Nehemiah 6:15

15-19 The wall was begun and finished in fifty-two days, though they rested on the sabbaths. A great deal of work may be done in a little time, if we set about it in earnest, and keep close to it. See the mischief of marrying with strangers. When men once became akin to Tobiah, they soon became sworn to him. A sinful love leads to a sinful league. The enemy of souls employs many instruments, and forms many projects, to bring reproach on the active servants of God, or to take them from their work. But we should follow the example of Him who laid down his life for the sheep. Those that simply cleave to the Lord and his work will be supported....

Verse 15. _THE TWENTY AND FIFTH - OF - ELUL_] This Jewish month answers to a part of our _August_ and _September_. _FIFTY AND TWO DAYS._] I see no difficulty in supposing that several thousand workmen, each of whom was working _as for God_, should be able to complete this wall in _fifty-two_ days. There is little doubt that several parts of the old wall were entire; in many places the foundations still remained; there were all the _materials_ of the old wall still at hand; and though they had to clear and carry away much rubbish, yet they do not appear to have had any stones to quarry. The work mentioned here was little when compared to what _Caesar_ did in Gaul and other places; and to what _Titus_ did at Jerusalem, who built a wall round Jerusalem of _five_ _thousand_ paces in three days, besides, _thirteen towers_ of _ten_ _stadia_ in circuit. And _Quintus Curtius_ and

ELUL - The sixth month, corresponding to the latter part of August and the beginning of September. IN FIFTY AND TWO DAYS - Josephus states that the repairs of the wall occupied two years and four months. But Nehemiah’s narrative is thoroughly consistent with itself, and contains in it nothing that is improbable. The walls everywhere existed at the time that he commenced his task, and only needed repairs. The work was partitioned among at least 37 working parties, who labored simultaneously, with material ready at hand; and, notwithstanding all menaces, uninterruptedly....

EXPOSITION SECRET PROCEEDINGS OF SANBALLAT AND HIS FRIENDS TO HINDER THE BUILDING OF THE WALL, AND THEIR FAILURE. THE WALL COMPLETED (Nehemiah 6:1.). When the open opposition failed, when it was found that Nehemiah's arrangements for guarding the wall (Nehemiah 4:13) were such that success was not likely to attend the employment of force by the confederates, with such resources as they had at their disposal, and the idea of an assault was therefore give

ELUL sixth monththat is, September....

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The attempt to entice Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:1)_ 2. The attempt to intimidate him (Nehemiah 6:5) 3. The attempt through a false prophet (Nehemiah 6:10) 4. The wall finished (Nehemiah 6:15) 5. The conspiracy between Jewish nobles and Tobiah (Nehemiah 6:17) Nehemiah 6:1. Defeated in all previous efforts to hinder the work and to do harm to the builders of the wall, the enemies made new attempts to make

THE REBUILDING OF THE WALL IS COMPLETED. TOBIAH'S FRIENDS IN JUDAH. Nehemiah 6:15. Elul: = August approximately. The rebuilding of the walls was completed in 444 B.C., having taken fifty-two days. Nehemiah 6:16. feared: the RVm. can be disregarded; the Heb. is defectively written. WERE MUCH CAST DOWN...: read and it was very marvellous in their eyes; this is gained by a slight emendation of the Heb. text, which gives no sense as it stands. Nehemiah 6:17 f. These verses bear witness to the intrigues which were being carried on in the city itself....

FIFTY AND TWO DAYS. If finished on twenty-fifth Elul, and work took fifty-two days, it must have been commenced on third of Ab (fifth month). Work rapid, because all materials there: and God's good hand was there upon them....

The Completion of the Wall (Nehemiah 6:15); and the impression produced (Nehemiah 6:16): treasonable correspondence (Nehemiah 6:17-19) 15. _Elul_ This month, which is the same as the Assyrian U-lu-lu, corresponds to the end of August and beginning of September. It is mentioned in 1Ma 14:27. The 25th of Elul would be September 444. Elul, the 6th of the sacred year, was the last month of the civil year. _in fifty and two days_ Nehemiah is evidently calling attention to the remarkable rapidity with which the wall was built. But though a remarkable performance, there is nothing incredible in it; and the suggestion to append to the text -and two years" (so Ewald) would give a period of time str

DISCOURSE: 444 THE EXPEDITION WITH WHICH THE WALL OF JERUSALEM WAS BUILT Nehemiah 6:15. _So the wall was finished …in fifty and two days_. A MERE historic record of the time occupied in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem appears at first sight to be an uninteresting subject for a popular discourse: but it will be found replete with interest, when the circumstances connected with it are taken into the account. The extremely dilapidated and ruined state of the fortifications at that time, the weakness and poverty of those who undertook to rebuild them, and the opposition which they met with from numerous and potent enemies, combine to render the record in our text almost incredible. For the completion of such a work, two and fifty _weeks_ would have been a very short time; but two and fifty _days_ seem utterly insufficient for it: such expedition appears perfectly