13 Therefore set H5975 I in the lower H8482 places H4725 behind H310 the wall, H2346 and on the higher places, H6706 H6708 I even set H5975 the people H5971 after their families H4940 with their swords, H2719 their spears, H7420 and their bows. H7198
They which builded H1129 on the wall, H2346 and they that bare H5375 burdens, H5447 with those that laded, H6006 every one with one H259 of his hands H3027 wrought H6213 in the work, H4399 and with the other H259 hand held H2388 a weapon. H7973 For the builders, H1129 every one H376 had his sword H2719 girded H631 by his side, H4975 and so builded. H1129 And he that sounded H8628 the trumpet H7782 was by me. H681
And he lodged H3885 there that same night; H3915 and took H3947 of that which came H935 to his hand H3027 a present H4503 for Esau H6215 his brother; H251 Two hundred H3967 she goats, H5795 and twenty H6242 he goats, H8495 two hundred H3967 ewes, H7353 and twenty H6242 rams, H352 Thirty H7970 milch H3243 camels H1581 with their colts, H1121 forty H705 kine, H6510 and ten H6235 bulls, H6499 twenty H6242 she asses, H860 and ten H6235 foals. H5895 And he delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of his servants, H5650 every drove H5739 by themselves; and said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Pass over H5674 before me, H6440 and put H7760 a space H7305 betwixt H996 drove H5739 and H996 drove. H5739 And he commanded H6680 the foremost, H7223 saying, H559 When Esau H6215 my brother H251 meeteth thee, H6298 and asketh thee, H7592 saying, H559 Whose art thou? and whither goest H3212 thou? and whose are these before H6440 thee? Then thou shalt say, H559 They be thy servant H5650 Jacob's; H3290 it is a present H4503 sent H7971 unto my lord H113 Esau: H6215 and, behold, also he is behind us. H310 And so H1571 commanded he H6680 the second, H8145 and the third, H7992 and all that followed H1980 H310 the droves, H5739 saying, H559 On this manner H1697 shall ye speak H1696 unto Esau, H6215 when ye find H4672 him. And say ye H559 moreover, H1571 Behold, thy servant H5650 Jacob H3290 is behind us. H310 For he said, H559 I will appease H3722 him H6440 with the present H4503 that goeth H1980 before me, H6440 and afterward H310 I will see H7200 his face; H6440 peradventure he will accept H5375 of me. H6440
And when Hezekiah H3169 saw H7200 that Sennacherib H5576 was come, H935 and that he was purposed H6440 to fight H4421 against Jerusalem, H3389 He took counsel H3289 with his princes H8269 and his mighty men H1368 to stop H5640 the waters H4325 of the fountains H5869 which were without H2351 the city: H5892 and they did help H5826 him. So there was gathered H6908 much H7227 people H5971 together, H6908 who stopped H5640 all the fountains, H4599 and the brook H5158 that ran H7857 through the midst H8432 of the land, H776 saying, H559 Why should the kings H4428 of Assyria H804 come, H935 and find H4672 much H7227 water? H4325 Also he strengthened H2388 himself, and built up H1129 all the wall H2346 that was broken, H6555 and raised it up H5927 to the towers, H4026 and another H312 wall H2346 without, H2351 and repaired H2388 Millo H4407 in the city H5892 of David, H1732 and made H6213 darts H7973 and shields H4043 in abundance. H7230 And he set H5414 captains H8269 of war H4421 over the people, H5971 and gathered them together H6908 to him in the street H7339 of the gate H8179 of the city, H5892 and spake H1696 comfortably H3824 to them, saying, H559 Be strong H2388 and courageous, H553 be not afraid H3372 nor dismayed H2865 for H6440 the king H4428 of Assyria, H804 nor for all the multitude H1995 that is with him: for there be more H7227 with us than with him: With him is an arm H2220 of flesh; H1320 but with us is the LORD H3068 our God H430 to help H5826 us, and to fight H3898 our battles. H4421 And the people H5971 rested H5564 themselves upon the words H1697 of Hezekiah H3169 king H4428 of Judah. H3063
A good H2896 man H376 sheweth favour, H2603 and lendeth: H3867 he will guide H3557 his affairs H1697 with discretion. H4941
Behold his bed, H4296 which is Solomon's; H8010 threescore H8346 valiant H1368 men are about H5439 it, of the valiant H1368 of Israel. H3478 They all hold H270 swords, H2719 being expert H3925 in war: H4421 every man H376 hath his sword H2719 upon his thigh H3409 because of fear H6343 in the night. H3915
Brethren, G80 be G1096 not G3361 children G3813 in understanding: G5424 howbeit G235 in malice G2549 be ye children, G3515 but G1161 in understanding G5424 be G1096 men. G5046
Put on G1746 the whole armour G3833 of God, G2316 that G4314 ye G5209 may be able G1410 to stand G2476 against G4314 the wiles G3180 of the devil. G1228 For G3754 we G2254 wrestle G3823 not G3756 against G2076 G4314 flesh G4561 and G2532 blood, G129 but G235 against G4314 principalities, G746 against G4314 powers, G1849 against G4314 the rulers G2888 of the darkness G4655 of this G5127 world, G165 against G4314 spiritual G4152 wickedness G4189 in G1722 high G2032 places. Wherefore G1223 G5124 take unto you G353 the whole armour G3833 of God, G2316 that G2443 ye may be able G1410 to withstand G436 in G1722 the evil G4190 day, G2250 and G2532 having done G2716 all, G537 to stand. G2476 Stand G2476 therefore, G3767 having G4024 your G5216 loins G3751 girt about G4024 with G1722 truth, G225 and G2532 having on G1746 the breastplate G2382 of righteousness; G1343 And G2532 your feet G4228 shod G5265 with G1722 the preparation G2091 of the gospel G2098 of peace; G1515 Above G1909 all, G3956 taking G353 the shield G2375 of faith, G4102 wherewith G1722 G3739 ye shall be able G1410 to quench G4570 all G3956 the fiery G4448 darts G956 of the wicked. G4190 And G2532 take G1209 the helmet G4030 of salvation, G4992 and G2532 the sword G3162 of the Spirit, G4151 which is G3603 the word G4487 of God: G2316 Praying G4336 always G1722 G2540 G3956 with G1223 all G3956 prayer G4335 and G2532 supplication G1162 in G1722 the Spirit, G4151 and G2532 watching G69 thereunto G1519 G5124 G846 with G1722 all G3956 perseverance G4343 and G2532 supplication G1162 for G4012 all G3956 saints; G40 And G2532 for G5228 me, G1700 that G2443 utterance G3056 may be given G1325 unto me, G3427 that I may open G1722 G457 my G3450 mouth G4750 boldly, G1722 G3954 to make known G1107 the mystery G3466 of the gospel, G2098 For G5228 which G3739 I am an ambassador G4243 in G1722 bonds: G254 that G2443 therein G1722 G846 I may speak boldly, G3955 as G5613 I G3165 ought G1163 to speak. G2980
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 4
Commentary on Nehemiah 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ne 4:1-6. While the Enemies Scoff, Nehemiah Prays to God, and Continues the Work.
1. when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth—The Samaritan faction showed their bitter animosity to the Jews on discovering the systematic design of refortifying Jerusalem. Their opposition was confined at first to scoffs and insults, in heaping which the governors made themselves conspicuous, and circulated all sorts of disparaging reflections that might increase the feelings of hatred and contempt for them in their own party. The weakness of the Jews in respect of wealth and numbers, the absurdity of their purpose apparently to reconstruct the walls and celebrate the feast of dedication in one day, the idea of raising the walls on their old foundations, as well as using the charred and mouldering debris of the ruins as the materials for the restored buildings, and the hope of such a parapet as they could raise being capable of serving as a fortress of defense—these all afforded fertile subjects of hostile ridicule.
3. if a fox go up—The foxes were mentioned because they were known to infest in great numbers the ruined and desolate places in the mount and city of Zion (La 5:18).
4, 5. Hear, O our God; for we are despised—The imprecations invoked here may seem harsh, cruel, and vindictive; but it must be remembered that Nehemiah and his friends regarded those Samaritan leaders as enemies to the cause of God and His people, and therefore as deserving to be visited with heavy judgments. The prayer, therefore, is to be considered as emanating from hearts in which neither hatred, revenge, nor any inferior passion, but a pious and patriotic zeal for the glory of God and the success of His cause, held the ascendant sway.
6. all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof—The whole circuit of the wall had been distributed in sections to various companies of the people, and was completed to the half of the intended height.
Ne 4:7-23. He Sets a Watch.
7-21. But … when Sanballat … heard that the walls … were made up, and … the breaches … stopped—The rapid progress of the fortifications, despite all their predictions to the contrary, goaded the Samaritans to frenzy. So they, dreading danger from the growing greatness of the Jews, formed a conspiracy to surprise them, demolish their works, and disperse or intimidate the builders. The plot being discovered, Nehemiah adopted the most energetic measures for ensuring the common safety, as well as the uninterrupted building of the walls. Hitherto the governor, for the sake of despatch, had set all his attendants and guards on the work—now half of them were withdrawn to be constantly in arms. The workmen labored with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other; and as, in so large a circuit, they were far removed from each other, Nehemiah (who was night and day on the spot, and, by his pious exhortations and example, animated the minds of his people) kept a trumpeter by his side, so that, on any intelligence of a surprise being brought to him, an alarm might be immediately sounded, and assistance rendered to the most distant detachment of their brethren. By these vigilant precautions, the counsels of the enemy were defeated, and the work was carried on apace. God, when He has important public work to do, never fails to raise up instruments for accomplishing it, and in the person of Nehemiah, who, to great natural acuteness and energy added fervent piety and heroic devotion, He provided a leader, whose high qualities fitted him for the demands of the crisis. Nehemiah's vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again "a city fortified."