Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah 13:1

ON that day] It seems to be some day after Neliemiah’s return from the king, v. 6. Or, t that time, as Isaiah 26:1.

they read] Heb. there read. audience] Heb. ears.

that the Ammonite] Deuteronomy 23:3.

Nehemiah 13:2

hired Baalam] Numbers 22:5. Joshua 24:9.

Nehemiah 13:3

all the mixed multitude] That is, all such which had been joyned to them in unlawfull marriage, and all those with whom God had forbidden them to have society.

Nehemiah 13:4

And before this] That the separation was.

having the oversight] Heb. being set over.

chamber] Or. chambers.

was allied unto Tobiah] He was joyned in affinity with Tobiah the Ammonite, and enemy of the Jews.

Nehemiah 13:5

a great chamber] Made of many small ones, v. 9. to lay Tobiah’s stuff in, v. 8.

which was commanded to be given to the Levites] Heb. the commandment of the Levites.

Nehemiah 13:6

But in all this was not I at Jerusalem] The absence of a godly governour, for a little while, is abused to sin by priests and people, notwithstanding their solemn covenant, chap. 9. 38. and 10. 1. So Exod. 32.

after certain days] Heb. at the end of days. After a full yeer: so the word is used, Exodus 13:10. Leviticus 25:29.

obtained I] Heb. I was asked. Or, I earnestly requested. To wit, of the state of things at Jerusalem, and so let go back: or, I was asked of the king to go back. It may be Nehemiah durst not ask to go again, having been so long absent, but set some other to do it, upon whose motion, the king willed him to go back. Or, leave was gotten me.

Nehemiah 13:11

I gathered them together] The Levites that were fled for want of means, to the neglect of Gods service, v. 10. ch. 10 39.

place] Heb. standing.

Nehemiah 13:12

treasuries] Or, store-houses.

Nehemiah 13:13

next to them] Heb. at their hand.

their office] Heb. it was upon them.

Nehemiah 13:14

Remember me] V. 22.

wipe not out] He prays God in mercy to remember and reward his good deeds done for the promoting of Gods service, v. 22. or, not to suffer his service to be any more neglected, which now Nehemiah had restored.

good deeds] Heb. kindnesses.

offices] Or, observations.

Nehemiah 13:15

I testified against them] I declared that I would suffer this sin no more unpunished, v. 21.

Nehemiah 13:18

and did not our God bring all this evil upon us] Was not this a great cause why God plagued us in times past? meaning, that if they transgressed now in the same again, their plague should be greater, Jer. 19. 21, &c. to 27.

Nehemiah 13:19

when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark] For the sabbath begun on the evening before the sabbath day, Leviticus 23:32. and it might be dark betimes there, because the city being compassed about with hills, Psalms 125:2. the sun was sooner hid from thence then from other places, in the going down of it.

Nehemiah 13:21

I testified against them] See Notes on v. 15.

about the wall] Heb. before the wall.

Nehemiah 13:22

keep the gates] Either he trusts the Levites with the gates of the city, because others were negligent: or, sets them to their own charge, To look to the gates of the temple, that nothing unclean might come in there.

Remember me] Verse 14. Chap. 5. 19.

greatnesse] Or, multitude.

Nehemiah 13:23

had married wives] Heb. had made to dwell with them,

of Ashdod] They had married heathen wives, and so had corrupted their language and religion.

Nehemiah 13:24

their children spake half in] Or, half of their children spake in.

could not speak] Heb. discerned not to speak.

of each people] Heb. of people and people.

Nehemiah 13:25

cursed] Or, reviled. I declared that they had made themselves subject to Gods curse, and pronounced a curse against them, chap. 5. 13.

and pluckt off their hair] The hair of their heads or beards, in disgrace, 2 Samuel 10:4.

Nehemiah 13:26

neverthelesse] 1 King. 11. 1, &c.

Nehemiah 13:27

Shall we then hearken unto you] Shall we suffer you to do so great a sin, and not restrain or punish you?

Nehemiah 13:28

one of the sons of Joiada] Meaning Manasseh the brother of Jadduah the high priest, Joseph. Amiq. book 11. chap. 7, 8.

the Horonite] Horonaim was either the place where he was born, or, that he ruled over, Isaiah 15:5.

Nehemiah 13:29

Remember] Punish them according to their fault and evil example, which they have given to the rest of thy people, contrary to their vocation, chap. 6. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 14.

them] Or, these.

because they have defiled the priesthood] Heb. for the defilings of the priesthood.

Nehemiah 13:31

for the wood-offering] Chap 10. 34.

for good] Shew mercy unto me, as v. 22.