Nehemiah 2

Nehemia finding fit opportunity petitioneth king Arthasasta, and obtaineth the favour, with a commission to reform and redress what so ever was amiss there, and with letters to the keepers of the kings wards, and to the Governors, v.1, &c. Nehemia cometh to the Governors, and to Jerusalem: which is an eye-sore to the Enemies of Gods people, 9. He vieweth by night the ruined walls, and burned gates of Jerusalem, 12. He openeth the kings commission before the chiefest of the people, and encourageth them on to build in defiance and spite of the Enemies.

1. Then it came to pass in the month Nisan, [Oth. Called Abib, Exod.13.4.] in the twentieth year of king Arthahsasta, [see Ezra 6 1.on v.14.] (when there) was wine before his face; that I [whose turn it was now again, to fill out for the King the wine that was set before him, hereby is intimated the cause why Nehemia tarried so long] took up the wine, and gave (it) unto the king; now I had never been sad [hebr. Evil; that ishere, of a sad or sorrowful countenance: and so in the sequel. See Gen.40.on vers.7.] before his face. [when I was wont to come before the King, or to be in his presence: But (as if he should say) it was otherwise with me now.]

2. Then the king said unto me; why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing (else) but sorrow of heart: Then I was very sore afraid. [Out of reverence of the Kings Majesty; for none might appear before the Persian Kings in Badges of Mourning and sorrow, Est.4.2. and likewise out of care and trouble about the issue of this matter, which was of great concernment.]

3. And I said unto King; Let the king live for ever; [That is, let him live long, a manner of wishing prosperity and happiness, used in those countries. See Dan.2,4. And 3.9. and 5.10. and 6.22.] how [Hebr. Why] should not my countenance be sad, when the city the place [Heb. The house, which is sometimes taken for place. See Exod. 25 7. 2 Sam.15.17. Prov.8.2. with the annotate.] of the burials of my Fathers lieth waste, and the gates are consumed with fire? [by city here he meaneth Jerusalem, which he thus describeth, to excuse his own sadness, and to move the king the more.]

4. And the king said unto me; what doest thou now request? [Heb. for what art thou now requesting] Then I prayed [to wit, within my self, in mine heart] unto the God of heaven.

5. And I said unto the king; if it seem good unto the king, [Hebr. If it (be) good with the king: so vers.7. See Ezra 5.on vers.17.] and if thy servant be acceptable [Hebr. Good] before thy face; that thou wouldest send me unto Juda, [understand withal, I do request] unto the city of the burials of my Fathers, that I may build it.

6. Then the king said unto me, when the Queen [oth. Wife, bed fellow] sat by him; [oth. And the Queen that sat by him] how low shall thy journey be, and when shalt thou return? And it pleased the king [Hebr. Was good before the face of the king] when I had set him a certain time. [to wit, the time of twelve years. See below chap.5.14. and 13.6.]

7. Moreover, I said unto the king; if it seem good unto the king, let letters be given me to the Governors beyond the River: [Euphrates; and so in the sequel] that they may convey me over, till I shall be come into Juda.

8. Also a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the Garden of pleasure, [That is, the forster or keeper of the Groves. See 1 King.5.6. Garden of pleasure. Heb. Pardesch;that is, Paradiose, whereby some do understand the country from mount Libanus unto Antilibanus, so called by reason of the singular delight and pleasure of that place, so that there was also a little town or city called the Paradise] which the king hath, that he may give me wood to floor the gates of the palace, that is at the house, [meaning the house of God, that is, the Temple, whose court (called here, as some conceive, the palace) lay hitherto open. Compare Ezra 10.on vers.6. 1 Chron.29.1.] and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into: And the king granted them unto me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

9. Then I came to the Governors on that side the River, and gave them the king letters: And the king had sent Captains of the army and horsemen with me.

10. Now when Saneballet the Horonite, [So called from Horonaim, one of the chiefest cities of the Moabites, as appeareth, Isa.15.5. and Jer.48.3,5,34.] and Tobia the Ammonitish servant [that is, the Persian Kingts Vassal, Officer, or Lieutenant. Both these were Enemies to the Israelites. (See 2 Sa. 8.on v.2. and 12.on v.31.) and had at this time their residence or abode at Samaria, as may be gathered from chapt.4.2.] heard (thereof) it displeased them with great displeasure, [Hebr. It was (or seemed) evil unto them (with, or yea) a great evil: that is, it displeased (or grieved) them exceedingly] that there was come a man to seek some good thing for the children of Israel.

11. And I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. [Compare Ezra 8.v.32.]

12. After that I gat me up in the night, I, and (some) few men with me, neither told I any man, what my God had given in mine heart to do to Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

13. And I went out by night through the valley-gate, [That is, where this gate had formerly been, and was afterward set up again. See chap.3.13. So of the sequel] and beyond the Dragons Fountain, [or, Serpents Fountain. Some do understand by this, the fountain of the water of Siloa, which run very still and softly, likewise the creeping of the serpent or snake. See Isa.8 6. And below cha.3.16.] and to the dung-gate, [through which they carried forth the soil and filth of the city into the brook Kidron, as some conceive] and I brake off the walls of Jerusalem, which were torn, [to wit, properly to know what they lacked, and what was to be done to them Oth. I viewed the walls, etc. How they were torn, etc. So also, v.15.] and the gates thereof [to wit, of Jerusalem] were consumed with fire.

14. And I went on to the Fountain-gate, [Through which they went to the Fountain of the water of Siloa, as some do gather from cha.3.15.] and to the kings pool; [see below chap.3.15,16. And 2 Kings 18:17. and 20.20.] but there was no place for the beast (that was) under me to pass. [by reason of the heaps of stones that lay in the way, occasioned by the wall that was fallen down and broken in pieces; so that he was sain to light, and go on foot.]

15. Then went I up in the night through [Oth. by] the brook, [Kidron. See thereof, 2 Sam.15.on v.23.] or Gihon. As others conceive. See thereof 2 Chron.32.30. and 33.14.] and I brake of the wall: see on vers.13.] and I turned backed, and came in through the valleygate, so I returned.

16. And the Rulers knew not whither I was gone, and what I did: For hitherto I had made known nothing to the Jews, nor to the Priests, nor to the Nobles, [Heb. to the white ones; that is, that wore fine white garments, as great Lords did in Kings Courts. See Esth.8.15. So below chap.5.7. and 6.17. and 7.5. and 13.17.] nor to the Rulers, nor to the rest, [Hebr. The remnant] that did the work. [that is, the city-carpenters, or builders, or those to whom the oversight was committed, that had the command and authority over the workmen.]

17. Then said I unto them, ye see the misery that we are in, that Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire: Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

18. And I acquainted them with the hand of my God, which had been good upon me, [Compare above vers.8.] as also with the words of the king, which he had spoken unto me? Then said they; let us arise that we may build; and they strengthened their hands for good. [that is, they took courage to go undauntedly about this good and commendable work.]

19. Now when Saneballat the Horonite, and Tobia the Ammonitish servant, and Gisem the Arabian heard this, then they mocked us, and despised us; and they said; what is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king.

20. Then I gave them an answer, and said unto them; the God of heaven, he will cause us to prosper, and we his servants will arise and build: But ye have o portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem. [That is, as unbelieves and idolaters of old, ye have no fellowship or communion at all with the church of God, but are strangers from it, yea their Enemies, so that we have no cause at all to stand in awe of you.]