7 Who came H935 with Zerubbabel, H2216 Jeshua, H3442 Nehemiah, H5166 Azariah, H5838 Raamiah, H7485 Nahamani, H5167 Mordecai, H4782 Bilshan, H1114 Mispereth, H4559 Bigvai, H902 Nehum, H5149 Baanah. H1196 The number, H4557 I say, of the men H582 of the people H5971 of Israel H3478 was this;
Which came H935 with Zerubbabel: H2216 Jeshua, H3442 Nehemiah, H5166 Seraiah, H8304 Reelaiah, H7480 Mordecai, H4782 Bilshan, H1114 Mispar, H4558 Bigvai, H902 Rehum, H7348 Baanah. H1196 The number H4557 of the men H582 of the people H5971 of Israel: H3478
Now in the second H8145 year H8141 of their coming H935 unto the house H1004 of God H430 at Jerusalem, H3389 in the second H8145 month, H2320 began H2490 Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 and Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Jozadak, H3136 and the remnant H7605 of their brethren H251 the priests H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and all they that were come out H935 of the captivity H7628 unto Jerusalem; H3389 and appointed H5975 the Levites, H3881 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 to set forward H5329 the work H4399 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 Then stood H5975 Jeshua H3442 with his sons H1121 and his brethren, H251 Kadmiel H6934 and his sons, H1121 the sons H1121 of Judah, H3063 together, H259 to set forward H5329 the workmen H6213 H4399 in the house H1004 of God: H430 the sons H1121 of Henadad, H2582 with their sons H1121 and their brethren H251 the Levites. H3881
Then H116 rose up H6966 Zerubbabel H2217 the son H1247 of Shealtiel, H7598 and Jeshua H3443 the son H1247 of Jozadak, H3136 and began H8271 to build H1124 the house H1005 of God H426 which is at Jerusalem: H3390 and with them H5974 were the prophets H5029 of God H426 helping H5583 them.
Wherefore the king H4428 said H559 unto me, Why is thy countenance H6440 sad, H7451 seeing thou art not sick? H2470 this is nothing else but sorrow H7455 of heart. H3820 Then I was very H3966 sore H7235 afraid, H3372
Sallu, H5543 Amok, H5987 Hilkiah, H2518 Jedaiah. H3048 These were the chief H7218 of the priests H3548 and of their brethren H251 in the days H3117 of Jeshua. H3442
In the second H8147 year H8141 of Darius H1867 the king, H4428 in the sixth H8345 month, H2320 in the first H259 day H3117 of the month, H2320 came the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 by H3027 Haggai H2292 the prophet H5030 unto Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 governor H6346 of Judah, H3063 and to Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Josedech, H3087 the high H1419 priest, H3548 saying, H559
And he shewed H7200 me Joshua H3091 the high H1419 priest H3548 standing H5975 before H6440 the angel H4397 of the LORD, H3068 and Satan H7854 standing H5975 at his right hand H3225 to resist H7853 him. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 The LORD H3068 rebuke H1605 thee, O Satan; H7854 even the LORD H3068 that hath chosen H977 Jerusalem H3389 rebuke H1605 thee: is not this a brand H181 plucked H5337 out of the fire? H784 Now Joshua H3091 was clothed H3847 with filthy H6674 garments, H899 and stood H5975 before H6440 the angel. H4397
And G1161 after G3326 they were brought G3350 to Babylon, G897 Jechonias G2423 begat G1080 Salathiel; G4528 and G1161 Salathiel G4528 begat G1080 Zorobabel; G2216 And G1161 Zorobabel G2216 begat G1080 Abiud; G10 and G1161 Abiud G10 begat G1080 Eliakim; G1662 and G1161 Eliakim G1662 begat G1080 Azor; G107
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 7
Commentary on Nehemiah 7 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
II. Nehemiah's Further Exertions in Behalf of the Community - Nehemiah 7:1
The building of the wall being now concluded, Nehemiah first made arrangements for securing the city against hostile attacks (Nehemiah 7:1-3); then took measures to increase the inhabitants of Jerusalem (7:4-73 and Nehemiah 11:1 and Nehemiah 11:2); and finally endeavoured to fashion domestic and civil life according to the precepts of the law (Neh 8-10), and, on the occasion of the solemn dedication of the wall, to set in order the services of the Levites (Neh 12).
Nehemiah 7:1-2
The watching of the city provided for . - Nehemiah 7:1 When the wall was built, Nehemiah set up the doors in the gates, to complete the fortification of Jerusalem (comp. Nehemiah 6:1). Then were the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites entrusted with the care ( הפּקד , praefici ; comp. Nehemiah 12:14). The care of watching the walls and gates is meant in this connection. According to ancient appointment, it was the duty of the doorkeepers to keep watch over the house of God, and to open and close the gates of the temple courts; comp. 1 Chronicles 9:17-19; 1 Chronicles 26:12-19. The singers and the Levites appointed to assist the priests, on the contrary, had, in ordinary times, nothing to do with the service of watching. Under the present extraordinary circumstances, however, Nehemiah committed also to these two organized corporations the task of keeping watch over the walls and gates of the city, and placed them under the command of his brother Hanani, and of Hananiah the ruler of the citadel. This is expressed by the words, Nehemiah 7:2 : I gave Hanani ... and Hananiah ... charge over Jerusalem. הבּירה is the fortress or citadel of the city lying to the north of the temple (see rem. on Nehemiah 2:8), in which was probably located the royal garrison, the commander of which was in the service of the Persian king. The choice of this man for so important a charge is explained by the additional clause: “for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.” The כּ before אישׁ is the so-called Caph veritatis , which expresses a comparison with the idea of the matter: like a man whom one may truly call faithful. מרבּים is comparative: more God-fearing than many.
Nehemiah 7:3
The Chethiv ויאמר is both here and Nehemiah 5:9 certainly a clerical error for the Keri ואמר , though in this place, at all events, we might read ויּאמר , it was said to them. “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened till the sun be hot; and while they (the watch) are yet at their posts, they are to shut the doors and lock them; and ye shall appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some to be at their watch-posts, others before their house.” יגיפוּ in Hebrew is used only here, though more frequently in the Talmud, of closing the doors. אחז , to make fast, i.e., to lock, as more frequently in Syriac. The infin. absol . העמיד instead of the temp. fin . is emphatic: and you are to appoint. The sense is: the gates are to be occupied before daybreak by the Levites (singers and other Levites) appointed to guard them, and not opened till the sun is hot and the watch already at their posts, and to be closed in the evening before the departure of the watch. After the closing of the gates, i.e., during the night, the inhabitants of Jerusalem are to keep watch for the purpose of defending the city from any kind of attack, a part occupying the posts, and the other part watching before their (each before his own) house, so as to be at hand to defend the city.
Nehemiah 7:4
The measures taken by Nehemiah for increasing the number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. - Nehemiah 7:4 The city was spacious and great, and the people few therein, and houses were not built. ידים רחבת , broads on both sides, that is, regarded from the centre towards either the right or left hand. The last clause does not say that there were no houses at all, for the city had been re-inhabited for ninety years; but only that houses had not been built in proportion to the size of the city, that there was still much unoccupied space on which houses might be built.
And God put into my heart, i.e., God inspired me with the resolution; comp. Nehemiah 2:12. What resolution, is declared by the sentences following, which detail its execution. The resolution to gather together the nobles and rulers of the people for the purpose of making a list of their kinsmen, and thus to obtain a basis for the operations contemplated for increasing the inhabitants of Jerusalem. והסּגנים החרים are combined, as in Nehemiah 2:16. On התיחשׂ , comp. 1 Chronicles 5:17.
While this resolve was under consideration, Nehemiah found the register, i.e., the genealogical registry, of those who came up at first (from Babylon). בּראשׁונה , at the beginning, i.e., with Zerubbabel and Joshua under Cyrus (Ezra 2), and not subsequently with Ezra (Ezra 7). “And I found written therein.” These words introduce the list now given. This list, vv. 6-73 a , is identical with that in Ezra 2, and has been already discussed in our remarks on that chapter.