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. Ver. 1. _But it came to pass_] The devil and his imps have ever been utter enemies to reformation. So do savage beasts bristle up themselves, and make the most fie... [ Continue Reading ]
And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify 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? Ver. 2. _And he spake before his brethren_]... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _Now Tobiah the Ammonite_] This was one of Sanballat's good brethren, Nehemiah 4:2. A bird of the same feather, a loaf of the same leaven, his fellow sco... [ Continue Reading ]
_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:_ Ver. 4. _Hear, O our God_] These mocks and menaces lay so heavy upon Nehemiah's spirit, that he could not ease himself but by breathing heavenward; and turning the... [ Continue Reading ]
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 imprecation! Surely if they only are blessed whose sin is covered, Psalms 32:1, what shall become of tho... [ Continue Reading ]
_So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work._ Ver. 6. _So built we the wall_] This followed upon his prayer, as a gracious answer to it; the people were encouraged, and the wall finished. Faithful prayer is never ineffectual.... [ Continue Reading ]
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, [and] that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, Ver. 7. And the Arabians' and the Ammonites] A rabble of malignant... [ Continue Reading ]
And conspired all of them together to come [and] to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Ver. 8. _And conspired all of them together_] All of them, and together; and yet this was not unity, but conspiracy; such as is that among devils, Mark 5:9, among Antichristians, Revelation 17:13, among T... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. Ver. 9. _Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God_] Who is the saints' sanctuary of safety, their present help in time of trouble. Prayer to him is an anchor in all storms and a salve for... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _And Judah said_] Here was επεμβολη, _impedimenti domestici; aliud ex alio malum,_ a worse discouragement than the former. Judah (the chief labourers)... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _And our adversaries said_] But their plot was some way discovered, and so prevented. _Detexit facinus fatuus et non implevit,_ saith Tacitus of one... [ Continue Reading ]
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]. Ver. 12. _And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came_] Their brethren from abroad gave the workmen intelligenc... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 13. _Therefore set I in the lower places_] I took them off their work, and appointed them to stand upon their guard; appo... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _And I looked, and ros... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 15. _And it came to pass, when our enemies heard_] This rumour was enough to frighten these no less now timorous... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 16. _And it came to pass from that time forth_] As... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 17. _They which builded on the wall_] The master masons, and they that bare burdens, Bajuli, labourers and porters,... [ Continue Reading ]
For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and [so] builded. And he that sounded the trumpet [was] by me. Ver. 18. _For the builders every one had his sword girded by his side_] Heb. on his loins; that is the place for the sword to hang on: Psalms 45:3, "Gird thy sword upon thy t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 19. _And I said unto the nobles, &c._] Nehemiah, the more a man observeth him the more he shall admire him. Surely he was (as V... [ Continue Reading ]
In what place [therefore] ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. Ver. 20. _In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet_] Which, therefore, for the purpose he kept at his own elbow, Nehemiah 4:18, as a matter of trust and importance. Mos... [ Continue Reading ]
So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. Ver. 21. _So we laboured in the work_] Their fear of the enemy did not weaken them, but waken them rather to a redoubled diligence. _ From the rising of the sun till the stars appea... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 22. _Likewise at the same time I said unto the people_] He had a saying to every one; and having ordered the work of the... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 23. _So neither I_] He said not to his men, _Ite,_ but _eamus,_ as Caesar did; Go ye, but go we; and as Abimelech, Judge... [ Continue Reading ]