7 We have dealt very H2254 corruptly H2254 against thee, and have not kept H8104 the commandments, H4687 nor the statutes, H2706 nor the judgments, H4941 which thou commandedst H6680 thy servant H5650 Moses. H4872
And testifiedst H5749 against them, that thou mightest bring them again H7725 unto thy law: H8451 yet they dealt proudly, H2102 and hearkened H8085 not unto thy commandments, H4687 but sinned H2398 against thy judgments, H4941 (which if a man H120 do, H6213 he shall live H2421 in them;) and withdrew H5414 H5637 the shoulder, H3802 and hardened H7185 their neck, H6203 and would not hear. H8085 Yet many H7227 years H8141 didst thou forbear H4900 them, and testifiedst H5749 against them by thy spirit H7307 in H3027 thy prophets: H5030 yet would they not give ear: H238 therefore gavest H5414 thou them into the hand H3027 of the people H5971 of the lands. H776 Nevertheless for thy great H7227 mercies' H7356 sake thou didst H6213 not utterly consume H3617 them, nor forsake H5800 them; for thou art a gracious H2587 and merciful H7349 God. H410 Now therefore, our God, H430 the great, H1419 the mighty, H1368 and the terrible H3372 God, H410 who keepest H8104 covenant H1285 and mercy, H2617 let not all the trouble H8513 seem little H4591 before H6440 thee, that hath come H4672 upon us, on our kings, H4428 on our princes, H8269 and on our priests, H3548 and on our prophets, H5030 and on our fathers, H1 and on all thy people, H5971 since the time H3117 of the kings H4428 of Assyria H804 unto this day. H3117 Howbeit thou art just H6662 in all that is brought H935 upon us; for thou hast done H6213 right, H571 but we have done wickedly: H7561 Neither have our kings, H4428 our princes, H8269 our priests, H3548 nor our fathers, H1 kept H6213 thy law, H8451 nor hearkened H7181 unto thy commandments H4687 and thy testimonies, H5715 wherewith thou didst testify H5749 against them. For they have not served H5647 thee in their kingdom, H4438 and in thy great H7227 goodness H2898 that thou gavest H5414 them, and in the large H7342 and fat H8082 land H776 which thou gavest H5414 before H6440 them, neither turned H7725 they from their wicked H7451 works. H4611
We have sinned, H2398 and have committed iniquity, H5753 and have done wickedly, H7561 and have rebelled, H4775 even by departing H5493 from thy precepts H4687 and from thy judgments: H4941 Neither have we hearkened H8085 unto thy servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 which spake H1696 in thy name H8034 to our kings, H4428 our princes, H8269 and our fathers, H1 and to all the people H5971 of the land. H776
O that H305 my ways H1870 were directed H3559 to keep H8104 thy statutes! H2706 Then shall I not be ashamed, H954 when I have respect H5027 unto all thy commandments. H4687 I will praise H3034 thee with uprightness H3476 of heart, H3824 when I shall have learned H3925 thy righteous H6664 judgments. H4941 I will keep H8104 thy statutes: H2706 O forsake H5800 me not utterly. H3966
The statutes H6490 of the LORD H3068 are right, H3477 rejoicing H8055 the heart: H3820 the commandment H4687 of the LORD H3068 is pure, H1249 enlightening H215 the eyes. H5869 The fear H3374 of the LORD H3068 is clean, H2889 enduring H5975 for ever: H5703 the judgments H4941 of the LORD H3068 are true H571 and righteous H6663 altogether. H3162
And thou shalt not go aside H5493 from any of the words H1697 which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 to the right hand, H3225 or to the left, H8040 to go H3212 after H310 other H312 gods H430 to serve H5647 them. But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to observe H8104 to do H6213 all his commandments H4687 and his statutes H2708 which I command H6680 thee this day; H3117 that all these curses H7045 shall come H935 upon thee, and overtake H5381 thee:
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.