20 Then answered H7725 H1697 I them, and said H559 unto them, The God H430 of heaven, H8064 he will prosper H6743 us; therefore we his servants H5650 will arise H6965 and build: H1129 but ye have no portion, H2506 nor right, H6666 nor memorial, H2146 in Jerusalem. H3389
But Zerubbabel, H2216 and Jeshua, H3442 and the rest H7605 of the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of Israel, H3478 said H559 unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build H1129 an house H1004 unto our God; H430 but we ourselves together H3162 will build H1129 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 as king H4428 Cyrus H3566 the king H4428 of Persia H6539 hath commanded H6680 us.
Let them shout for joy, H7442 and be glad, H8055 that favour H2655 my righteous cause: H6664 yea, let them say H559 continually, H8548 Let the LORD H3068 be magnified, H1431 which hath pleasure H2655 in the prosperity H7965 of his servant. H5650
And G2532 said, G5346 Cornelius, G2883 thy G4675 prayer G4335 is heard, G1522 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are had in remembrance G3415 in the sight G1799 of God. G2316
And G1161 when he looked G816 on him, G846 he was G1096 afraid, G1719 and G2532 said, G2036 What G5101 is it, G2076 Lord? G2962 And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Thy G4675 prayers G4335 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are come up G305 for G1519 a memorial G3422 before G1799 God. G2316
And the crowns H5850 shall be to Helem, H2494 and to Tobijah, H2900 and to Jedaiah, H3048 and to Hen H2581 the son H1121 of Zephaniah, H6846 for a memorial H2146 in the temple H1964 of the LORD. H3068
Do good H3190 in thy good pleasure H7522 unto Zion: H6726 build H1129 thou the walls H2346 of Jerusalem. H3389
All the king's H4428 servants, H5650 and the people H5971 of the king's H4428 provinces, H4082 do know, H3045 that whosoever, whether man H376 or woman, H802 shall come H935 unto the king H4428 into the inner H6442 court, H2691 who is not called, H7121 there is one H259 law H1881 of his to put him to death, H4191 except H905 such to whom the king H4428 shall hold out H3447 the golden H2091 sceptre, H8275 that he may live: H2421 but I have not been called H7121 to come in H935 unto the king H4428 these thirty H7970 days. H3117
And he sought H1875 God H430 in the days H3117 of Zechariah, H2148 who had understanding H995 in the visions H7200 of God: H430 and as long as H3117 he sought H1875 the LORD, H3068 God H430 made him to prosper. H6743
Also in the day H3117 of your gladness, H8057 and in your solemn days, H4150 and in the beginnings H7218 of your months, H2320 ye shall blow H8628 with the trumpets H2689 over your burnt offerings, H5930 and over the sacrifices H2077 of your peace offerings; H8002 that they may be to you for a memorial H2146 before H6440 your God: H430 I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
And Aaron H175 shall bear H5375 the names H8034 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in the breastplate H2833 of judgment H4941 upon his heart, H3820 when he goeth H935 in unto the holy H6944 place, for a memorial H2146 before H6440 the LORD H3068 continually. H8548
And he shall bring H935 it to Aaron's H175 sons H1121 the priests: H3548 and he shall take H7061 thereout H8033 his handful H7062 H4393 of the flour H5560 thereof, and of the oil H8081 thereof, with all the frankincense H3828 thereof; and the priest H3548 shall burn H6999 the memorial H234 of it upon the altar, H4196 to be an offering made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD: H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 2
Commentary on Nehemiah 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ne 2:1-20. Artaxerxes, Understanding the Cause of Nehemiah's Sadness, Sends Him with Letters and a Commission to Build Again the Walls of Jerusalem.
1. it came to pass in the month Nisan—This was nearly four months after he had learned the desolate and ruinous state of Jerusalem (Ne 1:1). The reasons for so long a delay cannot be ascertained.
I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king—Xenophon has particularly remarked about the polished and graceful manner in which the cupbearers of the Median, and consequently the Persian, monarchs performed their duty of presenting the wine to their royal master. Having washed the cup in the king's presence and poured into their left hand a little of the wine, which they drank in his presence, they then handed the cup to him, not grasped, but lightly held with the tips of their thumb and fingers. This description has received some curious illustrations from the monuments of Assyria and Persia, on which the cupbearers are frequently represented in the act of handing wine to the king.
2-5. the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad?—It was deemed highly unbecoming to appear in the royal presence with any weeds or signs of sorrow (Es 4:2); and hence it was no wonder that the king was struck with the dejected air of his cupbearer, while that attendant, on his part, felt his agitation increased by his deep anxiety about the issue of the conversation so abruptly begun. But the piety and intense earnestness of the man immediately restored [Nehemiah] to calm self-possession and enabled him to communicate, first, the cause of his sadness (Ne 2:3), and next, the patriotic wish of his heart to be the honored instrument of reviving the ancient glory of the city of his fathers.
6-9. the queen also sitting by him—As the Persian monarchs did not admit their wives to be present at their state festivals, this must have been a private occasion. The queen referred to was probably Esther, whose presence would tend greatly to embolden Nehemiah in stating his request; and through her influence, powerfully exerted it may be supposed, also by her sympathy with the patriotic design, his petition was granted, to go as deputy governor of Judea, accompanied by a military guard, and invested with full powers to obtain materials for the building in Jerusalem, as well as to get all requisite aid in promoting his enterprise.
I set him a time—Considering the great despatch made in raising the walls, it is probable that this leave of absence was limited at first to a year or six months, after which he returned to his duties in Shushan. The circumstance of fixing a set time for his return, as well as entrusting so important a work as the refortification of Jerusalem to his care, proves the high favor and confidence Nehemiah enjoyed at the Persian court, and the great estimation in which his services were held. At a later period he received a new commission for the better settlement of the affairs of Judea and remained governor of that province for twelve years (Ne 5:14).
7. letters be given me to the governors beyond the river—The Persian empire at this time was of vast extent, reaching from the Indus to the Mediterranean. The Euphrates was considered as naturally dividing it into two parts, eastern and western (see on Ezr 5:3).
8. according to the good hand of my God upon me—The piety of Nehemiah appears in every circumstance. The conception of his patriotic design, the favorable disposition of the king, and the success of the undertaking are all ascribed to God.
10. Sanballat the Horonite—Horonaim being a town in Moab, this person, it is probable, was a Moabite.
Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite—The term used indicates him to have been a freed slave, elevated to some official dignity. These were district magistrates under the government of the satrap of Syria; and they seem to have been leaders of the Samaritan faction.
11, 12. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days—Deeply affected with the desolations of Jerusalem, and uncertain what course to follow, he remained three days before informing any one of the object of his mission [Ne 2:17, 18]. At the end of the third day, accompanied with a few attendants, he made, under covert of night, a secret survey of the walls and gates [Ne 2:13-15].
13-15. I went out by night by the gate of the valley—that is, the Jaffa gate, near the tower of Hippicus.
even before the dragon well—that is, fountain on the opposite side of the valley.
and to the dung port—the gate on the east of the city, through which there ran a common sewer to the brook Kedron and the valley of Hinnom.
14. Then—that is, after having passed through the gate of the Essenes.
I went on to the gate of the fountain—that is, Siloah, from which turning round the fount of Ophel.
to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass—that is, by the sides of this pool (Solomon's) there being water in the pool, and too much rubbish about it to permit the passage of the beast.
15. Then went I up … by the brook—that is, Kedron.
and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned—the gate leading to the valley of Jehoshaphat, east of the city. He went out by this gate, and having made the circuit of the city, went in by it again [Barclay, City of the Great King].
16-18. the rulers knew not—The following day, having assembled the elders, Nehemiah produced his commission and exhorted them to assist in the work. The sight of his credentials, and the animating strain of his address and example, so revived their drooping spirits that they resolved immediately to commence the building, which they did, despite the bitter taunts and scoffing ridicule of some influential men.