Nehemiah 4 commentary

Many a good work has been looked upon with contempt by proud and haughty scorners. Those who disagree in almost every thing, will unite in persecution. Nehemiah did not answer these fools according to their folly, but looked up to God by prayer. God's people have often been a despised people, but he hears all the slights that are put upon them, and it is their comfort that he does so. Nehemiah had reason to think that the hearts of those sinners were desperately hardened, else he would not have prayed that their sins might never be blotted out. Good work goes on well, when people have a mind to it. The reproaches of enemies should quicken us to our duty, not drive us from it.

The hindering good work is what bad men aim at, and promise themselves success in; but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper. God has many ways of bringing to light, and so of bringing to nought, the devices and designs of his church's enemies. If our enemies cannot frighten us from duty, or deceive us into sin, they cannot hurt us. Nehemiah put himself and his cause under the Divine protection. It was the way of this good man, and should be our way. All his cares, all his griefs, all his fears, he spread before God. Before he used any means, he made his prayer to God. Having prayed, he set a watch against the enemy. If we think to secure ourselves by prayer, without watchfulness, we are slothful, and tempt God; if by watchfulness, without prayer, we are proud, and slight God: either way, we forfeit his protection. God's care of our safety, should engage and encourage us to go on with vigour in our duty. As soon as a danger is over, let us return to our work, and trust God another time.

We must watch always against spiritual enemies, and not expect that our warfare will be over till our work is ended. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which we ought to have always at hand, and never to have to seek for it, either in our labours, or in our conflicts, as Christians. Every true Christian is both a labourer and a soldier, working with one hand, and fighting with the other. Good work is likely to go on with success, when those who labour in it, make a business of it. And Satan fears to assault the watchful Christian; or, if attacked, the Lord fights for him. Thus must we wait to the close of life, never putting off our armour till our work and warfare are ended; then we shall be welcomed to the rest and joy of our Lord.

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."

The army of Samaria - As he was governor, he had the command of the army, and he wished to excite the soldiers to second his views against Nehemiah and his men.

What do these feeble Jews? - We may remark here, in general, that the enemies of God's work endeavor by all means to discredit and destroy it, and those who are employed in it.

1. They despise the workmen: What do these feeble Jews?

2. They endeavor to turn all into ridicule: Will they fortify themselves?

3. They have recourse to lying: If a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

4. They sometimes use fair but deceitful speeches; see Neh 6:2, etc.

Turn their reproach upon their own head - A prayer of this kind, understood literally, is not lawful for any Christian. Jesus, our great master, has said, "Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you." Such sayings as the above are excusable in the mouth of a Jew, under severe irritation. See the next verse, Neh 4:5 (note).

Let not their sin be blotted out - These are the most terrible imprecations; but probably we should understand them as declaratory, for the same form of the verb, in the Hebrew, is used as precative and imperative. Turn their reproach - Their reproach shall be turned. Give them for a prey - They shall be given for a prey. Cover not their iniquity - Their iniquity shall not be covered. Let not their sin be blotted out - Their sin shall not be blotted out. All who know the genius of the Hebrew language, know that the future tense is used to express all these senses. Besides, we may rest assured that Nehemiah's curses, or declaration of God's judgments, had respect only to their bodies, and to their life: not to their souls and the world to come. And then they amount to no more than this: What a man soweth that he shall reap.

For the people had a mind to work - The original is very emphatic: ויהי לב לעם לעשות vayehi leb leam laasoth, "For the people had a heart to work." Their hearts were engaged in it; and where the heart is engaged, the work of God goes on well. The whole of this 6th verse is omitted by the Septuagint.

The walls of Jerusalem were made up - That is, they were made up to the half height of the wall; for the preceding verse seems to intimate that the whole wall was thus far built; not half of the wall completed, but the whole wall built to half its height.

We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch - The strongest confidence in the protection and favor of God does not preclude the use of all or any of the means of self-preservation and defense which his providence has put in our power. While God works in us to will and to do, we should proceed to willing, through the power he has given us to will; and we should proceed to action, through the power he has given us to act. We cannot will, but through God's power; we cannot act, but through God's strength. The power, and the use of it, are two distinct things. We may have the power to will, and not will; and we may have the power to do, and not act: therefore, says the apostle, seeing God has wrought in you these powers, see that You Work Out Your Own salvation, with fear and trembling.

The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed - They worked both day and night, scarcely ever putting off their clothes, except for the purpose of being washed, Neh 4:21, Neh 4:23.

Much rubbish - The ruins they were obliged to clear away, before they could dig the foundation for a new wall: and in this labor they were nearly exhausted; see Neh 5:15.

From all places whence ye shall return unto us - This verse is extremely difficult. Our translators have supplied the words, they will be upon you, which have nothing correspondent in the Hebrew. The Septuagint have given a good sense, Αναβαινουσιν εκ παντων των τοπων εφ' ἡμας, They come up from all places against us. The sense appears to be this: the Jews which dwelt among the Samaritans, etc., came often to Nehemiah from all quarters, where they sojourned, and told him the designs of his enemies against him: therefore, he set people with their swords, spears, and bows, to defend the walls. It is probable that instead of תשובו tashubu, "ye shall return," we should read חשבו chashebu, "they designed or meditated." This word is very similar to the other, and makes the sense very clear. "The Jews who dwelt among them told us frequently, from all places, what they designed against us." For this reading Houbigant, Michaelis and Dath contend. But this various reading is not found in any MS., and is not countenanced by any of the versions. See Neh 4:15.

Be not ye afraid of them - Are they more terrible or stronger than God?

Fight for your brethren - Your own countrymen, who worship the same God, and are come from the same stock; your sons, whom they wish to slay or lead into captivity; your daughters and wives, whom they wish to deflower and defile; and your houses, which they wish to seize and occupy as their own. They had every thing at stake; and therefore they must fight pro aris et focis, for their religion, their lives, and their property. A people thus interested, who once take up the sword, can never be conquered.

There is an address made to the Greeks by their leader in Aeschylus, Pers. ver. 402, similar to this, to excite them against the Persians: - - Ω Παιδες Ἑλληνων, ιτε, Ελευθερουτε πατριδ,ελευθερουτε δε Παιδας, γυνιακας, θεων ρε πατρῳων ἑδη, Θηκας τε προγονων· νυν ὑπερ παντων αγων. " - Sons of the Greeks, go on!

Free now your country, and your children free;

Your wives, the temples of your fathers' gods,

And dear abodes of farthest ancestors: -

Now strike the blow for all!"

J. B. B. C.

Their counsel to naught - The word counsel used here countenances the emendation in the 12th verse.

Half - wrought in the work - This is no unusual thing, even in the present day, in Palestine: people sowing their seed are often attended by an armed man, to prevent the Arabs from robbing them of their seed, which they will not fail to do if not protected.

Habergeons - In the Franco-Gallic, hautbergon signifies a coat of mail; but as in Teutonic hais signifies the neck, and bergen, to cover or defend; it may be considered rather as signifying a breastplate, or armor for the breast.

With one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon - That is, he had his arms at hand, and was as fully prepared to fight as to work. So Ovid, Epist. xi., Canace Macario, ver. 1: -

Si qua tamen caecis errabunt scripta lituris,

Oblitus a dominae caede libellus erit:

Dextra tenet calamum; strictum tenet altera ferrum:

Et jacet in gremio charta soluta meo.

If streaming blood my fatal letter stain,

Imagine, ere you read, the writer slain.

One hand the sword, and one the pen employs,

And in my lap the ready paper lies.

Dryden.

By this mode of speech Canace does not intimate to her brother Macarius, that she actually held the sword in one hand while she held the pen in the other, but that she had it ready to slay herself as soon as she had written the epistle.

Ye hear the sound of the trumpet - As the walls were very extensive, and the workmen consequently much scattered, their enemies might easily attack and destroy them successively, he therefore ordered them all to work as near to each other as they could; and himself, who was everywhere surveying the work, kept a trumpeter always with him, who was to sound when the enemy approached; and all were instantly to run to the place where they heard the sound.

Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem - The country people were accustomed, after their day's labor, to return to their families; now being so formidably threatened, he obliged them all to sleep in Jerusalem, that they might be ready, in case of attack, to help their brethren. All this man's arrangements were wise and judicious.

None of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing - The Hebrew for all this is only אין אנחנו פשטים בגדינו איש שלחו המים ein anachnu poshetim begadeynu ish shilcho hammayim; which Montanus translates, Non nos exuentes vestes nostras, vir missile suum aquas; "We, not putting off our garments, a man his dart to the waters." Of this latter clause what sense can be made? Let us hear what the ancient versions say.

The Vulgate, Unusquisque tantum nudabatur ad baptismum, "Every one stripped himself for the bath."

The Septuagint omit the latter part of this clause, And there was none of us who put off his garments.

The Syriac, "None of us put off his clothes for a month each in his turn.

The Arabic, "Nor did we put off our clothes, but with our arms, at the end of a month."

There is a remarkable reading in one of De Rossi's MSS. אין אנחנו פשטים בגדינו משלחהעל המים, We did not lay aside our garments, but in order to send them to the washing. This is most likely the sense of the place.

It is curious to see how our old versions translate the place.

Coverdale: We put never of our clothes, so much as to wash ourselves. - 1535.

Becke: We put never of our clothes, so muche as to washe ourselves. - 1549.

Cardmarden: We put never of oure clothes no more than the other dyd theyr harnesse, save onely bycause of the water. - 1566.

This shows how all interpreters have been puzzled with this vexatious clause.

The reading from De Rossi's MS., given above, is the most likely to be the true one, because it gives a good sense, which cannot be found in the Hebrew text as it now stands. The general meaning is sufficiently evident; they worked nearly day and night, only had their hours by turns for repose; this did not permit them time sufficient to undress themselves in order to take regular sleep, therefore they only put off their clothes when they were obliged to get them washed.

In a day - Do they intend to begin, and finish the work, all in one day? For if they spend any long time about it, they cannot think that we will suffer them to do it. The stones - Will they pick up their broken stones out of the ruins, and patch them together. Burnt - Which stones were burnt, and broken, by the Chaldeans when they took the city.

A prey - Give them for a prey to their enemies, and let these carry them into the land of captivity.

Cover not - Let their wickedness be in thy sight, so as to bring down judgments upon them, that either they may be reformed, or others may be warned by their example. God is said to cover or hide sin when he forbears to punish it. Provoked thee - They have not only provoked us builders, but thee also.

The half - Unto half its height.

Judah - The Jews now dwelling in Judah, some of them being partly terrified by their enemies, and partly wearied with continual labour. Rubbish - More than we are able suddenly to remove. Not able - Being forced to spend our time in removing the rubbish, and therefore we must desist for a season.

By them - Or, among them: whereby they came to the knowledge of their counsels. Tho' these had not zeal enough to help in the work, yet they had some concern for their brethren. Ten tribes - Very often, a certain number for an uncertain. Be upon you - They will invade you every way, by which we can come to you, or you to us; therefore keep watches on every side.

Behind - Within the walls where they were not yet raised to their due height, and therefore most liable to the enemies assault. Higher - Upon the tops of the walls where they were finished, and the towers which were built here and there upon the wall; whence they might shoot arrows, or throw stones.

Looked - He looked up, engaged God for him, and put himself and his cause under the Divine protection. That was his way, and should be ours: all his cares, all his griefs, all his fears he spread before God. Great and terrible - You think your enemies are great and terrible. But what are they in comparison of God? Especially in opposition to him?

From that time forth - Lest our enemies should repeat their enterprize. My servants - Of my domestick servants, and of my guards. Held, &c. - All their weapons: they stood in their arms prepared for battle. Were behind - To encourage them in their work, sometimes to assist with their own hands: and to direct and command them in case of an assault. Judah - The Jews who were upon the wall.

A Weapon - This is to be taken figuratively; being a proverbial speech, as when they say of a man pretending kindness, he carries bread in one hand, and a stone in another. Thus must we work out our salvation, with the weapons of our warfare in our hands. For in every duty we must expect opposition from our spiritual enemies.

Sounded - To call the people together, when, and where it was necessary.

Washing - When they were to wash and cleanse themselves from some impurity, which might befal them or their garments.

1 BUt it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews .

Pretending contempt in his words when he had grief in his Heart.

Marginal references: Ch. 2. 10.

2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria , and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortifie themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day ? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt ?

Tobiah, v. 3. and Geshem, ch. 2. 19. and others, whom he calls his brethren, because of their conjunction with him in office and interest.

Whom he designed hereby to incense against them, or at least to understand their minds herein.

Do they intend to begin, and finish the work, and keep the feast of dedication by sacrifice all in one day? for if they spend any long time about it, they cannot think that we and the rest of their Neighbours will suffer them to do it. Thus he persuaded himself and his companions, that their attempt was ridiculous; and this mistake kept him from giving them any disturbance, till it was too late. So God infaruated him to his own grief and shame, and to the advantage of his people.

Will they pick up their broken stones out of the ruines, and patch them together, for other materials they want.

i. e. Which stones were burnt, and broken, or consumed to powder, to wit, by the Chaldeans when they took the City. See on ch. 1. 3.

Marginal references: Heb. leave to themselves.

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, even that which they build, if a fox go up , he shall even break down their stone-wall .

He mentions the Foxes, because they were very numerous in those parts and because in the late desolations the Foxes did walk in the Mount, and City of Zion, Lamen. 5. 18. wherewith he seems to upbraid them.

It is so low, that a Fox can easily get to the top of it, and so weak, and done so hastily and carelesly, that the least thrust will tumble it down.

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head , and give them for a prey in the land of captivity :

Let them be really as contemptible as they represent us to be. This and the following requests may seem harsh, but they were both just, as being directed against such malicious, inveterate, and implacable enemies to God, and to his People, and necessary for the vindication, and defence of Gods Honour, and Worship, and People.

let them be removed from our Neighbourhood, and carried into Captivity; and there let them find no favour, but further severity. Or, give them for a prey to their enemies, and let these carry them into the land of captivity.

Marginal references: Heb. despite.

5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee ; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders .

Let their wickedness be in thy sight, so as to bring down deserved judgments upon them, that either they may be convinced and reformed, or others may be warned by their example. God is said to cover or hide sin when he forbears to punish it.

i. e. They have not only provoked us builders, but thee also. Or, they have provoked or derided the builders to their face. i. e. openly and impudently, in contempt of God, and of this work which is done by his direction and encouragement.

Marginal references: Psal. 109. 14. 15.

6 So built we the wall: and all the wall was joyned together unto the half thereof : for the people had a mind to work.

Either, 1. in length, or rather, 2. in heighth: for the whole circumference of the wall was distributed among the builders, who also had carried on the work, beginning at the sheep-gate, and ending there also, as appears from ch. 3. 1, 32. and the walls of Ierusalem are said to be made up, here v. 7.

7 But it came to pass that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped , then they were very wroth,

i. e. That the breaches which the Chaldeans had made, and left in the walls, were well-nigh stopped up.

Marginal references: Heb. healing went up to the wall. 2 Chr. 24. 13.

10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish , so that we are not able to build the wall :

i. e. The Jews now dwelling in Iudah, to wit, some of them being partly terrified by their enemies, and partly wearied with hard and continual labours.

More than we are able suddenly to remove.

Being forced to spend our time in removing the rubbish, and other works imposed upon us; and therefore we must desist, at least for a season.

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them , and cause the work to cease.

We will come secretly, and unexpectedly upon them, so as they shall neither foresee their danger, nor be able to prevent it.

12 And it came to pass that when the Jews which dwelt by them , came, they said unto us ten times , From all places, whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you .

Or, among them: whereby they came to the knowledge of their counsels.

i. e. very often. A certain number for an uncertain.

i. e. They will invade you every way, by which we can come to you, or you to us; and therefore do you keep watches on every side. But these words may be otherwise rendred thus, On all parts where you shall be quiet, or at rest. (i. e. secure: for the Hebrew, Sc[illegible: 1+ letters]ub signifies not only to return, but also to be quiet, or at ease, as Hebricians know: they will be upon us, i. e. upon our people, and city Ierusalem, where you are. And they rather say upon us than upon you, to manifest their affection to them, and conjunction with them, and that they looked upon themselves as Members of the same Body and Church with them, and took what was designed or done against them, as if it were against themselves, and therefore gave them this friendly notice. Or the place may be rendred thus, They told this (to wit, the enemies intentions) to us ten times, coming from all places where they dwelt or rested (Heb. you rested. The second person being put for the third, as it is both in the Hebrew language, as Gen. 10. 19. 30. & 25. 18. and in the Hebrew Text, Psal. 22. 9. and in other languages and authors: of which, see my Latine Synopsis upon Gen. 10. 19. and that it is so here, we have the consent of the Seventy, and Arabick, and of some modern, and accurate Interpreters, who render it by a verb of the third person) about us; whence they came purposely to inform and warn us. Or thus, They told this to us ten times from all places whence they did return to us. Which phrase of returning to us, i. e. to Ierusalem, suits very well with those persons who came up with their brethren from Babylon to Ierusalem, and went thence into several parts of the country to dwell where they thought meet, and returned now, and at other times as they had occasion, to their brethren at Ierusalem.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] from [illegible: 1 word] ye [illegible: 1 word] to u[illegible: 1+ letters].

13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall , and on the higher places , I even set the people after their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

To stand by, and within the walls where they were lowest and not yet raised to their due heighth, and therefore most liable to the enemies assault.

Upon the tops of the walls where they were finished, and the Towers which were built here and there upon the wall; whence they might shoot arrows, or throw stones against their enemies, when they made their approaches.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] of [illegible: 1 word]

15 And it came to pass when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work .

Our enemies being frustrated in their hopes, which were wholly built upon the secrecy, and suddenness of their attempt, we knowing this, returned to our business.

16 And it came to pass from that time forth , that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons ; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah .

Le[illegible: 1+ letters]t our enemies should repeat their enterprize.

Of my domestick servants, and of my guards, who should have attended upon my own person.

i. e. All their weapons: they stood in their arms prepared for battel.

Partly to encourage them in their work, and sometimes to assist with their own hands: and partly to direct and command them in case of an assault.

i. e. The Jews who were upon the wall.

17 They which built on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon .

This is not to be taken properly, for they could never have done their work with one hand, and the next verse tells us the sword was not in their hands, but by their sides; but figuratively; this being a proverbial speech, such as is frequent amongst the Latines, as when they say of a man pretending kindness with evil design, He carries bread in one hand, and a stone in another.

18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so built: and he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

To call the people together, when, and where it was fit and necessary.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] loyns,

21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the Spears, from the rising of the morning, till the stars appeared .

Working very early, and very late.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]

22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodg within Jerusalem , that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.

No[illegible: 1+ letters] in the Suburbs, or adjoining Villages, as probably many of them did, returning thence to their work in the morning.

23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our cloth[illegible: 1+ letters] , saving that every one put them off for washing .

Neither by day, not by night, as the manner is when we go to Bed, they constantly kept themselves in a readiness for fighting.

When they were to wa[illegible: 1+ letters]h and cleanse themselves from some natural or moral impurity which might befal them or their Garments.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span]

Neh 4:1-2 (Hebrew_Bible_3:33-34)The ridicule of Tobiah and Sanballat. - As soon as Sanballat heard that we were building (בּנים, partic., expresses not merely the resolve or desire to build, but also the act of commencing), he was wroth and indignant, and vented his anger by ridiculing the Jews, saying before his brethren, i.e., the rulers of his people, and the army of Samaria (חיל, like Est 1:3; 2Ki 18:17), - in other words, saying publicly before his associates and subordinates, - “What do these feeble Jews? will they leave it to themselves? will they sacrifice? will they finish it to-day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps that are burned?” עשׂים מה, not, What will they do? (Bertheau), for the participle is present, and does not stand for the future; but, What are they doing? The form אמלל, withered, powerless, occurs here only. The subject of the four succeeding interrogative sentences must be the same. And this is enough to render inadmissible the explanation offered by older expositors of להם היעזבוּ: Will they leave to them, viz., will the neighbouring nations or the royal prefects allow them to build? Here, as in the case of the following verbs, the subject can only be the Jews. Hence Ewald seeks, both here and in Neh 4:8, to give to the verb עזב the meaning to shelter: Will they make a shelter for themselves, i.e., will they fortify the town? But this is quite arbitrary. Bertheau more correctly compares the passage, Psa 10:14, אלהים על עזבנוּ, we leave it to God; but incorrectly infers that here also we must supply אלהים על, and that, Will they leave to themselves? means, Will they commit the matter to God. This mode of completing the sense, however, can by no means be justified; and Bertheau’s conjecture, that the Jews now assembling in Jerusalem, before commencing the work itself, instituted a devotional solemnity which Sanballat was ridiculing, is incompatible with the correct rendering of the participle. עזב construed with ל means to leave, to commit a matter to any one, like Psa 10:14, and the sense is: Will they leave the building of the fortified walls to themselves? i.e., Do they think they are able with their poor resources to carry out this great work? This is appropriately followed by the next question: Will they sacrifice? i.e., bring sacrifices to obtain God’s miraculous assistance? The ridicule lies in the circumstance that Sanballat neither credited the Jews with ability to carry out the work, nor believed in the overruling providence of the God whom the Jews worshipped, and therefore casts scorn by היזבּחוּ both upon the faith of the Jews in their God and upon the living God Himself. As these two questions are internally connected, so also are the two following, by which Sanballat casts a doubt upon the possibility of the work being executed. Will they finish (the work) on this day, i.e., to-day, directly? The meaning is: Is this a matter to be as quickly executed as if it were the work of a single day? The last question is: Have they even the requisite materials? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish which are burnt? The building-stone of Jerusalem was limestone, which gets softened by fire, losing its durability, and, so to speak, its vitality. This explains the use of the verb חיּה, to revive, bestow strength and durability upon the softened crumbled stones, to fit the stones into a new building (Ges. Lex.). The construction שׂרוּפות והמּה is explained by the circumstance that אבנים is by its form masculine, but by its meaning feminine, and that המּה agrees with the form אבנים.

Neh 4:3 (Hebrew_Bible_3:35)

Tobiah the Ammonite, standing near Sanballat, and joining in in his raillery, adds: “Even that which they build, if a fox go up he will break their stone wall;” i.e., even if they build up walls, the light footsteps of the stealthy fox will suffice to tread them down, and to make breaches in their work.

Neh 4:4-5 (Hebrew_Bible_3:36-37)

When Nehemiah heard of these contemptuous words, he committed the matter to God, entreating Him to hear how they (the Jews) were become a scorn, i.e., a subject of contempt, to turn the reproach of the enemies upon their own head, and to give them up the plunder in a land of captivity, i.e., in a land in which they would dwell as captives. He supplicates, moreover, that God would not cover, i.e., forgive (Psa 85:3), their iniquity, and that their sin might not be blotted out from before His face, i.e., might not remain unpunished, “for they have provoked to wrath before the builders,” i.e., openly challenged the wrath of God, by despising Him before the builders, so that they heard it. הכעים without an object, spoken of provoking the divine wrath by grievous sins; comp. 2Ki 21:6 with 2Ch 33:6.

Neh 4:6-8 (Hebrew_Bible_3:38-4:1-2)

The Jews continued to build without heeding the ridicule of their enemies, ”and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof,” i.e., the wall was so far repaired throughout its whole circumference, that no breach or gap was left up to half its height; “and the people had a heart to work,” i.e., the restoration went on so quickly because the people had a mind to work.The attempts of the enemies to hinder the work by force, and Nehemiah’s precautions against them. - When the enemies learnt that the restoration of the wall was evidently getting on, they conspired together to fight against Jerusalem (Neh 4:1 and Neh 4:2). The Jews then prayed to God, and set a watch (Neh 4:3). When the courage of the people began to fail, and their enemies spread a report of sudden attack being imminent, Nehemiah furnished the people on the wall with weapons, and encouraged the nobles and rulers to fight boldly for their brethren, their children, and their possessions (vv. 4-8). The Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites are here enumerated as enemies, besides Sanballat and Tobiah (vv. 2, 10, 19). The Arabians were incited to hostilities against the Jews by Geshem (vv. 11, 19), and the Ammonites by Tobiah; the Ashdodites, the inhabitants of the city and territory of Ashdod, in the coast district of Philistia, were perhaps encouraged to renew their old hatred of Judah by Sanballat the Horonite. When these enemies heard that the walls of Jerusalem were bandaged, i.e., that the breaches and damages in the wall were repaired, they were filled with wrath. The biblical expression, to lay on a bandage, here and 2Ch 24:13; Jer 8:22; Jer 30:17; Jer 33:6, is derived from the healing of wounds by means of a bandage, and is explained by the sentence following: that the breaches began to be closed or stopped. The enemies conspired together to march against Jerusalem and injure it. לו, because the people of the town are meant. תּועה occurs but once more, viz., in Isa 32:6, in the sense of error; here it signifies calamities, for, as Aben Ezra well remarks, qui in angustiis constitutus est, est velut errans, qui nescit quid agat quove se vertat.

Neh 4:9 (Hebrew_Bible_4:3)

The Jews, on the other hand, made preparation by prayer, and by setting a watch (משׁמר, comp. Neh 7:3; Neh 13:30) day and night. We, viz., Nehemiah and the superintendents of the work, prayed and set a watch עליהם, against them, to ward off a probable attack. מפּניהם, for fear of them, comp. Neh 4:10.

Neh 4:10 (Hebrew_Bible_4:4)

The placing of the watch day and night, and the continuous labour, must have pressed heavily upon the people; therefore Judah said: “The strength of the bearers of burdens fails, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to build the wall.” That is to say, the labour is beyond our power, we cannot continue it.

Neh 4:11 (Hebrew_Bible_4:5)

Their discouragement was increased by the words of their enemies, who said: They (the Jews) shall not know nor see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

Neh 4:12 (Hebrew_Bible_4:6-7)

When, therefore, the Jews who dwelt near them, i.e., in the neighbourhood of the adversaries, and heard their words, came to Jerusalem, “and said to us ten times (i.e., again and again), that from all places ye must return to us, then I placed,” etc. Jews came from all places to Jerusalem, and summoned those who were building there to return home, for adversaries were surrounding the community on all sides: Sanballat and the Samaritans on the north, the Ammonites on the east, the Arabians on the south, and the Philistines (Ashdodites) on the west. אשׁר before תּשׁוּבוּ introduces their address, instead of כּי; being thus used, e.g., before longer speeches, 1Sa 15:20; 2Sa 1:4; and for כּי generally, throughout the later books, in conformity to Aramaean usage. “Return to us” (על שׁוּב, as in 2Ch 30:9, for אל שׁוּב), said the Jews who came from all quarters to Jerusalem to their fellow-townsmen, who from Jericho, Gibeon, and Tekoa (comp. Neh 3:2-3, Neh 3:5, Neh 3:7) were working on the wall of Jerusalem. These words express their fear lest those who were left at home, especially the defenceless women, children, and aged men, should be left without protection against the attacks of enemies, if their able-bodied men remained any longer in Jerusalem to take part in the building of the wall.

Neh 4:13

Hebrew_Bible_4:7 is hardly intelligible. We translate it: Then I placed at the lowest places behind the wall, at the dried-up places, I (even) placed the people, after their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. למּקום מתּחתּיּות is a stronger expression for למּקום מתּחת when used to indicate position, and מן points out the direction. The sense is: at the lowest places from behind the wall. בּצּחחים gives the nature of the places where the people were placed with arms. צחיח and צחיחה mean a dry or bare place exposed to the heat of the sun: bare, uncovered, or empty places, perhaps bare hills, whence approaching foes might be discerned at a distance. The second ואעמיד is but a reiteration of the verb, for the sake of combining it with its object, from which the ואעמיד at the beginning of the verse was too far removed by the circumstantial description of the locality.Bertheau considers the text corrupt, regarding the word מתּחתּיּות as the object of אעמיד, and alters it into מחשׁבות or חשּׁבנות, engines for hurling missiles (2Ch 26:15), or into מטחיּות (a word of this own invention), instruments for hurling. But not only is this conjecture critically inadmissible, it also offers no appropriate sense. The lxx reads the text as we do, and merely renders בצחחיים conjecturally by ἐν τοῖς σκεπεινοῖς. Besides, it is not easy to see how חשׁבנות could have arisen from a false reading of מתחתיות; and it should be remembered that מחשׁבות does not mean a machine for hurling, while מטחתייות is a mere fabrication. To this must be added, that such machines are indeed placed upon the walls of a fortress to hurl down stones and projectiles upon assaulting foes, and not behind the walls, where they could only be used to demolish the walls, and so facilitate the taking of the town by the enemy.

Neh 4:14 (Hebrew_Bible_4:8) “And I looked, and rose up, and said.” These words can only mean: When I saw the people thus placed with their weapons, I went to them, and said to the nobles, etc., “Be not afraid of them (the enemies); remember the Lord, the great and the terrible,” who will fight for you against your enemies (Deu 3:22; Deu 20:3, and Deu 31:6), “and fight ye for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses,” whom the enemies would destroy.  (Hebrew_Bible_4:9-17)

Thus was the design of the enemy circumvented, and the Jews returned to their work on the wall, which they had forsaken to betake themselves to their weapons. The manner in which they resumed their building work was, that one half held weapons, and the other half laboured with weapons in hand.

Neh 4:15

When our enemies heard that it (their intention) was known to us, and (that) God had brought their counsel to nought (through the measures with which we had met it), we returned all of us to the wall, every one to his work. The conclusion does not begin till ונּשׁוב, האל ויּפר belonging to the premiss, in continuation of נודא כּי.

Neh 4:16-18

From that day the half of my servants wrought at the work, and the other half of them held the spears and shields, the bows and the armour, i.e., carried the arms. The servants of Nehemiah are his personal retinue, Neh 4:17, Neh 5:10, Neh 5:16, namely, Jews placed at his disposal as Pechah for official purposes. The ו before הרמחים was probably placed before this word, instead of before the המּגנּים following, by a clerical error; for if it stood before the latter also, it might be taken in the sense of et - et. מצזיקים, instead of being construed with בּ, is in the accusative, as also in Neh 4:11, and even in Jer 6:23 and Isa 41:9, Isa 41:13. Unnecessary and unsuitable is the conjecture of Bertheau, that the word בּרמחים originally stood after מצזיקים, and that a fresh sentence begins with והרמחים: and the other half held the spears; and the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the armour, and the rulers, were behind the whole house of Judah, - a strange combination, which places the weapons and rulers behind the house of Judah. Besides, of the circumstance of the weapons being placed behind the builders, so that they might at any moment seize them, we not only read nothing in the text; but in Neh 4:11 and Neh 4:12 just the contrary, viz., that the builders wrought with one hand, and with the other held a weapon. “The rulers were behind all the house of Judah,” i.e., each was behind his own people who were employed on the work, to encourage them in their labour, and, in case of attack, to lead them against the enemy. - In Neh 4:11 בּחומה הבּונים is prefixed after the manner of a title. With respect to those who built the wall, both the bearers of burdens were lading with the one hand of each workman, and holding a weapon with the other, and the builders were building each with his sword girt on his side. The ו prefixed to הנּשׂאים and הבּנים means both; and בסּבל נשׂא, bearers of burdens, who cleared away the rubbish, and worked as labourers. These, at all events, could do their work with one hand, which would suffice for emptying rubbish into baskets, and for carrying material in handle baskets. ידו בּעחת, literally, with the one (namely) of his hands that was doing the work. The suffix of ידו points to the genitive following. ואחת אחת, the one and the other hand. השּׁלח, not a missile, but a weapon that was stretched out, held forth, usually a sword or some defensive weapon: see rem. on Jos 2:8; 2Ch 32:5. The builders, on the contrary, needed both hands for their work: hence they had swords girt to their sides. “And he that sounded the trumpet was beside me.” Nehemiah, as superintendent of the work, stood at the head of his servants, ready to ward off any attack; hence the trumpeter was beside him, to be able to give to those employed on the wall the signal for speedy muster in case danger should threaten.

Neh 4:19-21

Hence he said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, i.e., all employed in building, “The work is much (great) and wide, and we are separated upon the wall one far from another; in what place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, assemble yourselves to me: our God will fight for us.” - In Neh 4:15 the whole is summed up, and for this purpose the matter of Neh 4:10 is briefly repeated, to unite with it the further statement that they so laboured from early morning till late in the evening. “We (Nehemiah and his servants) laboured in the work, and half of them (of the servants) held the spears from the grey of dawn till the stars appeared.”

Neh 4:22

He took moreover, a further precaution: he said to the people (i.e., to the labourers on the wall, and not merely to the warriors of the community, as Bertheau supposes): Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, i.e., to remain together during the night also, and not be scattered through the surrounding district, “that they may be guardianship for us by night and labour by day.” The abstracts, guardianship and labour, stand for the concretes, guards and labourers. As לנוּ, to us, refers to the whole community separated on the walls, so is ונערו אישׁ to be understood of all the workers, and not of the fighting men only. From ונערו אישׁ it only appears that the fathers of families and master builders had servants with them as labourers.

Neh 4:23

Nehemiah, moreover, and his brethren (his kinsmen and the members of his house), and his servants, and the men of the guard in his retinue, were constantly in their clothes (“not putting off our clothes” to rest). The last words, המּים שׁלחו אישׁ are very obscure, and give no tolerable sense, whether we explain המּים of water for drinking or washing. Luther translates, Every one left off washing; but the words, Every one’s weapon was water, can never bear this sense. Roediger, in Gesen. Thes. s.v. שׁלח, seeks to alter המים into בידו, to which Böttcher (N. krit. Aehrenl. iii. p. 219) rightly objects: “how could בידו have been altered into המּים, or המּים have got into the text at all, if some portion of it had not been originally there? What this בידו expresses, would be far more definitely given with the very slight correction of changing the closing ם of המּים, and reading המינו = המינוּ (comp. 2Sa 14:19); thus each had taken his missile on the right (in his right hand), naturally that he might be ready to discharge it in case of a hostile attack.” This conjecture seems to us a happy emendation of the unmeaning text, since נוּ might easily have been changed into ם; and we only differ in this matter from Böttcher, by taking שׁלח in its only legitimate meaning of weapon, and translating the words: And each laid his weapon on the right, viz., when he laid himself down at night to rest in his clothes, to be ready for fighting at the first signal from the watch.

The Opposition of Sanballat, &c.. (b. c. 445.)

1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

Here is, I. The spiteful scornful reflection which Sanballat and Tobiah cast upon the Jews for their attempt to build the wall about Jerusalem. The country rang of it presently; intelligence was brought of it to Samaria, that nest of enemies to the Jews and their prosperity; and here we are told how they received the tidings. 1. In heart. They were very angry at the undertaking, and had great indignation, v. 1. It vexed them that Nehemiah came to seek the welfare of the children of Israel (ch. ii. 10); but, when they heard of this great undertaking for their good, they were out of all patience. They had hitherto pleased themselves with the thought that while Jerusalem was unwalled they could swallow it up and make themselves masters of it when they pleased; but, if it be walled, it will not only be fenced against them, but by degrees become formidable to them. The strength and safety of the church are the grief and vexation of its enemies. 2. In word. They despised it, and made it the subject of their ridicule. In this they sufficiently displayed their malice; but good was brought out of it; for, looking upon it as a foolish undertaking that would sink under its own weight, they did not go about to obstruct it till it was too late. Let us see with what pride and malice they set themselves publicly to banter it. (1.) Sanballat speaks with scorn of the workmen: "These feeble Jews" (v. 2), "what will they do for materials? Will they revive the stones out of the rubbish? And what mean they by being so hasty? Do they think to make the walling of a city but one day's work, and to keep the feast of dedication with sacrifice the next day? Poor silly people! See how ridiculous they make themselves!" (2.) Tobiah speaks with no less scorn of the work itself. He has his jest too, and must show his wit, v. 3. Profane scoffers sharpen one another. "Sorry work," says he, "they are likely to make of it; they themselves will be ashamed of it: If a fox go up, not with his subtlety, but with his weight, he will break down their stone wall." Many a good work has been thus looked upon with contempt by the proud and haughty scorners.

II. Nehemiah's humble and devout address to God when he heard of these reflections. He had notice brought him of what they said. It is probable that they themselves sent him a message to this purport, to discourage him, hoping to jeer him out of his attempt; but he did not answer these fools according to their folly; he did not upbraid them with their weakness, but looked up to God by prayer.

1. He begs of God to take notice of the indignities that were done them (v. 4), and in this we are to imitate him: Hear, O our God! for we are despised. Note, (1.) God's people have often been a despised people, and loaded with contempt. (2.) God does, and will, hear all the slights that are put upon his people, and it is their comfort that he does so and a good reason why they should be as though they were deaf, Ps. xxxviii. 13, 15. "Thou art our God to whom we appeal; our cause needs no more than a fair hearing."

2. He begs of God to avenge their cause and turn the reproach upon the enemies themselves (v. 4, 5); and this was spoken rather by a spirit of prophecy than by a spirit of prayer, and is not to be imitated by us who are taught of Christ to pray for those that despitefully use and persecute us. Christ himself prayed for those that reproached him: Father, forgive them. Nehemiah here prays, Cover not their iniquity. Note, (1.) Those that cast contempt on God's people do but prepare everlasting shame for themselves. (2.) It is a sin from which sinners are seldom recovered. Doubtless Nehemiah had reason to think the hearts of those sinners were desperately hardened, so that they would never repent of it, else he would not have prayed that it might never be blotted out. The reason he gives is not, They have abused us, but, They have provoked thee, and that before the builders, to whom, it is likely, they sent a spiteful message. Note, We should be angry at the malice of persecutors, not because it is abusive to us, but because it is offensive to God; and on that we may ground an expectation that God will appear against it, Ps. lxxiv. 18, 22.

III. The vigour of the builders, notwithstanding these reflections, v. 6. They made such good speed that in a little time they had run up the wall to half its height, for the people had a mind to work; their hearts were upon it, and they would have it forwarded. Note, 1. Good work goes on well when people have a mind to it. 2. The reproaches of enemies should rather quicken us to our duty than drive us from it.

7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. 13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

We have here,

I. The conspiracy which the Jews' enemies formed against them, to stay the building by slaying the builders. The conspirators were not only Sanballat and Tobiah, but other neighbouring people whom they had drawn into the plot. They flattered themselves with a fancy that the work would soon stand still of itself; but, when they heard that it went on a prospered, they were angry at the Jews for being so hasty to push the work forward and angry at themselves for being so slow in opposing it (v. 7): They were very wroth. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel. Nothing would serve but they would fight against Jerusalem, v. 8. Why, what quarrel had they with the Jews? Had they done them any wrong? Or did they design them any? No, they lived peaceably by them; but it was merely out of envy and malice; they hated the Jews' piety, and were therefore vexed at their prosperity and sought their ruin. Observe, 1. How unanimous they were: They conspired all of them together, though of different interests among themselves, yet one in their opposition to the work of God. 2. How close they were; they said, "They shall not know, neither see, till we have them at our mercy." Thus they took crafty counsel, and digged deep to hide it from the Lord, and promised themselves security and success from the secresy of their management. 3. How cruel they were: We will come and slay them. If nothing less than the murder of the workmen will put a stop to the work, they will not stick at that; nay, it is their blood they thirst for, and they are glad of any pretence to glut themselves with it. 4. What the design was and how confident they were of success: it was to cause the work to cease (v. 11), and this they were confident that they should effect. The hindering of good work is that which bad men aim at and promise themselves; but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper.

II. The discouragements which the builders themselves laboured under. At the very time when the adversaries said, Let us cause the work to cease, Judah said, "Let us even let it fall, for we are not able to go forward with it," v. 10. They represent the labourers as tired, and the remaining difficulties, even of that first part of their work, the removing of the rubbish, as insuperable, and therefore they think it advisable to desist for the present. Can Judah, that warlike valiant tribe, sneak thus? Active leading men have many times as much ado to grapple with the fears of their friends as with the terrors of their enemies.

III. The information that was brought to Nehemiah of the enemies' designs, v. 12. There were Jews that dwelt by them, in the country, who, though they had not zeal enough to bring them to Jerusalem to help their brethren in building the wall, yet, having by their situation opportunity to discover the enemies' motions, had so much honesty and affection to the cause as to give intelligence of them; nay, that their intelligence might be the more credited, they came themselves to give it, and they said it ten times, repeating it as men in earnest, and under a concern, and the report was confirmed by many witnesses. The intelligence they gave is expressed abruptly, and finds work for the critics to make out the sense of it, which perhaps is designed to intimate that they gave this intelligence as men out of breath and in confusion, whose very looks would make up the deficiencies of their words. I think it may be read, without supplying any thing: "Whatever place you turn to, they are against us, so that you have need to be upon your guard on all sides," Note, God has many ways of bringing to light, and so bringing to nought, the devices and designs of his and his church's enemies. Even the cold and feeble Jews that contentedly dwell by them shall be made to serve as spies upon them; nay, rather than fail, a bird of the air shall carry their voice.

IV. The pious and prudent methods which Nehemiah, hereupon, took to baffle the design, and to secure his work and workmen.

1. It is said (v. 14) he looked. (1.) He looked up, engaged God for him, and put himself and his cause under the divine protection (v. 9): We made our prayer unto our God. That was the way of this good man, and should be our way; all his cares, all his griefs, all his fears, he spread before God, and thereby made himself easy. This was the first thing he did; before he used any means, he made his prayer to God, for with him we must always begin. (2.) He looked about him. Having prayed, he set a watch against them. The instructions Christ has given us in our spiritual warfare agree with this example, Matt. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray. If we think to secure ourselves by prayer only, without watchfulness, we are slothful and tempt God; if by watchfulness, without prayer, we are proud and slight God; and, either way, we forfeit his protection.

2. Observe, (1.) How he posted the guards, v. 13. In the lower places he set them behind the wall, that they might annoy the enemy over it, as a breast-work; but in the higher places, where the wall was raised to its full height, he set them upon it, that from the top of it they might throw down stones or darts upon the heads of the assailants: he set them after their families, that mutual relation might engage them to mutual assistance. (2.) How he animated and encouraged the people, v. 14. He observed even the nobles and rulers themselves, as well as the rest of the people, to be in a great consternation upon the intelligence that was brought them, and ready to conclude that they were all undone, by which their hands were weakened both for work and war, and therefore, he endeavours to silence their fears. "Come," says he, "be not afraid of them, but behave yourselves valiantly, considering, [1.] Whom you fight under. You cannot have a better captain: Remember the Lord, who is great and terrible; you think your enemies great and terrible, but what are they in comparison with God, especially in opposition to him? He is great above them to control them, and will be terrible to them when he comes to reckon with them." Those that with an eye of faith see the church's God to be great and terrible will see the church's enemies to be mean and despicable. The reigning fear of God is the best antidote against the ensnaring fear of man. He that is afraid of a man that shall die forgets the Lord his Maker, Isa. lxxiv. 12, 13. [2.] "Whom you fight for. You cannot have a better cause; you fight for your brethren (Ps. cxxii. 8), your sons, and your daughters. All that is dear to you in their world lies at stake; therefore behave yourselves valiantly."

V. The happy disappointment which this gave to the enemies, v. 15. When they found that their design was discovered, and that the Jews were upon their guard, they concluded that it was to no purpose to attempt any thing, but that God had brought their counsel to nought. They knew they could not gain their point but by surprise, and, if their plot was known, it was quashed. The Jews hereupon returned every one to his work, with so much the more cheerfulness because they saw plainly that God owned it and owned them in the doing of it. Note, God's care of our safety should engage and encourage us to go on with vigour in our duty. As soon as ever a danger is over let us return to our work, and trust God another time.

The Precautions of Nehemiah. (b. c. 445.)

16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. 21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.

When the builders had so far reason to think the design of the enemies broken as to return to their work, yet they were not so secure as to lay down their arms, knowing how restless and unwearied they were in their attempts, and that, if one design failed, they would be hatching another. Thus must we watch always against our spiritual enemies, and not expect that our warfare will be accomplished till our work is. See what course Nehemiah took, that the people might hold themselves in a readiness, in case there should be an attack. 1. While one half were at work, the other half were under their arms, holding spears, and shields, and bows, not only for themselves but for the labourers too, who would immediately quit their work, and betake themselves to their weapons, upon the first alarm, v. 16. It is probable that they changed services at stated hours, which would relieve the fatigue of both, and particularly would be an ease to the bearers of burdens, whose strength had decayed (v. 10); while they held the weapons, they were eased and yet not idle. Thus dividing their time between the trowels and the spears, they are said to work with one hand and hold their weapons with the other (v. 17), which cannot be understood literally, for the work would require both hands; but it intimates that they were equally employed in both. Thus must we work out our salvation with the weapons of our warfare in our hand; for in every duty we must expect to meet with opposition from our spiritual enemies, against whom we must still be fighting the good fight of faith. 2. Every builder had a sword by his side (v. 18), which he could carry without hindering his labour. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which we ought to have always at hand and never to seek, both in our labours and in our conflicts as Christians. 3. Care was taken both to get and give early notice of the approach of the enemy, in case they should endeavour to surprise them. Nehemiah kept a trumpeter always by him to sound an alarm, upon the first intimation of danger. The work was large, and the builders were dispersed; for in all parts of the wall they were labouring at the same time. Nehemiah continually walked round to oversee the work and encourage the workmen, and so would have speedy intelligence if the enemy made an attack, of which, by sound of trumpet, he would soon give notice to all, and they must immediately repair to him with a full assurance that their God would fight for them, v. 18-20. When they acted as workmen, it was requisite they should be dispersed wherever there was work to do; but when as soldiers it was requisite they should come into close order, and be found in a body. Thus should the labourers in Christ's building be ready to unite against a common foe. 4. The inhabitants of the villages were ordered to lodge within Jerusalem, with their servants, not only that they might be the nearer to their work in the morning, but that they might be ready to help in case of an attack in the night, v. 22. The strength of a city lies more in its hands than in its walls; secure them, and God's blessing upon them, and be secure. 5. Nehemiah himself, and all his men, kept closely to their business. The spears were held up, with the sight of them to terrify the enemy, not only from sun to sun, but from twilight to twilight every day, v. 21. Thus ought we to be always upon our guard against our spiritual enemies, not only (as here) while it is light, but when it is dark, for they are the rulers of the darkness of this world. Nay, so very intent was Nehemiah upon his work, and so fast did he hold his servants to it, that while the heat of the business lasted neither he himself nor his attendants went into bed, but every night lay and slept in their clothes (v. 23), except that they shifted them now and then, either for cleanliness or in a case of ceremonial pollution. It was a sign that their heart was upon their work when they could not find time to dress and undress, but resolved they would be at all times ready for service. Good work is likely to go on successfully when those that labour in it thus make a business of it.

CHAP. IV. Verſe 1. But it came to paſſe.]

THE Devil and his Impes have ever been utter Enemies to Reformation. So do ſavage beaſts briſtle up themſelves, and make the moſt fierce aſſaults, when they are in danger of loſing the prey, which they had once ſeized on. Jabeſh Gilead would ſend in none to help the Lord againſt the mighty, Judg. 21.9. No more would Meroz, chap. 5.23. Joſiah met with much oppoſition: ſo did St. Paul wherever he came, to ſet up Evangelical and ſpiritual worſhip; which is called a Reformation, Heb. 9.10. All the World was againſt Athanaſius in his generation, and Luther in his: rejecting what they attempted, with ſcorn and ſlander. Here it is quarrel enough to Nehemiah and his Jewes, that they would be no longer miſerable. They were not more buſie in building, then the Enemies active in deriding, conſpiring, practiſing to hinder and overthrow them. A double deriſion is here recorded: and both as full of miſchief, as prophane wit, or rancoured malice could make them.

He was wroth] Heb. He was enkindled, and all on a light fire: he was as hot as Nebuchadnezzars Oven, huge hot [he took great indignation] and was ſo unreaſonably enraged, as if he would have fallen forthwith into a phrenſy or apoplexy; as that Roman Emperour did, by raging at his ſervant. He was grieved before, chap. 2. but now he was madded.

And mocked the Jews] By word and geſture, fleering and jeering, flouting and ſcoffing at them, as the Phariſees alſo did at our Saviour, Luk. 16.14. Davids Enemies at him, upon their ale-bench: Sr. Tho. Moore and other learned Papiſts, at the new-Goſpellers. See chap. 2.19. This might have diſmayed theſe poor Jewes, and put them out of countenance; for our nature is moſt impatient of reproaches; there being none ſo mean, but thinks himſelf worthy of ſome regard: and a reproachful ſcorn (ſuch as theſe here) ſhewes an utter diſreſpect, which iſſueth from the very ſuperfluity of malice. If God had not ſtrengthened them, ſaith One, it would have made them leave their work, and run away.

Verſe 2. And he ſpake before his brethren] Id eſt, before his companions and complices who would ſecond him and ſay the ſame, his Aiones, and Negones, as one calleth ſuch.

And the Army of Samaria] The Garriſon-ſouldiers; or thoſe that lay there billetted, to obſerve the people.

What do theſe feeble Jews?] Theſe beggerly ſhiftleſſe Fellowes, theſe Aſinarii, (as Melon and Appion of Alexandria diſgracefully called the Jews:) like as Tertullian telleth us, that the Pagans painted the God of the Chriſtians with an Aſſes head, and a Book in his hand: to note that they were ſilly and deſpicable people. B. Jewell in a Sermon of his, citeth this out of Tertullian, and addeth, Do not our adverſaries the like at this day againſt all that profeſſe the Goſpel?

Will they fortify themſelves?] Heb. Will they leave to themſelves, ſc. any thing to truſt unto? Junius rendreth An ſinerent eos? ſhould they, (ſc. the Officers and Souldiers) ſuffer them thus to do?

Will they ſacrifice?] Sc. at the dedication of their new Walles? Will they do this all at once? and think they without more adoe, to have the liberty of their Sanctuary.

Will they make an end in a day?] It ſhould ſeem ſo by their Citò, Citò, quick diſpatch of their parts and task, &c.

Praecipita tempus: mors atra impendet agenti. Sil. Ital.

Will they revive the Stones, &c.] Stones they want for their new wall: where will they have them? will they glew together the old Stones, and revive them out of the rubbiſh? will they do this? or, what will they do?

Verſe 3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite] This was one of Sanballats good brethren, ver. 2. A Bird of the ſame feather, a loaf of the ſame leven, his fellow-ſcoffer, and ſo homine pejor, ſaith Chryſoſtome; worſe then a man; as the ſcoffed that beareth it well, is Angelis par, ſaith he, an Angels peere.

Even that which they build, if a Fox go up, &c.] It was ſome ſuch bitter jeer that Remus uttered in contempt of Romulus his new wall, and was knockt on the head for it. Hae ſannae leniter volant, non lenitèr violant.

Verſe 4. Hear, ô our God] Theſe mocks and menaces lay ſo heavy upon Nehemiah's ſpirit, that he could not eaſe himſelf, but by breathing heaven-ward; and turning them over to God to take an order with them. His prayer is not long but full: A child may not chat in his Fathers preſence: his words muſt be humble, earneſt, direct to the point, avoiding vain babblings, and tedious prolixities.

For we are deſpiſed] Heb. We are contempt in the abſtract. Not vilified we are onely, but nullified, as a company of [non-Latin text not transcribed] No-bodies. So Paul (the moſt precious man upon earth) and his companions (the glory of Chriſt, Eſay 62.3. and a Royall diadem in the hand of Jehovah) were looked upon as the filth of the World, & the off-ſcouring of al things, 1 Cor. 4. What matter is it then what becometh of us?2 Joh. We have a God to turn us to, and Demetrius hath teſtimony of the truth: that's enough; let Diotrephes prate, what he pleaſeth.

And turn their reproach upon their own heads] Surely God ſcorneth theſe Scorners, ſaith Solomon: that is,Prov. 3.34. ſaith Rabbi Levi upon that Taxt, he caſteth them into ſome calamity, and ſo maketh them a laughing ſtock, to thoſe whom they have laughed at. God loves to retaliate, to pay men home in their own coyn. Thus he dealt by Appion of Alexandria: who ſcoffing at Religion,Joſephus. (and eſpecially at circumciſion) had an ulcer the ſame time, and in the ſame place. The like ill end befell Julian the Apoſtate, whoſe daily practiſe was to ſcoffe at Chriſt and his people. Diocleſian the Emperour (as Volaterran writeth) had a Jeſter called Geneſius, who uſed to make him merry at meales, and, amongſt their deviſes, would ſcoffe and ſquib at Chriſtians: But God plagued him for example of others. And the like he did to Morgan that mocking Biſhop of St. Davies: to John Apowel who derided William Mauldon for his devotion: and laſtly,Act. & Mon. fol. 1902. Ibid. 1906. to one Lever of Brightwel in Barkſhire, who ſaid that he ſaw that ill-favoured knave Latimer when he was burned at Oxford: and that he had teeth like an Horſe. But the Lord ſuffered not this ſcorn and contempt of his ſervant to paſſe unpuniſhed. For that very day, and about the ſame hour, that Lever ſpake theſe words, his ſon wickedly hanged himſelf, ſaith mine Authour. Lege, cave.

And give them for a prey, &c.] A heavy curſe, and, as not cauſeleſſe (againſt implacable Enemies to God and goodneſſe) ſo nor fruitleſſe. Wo be to ſuch as againſt whom the Saints moved with a zeal of God, ſhall imprecate vengeance. God uſually inflicteth what they denounce againſt his and their irreconcilable adverſaries. Fire proceedeth out of their mouths, &c. Revel. 11.5.

And cover not their iniquity] O fearful imprecation! Surely if they onely are bleſſed whoſe ſin is covered Pſal. 32.1. What ſhall become of thoſe that are in a contrary condition? If pardon of ſin be ſuch a voluminous mercy, as having many other mercies bound up with it, think what a miſery it is to have ſin imputed; and get a cover ſpeedily, for that abominable filth, and, to God himſelf an eye-ſore.

For they have provoked thee to anger, &c.] This was it that Nehemiah ſo ſtomacked: and that drew from him theſe dreadful imprecations, viz. Gods glory, and not any ſelf concernment: He hated and curſed non virum, ſed virium, &c.]

Verſe 6. So built we the Wall] This followed upon his prayer, as a gracious anſwer to it: the people were encouraged, and the Wall finiſhed. Faithful prayer is never ineffectual. Reproaching is an heart-breaking, Pſal. 69.20. but ſo long as a Chriſtian can pray, he is not without his cordial. I came for thy prayer, Dan. 10.1.

And all the Wall was joyned together] Not with gold indeed (as Caſſiodorus ſaith, the Walls of Suſa in Perſia were) but with that which was better then gold, faith in Gods goodneſſe, and zeal of his glory.

Ʋnto the half thereof] Unto half the height: for they could not do all at once: neither can we in the ſpiritual building: but grow up and increaſe with the increaſe of God. Col. 2.19.

For the people had a minde to work] And the more minde, becauſe they met with ſo much oppoſition. A free ſpirit is moſt ſeen (ſaith one) when there be moſt rubs in the way: when he that moves by outward poyſes, will ſtick and be dull: As when a bowle runs up an hill, every rub ſlugs it; but when down hill, a rub quickeneth it.

Verſe 7. And the Arabians and the Ammonites] A rabble of Malignants meet and make head. Sanballat, by the help of Tobiah, had now gotten a great band of ſouldiers, and ſpecially of Arabians, Ammonites, and Aſhdodites, to fight for him againſt this feeble folk, but yet armed with God, and that had him for their champion. So we may ſee how readily one wicked man will be drawn to help another: and how the wickedneſſe of one will infect another that will give eare to it. Read Pſalm 83.6, 7, 8. Rev. 16.16, 17, &c.

Heard that the walls of Jeruſalem were made up] Heb. That health (or as the old Tranſlation hath it, a ſalve) aſcended upon the walls. A Metaphor from Chirurgeons, who when they heal wounds by ſalves or plaiſters joyne the fleſh together again, which before was cut in ſunder: ſo the breaches of the walls, which afore lay gaping open, were joyned together, and made ſound, as though it were one entire wall, & quaſi tota moles in tantam magnitudinem ex unico ingenti lapide tam magnificè conſurgeret.

Then they were very wroth] That old enmity, Gen. 3.15. ſtirred in them, and they were ſoon kindled; Satan being the boutefeau, or kindle-coale. See verſe 1.

Verſe 8. And they conſpired all of them together] All of them, and together: and yet this was not Ʋnity, but Conſpiracy: Such as is that among Devils, Mark 5.9. among Antichriſtians, Rev. 17.13. among Turks, who have as little diſſenſion in their Religion, as any. But well may that garment have no ſeame, that hath no ſhape. The army of Niniveh was quiet, Nah. 1.12. no falling out, nor complaining in their hoſts: hence their King marched on, paſſed thorough. But ſo did not theſe conſpiratours, becauſe they met with thoſe that were no leſſe well combined, and far better reſolved then themſelves. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Athen. l. 3. The Thebanes had a band of men they called Sacra Cohors, conſiſting of ſuch onely as were joyned in the bonds of love, and reſolved to live and die together. Theſe Jewes under the command of Nehemiah were none other, and were therefore inſuperable.

To come and to fight] To turn their works into knocks.

And to hinder it] Heb. To make an errour in it. The Hebrew word is uſed both of the errour of the heart; and of the foot, Eſay 63.17. Pſal. 119. ult. It may be rendered here, to hinder him, to make an errour in him: to make Nehemiah at a ſtand, or rather to run away, to creep into corners, and give over the work.

Verſe 9. Nevertheleſſe we made our prayer unto God] Who is the Saints ſanctuary of ſafety, their preſent help in time of trouble. Prayer to him is an anchor in all ſtorms, and a ſalve for all ſores; yea, it healeth not only body and ſoul, but even hard ſtony walls, verſe 7. Provided that we judge our ſelves in prayer, [non-Latin text not transcribed] and commit our cauſe to God to be judged by him, as the Hebrew word here importeth. Euſeb: lib. 4. Ruffin. lib. 2. cap. 23. Thus did the children of Reuben, Gad, and Manaſſeh, when to fight againſt the Hagarens. Thus did Jabiz, and Jehoſaphat, and Conſtantine, and Theodoſius, and that late victorious King of Sweden, of whom it is ſtoried in his life, that he would pray a ſhipboard, aſhoare, in the field, in the middeſt of a battle; as if prayer alone were the ſureſt piece of his whole armour.Mr. Clark.

And ſet a watch] According to that of our Saviour, Watch and pray, Luke 21.36. and that of the Heathen, Admota manu invocanda eſt Minerva: Ora & labora, pray, and then uſe beſt policy: firſt conquer heaven, and then preſume of earths conqueſt.

Againſt them] Or, over-anent them, at the workmens elbowes, and in the face of the enemies.

Verſe 10. And Judah ſaid] Here was [non-Latin text not transcribed], impedimenti domeſtici: aliud ex alio malum, a worſe diſcouragement then the former. Judah (the chief labourers) begins to murmur and mutiny, to faint and fall off. A perillous practiſe in ſuch a dangerous time, and enough to have undone all: as one coward in an army, breaking the array and running away, may ſet the reſt a running, and the day be thereby loſt. Lo, this was Judah, whoſe ſcutcheon was a Lion: but here unlike himſelf.

The ſtrength of the bearers of burdens is decayed] Very ſpecious reaſons: they alledge: their ſhoulders aked, their ſtrength was gone, there was no end of their pains-taking, their work grew upon them, &c. The truth was, deerat ignis, deerat animus, they were weary of well-doing, and not valiant for the truth, Jer. 9.3. More like they were to thoſe fugitives of Ephraim, Judg. 12.4. then the Lions of the Tribe of Judah. Nehemiah therefore might well have ſaid to them as Alexander once did to a faint-hearted ſouldier of his, that was of his own name, Either leave off the name of Alexander, or be valiant. So, either hold out, and bear up under your burdens, or be Judah no more.

So that we are not able] Never was any thing too hard for Alexander; becauſe he never held any thing impoſſible to be effected.

Verſe 11. And our adverſaries ſaid] But their plot was ſome way diſcovered, and ſo prevented. Detexit facinus fatuus & non implevit, ſaith Tacitus of one in his time. So the Gun-powder-traytours betrayed themſelves; and all came to light, though they had digg'd as low as hell to hide their counſels from the Lord.

They ſhall not know, neither ſee] But what ſhall he do who is Omniſcient and [non-Latin text not transcribed], All-eye? whoſe providence is like a well-drawn picture that vieweth all that comes into a roome.

Till we came into the middeſt among them] Either in the night undiſcerned; or by day, but unarmed, and not as enemies: for the Florentine Secretary, though not yet (nor of many ages after) born into the world; yet the good of this world was as great a Maſter then, as afterwards.

And ſtay them, and cauſe the work to ceaſe] The craft of the Churches adverſaries is never but accompanied with cruelty: and their cruelty is ſeldome without craft. The Devil lends them his ſeven heads to plot, and his ten hornes to puſh: but in the thing wherein they deale proudly, God is above theſe cruell-crafties.

Verſe 12. And it came to paſſe, that when the Jewes which dwelt by them ſaw] Their brethren from abroad gave the workmen intelligence; and this was a very friendly office: for praemonitus praemunitus, premonition is the beſt means of prevention. It is the property of a brother, though at other times not ſo kinde, yet in affliction and extremity, to finde nature working in him, and to do his beſt. See Prov. 17.17. with the Note.

They ſaid unto us ten times] i. e. often-times; Gen. 3.41. Num. 14.22. The Lord knoweth how to deliver his, as he did David from Saul, Peter from the Jewes, Acts 12. Paul from thoſe Conſpiratours, Acts 23. and this ſinful nation oft from the blood-thirſty Papiſts. Maſſes were ſaid in Rome for the good ſucceſſe of the Catholike deſigne (the Powder-plot:) but no prayers in England, for our deliverance: and yet they were defeated (Sorex ſuo periit indicio) and we delivered. Admirable mercy.

From all places whence ye ſhall returne, &c.] Some read it thus, And it came to paſſe, when the Jewes which dwelt beſide them, came and told us of their practiſes ten times out of all places, whence they came unto us, I ſet in the low places &c. And here, I cannot tell, ſaith one, whether theſe Intelligencers be worthy more praiſe, or diſpraiſe. It was their duty to have come home, ſtood in ſtormes, and help to build Jeruſalem. But God which turneth our negligence and fooliſhneſſe to the ſetting forth of his wiſdom and goodneſſe, gave them a good will and boldneſſe to further that building as they might. Thus God uſeth the ſervice of all men and creatures to the comfort of his people.

Verſe 13. Therefore I ſet in the lower places] I took them off their work, and appointed them to ſtand upon their guard; appointing them their ſeveral ſtations, and giving them orders.

I even ſet the people after their families] Or, according to their kindreds: for he knew that Nature will move one kinſman to be truer to another in all dangers, then a ſtranger: and that one kinſman will open his grief to his friend, and take comfort at his hand, rather then to him whom he knoweth not. Hence Nehemiah in policy ſorted his ſouldiers after this ſort.

With their ſwords, their ſpears, and their bowes] Theſe were the ancient weapons of war: neither had Death yet learned to cut his way thorough a wood of men, but of the mouth of a murthering piece. Whether the Emperour Wenceſlaus did well or ill in executing Barthold Swarts for inventing Gun-powder Anno Domini 1378. I determine not.

Verſe 14. And I looked, and roſe up) Et vidi, & ſurrexi, & dixi, ſo the original runs. He ſaw the enemy a coming, he ſtarted up; and he made this excellent exhortation: which puts me in minde of that which one once ſaid of Julius Caeſar, Si acta ejus penitus ignoraſſes, per linguam tauen militem eſſe diceres. If you had never known him to have been a ſouldier; yet hear him but ſpeak only, and you will conclude him to be one.

And ſaid unto the Nobles] In a ſhort, but pithy Oration: ſuch as was that of Joab, 2 Sam. 10.12. (of which Pellican ſaith, Non potuit vox duce dignior cogitari, as brave a ſpeech as a man could make) Or that of Hunniades about to joyne battel with the Turks (ſee Turk. Hiſt. fol. 272.) Or laſtly, that of the Prince of Orange at the battel of Newport; where they had the Sea on one ſide, and the Spaniards on the other. If, ſaid he, you will live, you muſt either eate up theſe Spaniards, or drink up this Sea. So here, Either you muſt fight luſtily, or all you have is forfeited aſſuredly.

Be not ye afraid of them] Away with that cowardly paſſion, which unmans a man, & rectam tollit de cardine mentem, robs him of all power and policy.

Remember the Lord] Whom he that feareth needs fear none elſe: The name of the Lord is a ſtrong tower, &c.

Who is great and terrible] For the defence of his people, and offence of his enemies. The Lord is a man of war; Exod. 15.3. Yea, he alone is a whole army of men, Van and Reare both, Eſay 52.12. And may better ſay to his ſouldiers then Antigonus did to his, when they were afraid of the enemies numbers, How many do ye reckon me for?

And fight for your brethren] Whether by Race, or Religion.

Your ſonnes and your daughters] Thoſe [non-Latin text not transcribed], as the Greeks call them, Chariſſimi; as the Latines; deareſt pledges.

Your wives and your houſes] In the laſt Commandment houſes are ſet firſt before wives, becauſe a houſe is to be firſt provided; neither will a wiſe man take a wife before he hath an houſe. Here wives are ſet before houſes; becauſe far more precious, and a maine part of a mans ſelf, Epheſ. 5.28. Houſe and riches are the inheritance of the fathers, but a prudent wife is of the Lord, Prov. 19.14. She was on of the firſt real and royal gifts beſtowed by God upon Adam. By the way note, that if men may fight for their civil right to their houſes and lands, have they not as good warrant to fight for their Religion, eſpecially ſince they have the Lawes of the Land for it; and beſides, a civil right at leaſt to the outward peaceable profeſſion and practiſe of it? The Athenians themſelves (though their Religion was no better then ſuperſtition, Acts 17.22.) Yet they bound themſelves by a publike and ſolemne oath, to defend it to the utmoſt. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The words of the oath were theſe; I will fight for the Temples and holy rites, both alone, and with others.

Verſe 15. And it came to paſſe when the enemies heard] This rumour was enough to affray theſe no leſſe (now) timorous then (before) temerarious Samaritans: Great bragges they made at firſt what they would do; but now that they ſee they are defeated of their purpoſe, they are creſt-fallen, and have no minde at all to advance. So that to theſe may be fitly applyed that which Gaicciardine ſaith of Charles the eighth King of France in his expedition againſt Naples, that he came into the field like thunder and lightning, but went out like a ſnuff: more then a man at firſt, and leſſe then a woman at laſt.

And God had brought their counſel to nought] According to that of the Pſalmiſt, The Lord bringeth the counſel of the Heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counſel of the Lord ſtandeth for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations, Pſal. 33.10, 11. Here good men may learn, ſaith One, not to go nakedly, without weapons for their own neceſſary defence: and much leſſe, ſaid I, without their ſpiritual weapons (whether defenſive, as the ſhield of faith, the breaſt-plate of righteouſneſſe,Eph. 6. &c. or offenſive, as the Sword of the ſpirit the Word, and the darts of prayer) leſt they be ſurprized and ſubjugated by that old manſlayer.

That we returned all of us to the Wall] Not to the Tavern to toſſe pots (ſaith One) and boaſt of their great Victory: but in the fear of God they return to the Walls, and every man falleth to his work again. All Hiſtories declare, that the greateſt Kingdoms, when they fell to idleneſſe and luxury, then they loſt their former glory faſter then they won it. The Turkiſh Empire is thought to be on the declining hand,Turk. Hiſt. becauſe their late Emperours do far degenerate from their warlike progenitours, their Souldiers generally give themſelves to unwonted pleaſures, their ancient diſcipline of War is neglected, rebellions raiſed, &c.

Verſe 16. And it came to paſſe from that time forth] As it is ſtoried of that peerleſſe Q. Elizabeth, that in times of greateſt Peace, ſhe ever made preparation for War: ſo did this incomparable Nehemiah; ſtill fearing ſome new practiſe, and not knowing what thoſe reſtleſſe heads were even now a hammering.

That the half of my ſervants wrought in the work] No ſervants they were for Nehemiah, if they would not work. He was an active man himſelf, trading every talent: and thoſe about him muſt all be active. One would wonder how this Courtier ſhould become on the ſudden ſo cunning a Souldier, and ſhould marſhal his men ſo skilfully, ſetting the younger before to bear the brunt of the battel, and the Elders behind to direct and encourage, according to that of the Poet.

[non-Latin text not transcribed].

But it was his God that inſtructed him to this diſcretion and taught him, Eſay 28.26. and he might well break out and ſing with David, Bleſſed be the Lord my ſtrength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight, Pſal. 144.1. Quando Chriſtus Magiſter, quàm citò dicitur quod docetur? ſaith Auſtin. Gods Scholars muſt needs be exact in a ſhort ſpace.

And the habergeons] Theſe were armour for back and breaſt. In the Chriſtian Panoply there's no mention of armour for the back (though there is for the breaſt;) becauſe a Chriſtian Souldier ſhould never flie,Eph. 6. but be like Androclid, whom when one derided, becauſe, being lame, he went into the war, he anſwered merrily, that he came thither to fight, not to run away.

Verſe 17. They which builded on the wall] The Maſter-Maſons, and they that bare burthens, Bajuli, Labourers and Porters, who bear upon their ſhoulders, as much as they can ſtand under, yet go ſinging oft under their burdens: the reaſon whereof Alexander Aphrodiſaeus ſaith is this, that their minds being delighted with the ſweetneſſe of the muſick, the body may be the leſſe ſenſible of the weight they carry. But theſe burden-bearers had little mind to ſing, their lives being in ſuſpence. And yet, as worthy workmen, they went on with the Wall.

Every one with one of his hands wrought, and in the other hand had a weapon] Id eſt, When they were buſieſt in building, they had their weapons in a readineſſe to reſiſt. What a goodly ſight was this? ſaith one, to ſee every one ſo full of courage, that they feared not the enemy; and ſo willing to work, that they would not be weaty. Let Chriſtian men look into this notable example, and be aſhamed of their ſlothfulneſſe, &c.

Verſe 18. For the builders every one had his ſword girded by his ſide] Heb. On his loynes: that's the place for the ſword to hang on, Pſal. 45.3. Gird thy ſword upon thy thigh O moſt mighty. And Rev. 19.16. Chriſts Name is written upon his veſture, that all may ſee it, and upon his thigh, where his ſword hangs, to ſhew that he won it by his valour. Among the Turks at this day,S. H. Blunt. 94. Ibid. 70. as the right hand is held uppermoſt for a Scholar, ſo the left for a Souldier; becauſe it gives a man poſſeſſion of his companions ſword: though the Turks ſeldome bear weapons but in travel; and then ſome of them ſeeme no leſſe like a walking, then theſe builders did like a working Armourie.

Verſe 19. And I ſaid unto the Nobles, &c.] Nehemiah the more a man obſerveth him, the more he ſhall admire him. Surely he was (as Velleius ſaith of Cato Major) homo virtuti ſimillimus, a man as like vertue as might be: He was (as Pliny ſaith of the ſame Cato) optimus Orator, optimus Imperator, optimus Senator, omniumque bonarum artium Magiſter, an excellent Oratour, Vell. lib. 2. an excellent General, an excellent Stateſman, a Maſter of all good arts whatſoever. He had cropt off the very tops of all vertues, as Pindarus ſaith of Hiero, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and as Melancthon ſaith of Frederick the Electour of Saxony. From the builders here be turneth him to the Nobles and Rulers &c. whom he would not have to be Carpet-knights, fitter for a canopy then a Camp, for language then a lance, &c. but active in their orbe, and ready preſt to ſerve in watching, warding, and preparing things neceſſary for the workmen.

The work is great and large] The compaſſe of the Walls at this time is thought by good writers to be certain miles about: and yet was enlarged as much afterwards by Herod.

And we are ſeparated upon the Wall] According to our diviſions, noted chap. 3.1. &c. and this is a weapon in the hand of our enemies: for dum pugnamus ſinguli, vincamur univerſi, being diſperſed, we are much diſadvantaged.

Verſe 20. In what place therefore ye hear the ſound of the Trumpet] Which therefore, for the purpoſe he kept at his own elbow, verſe 18. as a matter of truſt, and importance. Moſes committed the blowing of the Trumpets unto the ſonnes of Aaron only, Num. 10. for if the Trumpet give an uncertain ſound, who ſhall prepare himſelf to the battel? 1 Cor. 14.8.

Reſort you thither unto us] As to your Rendevous, that we may ſtand againſt the Enemy in an entire body; mean while Nehemiah walketh the round, and watcheth the Enemies motions, ſo that of him might be ſaid, as once was of Hannibal, Nullo labore aut corpus fatigari, aut animus vinci poterat, he was indefatigable, inſuperable: or as of Fabius Maximus. Liv. decad. 3. lib. 1.

Hic patria eſt, murique urbis ſtant pectore in uno.Si[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 letter]tal.

Our God ſhall fight for us] Courage therefore, my hearts, He is the Lord; Strong, and Mighty, the Lord Mighty in battel, Pſal. 24.8. and may far better ſay then Henry the eighth did, Cui adhaereo, prae eſt, he whom I fight for, is ſure to prevail.

Verſe 21. So we laboured in the work] Their fear of the enemy did not weaken them, but waken them rather to a redoubled diligence.

From the riſing of the Sun till the Stars appeared] Time was precious: and they redeemed and improved it. The common complaint is, We want time: but the truth is, Non parùm habemus temporis, ſed multùm perdimus. We do not ſo much want, as waſte it. The good man is perdius & pernox, night and day at his buſineſſe: and his thoughts are the ſame with thoſe of Rabbi Simeon, Dies brevis eſt, & opus multum, & operarii pigri, & paterfamilias urget, The time is ſhort, the task large, the workmen lither, the maſter of the houſe urgent.

Verſe 22. Likewiſe at the ſame time I ſaid unto the people] He had a ſaying to every one: and having ordered the work of the day, he appointeth a watch for the night ſeaſon alſo: for they had many falſe friends within themſelves too. Caeſars vigilancy did ever equal his valour: ſo did Nehemiahs.

Verſe 23. So neither I] He ſaid not to his men, Ite, but eamus, as Caeſar did; Go ye, but go we, and as Abimelech, Judg. 9.48. What ye ſee me do, make haſte and do accordingly: Velleius flattered when he ſaid, Tiberius imperio maximus, exemplo major. Nehemiah was ſo in very deed.

Saving that every one put them off for waſhing] To keep themſelves cleanly, and from being naſty: or otherwiſe, to waſh themſelves from legal pollutions.