Nehemiah 5:17

Moreover, there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers,.... Every day at his own cost, which must be considerable to provide for such a number, and of such rank: besides those

Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews.

An hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers; not only Jews of the inferior sort, for whom meaner provisions might suffice, but also their rulers, such as there were in many places, for whom better provision was fit; who resorted to him upon all occasions, either to pour out their complaints, as here they did; or to give him notice of the enemy’ s designs; or to receive his orders and directions.

Nehemiah 5:17 Moreover [there were] at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that [are] about us.Ver. 17. Moreover there were at my table, &c.] He did not eat his morsels alone, as that Pamphagus Nabal; and as many misers today, who, like little children, though they have their hands full and their mouths full, yet will part with none. Ecce Deo similis vir dapsilis, atque benignus - Palingen. Beside those that came unto me from among the heathen] Either as state agents, or upon other occasions. Nehemiah entertained them, that they might not lie upon the public charge. And herein he trod in the footsteps of hospitable Abraham, whom Synesius calleth θεουεστιατορα, God’ s host. The primitive Christians likewise won much upon the heathens by their hospitality towards all, as Julian, the apostate, confessed: all that he could say against them for it was, that they did it all in hypocrisy and vain glory; which was an envious and false charge (πεπλασμενηνκατα Aνδρονικ. Chrysost. in Joan. Epist.).

(17) At my table.—The charge on the governor’s free hospitality was heavy: “of the Jews a hundred and fifty rulers, besides those that came” occasionally from the country. Because the bondage.—Rather, because the service of building was heavy. The bondage.—Rather, the service was heavy.

Verse 17. A hundred and fifty of the Jews] He kept open house, entertained all comers; besides having one hundred and fifty Jews who had their food constantly at his table, and at his expense. To be able to bear all these expenses, no doubt Nehemiah had saved money while he was cup-bearer to the Persian king in Susa.

17. Moreover] Nehemiah mentions another proof of his generosity as governor. He regularly entertained over 150 officials, and welcomed Jewish strangers to his table. an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came unto us, &c.] The English rendering which seems here to distinguish between ‘the Jews’ and ‘rulers’ (or ‘deputies’), and to speak of three classes (1) the Jews, (2) rulers, (3) strangers from outside Judæa, may be supported by the traditional interpretation preserved in the Hebrew accents. From the position here assigned to ‘the Jews,’ the word, if taken to express a distinct class of the community, must be used of ‘the heads of the great Jewish houses or families’ (cf. Ezra 2) as distinct from the administrative officers (see Nehemiah 2:16). According to this explanation the heads of the houses and the rulers together numbered one hundred and fifty. It may be questioned whether the expression ‘the Jews’ would ever be assigned to a section or class of the community. The word is used in Nehemiah 5:1 and Nehemiah 5:8 without any such limitation of meaning. It is perhaps better to take ‘the Jews’ as the subject of the whole verse. ‘Moreover the Jews—I regularly entertained two classes, i.e. the 150 officials and those who had recently left their homes to join their countrymen at Jerusalem.’ This is the rendering of the Vulgate, ‘Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri et veniebant ad nos de gentibus.’ The repetition of the copula in the Hebrew with ‘Jews,’ ‘rulers,’ and ‘those’ admits of this rendering as in Nehemiah 4:11. The large number of the ‘rulers’ is not an insurmountable objection to this rendering. The central organization of the administration required a great deal of subdivision; and as all the officials were under the governor, he extended his hospitality to all alike. besides those that came unto us, &c.] By this seems to be intended the somewhat numerous class of Jews, who, having resided among the neighbouring nations detached themselves from time to time, and came to join their brethren in or near Jerusalem. These were Jews, whose forefathers had never been carried captive to Babylon, but had settled in foreign lands either for purposes of trade or from fear of the invader. See note on Ezra 6:21. that are about us] R.V. that were round about us. The past tense is required by the narrative style, which Nehemiah employs.

17. At my table — As courtly guests. Here was a great expense, which his official position involved, but which he would not tax the people to bear.