Nehemiah 4:1-23
1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortifya themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised:b 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 blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up,c and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinderd it.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side,e and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
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 their sin be blotted out. This is a frequent character of prayers in the old testament; but they are the prayers of judges and prophets, and prayers against robbers and murderers, which do not preclude repentance; and I know not that it is wrong to ask the rod for the incorrigible, and to disable the wicked from doing mischief. But to the christian the command is, “Bless and curse not. Love your enemies.”
Nehemiah 4:6. The wall was joined together unto the half thereof. That is, the entire wall round the city was joined, and built up half the intended height, so as to form some defence against the threatened attack: Nehemiah 4:8. The people had a mind. Hebrews a heart to work. They did the Lord's work cheerfully and heartily.
Nehemiah 4:12. From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. The latter words are not in the Hebrew, but are supplied by our translators. The reading of the LXX is preferable. “They said unto us ten times, from all places they come up against us;” that is, from all parts of Samaria.
Nehemiah 4:16. Habergeons; the breastplates or coats of mail.
Nehemiah 4:23. Put them off for washing. The word translated “put them off,” signifies a weapon; and the word rendered “washing,” signifies water. But from their great exertions in labour they seemed to require a change of linen; our version therefore retains the best reading.
REFLECTIONS.
While Jerusalem, aided by the surrounding cities, and by strangers, made astonishing efforts for its safety and defence, tidings of the work daily reached the ears of Sanballat in Samaria, and excited his indignation and malice to the last degree. But while he was employed in convening his associate governors, and forming plans of ruin to Jerusalem, behold the wall was finished, and the people awaited him in arms. Thus the Lord, in whose counsel the people stood, laughed the enemy to scorn.
At first, When those governors heard of the rapid progress of the works, they affected to despise the effort as a mere heap of rubbish raised from the ditches, and so flimsy in its construction, that the tail of a fox would dash it down. Yet withal they feared, and could not but tremble that a Nehemiah was in the city: for this single man was to Israel a revenue, a host, and a council. He was a general in arms, and a minister of religion in the sanctuary, addressing himself to heaven for divine protection. So shall the enemies of the church be confounded and embarrassed, while they see the hand of God so evidently with his people; and at the same time, his indignant looks frowning confusion on all the plots of their malicious foes.
But we most admire that this great work, at another time the labour of years, was done by the union of much prayer and hard labour, and the vigorous exercise of arms; and while the scouting armies of Samaria every moment menaced the city, every man therefore had his weapon by his side. The enemy from the surrounding hills, was grieved to see the walls joined, the towers raised, and the altar of JEHOVAH smoke with victims of atonement for the people. Alas, for poor Samaria, all its conventions, and all its assembling of armies were in vain. They assaulted not the city, but retired as timid foxes when the husbandman is on the watch. So when religion is in a low and ruined condition, and everywhere surrounded with enemies, it must rise by exertions of faith and prayer. When the lot also of a good minister falls in a district where the barriers of morality are in ruins, as Nehemiah found the walls of Jerusalem, he must gather the dispirited and almost degenerate believers together; he must animate them by sermons, refresh them by his prayers, and elevate their hopes of future prosperity. He must prompt them to devotion and exertions of every kind, and arm them with the maxims of truth against the assaults of all wicked and ungodly men. And the God of this good governor will direct that minister, and succeed his work.
As Nehemiah acquainted not Samaria with his designs, nor yet his own people till the fourth day, let a minister, anxious to effect, under God, a blessed work, learn to avoid all ostentation, all pomp and parade: for the kingdom of God cometh not with observation. His ministry should resemble the milder beams of morn, shedding the welcome rays of truth and grace on the hearts of the people without noise, and before the wicked are aware. Then if Satan roar as a lion, and the greatest of his children take counsel to destroy the work, it is too late. The people have tasted the good word of God, and felt the powers of the world to come: they are apprised of the enemy's designs, and smile at all his rage.