Nehemiah 3

He says himself, ‘‘I had not been beforetime sad in the king’s presence;” and, doubtless, it was very inconsistent with the etiquette of courts for him so to appear. But providence renders even this circumstance subservient to his design. The king notices the change in his countenance, and inquires the cause. He is alarmed at this, lest the king should suspect that some evil design was brooding in his bosom. He gives, however, a very prudent answer. He knew that all nations held sacred the sepulchres of their Page and to this feeling, therefore, he successfully appealed. The king now demanded his request; and, in a moment, between hope and fear, he raises his heart to God in ejaculatory prayer, and then prefers the bold request that he might be permitted to go to Jerusalem, and be furnished with * materials to rebuild it.

This petition was preferred, as appears, while the king was sitting with his favourite wife; and no objection was raised, but the difficulty of sparing him for so long a time. But his prayer had been heard in heaven, and was not to be refused on earth. A guard was appointed to attend him, with necessary recommendations to the king’s governors beyond the Euphrates. No time was now lost, but Nehemiah hastened to Jerusalem, and presented his credentials, without explaining, as it seems, the exact objects he had in view. It was understood, however, that he “was come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel,” and this was enough to excite the envy of the Samaritans. “There cannot (says Bp. Hall) be a greater trouble to wicked hearts, than to see the spiritual Jerusalem in any likelihood of prosperity.”

The eloquent Saurin has drawn from the character of Nehemiah the portrait of a true patriot. Such a one seeks the welfare of his own country without wishing evil to others, while the spurious patriot would sacrifice, to the welfare of his own little spot, the happiness of all the world beside. But the prosperity of Zion is the prosperity of the world. “They shall prosper that pray for her.” (Psalms 122:6). Nehemiah first goes out privately by night to inspect the state of the city, and then calls together the elders, saying, “Let us build up the wall of Jerusalem;” and to animate them, tells them of the encouragement he had received. The Hebrews piously attributed all their blessings and all their afflictions to the Almighty.

In the latter case, the hand of the Lord was laid upon them to punish or chastise them: in the former, it was “the good hand of God upon them,” to strengthen and encourage them to some good work, as in the case before us. Chap. III. Ver. 1—32. Union of effort essential.—The ministers of God should always be ready to labour and venture for the good of their brethren; and those who have the precedency in rank, ought to take the lead, in setting that good example which gives energy to their instructions, but especially with prayer and thanksgiving, according to the word of God, and to his glory.—The Security and prosperity of the church, in every part of the world, is the common cause of all Chris-

tans, wherever they reside: and all orders of men should assist in promoting them. No age, sex, or station of life, can free any person from this obligation: every one, in some way or other, may contribute towards it; and where “much is given, much will be required.” But, alas, the rich and noble generally count it their privilege to be idle, or useless; which they cannot be, without setting an example, mischievous in the service of God, when they disdain the yoke of the almighty Lord himself. May the Lord stir up the hearts of all his people, to lay aside their disputes, and to disregard their worldly interests, in comparison of “building the walls of Jerusalem,” and defending the cause of evangelical truth, and vital godliness, against the assaults of avowed enemies.

May those offences cease, which weaken the common cause and expose it to reproach: and may the church of Christ thus fortified, as ‘‘a city that is at unity in itself,” and adorned by the beauties of holiness, attract the attention, the admiration, and

Notes on the verses

The queen,—i. e. his favourite wife sitting by him. This could not be queen Esther, for it was above sixty years after her promotion. Nor does the word here used express the rank of queen. Ver. 8. The king’s forest.—A royal forest for the king’s pleasure grounds. Ver. 10. Sanballat, the Horonite.—Probably of Horonaim, a Moabite by birth, at this time governor of the Samaritans; and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, who was formerly a slave; but for some real or supposed service, had been also raised to power. a sy 4 Ver. 12. My God had put in a heart.—{This pious and noble minded man attributes every thing to God. If he purposed any good, it was because God put it into his heart; if he did or received any good, it was because he earnestly prayed God to remember him for good.—Bagster.

The piety of his God was upon him; if he expected any good, it was because Ver. 13. Dung-port.—{This was the gate through which the filth was carried to the moat. |—Bagster. Ver. 14. Gate of the fountain.—{The gate leading either to the fountain of Siloam, on the east of the city, or to that of Gihon, on the west.|—Bagster. Ver. 15, Gate of the valley.—(The gate leading to the valley of Jehoshaphat, east of the city, through which the brook Kidron flows. It was by this gate he went out; so that he went round the whole of the city, and entered by the same gate. ]—Bagster. 5;: ‘ Chap. III. Ver. 1.. The sheep-gate.—( This gate is supposed to have immediately communicated with the temple, and to have been called the sheep-gate, because the sheep intended for sacrifice passed through it.—B.

Villalpandus places them as follows: On the north, the fish-gate, the old gate, and the gate of Ephraim; on the east, the sheep-gate, and the water-gate; on the west, the valley-gate, and the fountain-gate; but the dung-gate and the horse-gate he does not mention by those names.. on the eastern side of the city, brook Kidron and valley of Hin- Ver.7. The throne of the governor, &c.—The Persian governors of the country “on this side the river;” that is, supposing this book written in Jerusalem, the Persian governor of that city, who had a throne, i. e. ‘a state apartment becoming his rank; but Nehemiah, who superseded him, built a house or palace there. Ver. 8. Apothecaries.—Perhaps spice and perfume merchants, (ver.

32.) It seems these and the goldsmiths were a kind of incorporated companies. — Fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.—The leave,” or “leave off;” but the sense given in the text seems very doubtful. | The Margin says, “ they left,” i. e. left off repairing ** unto,” or * until,” they | came to “the broad wall.” “This is supposed to be that part of the wall which Joash brake down, from the gate of Ephraim to the N. W.. corner; (2 Chronicles 25:23), and which Uzziah built up again, stronger than before; xxvi. 9.” It may be that the Babylonians, having broken down the wall on both sides, and being weary of their work, left this part of the wall standing, as being more troublesome to beat down. See Assembly’s Ann.

If this interpreta- tion (which is countenanced by the LXX:) be correct, this fragment of the wall might not want repairing. Ver. 9. Ruler of the half part.—Under the Persian king, Jerusalem seems to have been divided between two governors: Shallum was the other; see ver. 12. Ver. 14. Beth-haccerem.—| Beth-haccerem was a town of Judah, situated on a mountain, between Jerusalem and Tekoa, according to Jerome. Dr. Pococke conjectures, that the Mountain of the Franks, called also the Mount of Bethulia, from a village of that name near it, west-north-west of Tekoa, is the ancient Beth-haccerem; the position of which seems to agree with the Hebrew certainly means to citadel of Herodium, built by Herod, on a moderate sized hill, sixty furlongs from Jerusalem.

]—Bagster. Ver. 15. Siloah.—| Siloah was situated under the eastern wall of Jerusalem between that city and the brook Kidron, and is described by Chateaubrian as lying at the foot of Mount Zion. Dr. Richardson represents the pool of Siloam as occurring higher up the valley of Jehoshaphat, towards the north, than the well of Nehemiah, a little beyond the village of Siloa, and nearly opposite the tombs of Jehoshaphat and Zechariah. |—Bagster.: Ver. 22. Men of the plain.—Certain of the Levites resided in the plain country about Jerusalem, among whom, probably, were both priests and singers. 1. XH. 28. Ver. 24. Another piece, &c.—{That which had been left by Azariah, after