiah 13:23) 6. His own testimony as to his work (Nehemiah 13:30)...

SOME DETAILS OF NEHEMIAH'S RULE. This section, taken for the most part from Nehemiah's memoirs, deals with his zeal for the sanctity of the Temple (Nehemiah 13:4), his organisation for the maintenance of the Levites (Nehemiah 13:10), his reform regarding Sabbath observance (Nehemiah 13:15), and his measures against those who had contracted marriages with aliens (Nehemiah 13:23). Nehemiah 13:28 f. contains some concluding words of Nehemiah. When it is remembered that for twelve years he had been working among the people, enforc

_the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark_ The rare word for -began to be dark" gives rise to the renderings LXX. ἡνίκα κατέστησαν πύλαι, Vulg. -cum quievissent portæ." Another suggested rendering is -had their bells rung," is very ludicrous, deriving the word from the same root as the word for -cymbals." _before the sabbath_ From this we should gather that the Sabbath began as soon as it was dark; not absolutely at sunset, but at the termination of the brief twilight. _gates_ R.V. DOORS. _charged_ R.V. COMMANDED. Same word as in the previous clause. _servants_ Literally -youths," παῖδες, i.e. personal attendants, cf. Nehemiah 4:10. _at the gates_ R.V. OVER THE GATES, i.e. to superintend the watch. that _there should no burden_, &c. The object of the watch was not to bar the free passage in and out, but

SOME OF MY SERVANTS SET I AT THE GATES— It seems as if matters were come to such a pass, that Nehemiah could not trust the common porters of the gates, and therefore appointed some of his own domestics, who he knew would neither be careless nor corrupted, to see that the gates were kept shut, and all traffic prohibited. He, however, appointed the Levites afterwards to this office, Nehemiah 13:22 because he not only thought that by virtue of their character they would meet with more deference and respect than his domestic servants; but also because he resolved, when he and his servants were gone from Jerusalem, to have the watch continued, till the vile custom of admitting dealers into the city on the sabbath-day should be quite abolished. See Bishop Patrick. REFLECTIONS.—1st, Nehemiah's back was scarcely turned, before great abominations crept in, which called for his speed

4. Labor and merchandising is forbidden on the Sabbath. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 13:15-22 15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16 Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers do the same so that our God brought on us, and on this city, all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbat