4 And it came to pass, when I heard H8085 these words, H1697 that I sat down H3427 and wept, H1058 and mourned H56 certain days, H3117 and fasted, H6684 and prayed H6419 before H6440 the God H430 of heaven, H8064
And the messenger H1319 answered H6030 and said, H559 Israel H3478 is fled H5127 before H6440 the Philistines, H6430 and there hath been also a great H1419 slaughter H4046 among the people, H5971 and thy two H8147 sons H1121 also, Hophni H2652 and Phinehas, H6372 are dead, H4191 and the ark H727 of God H430 is taken. H3947 And it came to pass, when he made mention H2142 of the ark H727 of God, H430 that he fell H5307 from off the seat H3678 backward H322 by H1157 the side H3027 of the gate, H8179 and his neck H4665 brake, H7665 and he died: H4191 for he was an old H2204 man, H376 and heavy. H3513 And he had judged H8199 Israel H3478 forty H705 years. H8141 And his daughter in law, H3618 Phinehas' H6372 wife, H802 was with child, H2030 near to be delivered: H3205 and when she heard H8085 the tidings H8052 that H413 the ark H727 of God H430 was taken, H3947 and that her father in law H2524 and her husband H376 were dead, H4191 she bowed H3766 herself and travailed; H3205 for her pains H6735 came H2015 upon her. And about the time H6256 of her death H4191 the women that stood H5324 by her said H1696 unto her, Fear H3372 not; for thou hast born H3205 a son. H1121 But she answered H6030 not, neither did she regard H7896 H3820 it. And she named H7121 the child H5288 Ichabod, H350 saying, H559 The glory H3519 is departed H1540 from Israel: H3478 because H413 the ark H727 of God H430 was taken, H3947 and because of her father in law H2524 and her husband. H376 And she said, H559 The glory H3519 is departed H1540 from Israel: H3478 for the ark H727 of God H430 is taken. H3947
And thus H3660 they returned H8421 us answer, H6600 saying, H560 We H586 are H1994 the servants H5649 of the God H426 of heaven H8065 and earth, H772 and build H1124 the house H1005 that was H1934 builded H1124 these H1836 many H7690 years H8140 ago, H6928 which a great H7229 king H4430 of Israel H3479 builded H1124 and set up. H3635 But H3861 after H4481 that our fathers H2 had provoked H7265 the God H426 of heaven H8065 unto wrath, H7265 he gave H3052 them H1994 into the hand H3028 of Nebuchadnezzar H5020 the king H4430 of Babylon, H895 the Chaldean, H3679 who destroyed H5642 this H1836 house, H1005 and carried H1541 the people H5972 away H1541 into Babylon. H895
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 1
Commentary on Nehemiah 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Ne 1:1-3. Nehemiah, Understanding by Hanani the Afflicted State of Jerusalem, Mourns, Fasts, and Prays.
1. Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah—This eminently pious and patriotic Jew is to be carefully distinguished from two other persons of the same name—one of whom is mentioned as helping to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Ne 3:16), and the other is noticed in the list of those who accompanied Zerubbabel in the first detachment of returning exiles (Ezr 2:2; Ne 7:7). Though little is known of his genealogy, it is highly probable that he was a descendant of the tribe of Judah and the royal family of David.
in the month Chisleu—answering to the close of November and the larger part of December.
Shushan the palace—the capital of ancient Susiana, east of the Tigris, a province of Persia. From the time of Cyrus it was the favorite winter residence of the Persian kings.
2, 3. Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah—Hanani is called his brother (Ne 7:2). But as that term was used loosely by Jews as well as other Orientals, it is probable that no more is meant than that he was of the same family. According to Josephus, Nehemiah, while walking around the palace walls, overheard some persons conversing in the Hebrew language. Having ascertained that they had lately returned from Judea, he was informed by them, in answer to his eager enquiries, of the unfinished and desolate condition of Jerusalem, as well as the defenseless state of the returned exiles. The commissions previously given to Zerubbabel and Ezra extending only to the repair of the temple and private dwellings, the walls and gates of the city had been allowed to remain a mass of shattered ruins, as they had been laid by the Chaldean siege.
Ne 1:4-11. His Prayer.
4. when I heard these words, that I sat down … and mourned … and fasted, and prayed—The recital deeply affected the patriotic feelings of this good man, and no comfort could he find but in earnest and protracted prayer, that God would favor the purpose, which he seems to have secretly formed, of asking the royal permission to go to Jerusalem.
11. I was the king's cupbearer—This officer, in the ancient Oriental courts, was always a person of rank and importance; and, from the confidential nature of his duties and his frequent access to the royal presence, he possessed great influence.