Nehemiah 5:17

Moreover Nehemiah mentions another proof of his generosity as governor. He regularly entertained over 150 officials, and welcomed Jewish strangers to his table.

an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came unto us, &c. The English rendering which seems here to distinguish between -the Jews" and -rulers" (or -deputies"), and to speak of three classes (1) the Jews, (2) rulers, (3) strangers from outside Judæa, may be supported by the traditional interpretation preserved in the Hebrew accents.

From the position here assigned to -the Jews," the word, if taken to express a distinct class of the community, must be used of -the heads of the great Jewish houses or families" (cf. Ezra 2) as distinct from the administrative officers (see Nehemiah 2:16). According to this explanation the heads of the houses and the rulers together numbered one hundred and fifty.

It may be questioned whether the expression -the Jews" would ever be assigned to a section or class of the community. The word is used in Nehemiah 5:1 and Nehemiah 5:8 without any such limitation of meaning.

It is perhaps better to take -the Jews" as the subject of the whole verse. -Moreover the Jews I regularly entertained two classes, i.e. the 150 officials and those who had recently left their homes to join their countrymen at Jerusalem." This is the rendering of the Vulgate, -Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri et veniebant ad nos de gentibus." The repetition of the copula in the Hebrew with -Jews," -rulers," and -those" admits of this rendering as in Nehemiah 4:11.

The large number of the -rulers" is not an insurmountable objection to this rendering. The central organization of the administration required a great deal of subdivision; and as all the officials were under the governor, he extended his hospitality to all alike.

besides those that came unto us, &c. By this seems to be intended the somewhat numerous class of Jews, who, having resided among the neighbouring nations detached themselves from time to time, and came to join their brethren in or near Jerusalem. These were Jews, whose forefathers had never been carried captive to Babylon, but had settled in foreign lands either for purposes of trade or from fear of the invader. See note on Ezra 6:21.

that are about us R.V. that were round about us. The past tense is required by the narrative style, which Nehemiah employs.