Nehemiah 4:12

Ver. 12 And it came to pass, when the Jews that dwelt by them,.... Near Samaria, Arabia, and Ashdod, and had intelligence of their designs: came, they said to us ten times; that is, they came to them

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.

Which dwelt by them, or, among them; whereby they came to the knowledge of their counsels. Ten times, i.e. very often. A certain number for an uncertain. They will be upon you, 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 rendered thus, On all parts where you shall be quiet, or at rest, (i.e. secure; for the Hebrew schub 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 Jerusalem, 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 rendered thus, They told this (to wit, the enemy’ s 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 ,30 Genesis 25:18, and in the Hebrew text, , and in other languages and authors; of which see my Latin Synopsis upon ; and that it is so here we have the consent of the LXX. and Arabic, 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 Jerusalem, suits very well with those persons who came up with their brethren from Babylon to Jerusalem, 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 Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 4:12 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].Ver. 12. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came] Their brethren from abroad gave the workmen intelligence; and this was a 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 kind, yet in affliction and extremity to find nature working in him, and to do his best. See Proverbs 17:17. They said unto us ten times] i.e. Oftentimes, Genesis 31:41 Numbers 14:22. The Lord knoweth how to deliver his, as he did David from Saul, Peter from the Jews, Acts 12:7-12, Paul from those conspirators, Acts 23:12-23, and this sinful nation oft from the blood thirsty Papists. Masses were said in Rome for the good success of the Catholic design (the gunpowder plot); but no prayers in England, for our deliverance: and yet they were defeated ( Sorex sue periit indicio), and we delivered. Admirable mercy. From all places whence ye shall return, &c.] Some read it thus, And it came to pass, when the Jews which dwelt beside them, came and told us of their practices 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 condemnation. It was their duty to have come home, stood in storms, and help to build Jerusalem. But God, which turneth our intelligence and foolishness to the setting forth of his wisdom and goodness, gave them a good will and boldness to further that building as they might. Thus God useth the service of all men and creatures to the comfort of his people.

(12) From all places.—The neighbouring Jews in their terror said by repeated messages “from all places ‘Ye shall return to us,’ “: that is, for our protection.

Verse 12. 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, Αναβαινουσινεκπαντωντωντοπωνεφ' ἡμας, They come up from all places against us. The sense appears to be this: the Jews which dwelt among the Samaritans, &c., 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 Dathé contend. But this various reading is not found in any MS., and is not countenanced by any of the versions. See Ne 4:15.

12. The translation of the last clause of this verse presents a great difficulty, and leaves us doubtful with what intention the Jews here spoken of addressed their countrymen. The verse stands in very loose connexion with the two previous verses. It represents a fresh complication in the difficult position which confronted Nehemiah. To discontent within, and the schemes of the foe without, is added the panic of the Jews in the outlying districts. the Jews which dwelt by them] By this expression are apparently intended the Jewish dwellers in towns and districts adjacent to the territory of the Samaritans, Ammonites, Arabians and Philistines, who had sent contingents to assist in the rebuilding of the walls—e.g. Jericho, Tekoah, Gibeon, Mizpah, Zanoah (chap. Nehemiah 3:2; Nehemiah 3:5; Nehemiah 3:7; Nehemiah 3:13). ‘by them,’ comp. Nehemiah 5:3. they said unto us ten times] i.e. again and again, as often as occasion offered—cf. Genesis 31:41, ‘Thou hast changed my wages ten times.’ From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you] R.V. from all places, Ye must return unto us, marg. ‘Or, From all places whence ye shall return they will be upon us’. The Authorised Version is here unintelligible. (1) The R.V. text is a literal translation, with the exception of the omission of the relative before ‘Ye must return.’ This however may be explained as an instance of the relative in late Hebrew idiom prefixed to the ‘Oratio Recta,’ like ὅτι in late Greek. ‘From all places’ refers to the scattered Jewish communities. The foes of Jerusalem were on every side; the fears of the Jewish frontier-towns on every side were increased by the growing hostility of the neighbouring peoples. The words of their petition to Nehemiah and his companions may be explained in one of two ways. (a) They express apprehension on their own account and for their own homes. Deprived of the able-bodied men who had been sent to work at the walls on Jerusalem, these little towns and villages could not hope to defend themselves against the gathering foe. Wherefore they address themselves through the leaders to their fellow-townsmen sojourning in Jerusalem, ‘Ye must return unto us.’ (b) They are alarmed for the safety of their fellow-townsmen. They see the combination of foes against Jerusalem and regard her overthrow as certain. They entreat their own friends and relatives to return home in time to save their lives. Of these alternatives (a) is much to be preferred. (2) The R.V. marg. ‘From all places whence ye shall return they will be upon us.’ This rendering is perfectly literal, but it seems impossible to find a satisfactory meaning for ‘whence ye shall return.’ The interpretation ‘On every side, as soon as you leave a place, the enemy occupy it and attack us,’ gives a fair sense, but is hardly applicable to the circumstances. The Jews had no moving forces in the field. (3) Another rendering which is supplied by the reading of the 3rd pers. for the 2nd pers. plur.

Ten times - i. e. repeatedly. From all places ... - Better as in the margin.

12. Jews which dwelt by them — That is, Jews who dwelt among the Samaritans and other enemies, and by that means found out their evil designs. Said unto us ten times — Thereby showing their intense anxiety.