Text -- Nehemiah 11:20 (NET)

11:20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Neh 11:20

The returned community, though consisting mainly of members of the two tribes, represented the entire people of Israel. The ground, however, which they occupied, was not the whole land, but that which had constituted the kingdom of Judah.

Gill: Neh 11:20

And the residue of Israel, of the priests and the Levites,..... All of them, besides those that dwelt at Jerusalem: were

in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance; the Israelites in the cities, houses, and estates enjoyed by their ancestors, and the priests and Levites in the cities given out of the several tribes.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

Geneva Bible: Neh 11:20

And the ^{( g )} residue of Israel, of the priests, [and] the Levites, [were] in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

^{( g )} Of them who dwelt not in Jerusalem.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Neh 11:1-36

1 The rulers, voluntary men, and the tenth man chosen by lot, dwell at Jerusalem.

3 A catalogue of their names.

20 The residue dwell in other cities.

MHCC: Neh 11:1-36

In all ages, men have preferred their own ease and advantage to the public good. Even the professors of religion too commonly seek their own, and not the things of Christ. Few have had such attachment to holy things and holy places, as to renounce pleasure for their sake. Yet surely, our souls should delight to dwell where holy persons and opportunities of spiritual improvement most abound. If we have not this love to the city of our God, and to every thing that assists our communion with the Saviour, how shall we be willing to depart hence; to be absent from the body, that we may be present with the Lord? To the carnal-minded, the perfect holiness of the New Jerusalem would be still harder to bear than the holiness of God's church on earth. Let us seek first the favour of God, and his glory; let us study to be patient, contented, and useful in our several stations, and wait, with cheerful hope, for admission into the holy city of God.

Matthew Henry: Neh 11:20-36

Having given an account of the principal persons that dwelt in Jerusalem (a larger account of whom he had before, 1Ch 9:2, etc.), Nehemiah, in these verses, gives us some account of the other cities, in which dwelt the residue of Israel, Neh 11:20. It was requisite that Jerusalem should be replenished, yet not so as to drain the country. The king himself is served of the field, which will do little service if there be not hands to manage it. Let there therefore be no strife, no envy, no contempt, no ill will, between the inhabitants of the cities and those of the villages; both are needful, both useful, and neither can be spared. 1. The Nethinims, the posterity of the Gibeonites, dwelt in Ophel, which was upon the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 3:26), because they were to do the servile work of the temple, which therefore they must be posted near to, that they might be ready to attend, Neh 11:21. 2. Though the Levites were dispersed through the cities of Judah, yet they had an overseer who resided in Jerusalem, superior of their order and their provincial, to whom they applied for direction, who took care of their affairs and took cognizance of their conduct, whether they did their duty, Neh 11:22. 3. Some of the singers were appointed to look after the necessary repairs of the temple, being ingenious men, and having leisure between their hours of service; they were over the business of the house of God, Neh 11:22. And, it seems, the king of Persia had such a kindness for their office that he allotted a particular maintenance for them, besides what belonged to them as Levites, Neh 11:23. 4. Here is one that was the king's commissioner at Jerusalem. He was of the posterity of Zerah (Neh 11:24); for of that family of Judah there were some new settled in Jerusalem, and not all of Pharez, as appears by that other catalogue, 1Ch 9:6. He is said to be at the king's hand, or on the king's part, in all matters concerning the people, to determine controversies that arose between the king's officers and his subjects, to see that what was due to the king from the people was duly paid in and what was allowed by the king for the temple service was duly paid out, and happy it was for the Jews that one of themselves was in this post. 5. Here is an account of the villages, or country towns, which were inhabited by the residue of Israel - the towns in which the children of Judah dwelt (Neh 11:25-30), those that were inhabited by the children of Benjamin (Neh 11:31-35), and divisions for the Levites among both, Neh 11:36. We will now suppose them safe and easy, though few and poor, but by the blessing of God they were likely to increase in wealth and power, and they would have been more likely if there had not been that general profaneness among them, and lukewarmness in religion, with which they were charged in God's name by the prophet Malachi, who, it is supposed, prophesied about this time, and in whom prophecy ceased for some ages, till it revived in the great prophet and his forerunner.

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 11:20-24

Certain special remarks follow in Neh 11:20. - Neh 11:20 states that the rest ofthe Israelites, priests, and Levites dwelt in all the (other) cities of Judah,each in his inheritance. These cities are enumerated in Neh 11:25.

Neh 11:21

The Nethinim dwelt in Ophel, the southern slope of MountMoriah; see rem. on Neh 3:26. Their chiefs were Zihah and Gispa. ציחה occurs Ezr 2:43, followed by חשׂוּפא , as head of a divisionof Levites; whence Bertheau tries, but unsuccessfully, to identify the lattername with גּשׁפּא . For it does not follow that, because a divisionof Nethinim was descended from Hasupha, that Gishpa, one of the chiefsof those Nethinim who dwelt on Ophel, must be the same individual asthis Hasupha.

Neh 11:22-23

And the overseer (chief) of the Levites at Jerusalem wasUzzi, the son of Bani, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, in the business ofthe house of God. The מלאכה of the house of God was the dutyof the Levites of the house of Shemaiah, Neh 11:15. Hence the remark in thepresent verse is supplementary to Neh 11:15. The chiefs or presidents of thetwo other divisions of Levites - of those to whom the outward businesswas entrusted, and of the singers - are named in Neh 11:16 and Neh 11:17; while, in thecase of those entrusted with the business of the house of God, Neh 11:15, thechiefs are not named, probably because they were over the singers, thesons of Asaph, who in Neh 11:15 had not as yet been named. This is thereforedone afterwards in Neh 11:22. מלאכת לנגד , coram opere , i.e., circa ea negotia, quae coram in templo exigenda erant (Burm. in Ramb.),does not belong to המּשׁררים , but to הלויּם פּקיד : Uzzi was overseer of the Levites in respect of their business in thehouse of God, i.e., of those Levites who had the charge of this business. The reason of this is thus given in Neh 11:23 : "for a command of the king wasover them, and an ordinance was over the singers concerning the matter ofevery day." עליהם refers to the Levites. "A command of theking was over them"means: the king had commanded them. This commandwas concerning בּיומו יום דּבר , the matterof every day. The words stand at the end of the verse, because they referto the two subjects המּלך and אמנה . אמנה is an arrangement depending upon mutual agreement, a treaty, anobligation entered into by agreement; comp. Neh 10:1. The meaning of theverse is: The every-day matter was laid upon the Levites by the commandof the king, upon the singers by an agreement entered into. בּיומו יום דּבר , pensum quotidianum , is correctlyexplained by Schmid: de rebus necessariis in singulos dies . That we are notto understand thereby the contribution for every day, the rations of food(Ramb., Berth.), but the duty to be done on each day, is obvious from thecontext, in which not provisions, but the business of the Levites, isspoken of; and Uzzi the Asaphite was placed over the Levites in respectof their business in the house of God, and not in respect of food and drink. The business of the Levites in the house of God was determined by thecommand of the king; the business of the singers, on the contrary,especially that one of the singers should exercise a supervision over theservices of the Levites in worship, was made the matter of an אמנה , an agreement entered into among themselves by the differentdivisions of Levites. The king is not David, who once regulated theservices of the Levites (1Ch 23:4.), but the Persian king Artaxerxes,who is mentioned as המּלך in Neh 11:24; and המּלך מצות undoubtedly refers to the full power bestowed byArtaxerxes upon Ezra to order all that concerned the worship of God atJerusalem; Ezr 7:12.

Neh 11:24

Finally, the official is named who had to transact with the kingthe affairs of the people, i.e., of the whole Jewish community in Judah andJerusalem. Pethahiah, a Jew of the descendants of Zerah, was at the king'shand in all matters concerning the people. המּלך ליד canscarcely be understood of a royal commissioner at Jerusalem, but certainlydesignates an official transacting the affairs of the Jewish community atthe hand of the king, at his court.

Constable: Neh 7:73--13:31

II. THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS chs. 8--13

One writer viewed chapters 8-13 (really 7:73-13:37) as the third part of the tripartite structure of Ezra-Nehemiah. Ezra 1:1-4 deals with "potentiality," the decree to the community to build God's house. Ezra 1:5--Nehemiah 7:72 records the process of "actualization." The community builds God's house in response to the decree. Nehemiah 7:73-13:31 documents "success." The community celebrates the completion of God's house according to Torah.⁶¹

Constable: Neh 11:1--12:27

B. The Residents of the Land 11:1-12:26

When the exiles returned to the Promised Land, living in Jerusalem was not an attractive prospect because the city lay in ruins. However with the rebuilding of the temple and the walls the capital became a more desirable place to live. Nehemiah as governor saw the wisdom of populating Jerusalem with pure-blooded Jews and set about to encourage the people to live within the city walls.

Most of this section of the book (11:3-12:26) is a parenthetical interjection into the chronological progression of the narrative.

Constable: Neh 11:1-24

1. The residents of Jerusalem 11:1-24

Some leaders had already chosen to live in Jerusalem (v. 1). Nehemiah initiated a plan to determine which one family in ten of those not living in the city would move into it (v. 1). Additional immigrants volunteered to live there (v. 2). There was a cross section of leaders, therefore, who lived in Jerusalem while other leaders lived in the other towns of Judah (v. 3).

"The city wall was built, and now a new measure to safeguard the city was instituted, namely, to repopulate it."⁷⁷

The residents of Jerusalem included Jews from the tribes of Judah (vv. 4-6) and Benjamin (vv. 7-9). There were twice as many from Benjamin as from Judah. There were priests (vv. 10-14), Levites (vv. 15-18), and gatekeepers (v. 19). The rest lived in the outlying towns (v. 20) except for the temple servants (v. 21). The Ophel was apparently a levelled mini-valley (or perhaps a low hill) between the City of David and the temple area.⁷⁸ Pethahiah appears to have been an adviser to the Persian king (Artaxerxes) in matters of Jewish affairs (v. 24).⁷⁹

Estimates of Jerusalem's population at this time vary from 4,800⁸⁰ to 8,000⁸¹.

Guzik: Neh 11:1-36

Nehemiah 11 - The Citizens of Jerusalem

A. Recruiting citizens of Jerusalem.

1. (1) Those who will live in Jerusalem.

Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.

a. To bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem: It wasn't enough to see the city walls rebuilt and the spiritual renewal of the people of Jerusalem; now they concerned themselves with getting more people into the city.

i. For a city to prosper and be great, it must be populated. And for more than seventy years, Jerusalem had been nothing but a ghost town. Now, over the last eighty or so years, it has been repopulated, with a new temple built (under Ezra) and the walls rebuilt (under Nehemiah). But the city still needed more people.

ii. Nehemiah also knew the bigger the population of Jerusalem, the greater the resources for defense and strength in battle. He didn't rebuild the walls just to see some conquering army come and break them down again!

b. Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: It was good that the leaders of the people set the example by living in Jerusalem. Leaders must set the pattern by their lives. They had no right to expect the people to live in Jerusalem if they themselves were not living there.

c. One out of ten: The rest of the people submitted themselves to a lottery system, where one out of ten would be selected to move from the surrounding regions into the city of Jerusalem. So, in the end, at least ten percent of Judah's population would live in Jerusalem.

2. (2) Blessing the citizens of Jerusalem.

And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

a. And the people blessed all the men: Apart from the leaders (who had a special obligation) and those selected in the lottery (who were also obligated), there were all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. These men had a special blessing.

i. They had a unique pioneer spirit. They had the ability to endure some measure of hardship or discomfort to accomplish a greater work for God's kingdom.

ii. It was in these days in the rebuilding of Jerusalem that God asked and important question through the prophet Zechariah: For who has despised the day of small things? (Zechariah 4:10). The answer is, "Many of us have!" But these who offered themselves to willingly live at Jerusalem, so as to take what is small and build it up before the Lord, have decided to not despise the day of small things.

b. To dwell at Jerusalem: If such a blessing is reserved for those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem, there was something special about the challenge of living in Jerusalem.

i. To live in Jerusalem, you had to re-order your view of material things. You had to give up land in your previous region and take up some kind of new business in Jerusalem.

ii. To live in Jerusalem, you had to re-arrange your social priorities, certainly leaving some friends and family behind in your old village.

iii. To live in Jerusalem, you had to have a mind to endure the problems in the city. It had been a ghost town for 70 years, and was now basically a slightly rebuilt, somewhat repopulated ghost town. The city didn't look all that glorious and it needed work.

iv. To live in Jerusalem, you had to live knowing you were a target for the enemy. There were strong walls to protect you, but since Jerusalem was now a notable city with rebuilt walls, the fear was more from whole armies than bands of robbers. The old village was nice, but not in much danger from great armies.

v. The Bible tells us there is a city coming down from heaven to earth, when God is done with this earth as we know it, and it calls that city New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). People don't want to be citizens of the New Jerusalem for the same reasons many didn't want to be citizens of Nehemiah's Jerusalem.

B. Roster of those living in Jerusalem and in Judea.

1. (3-24) Leaders who lived in Jerusalem.

These are the heads of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem. (But in the cities of Judah everyone dwelt in his own possession in their cities; Israelites, priests, Levites, Nethinim, and descendants of Solomon's servants.) Also in Jerusalem dwelt some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin. The children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni. All the sons of Perez who dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah; and after him Gabbai and Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight. Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, and Jachin; Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the leader of the house of God. Their brethren who did the work of the house were eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and his brethren, heads of the fathers' houses, were two hundred and forty-two; and Amashai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and their brethren, mighty men of valor, were one hundred and twenty-eight. Their overseer was Zabdiel the son of one of the great men. Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the heads of the Levites, had the oversight of the business outside of the house of God; Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the leader who began the thanksgiving with prayer; Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four. Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren who kept the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two. And the rest of Israel, of the priests and Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance. But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel. And Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim. Also the overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph, the singers in charge of the service of the house of God. For it was the king's command concerning them that a certain portion should be for the singers, a quota day by day. Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king's deputy in all matters concerning the people.

a. These are the heads of the province: This extensive list includes tribal leaders (of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin), military men, priests, Levites, gatekeepers, and civil and royal servants.

b. Who dwelt in Jerusalem: All these notable men and their families took the lead by choosing to settle in Jerusalem, setting a good example for all God's people.

2. (25-36) Jewish villages and towns throughout Judea.

And as for the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kirjath Arba and its villages, Dibon and its villages, Jekabzeel and its villages; in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet, Hazar Shual, and Beersheba and its villages; in Ziklag and Meconah and its villages; in En Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages; in Lachish and its fields; in Azekah and its villages. They dwelt from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. Also the children of Benjamin from Geba dwelt in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel, and their villages; in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah; in Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim; in Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat; in Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Craftsmen. Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin.

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Introduction / Outline

JFB: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

NEHEMIAH appears to have been the author of this book, from his usually writing in his own name, and indeed, except in those parts which are unmistakably later editions or borrowed from public documents, he usually employs the first person. The major portion of the book is occupied with a history of Nehemiah's twelve years' administration in Jerusalem, after which he returned to his duties in Shushan. At a later period he returned with new powers and commenced new and vigorous measures of reform, which are detailed in the later chapters of the book.

JFB: Nehemiah (Outline)

• NEHEMIAH, UNDERSTANDING BY HANANI THE AFFLICTED STATE OF JERUSALEM, MOURNS, FASTS, AND PRAYS. (Neh 1:1-3)
• HIS PRAYER. (Neh 1:4-11)
• ARTAXERXES, UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSE OF NEHEMIAH'S SADNESS, SENDS HIM WITH LETTERS AND A COMMISSION TO BUILD AGAIN THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM. (Neh. 2:1-20)
• THE NAMES AND ORDER OF THEM THAT BUILDED THE WALL OF JERUSALEM. (Neh. 3:1-32)
• WHILE THE ENEMIES SCOFF, NEHEMIAH PRAYS TO GOD, AND CONTINUES THE WORK. (Neh 4:1-6)
• THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THEIR DEBT, MORTGAGE, AND BONDAGE. (Neh 5:1-5)
• THE USURERS REBUKED. (Neh 5:6-19)
• SANBALLAT PRACTISES AGAINST NEHEMIAH BY INSIDIOUS ATTEMPTS. (Neh. 6:1-19)
• NEHEMIAH COMMITS THE CHARGE OF JERUSALEM TO HANANI AND HANANIAH. (Neh 7:1-4)
• GENEALOGY OF THOSE WHO CAME AT THE FIRST OUT OF BABYLON. (Neh. 7:5-38)
• OF THE PRIESTS. (Neh. 7:39-73)
• RELIGIOUS MANNER OF READING AND HEARING THE LAW. (Neh 8:1-8)
• THE PEOPLE COMFORTED. (Neh 8:9-15)
• THEY KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. (Neh 8:16-18)
• A SOLEMN FAST AND REPENTANCE OF THE PEOPLE. (Neh 9:1-3)
• THE LEVITES CONFESS GOD'S MANIFOLD GOODNESS, AND THEIR OWN WICKEDNESS. (Neh. 9:4-38)
• THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO SEALED THE COVENANT. (Neh. 10:1-27)
• POINTS OF THE COVENANT. (Neh 10:29-39)
• THE RULERS, VOLUNTARY MEN, AND EVERY TENTH MAN CHOSEN BY LOT, DWELL AT JERUSALEM. (Neh 11:1-2)
• THEIR NAMES. (Neh. 11:3-36)
• PRIESTS AND LEVITES WHO CAME UP WITH ZERUBBABEL. (Neh 12:1-9)
• SUCCESSION OF THE HIGH PRIESTS. (Neh. 12:10-47)
• UPON THE READING OF THE LAW SEPARATION IS MADE FROM THE MIXED MULTITUDE. (Neh 13:1-9)
• NEHEMIAH REFORMS THE OFFICERS IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. (Neh 13:10-14)
• THE VIOLATION OF THE SABBATH. (Neh. 13:15-31)

TSK: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

Of Nehemiah, the author and principal actor in the events recorded in this book, the Jews speak as one of the greatest men of their nation. His concern for his country entitles him to the character of the first patriot that ever lived. Descended, according to some, of the family of Aaron, or according to others, of the tribe of Judah and allied to the royal family of David, in the course of Divine Providence, he was a captive in Babylon, but there his excellences were so apparent, that he was chosen by the Persian king to fill an office the most respectable and the most confidential in the whole court. Here he lived in ease and affluence. he lacked no good thing; and here he might have continued to live, in the same affluence, and in the same confidence; but he could enjoy neither, so long as he knew his people distressed, the sepulchres of his fathers trodden under foot, the altars of his God overturned, and his worship either totally neglected or corrupted. He sought the peace of Jerusalem; prayed for it; and was willing to sacrifice wealth, ease, safety, and even life itself, if he might be the instrument of restoring the desolations of Israel. And God, who saw the desire of his heart, and knew the excellences with which he had endowed him, granted his request, and gave him the high honour of restoring the desolated city of his ancestors, and the pure worship of their God. The opposition of Sanballat and the Samaritans, and the firmness and zeal with which he repelled their insults and ineffectual efforts cannot be read without the liveliest emotions; and will afford to the latest times, a noble and animating example of distinguished patriotism, united with the sincerest devotion to the interests of religion. The virtue and piety of this great and good man, appear with equal lustre in the numerous and important reformations he effected. He relieved the people from their hardships and oppressions, by abolishing the harsh and usurious practices of the nobles and rulers; gave up his own revenue, as governor of the province, for the benefit of the people; and, as a further means of conciliating their affections, exhibited an example of the most princely hospitality. As the best security for good morals, and the better observance of the laws of God, he re-established the offices of public worship, and prevented the profanation of the sabbath, which had arrived at a shameful excess; he furnished the returned captives with authentic registers, and enabled them, in the best manner possible, after so long and calamitous an interval, to trace the genealogies, and claim the inheritance of their respective families; and further, he accomplished the separation of the Jewish people from the mixed multitude, with which they had been incorporated, and annulled the numerous marriages which they had made with heathens and idolaters of every description. For disinterestedness, philanthropy, patriotism, prudence, courage, zeal, humanity, and every virtue that constitutes a great mind, and proves a soul in deep communion with God, Nehemiah will ever stand conspicuous among the greatest men of the Jewish nation; and an exemplar worthy of being copied by the first patriots in every nation under heaven.

TSK: Nehemiah 11 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

Neh 11:1, The rulers, voluntary men, and the tenth man chosen by lot, dwell at Jerusalem; Neh 11:3, A catalogue of their names; Neh 11:20, The residue dwell in other cities.

Poole: Nehemiah 11 (Chapter Introduction)

CHAPTER 11

The rulers and the tenth man chosen by lot dwell at Jerusalem, Neh 11:1,2 . A catalogue of their names, numbers, and families, Neh 11:3-19 . The residue of the people dwell in other cities, Neh 11:20-36 .

MHCC: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

The Old Testament history closes with the book of Nehemiah, wherein is recorded the workings of his heart, in the management of public affairs; with many devout reflections.

MHCC: Nehemiah 11 (Chapter Introduction)

The distribution of the people.

Matthew Henry: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Nehemiah

This book continues the history of the children of the captivity, the poor Jews, that had lately returned out of Babylon to their own land. At this time not only the Persian monarchy flourished in great pomp and power, but Greece and Rome began to be very great and to make a figure. Of the affairs of those high and mighty states we have authentic accounts extant; but the sacred and inspired history takes cognizance only of the state of the Jews, and makes no mention of other nations but as the Israel of God had dealings with them: for the Lord's portion is his people; they are his peculiar treasure, and, in comparison with them, the rest of the world is but as lumber. In my esteem, Ezra the scribe and Nehemiah the tirshatha, though neither of them ever wore a crown, commanded an army, conquered any country, or was famed for philosophy or oratory, yet both of them, being pious praying men, and very serviceable in their day to the church of God and the interests of religion, were really greater men and more honourable, not only than any of the Roman consuls or dictators, but than Xenophon, or Demosthenes, or Plato himself, who lived at the same time, the bright ornaments of Greece. Nehemiah's agency for the advancing of the settlement of Israel we have a full account of in this book of his own commentaries or memoirs, wherein he records not only the works of his hands, but the workings of his heart, in the management of public affairs, inserting in the story many devout reflections and ejaculations, which discover in his mind a very deep tincture of serious piety and are peculiar to his writing. Twelve years, from his twentieth year (Neh 1:1) to his thirty-second year (Neh 13:6), he was governor of Judea, under Artaxerxes king of Persia, whom Dr. Lightfoot supposes to be the same Artaxerxes as Ezra has his commission from. This book relates, I. Nehemiah's concern for Jerusalem and the commission he obtained from the king to go thither, Neh 1:1-11, 2. II. His building the wall of Jerusalem notwithstanding the opposition he met with, ch. 3, 4. III. His redressing the grievances of the people, ch. 5. IV. His finishing the wall, ch. 6. V. The account he took of the people, ch. 7. VI. The religions solemnities of reading the law, fasting, and praying, and renewing their covenants, to which he called the people (ch. 8-10). VII. The care he took for the replenishing of the holy city and the settling of the holy tribe, ch. 11, 12. VIII. His zeal in reforming various abuses, ch. 13. Some call this the second book of Ezra, not because he was the penman of it, but because it is a continuation of the history of the foregoing book, with which it is connected (Neh 1:1). This was the last historical book that was written, as Malachi was the last prophetical book, of the Old Testament.

Matthew Henry: Nehemiah 11 (Chapter Introduction)

Jerusalem was walled round, but it was not as yet fully inhabited, and therefore was weak and despicable. Nehemiah's next care is to bring people into it; of that we have here an account. I. The methods taken to replenish it (Neh 11:1, Neh 11:2). II. The principal persons that resided there, of Judah and Benjamin (Neh 11:3-9), of the priests and Levites (Neh 11:10-19). III. The several cities and villages of Judah and Benjamin that were peopled by the rest of their families (v. 20-36).

Constable: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

This book, like so many others in the Old Testament, received its title from its principle character. The Septuagint (Greek) translation also had the same title, as does the Hebrew Bible.

As I mentioned in my notes on Ezra, the Jews kept Ezra and Nehemiah together for many years. The reason was the historical continuity that flows from Ezra through Nehemiah.

Writer and Date

The use of the first person identifies the author as Nehemiah, the governor of the Persian province of Judah (1:1-2:20; 13:4-31). His name means "Yahweh has comforted."

The mention of Darius the Persian in 12:22 probably refers to Darius II, the successor of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus).¹ Darius ruled from 423-404 B.C. The text refers to an event that took place in Darius' reign (12:22). Therefore Nehemiah must have written the book sometime after that reign began. Since there are no references to Nehemiah's age in the text, it is hard to estimate how long he may have lived. When the book opens, he was second in command under King Artaxerxes (cf. Daniel). If he was 40 years old then and 41 when he reached Jerusalem in 444 B.C., he would have been 62 years old in 423 B.C. when Darius replaced Artaxerxes. Consequently he probably wrote the book not long after 423 B.C., most likely before 400 B.C.²

Scope

The years of history the book covers are 445-431 B.C. or perhaps a few years after that.

In 445 B.C. (the twentieth year of Artaxerxes' reign, 1:1) Nehemiah learned of the conditions in Jerusalem that led him to request permission to return to Judah (2:5). He arrived in Jerusalem in 444 B.C. and within 52 days had completed the rebuilding of the city walls (6:15).

In 432 B.C. Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes (13:6). He came back to Jerusalem after that, probably in a year or so. The record of his reforms following that return is in the last chapter of this book. Apparently Nehemiah completed all of them in just a few weeks or months.

Even though the book spans about 15 years, most of the activity Nehemiah recorded took place in 445-444 B.C. (chs. 1-12) and in 432-431 B.C. (ch. 13).

Chronology of the Book of Nehemiah
445	Nehemiah learned of conditions in Jerusalem and requested a leave of absence from Artaxerxes.
444	He led the Jews to Jerusalem. Repairs on the wall of Jerusalem began. The Jews completed rebuilding the walls. Nehemiah promoted spiritual renewal among the returnees.
443
442
441
440
439
438
437
436
435
434
433
432	Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes ending his 12 years as governor of Judah. Malachi may have prophesied in Jerusalem.
431	Nehemiah may have returned to Jerusalem and began his second term as governor. More religious reforms apparently began.
430
429
428
427
426
425
424
423	Darius II began to reign.

Message³

For many years, believers regarded Ezra and Nehemiah as twin books. They called them 1 and 2 Ezra (or Esdras, the Greek transliteration of Ezra). Jerome, who lived in the fourth century A.D., gave 2 Ezra the name Nehemiah. This fact illustrates the close relationship that exists between these two books. A single story begins in Ezra and ends in Nehemiah. The history they record covers about 110 years (538-430 B.C.).

Let us notice three things about the returned exiles in this period, the restoration period, that God revealed in this Book of Nehemiah.

The people in view are the approximately 97,000 Israelites who returned from captivity, the remnant. They had no conscious national influence that arose from their purpose as a nation. They did not have much messianic hope either. There is no reference to this hope in Ezra, Nehemiah, or Esther.

The purpose of God was that His people should return to His Law. The civil reformation was secondary to the reading of the Law that took place in Jerusalem. The reading of the Law (ch. 8) led to the praying of the Levites (ch. 9), and that resulted in the making of a covenant (ch. 10). God's purpose was to put Israel back under the Law until Christ would come.

The Potter at work in this book continues the task of reshaping that He began in Ezra. His primary instrument at this time was Nehemiah. Nehemiah was not a king, a priest, or a prophet, but an ordinary citizen. He held a cabinet-level position under Artaxerxes, the Persian monarch. He became the governor of Judah later. Generally the kings of Israel had failed, the people had ignored the prophets, and the priests were corrupt. Therefore God chose a common man who built a wall around Jerusalem in a little over seven weeks so the people could give concentrated attention to the reading and exposition of God's Word. Nehemiah was a man like others God used before him, a man who lived and walked by faith. Joshua was such a person and was also neither king, prophet, nor priest. Nehemiah did for Israel in his day what Joshua had done in his.

Notice next three things about Nehemiah.

Nehemiah had an attitude of faith. He had remarkable confidence in God. This never wavered. He wanted to see God's purposes fulfilled (1:1-4). He expressed his concern in his inquiry and sorrow. His prayer and sorrow show his confidence in God's power (1:5-2:4; 4:9). Furthermore he purposed to cooperate with God so God's will would happen. He expressed this commitment in his activity.

Nehemiah also acted in faith. We can see his faith in three activities.

1. He acted cautiously (5:7). He examined the wall secretly and silently. Then he divided the work so every man built near his own house. This guaranteed the personal interest and diligence of the workers.

2. He acted courageously (13:11, 17). He started by himself, single-handedly. Then he stuck with the work determinedly until he finished it.

3. He acted without compromise.

He did not compromise with the enemies outside the wall. They tried to get him to compromise by using contempt (4:3), then conspiracy (4:8), and then cunning (6:2).

He did not compromise with the Jews inside the wall either. He did not allow the nobles to continue charging their poorer brothers interest (5:5). He did not allow a priest to give lodging to the enemy (13:4-5). Furthermore he did not permit mixed marriages with non-Jews (13:23).

Finally, Nehemiah achieved by faith. The workers built the walls in only 52 days. Nehemiah settled the people in the city and its suburbs. He expounded and enforced the Law of God. He also provided a place where the people could wait for God's salvation.

Combining Nehemiah's times with his character we get the message of this book. Nehemiah proves that seemingly impossible things are possible through prayer and hard work when people determine to trust and obey God, and when they put His interests first.

Like Nehemiah we live in dark times (cf. Isa. 50:10). We too have to deal with indifferent multitudes. As in his day, there is widespread disloyalty to God's truth today. As then, there is lack of enthusiasm for God's plans and purposes now. Not many Christians want to devote their every waking moment to the task God has commanded us to do.

Like Nehemiah we need to walk by faith in these dark times (cf. Hab. 2:4). We need to be as sure of God as he was. We need to act with God and for God even though it means strenuous effort. We also need to decline all compromise with those outside and inside the church. We need to trust God, to do our day's work faithfully, and leave the future to Him. May we all follow this great man's example of faith. May we live one day at a time (Matt. 6:11).

Constable: Nehemiah (Outline)

Outline

I. The fortification of Jerusalem chs. 1-7

A. The return under Nehemiah chs. 1-2

1. The news concerning Jerusalem 1:1-3

2. The response of Nehemiah 1:4-11

3. The request of Nehemiah 2:1-8

4. The return to Jerusalem 2:9-20

B. The rebuilding of the walls 3:1-7:4

1. The workers and their work ch. 3

2. The opposition to the workers ch. 4

3. The strife among the workers ch. 5

4. The attacks against Nehemiah 6:1-14

5. The completion of the work 6:15-7:4

C. The record of those who returned 7:5-72

II. The restoration of the Jews chs. 8-13

A. The renewal of the Mosaic Covenant chs. 8-10

1. The gathering of the people ch. 8

2. The prayer of the people ch. 9

3. The renewed commitment of the people ch. 10

B. The residents of the land 11:1-12:26

1. The residents of Jerusalem 11:1-24

2. The residents of the outlying towns 11:25-36

3. The priests and Levites 12:1-26

C. The dedication of the wall 12:27-47

1. Preparations for the dedication 12:27-30

2. The dedication ceremonies 12:31-47

D. The reforms instituted by Nehemiah ch. 13

1. The exclusion of foreigners 13:1-3

2. The expulsion of Tobiah 13:4-9

3. The revival of tithing 13:10-14

4. The observance of the Sabbath 13:15-22

5. The rebuke of mixed marriages 13:23-29

6. The summary of Nehemiah's reforms 13:30-31

Constable: Nehemiah

Nehemiah

Bibliography

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAS;

commonly called THE SECOND BOOK OF ESDRAS.

INTRODUCTION.

This Book takes its name from the writer, who was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes, (surnamed Longimanus ) king of Persia, and was sent by him with a commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. It is also called the Second Book of Esdras, because it is a continuation of the history begun by Esdras, of the state of the people of God after their return from captivity. (Challoner) --- Genebrard believes that the latter wrote the work. But how long must he thus have lived? and how come the lists to vary so much? (Calmet) --- We may allow that these variations are owing to the mistakes of transcribers, (1 Esdras ii. 1.) for the writer of both works was certainly inspired. Esdras lived a long time along with Nehemias; (chap. xii. 35.) and he may have left memorials, as well as the latter, from which the present work seems to be compiled. (Haydock) --- Some additions have been made since the days of Nehemias, articularly chap. xii. to ver. 26, or at least (Calmet) the five last of these verses. (Capel.) (Chronicles) --- The passage cited from the commentaries of Nehemias, (2 Machabees ii. 13.) is not to be found here; which shews that we have not his entire work, but only an abridgment, in which the author has adopted his words, with some few alterations. The fifth chapter seems to be out of its place, and also the dedication of the walls, chap. xii. 27. Nehemias was a person in great favour at the court of Persia; and of high birth, probably of the royal family, (Eusebius; Isidore; Genebrard in Chron.) as most of the ancients believe that all who governed, till the time of the Asmoneans, were of the tribe of Juda. Hence he styles Hanani his brother, (chap. i. 2.) and declines entering into the temple, chap. vi. 11. His name never occurs among the priests; and though we read [in] 2 Machabees i. 18, 21, jussit sacerdos Nehemias, (Tirinus) the Greek has, "Nehemias order the priests;" Greek: iereis: (Calmet; Huet; Du Hamel) and the title of priest sometimes is given to laymen at the head of affairs. (Haydock) --- In this character Nehemias appeared, by order of Artaxerxes: and notwithstanding the obstructions of the enemies of Juda, rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and returned after twelve years to court, making a second visit to his own country, a little before the death of the king, whom he probably survived only one year, dying the year of the world 3580, about thirty years after he had been appointed governor. (Calmet) --- In the two first chapters, we behold his solicitude for the welfare of his country, in the ten following his success, and in the last what abuses he corrected. (Worthington) --- He renewed the covenant with God, (chap. ix., and x.) sent for the sacred fire, and established a library at Jerusalem, 2 Machabees i. 19, 34., and ii. 13. (Haydock)

Gill: Nehemiah (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH

This book is, by the authors of the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, called the "Second" Book of Ezra, it being a continuation of the same history, and was by the Jews reckoned as one book with Ezra; Kimchi on Isa 9:7, calls it Ezra, so the Talmud ^a; and it has been quoted by Christian writers under his name; see the argument of the book of Ezra; but not as if it was written by him; for it is a clear case it was written by Nehemiah, whose name it bears, as appears from Neh 1:1 and throughout Nehemiah speaks of himself under the first person; and the style also is very different from that of Ezra, being plainer and easier than his. It has always had a place in the canon of Scriptures, both with Jews and Christians; and is of use to show the fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah, and especially of Daniel concerning the building of the wall of Jerusalem in troublesome times; to carry on the history of the Jews, and describe the state of the church in those times, what opposition was made to it, and what enemies it had, and what must be expected when any work of God is set about; it is the last of the historical books that was written, as is thought, and contains an history of the space of about twelve years, from the twentieth of Artaxerxes to the thirty second of his reign, see Neh 1:1.

Gill: Nehemiah 11 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 11

This chapter treats of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who settled there by lot, or of their own accord, their names and numbers, Neh 11:1, and of the priests and Levites who dwelt there, Neh 11:10, and of the rest of the people, priests, and Levites, that dwelt in the other cities and villages of Judah and Benjamin, Neh 11:20.