Text -- Nehemiah 13:12-31 (NET)

13:12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms. 13:13 I gave instructions that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues. 13:14 Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services! 13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. 13:16 The people from Tyre who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah– and in Jerusalem, of all places! 13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!” 13:19 When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. 13:20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. 13:22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love. 13:23 Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 13:24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned) and were unable to speak the language of Judah. 13:25 So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, “You will not marry off your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! 13:26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin! 13:27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign wives?” 13:28 Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight. 13:29 Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, and the Levites. 13:30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to the priests and the Levites. 13:31 I also provided for the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits. Please remember me for good, O my God.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Neh 13:12

Out of the respect which they had to Nehemiah, and because they saw they would now be applied to their proper uses.

Wesley: Neh 13:13

By the consent of those who knew them. Such he now sought out the more diligently, because he had experience of the perfidiousness of the former trustees.

Wesley: Neh 13:16

The holy city, where God's house was; and where the great judicatories of the nation were. So this is added as an aggravation of their sin, that it was done with manifest contempt of God and man.

Wesley: Neh 13:17

Their chief men and rulers; whom he charges with this sin, because though others did it, it was by their countenance or connivance: probably too by their example. If the nobles allowed themselves in recreations, in idle visits and idle talk on the sabbath day, the men of business would profane it by their worldly employments, as the more justifiable of the two.

Wesley: Neh 13:19

Out of a diffidence in those, to whom the keeping of the gates was committed.

Wesley: Neh 13:22

Because the work they now were set upon, though common in its nature, yet was holy in design of it, and had respect unto the sabbath: and, because the day in which they were to do this was the sabbath - day, for the observation whereof they were obliged to purify themselves.

Wesley: Neh 13:22

The gates of the city; not daring to trust the common porters, he commits the charge of them upon the sabbath - days, to the Levites, to whom the care of sanctifying the sabbath did properly belong.

Wesley: Neh 13:22

Whereby he intimates, that though he mentioned his good - works, as things wherewith God was well - pleased, and which he had promised to reward, yet he neither did, nor durst trust to their merit, or his own worthiness, but, when he had done all, he judged himself an unprofitable servant, and one that needed God's infinite mercy to pardon all his sins, and particularly those infirmities and corruptions which adhered to his good deeds.

Wesley: Neh 13:25

Caused them to be excommunicated and cast out of the society of God's people. This and the following punishments were justly inflicted upon them, because this transgression was contrary both to a plain law of God, and to their own late solemn covenants.

Wesley: Neh 13:25

I caused to be beaten with stripes, according to the law, Deu 25:2, such whose faults were most aggravated; to whom he added this punishment over and above the former.

Wesley: Neh 13:25

Or, shaved them. The hair was an ensign of liberty among the eastern nations; and baldness was a disgrace, and token of slavery and sorrow.

Wesley: Neh 13:28

_Said by Josephus to be that Manasses, who by Sanballat's interest procured liberty to build the Samaritan temple in mount Gerizim; to which those priests who had married strange wives, or been otherwise criminal, betook themselves, and with, or after them, others of the people in the same or like circumstances.

Wesley: Neh 13:28

From my presence and court, from the city and temple, and from the congregation and church of Israel.

Wesley: Neh 13:31

This may well be the summary of our petitions. We need no more to make us happy but this.

JFB: Neh 13:10-13

The people, disgusted with the malversations of Eliashib, or the lax and irregular performance of the sacred rites, withheld the tithes, so that the ministers of religion were compelled for their livelihood to withdraw to their patrimonial possessions in the country. The temple services had ceased; all religious duties had fallen into neglect. The money put into the sacred treasury had been squandered in the entertainment of an Ammonite heathen, an open and contemptuous enemy of God and His people. The return of the governor put an end to these disgraceful and profane proceedings. He administered a sharp rebuke to those priests to whom the management of the temple and its services was committed, for the total neglect of their duties, and the violation of the solemn promises which they had made to him at his departure. He upbraided them with the serious charge of having not only withheld from men their dues, but of having robbed God, by neglecting the care of His house and service. And thus having roused them to a sense of duty and incited them to testify their godly sorrow for their criminal negligence by renewed devotedness to their sacred work, Nehemiah restored the temple services. He recalled the dispersed Levites to the regular discharge of their duties; while the people at large, perceiving that their contributions would be no longer perverted to improper uses, willingly brought in their tithes as formerly. Men of integrity and good report were appointed to act as trustees of the sacred treasures, and thus order, regularity, and active service were re-established in the temple.

JFB: Neh 13:15-22

The cessation of the temple services had been necessarily followed by a public profanation of the Sabbath, and this had gone so far that labor was carried on in the fields, and fish brought to the markets on the sacred day. Nehemiah took the decisive step of ordering the city gates to be shut, and not to be opened, till the Sabbath was past; and in order to ensure the faithful execution of this order, he stationed some of his own servants as guards, to prevent the introduction of any commodities on that day. On the merchants and various dealers finding admission denied them, they set up booths outside the walls, in hopes of still driving a traffic with the peasantry; but the governor threatened, if they continued, to adopt violent measures for their removal. For this purpose a body of Levites was stationed as sentinels at the gate, with discretionary powers to protect the sanctification of the Sabbath.

JFB: Neh 13:24

A mongrel dialect imbibed from their mothers, together with foreign principles and habits.

JFB: Neh 13:25

That is, pronounced on them an anathema which entailed excommunication.

JFB: Neh 13:25

To cut off the hair of offenders seems to be a punishment rather disgraceful than severe; yet it is supposed that pain was added to disgrace, and that they tore off the hair with violence as if they were plucking a bird alive.

Clarke: Neh 13:13

They were counted faithful - They were reported to me as persons in whom I could confide; they had been steady in God’ s ways and work, while others had been careless and relaxed.

Clarke: Neh 13:14

Wipe not out my good deeds - If thou wert strict to mark what is done amiss, even my good deeds must be wiped out; but, Lord, remember me in thy mercy, and let my upright conduct be acceptable to thee!

Clarke: Neh 13:15

Treading wine-presses - The Sabbath appears to have been totally disregarded.

Clarke: Neh 13:17

I contended with the nobles - These evils took place through their negligence; and this I proved before them.

Clarke: Neh 13:19

When the gates - began to be dark - After sunset on Friday evening he caused the gates to be shut, and kept them shut all the Sabbath; and, as he could not trust the ordinary officers, he set some of his own servants to watch the gates, that no person might enter for the purpose of traffic.

Clarke: Neh 13:20

So the merchants - lodged without Jerusalem - They exposed their wares for sale on the outside of the walls.

Clarke: Neh 13:21

I will lay hands on you - I will imprison every man of you. This had the desired effect; they came no more.

Clarke: Neh 13:22

Spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy - By some Nehemiah has been thought to deal with God too much on the principle of merit. That he wished God to remember him for good, is sufficiently evident; and who does not wish the same? But that he expected heaven because of his good deeds, does not appear. Indeed, the concluding clause of this verse proves the contrary, and shows that he expected nothing from God but through the greatness of his mercy. Shame on those who, with this evidence before them, brand this good man with the epithet of workmonger! a man who, in inward holiness, outward usefulness, and genuine love to God and man, was worth ten score of such self-called believers.

Clarke: Neh 13:24

Half in the speech of Ashdod - There were children in the same family by Jewish and Philistine mothers. As the Jewish mother would always speak to her children in Hebrew or Chaldee, so they learnt to speak these languages; and as the Ashdod mother would always speak to her children in the Ashdod language, so they learnt that tongue. Thus there were, in the same family, children who could not understand each other; half, or one part, speaking one language, and the other part another. Children of different wives did not ordinarily mingle together; and the wives had separate apartments. This is a better explanation than that which intimates that the same child spoke a jargon, half Ashdod and half Hebrew.

Clarke: Neh 13:25

I contended with them - Proved the fact against these iniquitous fathers, in a legal assembly

Clarke: Neh 13:25

And cursed them - Denounced the judgments of God and the sentence of the law upon them

Clarke: Neh 13:25

Smote certain of them - Had them punished by whipping

Clarke: Neh 13:25

And plucked off their hair - Had them shaven, as a mark of the greatest ignominy

Clarke: Neh 13:25

And made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give - Caused them to bind themselves by an oath, that they would make no intermarriages with those who were not of the seed of Israel.

Clarke: Neh 13:26

Did not Solomon - Have you not had an awful example before you? What a heavy curse did Solomon’ s conduct bring upon himself and upon the people, for a conduct such as yours?

Clarke: Neh 13:27

Shall we then hearken unto you - If God spared not Solomon, who was so much beloved of Him, shall we spare you, who by your conduct are bringing down God’ s judgments upon Israel?

Clarke: Neh 13:28

One of the sons of Joiada - This was Manasseh, brother of Jaddua, son of Joiada, and grandson of Eliashib the high priest

Clarke: Neh 13:28

I chased him from me - Struck him off the list of the priests, and deemed him utterly unworthy of all connection and intercourse with truly religious people.

Clarke: Neh 13:29

Because they have defiled the priesthood - God, therefore, will remember their iniquities against them, and punish them for their transgressions. These words of Nehemiah are to be understood declaratively.

Clarke: Neh 13:31

For the wood-offering - This was a most necessary regulation: without it the temple service could not have gone forward; and therefore Nehemiah mentions this as one of the most important services he had rendered to his nation. See Neh 10:34

Clarke: Neh 13:31

Remember me, O my God, for good - This has precisely the same meaning with, O my God, have mercy upon me! and thus alone it should be understood

Of Nehemiah the Jews speak as one of the greatest men of their nation. His concern for his country, manifested by such unequivocal marks, entitles him to the character of the first patriot that ever lived. In the course of the 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 manner of thing that was good; 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 his people were 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; he prayed to God for it; and was willing to sacrifice wealth, ease, and 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 honor of restoring the desolated city of his ancestors, and the pure worship of their God. On this account he has been considered by several as an expressive type of Jesus Christ, and many parallels have been shown in their lives and conduct

I have already, in several notes, vindicated him from all mercenary and interested views, as well as from all false notions of religion, grounded on human merit. 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 to be copied by the first patriots in every nation under heaven

It has already been observed that, in the Jewish canon, Ezra and Nehemiah make but one book; and that both have been attributed, but without reason, to the same author: hence the Syriac version ends with this colophon - The end of the book of Ezra, the scribe, in which are contained two thousand three hundred and sixty-one verses

Defender: Neh 13:14

Note that Nehemiah was not claiming his good deeds as merit toward salvation but praying that God would not forget all he had done in light of the seeming repudiation of some reforms by the people."

Defender: Neh 13:23

Some of the Jews were actually marrying women of the Philistines, Ammonites and Moabites, and they were not even teaching their children to speak Hebrew (Neh 12:24)."

Defender: Neh 13:28

Sanballat was the main leader of the opposition to Nehemiah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, yet Eliashib had allowed one of his grandsons to marry his daughter. Corrupting the institution of the priesthood in this way was even more blameworthy than the other inter-marriages. Josephus says that this apostate later became chief priest of the rival Samaritan temple built by Sanballat on Mount Gerizim, after being expelled by Nehemiah."

TSK: Neh 13:12

brought : Neh 10:37-39, Neh 12:44; Lev 27:30; Num 18:20-26; Deu 14:22

treasuries : or, storehouses, Mal 3:10

TSK: Neh 13:13

I made : Neh 12:44; 2Ch 31:12-15

Shelemiah : Neh 3:30

Pedaiah : Neh 8:4

next to them : Heb. at their hand

Zaccur : Neh 10:12

Mattaniah : Neh 11:22, Neh 12:35

counted : Neh 7:2; 2Ki 12:15, 2Ki 22:7; Luk 12:42, Luk 16:10-12; Act 6:3; 1Co 4:2; 1Ti 1:12; 1Ti 3:10

their office : Heb. it was upon them

to distribute : Act 4:35, Act 6:1

TSK: Neh 13:14

Remember me : Neh 13:22, Neh 13:31, Neh 5:19; Psa 122:6-9; Heb 6:10; Rev 3:5

wipe not : If thou wert strict to mark what is done amiss, even my good deeds must be wiped outcaps1 . bcaps0 ut, Lord, remember me in thy mercy, and let my upright conduct be acceptable to Thee! By some, Nehemiah has been thought to deal too much with God on the principle of merit. That he wished God to remember him for good is sufficiently evident, and who does not wish the same? But that he expected heaven for his good deeds does not appear; for it is perfectly clear that he expected nothing from God but through the greatness of his mercy. Neh 13:22

good deeds : Heb. kindnesses

house : 1Ch 29:3; 2Ch 24:16, 2Ch 31:20, 2Ch 31:21; Ezr 7:20, Ezr 7:24, Ezr 7:27; Psa 122:6-9

offices : or, observations

TSK: Neh 13:15

treading wine : Exo 20:8-11, Exo 34:21, Exo 35:2; Isa 58:13; Eze 20:13

burdens : Neh 10:31; Num 15:32-36; Jer 17:21, Jer 17:22, Jer 17:24, Jer 17:27

I testified : Neh 13:21, Neh 9:29; Deu 8:19; 2Ch 24:19; Psa 50:7; Jer 42:19; Mic 6:3; Act 2:40; Act 20:21; Gal 5:3; Eph 4:17; 1Th 4:6; Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19

TSK: Neh 13:16

men of Tyre : Exo 23:12; Deu 5:14

TSK: Neh 13:17

I contended : Neh 13:11, Neh 13:25, Neh 5:7; Psa 82:1, Psa 82:2; Pro 28:4; Isa 1:10; Jer 5:5, Jer 13:18, 22:2-23; Mic 3:1, Mic 3:9

TSK: Neh 13:18

Did not your : Ezr 9:13-15; Jer 17:21-23, Jer 17:27, Jer 44:9, Jer 44:22; Eze 23:8, Eze 23:26; Zec 1:4-6

ye bring more : Lev 26:18, Lev 26:28; Num 32:14; Jos 22:17, Jos 22:18

TSK: Neh 13:19

began to be : Lev 23:22

I commanded : Neh 7:3; Exo 31:14-17; Jer 17:19-22

TSK: Neh 13:21

I testified : Neh 13:15

about the wall : Heb. before the wall

I will lay : Ezr 7:26; Rom 13:3, Rom 13:4; 1Pe 2:14

TSK: Neh 13:22

I commanded : Neh 7:64, Neh 7:65, Neh 12:30; 2Ki 23:4; 1Ch 15:12-14; 2Ch 29:4, 2Ch 29:5, 2Ch 29:24, 2Ch 29:27, 2Ch 29:30; Isa 49:23

cleanse : Neh 12:10

sanctify : Deu 5:12

Remember : Neh 13:14, Neh 13:31, Neh 5:19; Psa 132:1-5; Isa 38:3; 2Co 1:12; 2Ti 4:7, 2Ti 4:8

spare me : Psa 25:6, Psa 25:7, Psa 51:1, Psa 130:3, Psa 130:4, Psa 130:7, Psa 143:1, Psa 143:2

greatness : or, multitude, Psa 5:7; Isa 55:7

TSK: Neh 13:23

married : Heb. made to dwell with them, Neh 10:30; Ezr 9:2, Ezr 9:11, Ezr 9:12, Ezr 10:10, Ezr 10:44; 2Co 6:14

Ashdod : 1Sa 5:1

Ammon : Neh 13:1-3

TSK: Neh 13:24

could not speak : Heb. they discerned not to speak

each people : Heb. people and people, Zep 3:9

TSK: Neh 13:25

I contended : Neh 13:11, Neh 13:17; Pro 28:4

cursed : or, reviled, Neh 5:13; Deu 27:14-26; Psa 15:4; Luk 11:45, Luk 11:46

smote : Deu 25:2, Deu 25:3; Ezr 7:26

plucked : Isa 50:6

made them : Neh 10:29, Neh 10:30; Deu 6:13; 2Ch 15:12-15; Ezr 10:5

Ye shall not : Exo 34:16; Deu 7:3

TSK: Neh 13:26

Did not Solomon : 1Ki 11:1-8; Ecc 7:26

yet among : 2Sa 12:24, 2Sa 12:25; 1Ki 3:13; 2Ch 1:12, 2Ch 9:22

who was beloved : 2Sa 12:24

TSK: Neh 13:27

Shall we then : 1Sa 30:24

to transgress : Ezr 10:2

TSK: Neh 13:28

And one : Josephus relates, that this young man was named Manasseh; and that at his request, Sanballat and the Samaritans built their temple upon mount Gerizim, in opposition to that at Jerusalem, at which he officiated, in some measure, according to the Mosaic ritual.

Joiada : Neh 12:10, Neh 12:22

Eliashib : Neh 3:1

son in law : Neh 13:4, Neh 13:5, Neh 6:17-19

Sanballat : Neh 2:19

I chased : Neh 13:25; Psa 101:8; Pro 20:8, Pro 20:26; Rom 13:3, Rom 13:4

TSK: Neh 13:29

Remember : Neh 6:14; Psa 59:5-13; 2Ti 4:14

because they have defiled : Heb. for the defilings of, Lev 21:1-7

the covenant : Num 16:9, Num 16:10, Num 25:12, Num 25:13; 1Sa 2:30; Mal 2:4-8, Mal 2:10-12

TSK: Neh 13:30

cleansed : Neh 10:30

appointed : Neh. 12:1-26; 1Chr. 23:1-26:32

TSK: Neh 13:31

the wood : Neh 10:34

Remember : Neh 13:14, Neh 13:22; Psa 25:7, Psa 26:8, Psa 26:9, Psa 106:4; Luk 23:42

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Neh 13:15

The desecration of the Sabbath is first brought into prominence among the sins of the Jewish people by Jeremiah Jer 17:21-27. It could not but have gained ground during the captivity, when foreign masters would not have allowed the cessation of labor for one day in seven. On the return from the captivity, the sabbatical rest appears to have been one of the institutions most difficult to re-establish.

In the day - Some render, "concerning the day."

Barnes: Neh 13:16

Friendly relations subsisted between the Phoenicians and the Jews, after the captivity Ezr 3:7. It was, however, a new fact, and one pregnant with evil consequences, that the Tyrians should have established a permanent colony at Jerusalem. Its influence on the other inhabitants weakened the hold of the Law upon men’ s consciences, and caused it to be transgressed continually more and more openly.

Barnes: Neh 13:19

The gates were closed at the sunset of the day before the Sabbath; since the Sabbath was regarded as commencing on the previous evening.

Barnes: Neh 13:21

The lodging of the merchants with their merchandise just outside Jerusalem during the Sabbath, marked their impatience for the moment when they might bring their wares in. This was thought by Nehemiah to be unseemly, and to have an irreligious tendency.

Barnes: Neh 13:22

I commanded the Levites - At first Nehemiah had employed his own retinue Neh 13:19 in the work of keeping the gates. He now assigned the duty to the Levites, as one which properly belonged to them, since the object of the regulation was the due observance of the Sabbath.

Barnes: Neh 13:24

The speech of Ashdod - The Philistine language, which was akin to that of Egypt.

According to the language of each people - The children spoke a mixed dialect - half-Philistine, half-Hebrew.

Barnes: Neh 13:30

The wards - Rather, "the offices or observances."Nehemiah’ s arrangement is probably that described in Neh 11:10-22.

\brdrb \brdrs \brdrw30 \brsp20

Poole: Neh 13:12

Partly out of the respect which they had to Nehemiah, and to his command; and partly because they saw they would be applied to their proper uses, and not abused, as they had been.

Poole: Neh 13:13

Zadok the scribe the ecclesiastical scribe, who was to keep the accounts of the receipts and disbursements.

They were counted faithful by common fame, and the consent of those who knew them. Such he now sought out the more diligently, because he had late experience of the perfidiousness of the former trustees.

To distribute unto their brethren according to their several families, as the law had prescribed.

Poole: Neh 13:14

Concerning this: what I have done with an upright heart for thy house and service be pleased graciously to accept, and remember for my good, according to thy promise.

Poole: Neh 13:15

I protested against the action, and admonished them to forbear it.

Poole: Neh 13:16

Which brought fish which they might take in the sea near Joppa, or bring from Tyre to Joppa by sea, and thence to Jerusalem, which was but a small journey.

In Jerusalem the holy city, where God’ s house and presence was, and where the great judicatories of the nation were. So this is added as an aggravation of their sin, that this was done with manifest contempt both to God and men.

Poole: Neh 13:17

The nobles of Judah i.e. their chief men and rulers; whom he chargeth with this sin, because though others did it, it was by their countenance or connivance, and they should and might have punished and restrained it.

Poole: Neh 13:18

All this evil upon us which you so well and sadly remember, that I need not tell you the particulars.

Poole: Neh 13:19

When the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark which was about sun-setting, by reason of the mountains which were round about and near Jerusalem, Psa 125:2 .

Some of my servants set I at the gates out of a diffidence in those to whom the keeping of the gates was committed.

Poole: Neh 13:21

I will lay hands on you I will punish you, and seize your goods. For this was a temptation to covetous or needy Jews, that lived in or near the city, to steal opportunities of buying their commodities, which then they might do with more advantage.

Poole: Neh 13:22

That they should cleanse themselves partly because the work they were now set upon, though common in its nature, yet was holy in design of it, and had respect unto the sabbath; and partly because the day in which they were to do this was the sabbath day, for the observation whereof they were obliged to prepare and purify themselves.

Keep the gates either,

1. The gates of the temple. But a particular command was superfluous in that case, because it was their constant work and charge to do this, both sabbath days and every day. Or rather,

2. The gates of the city; for of them he spake last, Neh 13:19 ; and not daring to trust the common porters of these gates, not being able always to employ his men in that work, he committeth the charge of them for the present season, and upon the sabbath days, to the Levites, to whom the care of sanctifying the sabbath did properly belong.

According to the greatness of thy mercy whereby he intimates, that though he mentioned his good works as things wherewith God was well pleased, and which he had promised to reward, yet he neither did nor durst trust to their merit or his own worthiness; but when he had done all, he judged himself an unprofitable servant, and one that needed God’ s infinite mercy and indulgence to pardon all his sins, and particularly those infirmities and corruptions which adhered to his good deeds.

Poole: Neh 13:23

Ashdod a city of the Philistines, 1Sa 5:1,2 , &c.

Poole: Neh 13:24

Which their mothers instilled into them, together with their principles and manners.

Poole: Neh 13:25

Cursed them i.e. caused them to be excommunicated and cast out of the society and privileges of God’ s people. This and the following punishments were justly inflicted upon them, because this transgression was contrary both to a very plain and express law of God, and also to their own late solemn covenants and promises, of which see Ezr 10 Ne 10:30 .

Smote certain of them i.e. I caused to be beaten with stripes, according to the law, Deu 25:2 , those whose faults were most aggravated by their quality or other circumstances; to whom he added this punishment over and besides the former.

Plucked off their hair or, shaved them . The hair was an ornament and ensign of liberty among the eastern nations; and baldness was a disgrace and token of slavery and sorrow. See Isa 3:24 Isa 15:2 Jer 48:37 Eze 29:18 .

Poole: Neh 13:27

Shall we then hearken unto you? shall we justify our action by permitting or not punishing it? God forbid.

Poole: Neh 13:28

Joiada said by Josephus to be that Manasses who by Sanballat’ s interest procured liberty to build the Samaritan temple in Mount Gerizim; to which those priests who had married strange wives, or been otherwise criminal, betook themselves, and with or after them others of the people in the same or like circumstances.

I chased him from me i.e. from my presence and court, and from the city and temple, and all the privileges of the priesthood, and from the whole congregation and church of Israel, whereof I am a member.

Poole: Neh 13:29

That covenant made between me and his progenitors for themselves and their posterity, whereby I promised to give them an everlasting priesthood , Num 25:12,13 , and they covenanted with me that they would faithfully and holily execute that sacred function according to the rules which I gave them, whereby, among other things, they were enjoined to keep themselves pure from all unlawful marriages, and from all other things which might pollute them or the priesthood.

Poole: Neh 13:31

For the wood-offering and the first-fruits and particularly I took care for these things, because they had been lately neglected.

Haydock: Neh 13:14

And his. Hebrew, "its offices," and for the good of the sacred ministers. (Haydock)

Haydock: Neh 13:15

Treading. Syriac and Arabic, "travelling."

Haydock: Neh 13:16

Tyrians. Who had established themselves there, for the sake of commerce, though the chosen people ought to have kept them at a great distance, for fear of seduction. (Calmet)

Haydock: Neh 13:18

Fathers. Though warned by Jeremias, xvii. 21. (Menochius)

Haydock: Neh 13:19

At rest. People travelling no longer. (Calmet) ---

Hebrew, "shaded, or in the dark." Before Friday night on, the sabbath commenced, and then the gates were shut. (Haydock) ---

On the. Hebrew, "before the sabbath." (Menochius)

Haydock: Neh 13:21

On you. To punish you, (Calmet) for thus endeavouring to tempt the people. (Haydock)

Haydock: Neh 13:22

Gates. The Levites would more conscientiously discharge their duty, (Menochius) and restrain the people, so that they might keep the day holy. (Haydock)

Haydock: Neh 13:23

Azotus. In the country of the Philistines.

Haydock: Neh 13:24

Half. In the same family, some spoke the Philistine (Vatable) or Phenician language: others the Hebrew; which, though it resembled the other very much, was still sufficiently distinct to be noticed. The children might also speak a jargon, composed of both languages. It is probable that, at this time, many of the common people spoke the Chaldean language, so that it was necessary to interpret pure Hebrew to them, chap. viii. 8.

Haydock: Neh 13:25

Curse, or excommunicated them, (Calmet) the guilty parents. (Haydock) ---

Shaved. Hebrew and Septuagint, "plucked off their hair," by the roots, for greater torment. Sometimes quicklime was then sprinkled on the head, (Calmet) as adulterers were treated at Athens. Schol. Aristoph.[Aristophanes?] ---

King Artaxerxes changed this punishment, and ordered that his officers should be forbidden to wear the tiara instead. Domitian caused the hair and beard of Apollonius to be shaven. (Philost. iii. 14.) (Calmet) ---

That they. Hebrew, "Ye shall not," &c.

Haydock: Neh 13:27

Also be. Hebrew, "hearken unto you;" (Protestants; Haydock) or "Have ye not heard the evils which fell upon our fathers (Calmet) for doing all?" &c. (Haydock)

Haydock: Neh 13:28

One. Manasses, brother of Jaddus. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xi. 8.) ---

Sanaballet, noted for his enmity towards the Jews, chap. vi. 1. He obtained leave of Alexander to build the famous temple on Garizim, for this son-in-law. He must have been 150 yeas old when Alexander laid siege to Tyre, the year of the world 3672. Esdras and Nehemias were noted for their great age. Yet some would suppose that there were two of the name of Sanaballet; and Josephus says that the one in question was appointed governor of Samaria by Darius, the last king of the Persians. This opinion is adopted by Usher, the year of the world 3972. (Tirinus, &c.) ---

But there is still a difficulty to know whether it be necessary. (Calmet) ---

From me. In revenge he set up an opposition altar. (Haydock) ---

He had contracted a marriage, which was unlawful for all, and entailed degradation upon priests.

Haydock: Neh 13:31

Wood. Conformably to the regulations mentioned, chap. x. 34. (Calmet) ---

Good. A just man may confidently beg for a reward. (Worthington) ---

Amen, is not found in Hebrew, &c. The Holy Spirit records the praises of Nehemias, Ecclesiasticus xlix. 15. His political and moral virtues must ever assign him an exalted rank among the true Israelites. Like Jesus Christ, he rebuilt Jerusalem, reformed the nation, was the mediator of a new covenant, defended the rights of the priesthood and of all the people. (Calmet)

APOCRYPHA.

The third and fourth Books of Esdras, and the prayer of Manasses, (Worthington) are found in many Latin Bibles, (Haydock) and translated in that of Douay, (Worthington) as works of dubious authority. Calmet also inserts the third and fourth books of Machabees. (Haydock) ---

Protestants class under the same head the books of Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, and Machabees, (Worthington) with Baruch, and parts of Esther and Daniel, &c. (Haydock) ---

They acknowledge that they are, "holy and worthy to be read in the Church, but not sufficient to prove points of faith." The truth is, they find them too opposite to their creed; as St. Augustine (prædest. SS. C. xiv.) observes was the case with some heretics, who rejected the Book of Wisdom. (Worthington) ---

The pretence that these Books were not admitted by many ancient Fathers, would equally strike out of the canon the Epistle to the Hebrews, those of St. James and St. Jude, the second and third of St. Peter, and of St. John, and the Apocalypse, the authority of all which was formerly warmly controverted, (Haydock) and only admitted by degrees: (Worthington) paulatim tempore procedente meruit auctoritatem. (St. Jerome, in Jacobo.) ---

This holy doctor doubted (Prideaux) whether the book of Judith was canonical, till he found the decision of the Council of Nice. The declaration of the Church is the only sure rule by which matters of this nature can be decided. (Haydock) ---

"I would not believe the gospel, unless I were influenced to do it by the authority of the Catholic Church." (St. Augustine, contra ep. Fund. c. 5.) ---

This Church has spoken in favor of the controverted Books of the Old Testament, as much as for those of the New; so that the inconsistency of Protestants cannot pass unnoticed. If they had asserted that they appealed only to the private spirit, they might have been acceptable at least to fanatics; but now they attempt to follow the Catholic rule, and yet reject it the next moment! If we would relinquish all the parts 'of Scripture which have been called in question, what book would be safe? Some have been indeed more universally admitted, and may therefore be styled protocanonical, while the deuterocanonical books were recognized rather later; and after all difficulties had been maturely discussed, as has been the case with other articles of faith. But the declaration being promulgated sooner or later, does not alter the truth. The will of God, notified to us by his Church, is our infallible guide. This is the canon, or "rule," (Haydock) to regulate our imperfect knowledge. (St. Augustine, contra Faust. xi. 5., and contra Crescon. ii. 32.) ---

In this sense the Council of Carthage, (A.D. 419) styles these contested books, "canonical and divine:" and the ancient Popes, Innocent I and Gelasius, as well as St. Augustine, (Doct. ii. 8.) St. Isidore, (Etym. vi. 1.) and others, place them on a level with the other parts of Scripture, as has been done by the general Councils of Florence and of Trent. If the Jews did not admit them into their canon, it was because they were not extant in the Hebrew language, (Haydock) or known when the canon was closed by Esdras, (Huet; Du Hamel) or afterwards. (Haydock) ---

Besides, who sees not that the canon of the Church is preferable to that of the synagogue? (Worthington) ---

Otherwise how shall we receive the New Testament. (Haydock) ---

Many of the Fathers referred only to the Jewish canon, when they gave catalogues of the sacred books. (Calmet) ---

We shall find that they generally admitted the authority of what the Protestants style Apocrypha, and that they were far from considering them (Haydock) as "romances," (Fagius) or inducements" to vice and superstitious practices, under the semblance of virtue," (Button) as some have now the boldness to assert. They might well shew so much deference to the judgment of the majority of Christians, as to abstain from such censures. (Haydock)

Gill: Neh 13:12

Then brought all Judah the tithe of corn, and the new wine, and the oil, into the treasuries. When they saw a reformation made, and things were going in their proper channel, and a right use would be made of their tithes, these given to proper persons, who were now reinstated in their office.

Gill: Neh 13:13

And I made treasurers over the treasuries,.... New ones, since the others appointed were either dead or unfaithful to their trust, Neh 12:44,

Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe; who also was a priest, as Ezra was both priest and scribe; one that besides his office as a priest was expert in the law, and capable of instructing others:

and of the Levites, Pedaiah, and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were counted faithful; had a good report of all that knew them, for men of fidelity and uprightness, and so fit for such a trust:

and their office was to distribute unto their brethren; to deliver to them their share in the tithes, first fruits, &c.

Gill: Neh 13:14

Remember me, O my God, concerning this,.... Not in a way of strict justice, as if he thought he merited anything at the hand of God for what he had done; but in a way of grace and mercy, that he would graciously accept thereof, as done for the honour of his name, and overlook all failings and infirmities therein, see Neh 13:22

and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof; for the support of the worship of God in the temple, and for the regulating of the wards and courses in it, both priests and Levites, and for the maintenance of them; which being done from a right principle, love to God, and with a right view, the glory of his name, might be truly reckoned good works: and which he desires might not be wiped or blotted out of the book of his remembrance, see Hos 6:10.

Gill: Neh 13:15

In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath,.... Which was not a work of necessity, and so did not drive away the sabbath, as the Jews express themselves, but might have been deferred to another day:

and bringing in sheaves; of wheat, it being the time of wheat harvest:

and lading asses; with goods to be carried from place to place, and sold on that day; this was contrary to the express law, for the ass was to rest, Deu 5:14,

as also wine, grapes, and figs: it being the time of ingathering the fruits of the earth:

and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; besides those borne on asses, others were carried on men's shoulders; this was contrary to the law of the sabbath, which required that both men and beasts should have rest:

and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals; that is, the sabbath day; and if it was not lawful to sell food, then not anything else; so far from it, that according to the Jewish canons ^f, such that were in partnership might not discourse together of what they should sell or buy on the morrow, the day after the sabbath; and so far from gathering and carrying grapes and figs, that a man might not go into his gardens and fields to see what were wanting, or how the fruits were: now Nehemiah admonished the Jews of these evils they committed, and testified against them as breakers of the law, and called heaven and earth to testify against them, should they go on to violate it.

Gill: Neh 13:16

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish,.... From Tyre and Zidon, and the parts adjacent: these they brought from Joppa, and from thence to Jerusalem, and had houses or lodgings near the fish gate or fish market, where they sold them:

and all manner of ware; or merchandise, which, being a trading city, they had from all nations:

and sold on the sabbath day unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem; or even in Jerusalem, the holy city, where stood the temple, and where the worship of God was kept, and where the magistrates lived, who should have been terrors to evildoers: indeed, the law of the sabbath was not binding on these Tyrians, but then they tempted the Jews to break it, by bringing their ware to sell.

Gill: Neh 13:17

Then I contended with the nobles,.... The rulers of the city, the civil magistrates, sharply reproved them for their neglect of duty:

and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? by suffering servile works to be done in it, and things sold on it.

Gill: Neh 13:18

Did not your fathers thus,.... Profane the sabbath in like manner:

and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon our city? suffered them to be carried captive into a strange land, and their city destroyed for their sins, and for this of sabbath breaking among the rest, see Jer 17:21,

yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath; additional judgments to those that had been already upon them for the same evil with others.

Gill: Neh 13:19

And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath,.... Or "were shaded" ^g; that is, as Jarchi interprets it, when the shadows of the eve of the sabbath were stretched out upon the gates; the sabbath did not begin till sun setting, and the stars appeared; but before that, as the sun was declining, the shadows through the houses in Jerusalem, and mountains about it, spread themselves over the gates: and when it was near dusk, and as soon as it was so,

I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath; until sun setting the next day:

and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should be burden brought in on the sabbath day; the porters being not to be trusted, being liable to be bribed and corrupted, which he knew his servants were not; and therefore, since it might be necessary on a few occasions to open the gates to let some persons in and out, and especially such who dwelt near, and came to worship, he placed his servants there, to take care that none were admitted that had any burdens upon them.

Gill: Neh 13:20

For the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware,.... The Tyrians particularly, Neh 13:16 lodged without Jerusalem once or twice; one sabbath day or two, not being able to get into the city, such strict watch and care being taken to keep the gates shut; this they did, hoping the Jews would come out to them and buy their goods, though they were not admitted to bring them within the city.

Gill: Neh 13:21

Then I testified against them,.... Against their continuance there, and threatened them, and called heaven and earth to witness what he would do to them, if they did not depart:

why lodge ye about the wall? of the city, waiting an opportunity to get in, and tempting the Jews to come out and buy their ware:

if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you; beat them, or slay them, at least imprison them:

from that time forth came they no more on the sabbath; finding there was no likelihood of getting into the city, and that they were liable to be taken up and punished.

Gill: Neh 13:22

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves,.... From all ceremonial uncleanness, that they might be fit in a ceremonial sense to perform the duties of the office on the sabbath day:

and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day; not the gates of the city, his servants were placed there, nor was this the work of the Levites, and much less did this require a particular purification to fit for it; but the gates of the temple, that no impure person might enter there; and on that day it required the greater diligence, because of the number of people that came to worship:

remember me, O my God, concerning this also; with respect to his care to have the sabbath kept holy, as well as his concern for the honour of the house of God, and the maintenance of his ministers, Neh 13:14,

and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy; he desired to be dealt with, not according to any merits of his own, but according to the abundant mercy of God; that he would kindly and graciously vouchsafe to accept any good that he had done for his mercy sake, and forgive whatever was amiss in him.

Gill: Neh 13:23

In those days also I saw Jews that married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab. Ashdod, or Azotus, as it is called in Act 8:40, was one of the five cities of the Philistines; which, though none of the seven nations with whom marriage was forbid, yet it was very unfit and improper to marry with them, Jdg 14:3. This place was a mart of the Arabians ^h, where they sold their goods, to which the Jews might resort, and thereby be ensnared into such marriages; and which with the Ammonites and Moabites were unlawful, Neh 13:1.

Gill: Neh 13:24

And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod,.... Which they learned of their mothers, so that it was a mixed language they spoke, partly Jewish and partly Philistine; but some refer this not to their speech, but to the number of their children; that half of them, which Jarchi interprets many of them, spoke in the language of Ashdod, even as many as were most with their mothers, and chiefly brought up by them:

and could not speak in the Jews' language; not at all, or so much as to be understood well, which inclines to the last sense:

but according to the language of each people; their mothers were of, whether of Ashdod, or of Ammon, or of Moab.

Gill: Neh 13:25

And I contended with them,.... Argued with them, faithfully admonished them, and sharply reproved them:

and cursed them; assuring them that the curse of God would come upon them, unless they repented. Aben Ezra interprets it of excommunicating them, either with "Cherem" or "Niddui", which were two sorts of excommunication among the Jews; but it is a question whether as yet those were used by them:

and smote certain of them; ordered them to be beaten with rods or scourges, as transgressors of the law:

and plucked off their hair; or ordered it to be plucked off by the executioner that smote them; which sort of punishment, as it was painful, it was disgraceful and ignominious, see Isa 1:6,

and made them swear by God, saying, ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves; not intermarry with them; this they had sworn to before, Neh 10:29.

Gill: Neh 13:26

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things?.... By marrying strange wives, by whom he was drawn into idolatry, 1Ki 11:3,

yet among many nations was there no king like him; as not for grandeur and riches, so not for wisdom, and yet was ensnared by his idolatrous wives:

who was beloved of God; alluding to his name Jedidiah, which signifies beloved of the Lord, 2Sa 12:24

and God made him king over all Israel; which was a proof of his love to him, and so he was under the greater obligation to serve him, and him only, and yet his heart, through his wives, was turned after other gods:

even him did outlandish women cause to sin; and if so great and wise a man was enticed by them to idolatry, much more may you, and therefore it was very dangerous to marry with them.

Gill: Neh 13:27

Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil,.... To suffer it to be done, and connive at it, and not punish for it:

to transgress against our God; his law, his mind, and will:

in marrying strange wives? forbidden by him, Deu 7:1.

Gill: Neh 13:28

And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest,.... A grandson of the high priest; for the high priest here is Eliashib, according to our version, and not Joiada his son, according to Dr. Prideaux ⁱ; the person designed, Josephus ^k makes to be Manasseh, the brother of Jaddua the high priest: was

son in law to Sanballat the Horonite; married a daughter of his, who was the avowed enemy of the Jewish nation; and for whom, according to the same writer, Sanballat obtained leave of Alexander to build a temple on Mount Gerizim; but this is to protract the age of Nehemiah and Sanballat to too great a length; besides, Eliashib seems to have been now high priest, and not even his son Joiada, and much less Jaddua, a grandson of Joiada:

therefore I chased him from me; drove him from his court, suffered him not to minister at the altar; banished him from the city, as Jarchi, and even from the land of Judea.

Gill: Neh 13:29

Remember them, O my God,.... The priests, and punish them: because they have defiled the priesthood; by marrying strange wives, and rendering themselves unfit to officiate in it:

and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites; made with Levi, Aaron, and Phinehas, see Num 24:11, of the corruption of which, complaint is made, Mal 2:4.

Gill: Neh 13:30

Thus cleansed I them from all strangers,.... Both people and priests from strange wives, obliging them to put them away, or flee their country:

and appointing the wards of the priests and the Levites, everyone in his business: to do the work of their office in their courses and turns.

Gill: Neh 13:31

And for the wood offering, at times appointed,.... Of which see Neh 10:34. Levites were appointed to receive the wood that was brought at the times and by the persons fixed, and lay it up in its proper place, and carry it to the altar when wanted:

and for the first fruits; to receive and take care of them, and distribute them to the persons to whom they belonged:

remember me, O my God, for good; to bless him with all good things, temporal and spiritual, to keep him faithful, to make him useful in church and state, and protect him from all his enemies: or rather this may respect what goes before, that as to the wood offering and the firstfruits, that God would graciously remember him as to them, since the one was as necessary to the altar as the other was to those that minister at it.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Neh 13:13

¹ tc Probably one should read with the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate וָאֲצַוֶּה (va’atsavveh, “and I commanded”) rather than the rare denominative verb וָאוֹצְרָה (va’otsÿrah, “and I appointed over the storeroom”) of the MT.

² tn Heb “be over”

³ tn Heb “on their hand.”

⁴ tn Heb “brothers.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:16

¹ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

² tn The words “of all places” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation to indicate the emphasis on Jerusalem.

NET Notes: Neh 13:18

¹ tn Heb “your fathers.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:19

¹ tn Heb “the gates of Jerusalem grew dark.”

² tn Heb “said” (so also in v. 22).

³ tn Heb “caused to stand.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:21

¹ tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”

³ sn This statement contains a great deal of restrained humor. The author clearly takes pleasure in the effectiveness of the measures that he had enacted.

NET Notes: Neh 13:24

¹ tn Heb “people and people.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:25

¹ tn Heb “give.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:26

¹ tn Heb “gave.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:27

¹ tn Heb “give a dwelling to.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:29

¹ tc One medieval Hebrew MS, the Lucianic Greek recension, and the Syriac Peshitta read the plural הַכֹּהֲנִים (hakkohanim, “the priests”) rather than the singular reading of the MT, הַכְּהֻנָּה (hakkÿhunnah, “the priesthood”).

NET Notes: Neh 13:30

¹ tn Heb “a man in his work.”

NET Notes: Neh 13:31

¹ tn The words “I also provided for” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:14

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my ^{( f )} good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

^{( f )} He protests that he did his duty with a good conscience yet he does not justify himself in it, but desires God to favour him and to be merciful to him for his own goodness' sake, as in (Neh 13:22, Neh 13:31).

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:15

In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all [manner of] burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and ^{( g )} I testified [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals.

^{( g )} I declared to them that God would not allow such transgressors of his law to go unpunished.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:18

Did not your fathers ^{( h )} thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

^{( h )} Was this not the reason God plagued us in times past: meaning, that if they transgressed now in the same way, their plague would be greater.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:19

And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be ^{( i )} dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and [some] of my servants set I at the gates, [that] there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

^{( i )} About the time that the sun went down, for the sabbath lasted from the sun setting one day, to the sun setting the next day.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:22

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and [that] they should come [and] ^{( k )} keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, [concerning] this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

^{( k )} Meaning, of the temple that none that was unclean should enter.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:23

In those days also saw I Jews [that] had married wives of ^{( l )} Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:

^{( l )} Which was a city of the Philistines and they had married wives from it and so had corrupted their speech and religion.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:25

And I contended with them, and ^{( m )} cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

^{( m )} That is, I excommunicated them and drove them out of the congregation.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:29

Remember them, O my God, because they have ^{( n )} defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

^{( n )} Punish them according to their sin and the evil example they have given to the rest of the people contrary to their calling.

Geneva Bible: Neh 13:31

And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, ^{( o )} for good.

^{( o )} That is, to show mercy to me.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Neh 13:1-31

1 Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude.

4 Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed.

10 He reforms the offices in the house of God;

15 the violation of the sabbath;

23 and the marriages with the strange wives.

Maclaren: Neh 13:14

III. Nehemiah's Prayer Occurs Thrice In This Chapter, At The Close Of Each Section Recounting His Reforming Acts.

In the first instance (Neh. 13:14) it is most full, and puts very plainly the merit of good deeds as a plea with God. The same thing is implied in its form in Neh. 13:22. But while, no doubt, the tone of the prayer is startling to us, and is not such as should be offered now by Christians, it but echoes the principle of retribution which underlies the law. This do, and thou shalt live,' was the very foundation of Nehemiah's form of God's revelation. We do not plead our own merits, because we are not under the law, but under grace, and the principle underlying the gospel is life by impartation of unmerited mercy and divine life. But the law of retribution still remains valid for Christians in so far as that God will never forget any of their works, and will give them full recompense for their work of faith and labour of love. Eternal life here and hereafter is wholly the gift of God; but that fact does not exclude the notion of the recompense of reward' from the Christian conception of the future. It becomes not us to present our good deeds before the Judge, since they are stained and imperfect, and the goodness in them is His gift. But it becomes Him to crown them with His gracious approbation, and to proportion the cities ruled in that future world to the talents faithfully used here. We need not be afraid of obscuring the truth that we are saved not of works, lest any man should boast,' though we insist that a Christian man is rewarded according to his works.

Nehemiah had no false notion of his own goodness; for, while he asked for recompense for these good deeds of his, he could not but add, Spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.' He who asks to be spared' must know himself in peril of destruction; and he who invokes mercy' must think that, if he were dealt with according to justice, he would be in evil case. So the consciousness of weakness and sin is an integral part of this prayer, and that takes all the apparent self-righteousness out of the previous petition. However worthy of and sure of reward a Christian man's acts of love and efforts for the spread of God's honour may be, the doer of them must still be looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.'

THE END

Esther

Maclaren: Neh 13:15-22

Sabbath Observance

In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16. There dwelt men Tyro also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18. Did not your fathers thus. and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.'--Neh. 13:15-22.

MANY religious and moral reformations depend for their vitality on one man, and droop if his influence be withdrawn. It was so with Nehemiah's work. He toiled for twelve years in Jerusalem, and then returned for' certain days' to the king at Babylon. The length of his absence is not given; but it was long enough to let much of his work be undone, and to give him much trouble to restore it to the condition in which he had left it. This last chapter of his book is but a sad close for a record which began with such high hope, and tells of such strenuous, self-sacrificing effort. The last page of many a reformer's history has been, like Nehemiah's, a sad account of efforts to stem the ebbing tide of enthusiasm and the flowing tide of worldliness. The heavy stone is rolled a little way up hill, and, as soon as one strong hand is withdrawn, down it tumbles again to its old place. The evanescence of great men's work makes much of the tragedy of history.

Our passage is particularly concerned with Nehemiah's efforts to enforce Sabbath observance. The rest of the chapter is occupied with similar efforts to set right other irregularities of a ceremonial character, such as the exclusion of Gentiles from the Temple, the exaction of the portions of the Levites,' and the like. The passage falls into three parts, the abuse (Neh. 13:15, 16), the vigorous remedies (Neh. 13:17-22), and the prayer (Neh. 13:22).

I. The Abuse Consisted In Sabbath Work And Trading.

Nehemiah found, on his return, that the people in Judaea', that is, in the country districts, carried on their farm labour and also brought their produce to market to Jerusalem on the Sabbath. So he testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals'; that is, probably meaning that he warned them either in person or by messengers before taking further steps. Not only did Jews break the sacred day, but they let heathen do so too. The narrative tells, with a kind of horror, the many aggravations of this piece of wickedness. They', Gentiles with whom contact defiled, sold on the Sabbath , the day of rest, to the children of Judah', God's people, in Jerusalem', the Holy City. It was a many-barrelled crime. Tyre was far from Jerusalem, and one does not see how fish could have been brought in good condition. Perhaps their perishableness was the excuse for allowing their sale on the Sabbath, as is sometimes the case in fishing villages even in Sabbath-keeping Scotland. Such was the abuse with which Nehemiah struggled.

It is easy to pooh-pooh his crusade against Sabbath labour as mere scrupulousness about externals. But it is a blunder and an injustice to a noble character if we forget that the stage of revelation at which he stood necessarily made him more dependent on externals than Christians are or should be. But his vindication does not need such considerations. He had a truer insight into what active men needed for vigorous working days, and what devout men needed for healthy religion, than many moderns who smile at his eagerness about mere externalisms.'

It is easy to ridicule the Jewish Sabbath and the Puritan Sunday.' No doubt there have been and are well-meant but mistaken efforts to insist on too rigid observance. No doubt it has been often forgotten by good people that the Christian Lord's Day is not the Jewish Sabbath. Of course the religious observance of the day is not a fit subject for legislation. But the need for a seventh day of rest is impressed on our physical and intellectual nature; and devout hearts will joyfully find their best rest in Christian worship and service. The vigour of religious life demands special seasons set apart for worship. Unless there be such reservoirs along the road, there will be but a thin trickle of a brook by the way. It is all very well to talk about religion diffused through the life, but it will not be so diffused unless it is concentrated at certain times.

They are no benefactors to the community who seek to break down and relax the stringency of the prohibition of labour. If once the idea that Sunday is a day of amusement take root, the amusement of some will require the hard work of others, and the custom of work will tend to extend, till rest becomes the exception, and work the rule. There never was a time when men lived so furiously fast as now. The pace of modern life demands Sunday rest more than ever. If a railway car is run continually it will wear out sooner than if it were laid aside for a day or two occasionally; and if it is run at express speed it will need the rest more. We are all going at top speed; and there would be more breakdowns if it were not for that blessed institution which some people think they are promoting the public good by destroying, a seventh day of rest.

Our great trading centres in England have the same foreign element to complicate matters as Nehemiah had to deal with. The Tyrian fishmongers knew and cared nothing for Israel's Jehovah or Sabbath, and their presence would increase the tendency to disregard the day. So with us, foreigners of many nationalities, but alike in their disregard of our religious observances, leaven the society, and help to mould the opinions and practices, of our great cities. That is a very real source of danger in regard to Sabbath observance and many other things; and Christian people should be on their guard against it.

II. The Vigorous Remedies Applied By Nehemiah Were Administered First To The Rulers.

He sent for the nobles, and laid the blame at their doors. Ye profane the day,' said he. Men in authority are responsible for crimes which they could check, but prefer to wink at. Nehemiah seems to trace all the national calamities to the breach of the Sabbath; but of course he is simply laying stress on the sin about which he is speaking, as any man who sets himself earnestly to work to fight any form of evil is apt to do. Then the men who are not in earnest cry out about exaggeration.' Many other sins besides Sabbath-breaking had a share in sending Israel into captivity; and if Nehemiah had been fighting with idolatrous tendencies he would have isolated idolatry as the cause of its calamities, just as, when fighting against Sabbath-breaking, he emphasises that sin.

Nehemiah was governor for the Persian king, and had a right to rate these nobles. In this day the people have the same right, and there are many social sins for which they should arraign civic and other authorities. Christian principles unflinchingly insisted on by Christian people, and brought to bear, by ballot boxes and other persuasive ways, on what stands for conscience in some high places, would make a wonderful difference on many of the abominations of our cities. Go to the nobles' first, and lay the burden on the backs that ought to carry it.

Then Nehemiah took practical measures by shutting the city gates on the eve of the Sabbath, and putting some of his own servants as a watch. The thing seems to have been done without any notice; so when the country folk came in, as usual, on the Sabbath, they could not get into the city, and camped outside, making a visible temptation to the citizens, to slip out and do a little business, if they could manage to elude the guards. Once or twice this happened; and then Nehemiah himself seems to have taken them in hand, with a very plain and sufficiently emphatic warning: If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.'

Of course, from that time they came no more on the Sabbath,' as was natural after such a volley. A man with a good strong will is apt to get his own way, even when he is not clothed with the authority of a governor. Then Nehemiah strengthened the guard, or perhaps withdrew his own servants and substituted for them Levites, whose official position would put them in full sympathy with his efforts. That priestly guard would be inflexible, and with its appointment the abuse appears to have been crushed.

The example of Nehemiah's enforcing Sabbath observance is not to be taken as a pattern for Christian communities, without many limitations. But it appears to the present writer that it is perfectly legitimate for the civil power to insist upon, and if necessary to enforce, the observance of Sunday as a day of rest; and that, since legitimate, it is for the well-being of the community that it should do so. Tyrians might believe anything they chose, and use the day of rest as they thought proper, so long as they did not sell fish on it. We do not interfere with religious convictions when we enjoin Sunday observance. Nehemiah's argument has sometimes to be used, even about such a matter: If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.'

The methods adopted may yield suggestions for all who would aim at reforming abuses or public immoralities. One most necessary step is to cut off, as far as possible, opportunities for the sin. There will be no trade if you shut the gates the night before. There will be little drunkenness if there are no liquor shops. It is quite true that people cannot be made virtuous by legislation, but it is also true that they may be saved from temptations to become vicious by it.

Another hint comes from Nehemiah's vigorous word to the country folk outside the wall. There is need for very strong determination and much sanctified obstinacy in fighting popular abuses. They die hard. It is permissible to invoke the aid of the lawful authority. But a man with strong convictions and earnest purpose will be able to impress his convictions on a mass, even if he have no guards at his back. The one thing needful for Christian reformers is, not the power to appeal to force, but the force which they can carry within them. And it is better when the traders love the Sabbath too well to wish to drive bargains on it, than when they are hindered from doing as they wish by Nehemiah's strong will or formidable threats.

Once more, the guard of Levites may suggest that the execution of measures for the reformation of manners or morals is best entrusted to those who are in sympathy with them. Levites made faithful watch men. Many a promising measure for reformation has come to nothing because committed to the hands of functionaries who did not care for its success. The instruments are almost as important as the measures which they carry out.

MHCC: Neh 13:10-14

If a sacred character will not keep men from setting an evil example, it must not shelter any one from deserved blame and punishment. The Levites had been wronged; their portions had not been given them. They were gone to get livelihoods for themselves and their families, for their profession would not maintain them. A maintenance not sufficient, makes a poor ministry. The work is neglected, because the workmen are. Nehemiah laid the fault upon the rulers. Both ministers and people, who forsake religion and the services of it, and magistrates, who do not what they can to keep them to it, will have much to answer for. He delayed not to bring the Levites to their places again, and that just payment should be made. Nehemiah on every occasion looked up to God, and committed himself and all his affairs to Him. It pleased him to think that he had been of use to revive and support religion in his country. He here refers to God, not in pride, but with a humble appeal concerning his honest intention in what he had done. He prays, " Remember me;" not, Reward me. " Wipe not out my good deeds;" not, Publish them, or record them. Yet he was rewarded, and his good deeds recorded. God does more than we are able to ask.

MHCC: Neh 13:15-22

The keeping holy the Lord's day forms an important object for their attention who would promote true godliness. Religion never prospers while sabbaths are trodden under foot. No wonder there was a general decay of religion, and corruption of manners among the Jews, when they forsook the sanctuary and profaned the sabbath. Those little consider what an evil they do, who profane the sabbath. We must answer for the sins others are led to commit by our example. Nehemiah charges it on them as an evil thing, for so it is, proceeding from contempt of God and our own souls. He shows that sabbath-breaking was one of the sins for which God had brought judgments upon them; and if they did not take warning, but returned to the same sins again, they had to expect further judgments. The courage, zeal, and prudence of Nehemiah in this matter, are recorded for us to do likewise; and we have reason to think, that the cure he wrought was lasting. He felt and confessed himself a sinner, who could demand nothing from God as justice, when he thus cried unto him for mercy.

MHCC: Neh 13:23-31

If either parent be ungodly, corrupt nature will incline the children to take after that one; which is a strong reason why Christians should not be unequally yoked. In the education of children, great care should be taken about the government of their tongues; that they learn not the language of Ashdod, no impious or impure talk, no corrupt communication. Nehemiah showed the evil of these marriages. Some, more obstinate than the rest, he smote, that is, ordered them to be beaten by the officers according to the law, Deu 25:2, Deu 25:3. Here are Nehemiah's prayers on this occasion He prays, " Remember them, O my God." Lord, convince and convert them; put them in mind of what they should be and do. The best services to the public have been forgotten by those for whom they were done, therefore Nehemiah refers himself to God, to recompense him. This may well be the summary of our petitions; we need no more to make us happy than this; Remember me, O my God, for good. We may humbly hope that the Lord will remember us and our services, although, after lives of unwearied activity and usefulness, we shall still see cause to abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes, and to cry out with Nehemiah, Spare me, O my God, according to the greatness of they mercy.

Matthew Henry: Neh 13:10-14

Here is another grievance redressed by Nehemiah.

I. The Levites had been wronged. This was the grievance: their portions had not been given them, Neh 13:10. Perhaps Tobiah, when he took possession of the store-chambers, seized the stores too, and, by the connivance of Eliashib, converted them to his own use. The complaint is not that they were not collected from the people, but that they were not given to the Levites, and the Levites were so modest as not to sue for them; for the Levites and singers fled every one to his field. This comes in as a reason either, (1.) Why their payments were withheld. The Levites were non-residents: when they should have been doing their work about the temple, they were at their farms in the country; and therefore the people were little inclined to give them their maintenance. If ministers have not the encouragement they should have, let them consider whether they themselves be not accessory to the contempt they are under, by the neglect of their business. Or rather, (2.) It is the reason why Nehemiah soon perceived that their dues had been denied them, because he missed them from their posts. "Where are the singers"(said Nehemiah); "why do not they attend according to their office, to praise God?""Why, truly, they have gone every one to his country seat, to get a livelihood for themselves and their families out of their grounds; for their profession would not maintain them."A scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry. The work is neglected because the workmen are. It was not long since the payment of the salaries appointed for the singers was put into a very good method (Neh 12:47); and yet how soon did it fail for want of being looked after!

II. Nehemiah laid the fault upon the rulers, who should have taken care that the Levites minded their business and had all due encouragement therein. This is required from Christian magistrates, that they use their power to oblige ministers to do their duty, and people to do theirs. Nehemiah began with the rulers, and called them to an account: " Why is the house of God forsaken? Neh 13:11. Why are the Levites starved out of it? Why did not you take notice of this and prevent it?"The people forsook the Levites, which was expressly forbidden (Deu 12:19; Deu 14:27); and then the Levites forsook their post in the house of God. Both ministers and people who forsake religion and the services of it, and magistrates too who do not what they can to keep them to it, will have a great deal to answer for.

III. He delayed not to bring the dispersed Levites to their places again, and set them in their stations (as the word is), Neh 13:11. A Levite in his field ( clericus in foroa minister keeping the market ) is out of his station. God's house is his place, and there let him be found. Many that are careless would do much better than they do if they were but called upon. Say to Archippus, Take heed to thy ministry.

IV. He obliged the people to bring in their tithes, Neh 13:12. His zeal provoked theirs; and, when they saw the Levites at their work, they could not for shame withhold their wages any longer, but honestly and cheerfully brought them in. The better church-work is done the better will church-dues be paid.

V. He provided that just and prompt payment should be made of the Levites' stipends. Commissioners were appointed to see to this (Neh 13:13), and they were such as were accounted faithful, that is, had approved themselves so in other trusts committed to them, and so had purchased to themselves this good degree, 1Ti 3:13. Let men be tried first and then trusted, tried in the less and then trusted with more. Their office was to receive and pay, to distribute to their brethren in due season and due proportions.

VI. Having no recompence (it is a question whether he had thanks) from those for whom he did these good services, he looks up to God as his paymaster (Neh 13:14): Remember me, O my God! concerning this. Nehemiah was a man much in pious ejaculations; on every occasion he looked up to God, and committed himself and his affairs to him. 1. He here reflects with comfort and much satisfaction upon what he had done for the house of God and the offices thereof; it pleased him to think that he had been any way instrumental to revive and support religion in his country and to reform what was amiss. What kindness any show to God's ministers, thus shall it be returned into their own bosoms, in the secret joy they shall have there, not only in having done well, but in having done good, good to many, good to souls. 2. He here refers it to God to consider him for it, not in pride, or as boasting of what he had done, much less depending upon it as his righteousness, or as if he thought he had made God a debtor to him, but in a humble appeal to him concerning his integrity and honest intention in what he had done, and a believing expectation that he would not be unrighteous to forget his work and labour of love, Heb 6:10. Observe how modest he is in his requests. He only prays, Remember me, not Reward me - Wipe not out my good deeds, not Publish them, Record them. Yet he was rewarded and his good deeds were recorded; for God does more than we are able to ask. Note, Deeds done for the house of God and the offices of it, for the support of religion and the encouragement of it, are good deeds. There is both righteousness and godliness in them, and God will certainly remember them, and not wipe them out; they shall in no wise lose their reward.

Matthew Henry: Neh 13:15-22

Here is another instance of that blessed reformation in which Nehemiah was so active. He revived sabbath-sanctification, and maintained the authority of the fourth commandment; and a very good deed this was for the house of God and the offices thereof, for, where holy time is over-looked and made nothing of, it is not strange if all holy duties be neglected. Here is,

I. A remonstrance of the abuse. The law of the sabbath was very strict and much insisted one, and with good reason, for religion is never in the throne while sabbaths are trodden under foot. But Nehemiah discovered even in Judah, among those to whom sabbaths were given for a sign, this law wretchedly violated. His own eyes were his informers. Magistrates who are in care to discharge their duty aright will as much as may be see with their own eyes, and accomplish a diligent search to find out that which is evil. To his great grief it appeared that there was a general profanation of the sabbath, that holy day, even in Jerusalem, that holy city, which was so lately dedicated to God. 1. The husbandmen trod their wine-presses and brought home their corn on that day (Neh 13:15), through there was an express command that in earing-time, and in harvest-time, they should rest on the sabbaths (Exo 34:21), because then they might be tempted to take a greater liberty, and to fancy that God would indulge them in it. 2. The carriers loaded their asses with all manner of burdens, and made no scruple of it, though there was a particular proviso in the law for the cattle resting (Deu 5:14) and that they should bear no burden on the sabbath day, Jer 17:21. 3. The hawkers, and pedlars, and petty chapmen, that were men of Tyre, that famous trading city, sold all manner of wares on the sabbath day (Neh 13:16); and the children of Judah and Jerusalem had so little grace as to buy of them, and so encourage them in making our Father's day a day of merchandise, contrary to the law of the fourth commandment, which forbids the doing any manner of work. No wonder there was a general decay of religion and corruption of manners among this people when they forsook the sanctuary and profaned the sabbath.

II. The reformation of it. Those that are jealous for the honour of God cannot bear to see his sabbath profaned. Observe in what method this good man proceeded in his zeal for the sabbath.

1. He testified against those who profaned it, Neh 13:15, and again Neh 13:21. He not only expressed his own dislike of it, but endeavoured to convince them that it was a great sin, and showed them the testimony of the word of God against it. He would not punish it till he had laid open the evil of it.

2. He reasoned with the rulers concerning it, took the nobles of Judah to task, and contended with them, Neh 13:17. The greatest of men are not too high to be told of their faults by those whose proper office it is to reprove them; nay, great men should be, as here, contended with in the first place, because of the influence they have upon others.

(1.) He charges them with it: You do it. They did not carry corn, nor sell fish, but, [1.] They connived at those that did, and did not use their power to restrain them, and so made themselves guilty, as those magistrates do who bear the sword in vain. [2.] They set a bad example in other things. If the nobles allowed themselves in sports and recreations, in idle visits and idle talk, on the sabbath day, the men of business, both in city and country, would profane it by their worldly employments, as more justifiable. We must be responsible for the sins which others are led to commit by our example.

(2.) He charges it upon them as an evil thing, for so it is, proceeding from a great contempt of God and our own souls.

(3.) He reasons the case with them (Neh 13:18), and shows them that sabbath breaking was one of the sins for which God had brought judgments upon them, and that if they did not take warning, but returned to the same sins again, they had reason to expect further judgments: You bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. Thus Ezra concluded, If we again break thy commandments, wilt not thou be angry with us till thou hast consumed us? Ezr 9:14.

3. He took care to prevent the profanation of the sabbath, as one that aimed only at reformation. If he could reform them, he would not punish them, and, if he should punish them, it was but that he might reform them. This is an example to magistrates to be heirs of restraint, and prudently to use the bit and bridle, that there may be no occasion for the lash. (1.) He ordered the gates of Jerusalem to be kept shut from the evening before the sabbath to the morning after, and set his own servants (whose care, courage and honesty, he could confide in) to watch them, that no burdens should be brought in on the sabbath day, nor late the night before, nor early in the morning after, lest sabbath time should be encroached upon, Neh 13:19. Those that came in to worship in the courts of the temple were no doubt admitted to pass and repass, but none that came to sell goods; they were forced to lodge without the city (Neh 13:20), where no doubt they wished the sabbath were gone, that they might sell corn. (2.) He threatened those who came with goods to the gates, who pressed hard for entrance, telling them that, if they came again, he would certainly lay hands on them (Neh 13:21), and this deterred them from coming any more. Note, If reformers will but put on resolution, more may be done towards the breaking of bad customs than they can imagine. Vice connived at is indeed a daring thing, and will bid defiance to counsel and reproof; but it may be made cowardly, and will be so when magistrates make themselves a terror to it. The king that sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes. (3.) He charged the Levites to take care about the due sanctifying of the sabbath, that they should cleanse themselves in the first place, and so give a good example to the people, and that they should some of them come and keep the gates, Neh 13:22. Because he and his servants must shortly return to court, he would leave this charge with some that might abide by it, that not only when he was present, but in his absence, the sabbath might be sanctified. Then there is likely to be a reformation, in this and other respects, when magistrates and ministers join their forces. The courage, zeal, and prudence of Nehemiah in this matter, are here recorded for our imitation; and we have reason to think that the cure he wrought was lasting; for, in our Saviour's time, we find the Jews in the other extreme, over-scrupulous in the ceremonial part of sabbath-sanctification.

4. He concludes this passage with a prayer (Neh 13:22), in which observe, (1.) The petitions: Remember me (as the thief on the cross, Lord, remember me ); that is enough. God's thoughts to us ward are very precious, Psa 40:5. He adds, Spare me. So far is he from thinking that what he had done did properly merit a reward in strict justice that he cries earnestly to God to spare him, as Jeremiah (Jer 15:15), Take me not away in thy long-suffering (Jer 10:24), Correct me not in anger, and (Jer 17:17), Be not a terror to me. Note, The best saints, even when they do the best actions, stand in need of sparing mercy; for there is not a just man that doeth good and sinneth not. (2.) The plea: According to the greatness (or multitude) of thy mercies. Note, God's mercy is what we must depend upon, and not any merit of our own, when we appear before God.

Matthew Henry: Neh 13:23-31

We have here one instance more of Nehemiah's pious zeal for the purifying of his countrymen as a peculiar people to God; that was the thing he aimed at in the use of his power, not the enriching of himself. See here,

I. How they had corrupted themselves by marrying strange wives. This was complained of in Ezra's time, and much done towards a reformation, Ezr 9:1-15 and 10. But, when the unclean spirit is cast out, if a watchful eye be not kept upon him, he will re-enter; so he did here. Though in Ezra's time those that had married strange wives were forced to put them away, which could not but occasion trouble and confusion in families, yet others would not take warning. Nitimur in vetitum - we still lean towards what is forbidden. Nehemiah, like a good governor, enquired into the state of the families of those that were under his charge, that he might reform what was amiss in them, and so heal the streams by healing the springs. 1. He enquired whence they had their wives, and found that many of the Jews had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab (Neh 13:23), either because they were fond of what was far-fetched or because they hoped by these alliances to strengthen and enrich themselves. See how God by the prophet reproves this, Mal 2:11. Judah has dealt treacherously, and broken covenant with God, the covenant made in Ezra's time with reference to this very thing; he has profaned the holiness of the Lord by marrying the daughter (that is, the worshipper) of a strange god. 2. He talked with the children, and found they were children of strangers, for their speech betrayed them. The children were bred up with their mothers, and learned of them and their nurses and servants to speak, so that they could not speak the Jews' language, could not speak it at all, or not readily, or not purely, but half in the speech of Ashdod, or Ammon, or Moab, according as the country was which the mother was a native of. Observe, (1.) Children, in their childhood, learn much of their mothers. Partus sequitur ventrem - they are prone to imitate their mothers. (2.) If either side be bad, the corrupt nature will incline the children to take after that, which is a good reason why Christians should not be unequally yoked. (3.) In the education of children great care should be taken about the government of their tongues, that they learn not the language of Ashdod, any impious or impure talk, any corrupt communication.

II. What course Nehemiah took to purge out this corruption, when he discovered how much it had prevailed.

1. He showed them the evil of it, and the obligation he lay under to witness against it. He did not seek an occasion against them, but this was an iniquity to be punished by the judge, and which he must by no means connive at (Neh 13:27): " Shall we hearken to you, who endeavour to palliate and excuse it? No, it is an evil, a great evil, it is a transgression against our God, to marry strange wives, and we must do our utmost to put a stop to it. You beg that they may not be divorced from you, but we cannot hearken to you, for there is no other remedy to clear us from the guilt and prevent infection."(1.) He quotes a precept, to prove that it was in itself a great sin; and makes them swear to that precept: You shall not give your daughters unto their sons, etc., which is taken from Deu 7:3. When we would reclaim people from sin we must show them the sinfulness of it in the glass of the commandment. (2.) He quotes a precedent, to show the pernicious consequences of it, which made it necessary to be animadverted upon by the government (Neh 13:26): Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? The falls of great and good men are recorded in order that we may take warning by them to shun the temptations which they were overcome by. Solomon was famous for wisdom; there was no king like him for it; yet, when he married strange wives, his wisdom could not secure him from their snares, nay, it departed from him, and he did very foolishly. He was beloved of God, but his marrying strange wives threw him out of God's favour, and went near to extinguish the holy fire of grace in his soul: he was king over all Israel; but his doing this occasioned the loss of ten of his twelve tribes. You plead that you can marry strange wives and yet retain the purity of Israelites; but Solomon himself could not; even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Therefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall when he runs upon such a precipice.

2. He showed himself highly displeased at it, that he might awaken them to a due sense of the evil of it: He contended with them, Neh 13:25. They offered to justify themselves in what they did, but he showed them how frivolous their excuses were, and argued it warmly with them. When he had silenced them he cursed them, that is, he denounced the judgments of God against them, and showed them what their sin deserved. He then picked out some of them that were more obstinate than the rest, and fit to be made examples, and smote them (that is, ordered them to be beaten by the proper officers according to the law, Deu 25:2, Deu 25:3), to which he added this further mark of infamy that he plucked off their hair, or cut or shaved it off; for it may so be understood. Perhaps they had prided themselves in their hair, and therefore he took it off to deform and humble them, and put them to shame; it was, in effect, to stigmatize them, at least for a time. Ezra, in this case, had plucked off his own hair, in holy sorrow for the sin; Nehemiah plucked off their hair, in a holy indignation at the sinners. See the different tempers of wise, and good, and useful men, and the divers graces, as well as divers gifts, of the same Spirit.

3. He obliged them not to take any more such wives, and separated those whom they had taken: He cleansed them from all strangers, both men and women (Neh 13:30), and made them promise with an oath that they would never do so again, Neh 13:25. Thus did he try all ways and means to put a stop to this mischief and to prevent another relapse into this disease.

4. He took particular care of the priests' families, that they might not lie under this stain, this guilt. He found, upon enquiry, that a branch of the high priest's own family, one of his grandsons, had married a daughter of Sanballat, that notorious enemy of the Jews (Neh 2:10; Neh 4:1), and so had, in effect, twisted interests with the Samaritans, Neh 13:28. How little love had that man either to God or his country who could make himself in duty and interest a friend to him that was a sworn enemy to both. It seems this young priest would not put away his wife, and therefore Nehemiah chased him from him, deprived him, degraded him, and made him for ever incapable of the priesthood. Josephus says that this expelled priest was Manasseh, and that when Nehemiah drove him away he went to his father-in-law Sanballat, who built him a temple upon Mount Gerazim, like that at Jerusalem, and promised him he should be high priest in it, and that then was laid the foundation of the Samaritans' pretensions, which continued warm to our Saviour's time. Joh 4:20, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. When Nehemiah had thus expelled one that had forfeited the honour of the priesthood he again posted the priests and Levites every one in his business, Neh 13:30. It was no loss to them to part with one that was the scandal of their cloth; the work would be done better without him. When Judas had gone out Christ said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, Joh 13:30, Joh 13:31. Here are Nehemiah's prayers on this occasion. (1.) He prays, Remember them, O my God! Neh 13:29. "Lord, convince and convert them; put them in mind of what they should be and do, that they may come to themselves."Or, "Remember them to reckon with them for their sin; remember it against them."If we take it so, this prayer is a prophecy that God would remember it against them. Those that defile the priesthood despise God, and shall be lightly esteemed. Perhaps they were too many and too great for him to deal with. "Lord"(says he), "deal thou with them; take the work into thy own hands."(2.) He prays, Remember me, O my God! Neh 13:31. The best services done to the public have sometimes been forgotten by those for whom they were done (Ecc 9:15); therefore Nehemiah refers it to God to recompense him, takes him for his paymaster, and then doubts not but he shall be well paid. This may well be the summary of our petitions; we need no more to make us happy than this: Remember me, O my God! for good.

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 13:10-14

The payment of dues to the Levites, and the delivery of the tenths andfirst-fruits, had also been omitted. - Neh 13:10. "And I perceived that theportions of the Levites had not been given; and the Levites and singerswho had to do the work, were fled every one to his field."The Levites,i.e., the assistants of the priests, the singers, and also the porters, who arenot expressly mentioned in this passage, were accustomed to receiveduring the time of their ministry their daily portions of the tenths andfirst-fruits (Neh 12:47). When then these offerings were discontinued,they were obliged to seek their maintenance from the fields of the townsand villages in which they dwelt (Neh 12:28.), and to forsake the service of thehouse of God. This is the meaning of the בּרח , to flee to thefields.

Neh 13:11-12

"Then I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is thehouse of God forsaken?"It was the duty of the סגנים , theheads of the community (comp. Neh 2:16), to see that the tithes, etc.,were regularly brought to the house of God. Hence Nehemiah rebukesthem by asking: Why is the house of God forsaken? i.e., through the non-delivery of the dues. On נעזב , comp. Neh 10:39. This rebuke madethe impression desired. Nehemiah assembled the Levites and set them intheir place (comp. Neh 9:3; 2Ch 30:16; 2Ch 35:10), i.e., he brought them back to theperformance of their official duties, and (Neh 13:12) all Judah (the wholecommunity) brought the tithe of the corn, etc., into the store-chambers ofthe temple; comp. Neh 10:38. 2Ch 11:11.

Neh 13:13-14

"And I appointed as managers of the stores (or storehouses,i.e., magazines) Shemaiah the priest,"etc. ואוצרה , Hiphil, for אוצירה , is a denominative from אוצר , to set some one overthe treasures. Whether Shemaiah and Zadok are the individuals of thesenames mentioned in Neh 3:30, Neh 3:29, cannot be determined. Zadok is called a סופר , a writer or secretary, not a scribe in the Jewish sense ofthat word. A Pedaiah occurs Neh 8:4. ידם ועל , and at theirhand Hanan, probably as an under-steward. These four were placed in thisposition because they were esteemed faithful. ועליהם , and itwas (incumbent) on them (comp. 1Ch 9:27; Ezr 10:12) to distributeto their brethren, i.e., to the priests and Levites, the portions due to them(Neh 13:10). Nehemiah concludes his account of this matter with the wish, thatGod may remember him concerning it (comp. Neh 5:19), and not wipe outthe kindnesses which he has shown to the house of God and its watches. תּמה , abbreviated from the Hiphil תּמחה , to cause to wipe out. חסדים .tuo like 2Ch 35:26. משׁמרים (the form occurring onlyhere), properly watches, watch-posts, here the office of attending on theservice of the temple.

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 13:15-22

Field-work and trading on the Sabbath done away with. - Neh 13:15. In thosedays, i.e., when he was occupied with the arrangements for worship,Nehemiah saw in Judah (in the province) some treading wine-presses onthe Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses, and also wine,grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, and bringing it to Jerusalem onthe Sabbath-day. The מביאים is again taken up by the second וּמביאים , and more closely defined by the addition: toJerusalem. Robinson describes an ancient wine-press in his BiblicalResearches , p. 178. On כּל־משּׂא , comp. Jer 17:21. ואעיד ,and I testified (against them), i.e., warned them on the day wherein theysold victuals. ציד , food, victuals; Psa 132:15; Jos 9:5, Jos 9:14. Hewarned them no longer to sell victuals on the Sabbath-day. Bertheau, onthe contrary, thinks that Nehemiah saw how the market people in theneighbourhood of Jerusalem started while it was still the Sabbath, not forthe purpose of selling during that day, but for that of being early in themarket on the next day, or the next but one. The text, however, offers nosupport to such a notion. In Neh 13:16 it is expressly said that selling tookplace in Jerusalem on the Sabbath; and the very bringing thither of wine,grapes, etc., on the Sabbath, presupposes that the sale of these articleswas transacted on that day.

Neh 13:16

Tyrians also were staying therein, bringing fish and all kind ofware ( מכר ), and sold it on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah and inJerusalem. ישׁב is by most expositors translated, to dwell; butit is improbable that Tyrians would at that time dwell or settle atJerusalem: hence ישׁב here means to sit, i.e., to stay awhileundisturbed, to tarry.

Neh 13:17-18

Nehemiah reproved the nobles of Judah for this profanationof the Sabbath, reminding them how their fathers (forefathers) by suchacts (as rebuked e.g., by Jeremiah, Jer 17:21.) had brought upon thepeople and the city great evil, i.e., the misery of their former exile andpresent oppression; remarking in addition, "and ye are bringing more wrathupon Israel, profaning the Sabbath,"i.e., you are only increasing the wrathof God already lying upon Israel, by your desecration of the Sabbath. Comp. on the last thought, Ezr 10:10, Ezr 10:14. He also instituted measures forthe abolition of this trespass.

Neh 13:19

He commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be closedwhen it began to be dark before the Sabbath, and not re-opened till theSabbath was over. In the description of this measure the command and itsexecution are intermixed, or rather the execution is brought forward as thechief matter, and the command inserted therein. "And it came to pass, assoon as the gates of Jerusalem were dark (i.e., when it was dark in thegates) before the Sabbath, I commanded, and the gates were shut; and Icommanded that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath,"i.e.,after sunset on the Sabbath-day. צלל , in the sense of to growdark, occurs in Hebrew only here, and is an Aramaean expression. Nehemiah also placed some of his servants at the gates, that no burdens,i.e., no wares, victuals, etc., might be brought in on the Sabbath. אשׁר is wanting before יבוא לא ; the command isdirectly alluded to, and, with the command, must be supplied before יבוא לא . The placing of the watch was necessary,because the gates could not be kept strictly closed during the whole of theday, and ingress and egress thus entirely forbidden to the inhabitants.

Neh 13:20

Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of ware remainedthroughout the night outside Jerusalem, once and twice. Thus, becauseegress from the city could not be refused to the inhabitants, the rest of theSabbath was broken outside the gates. Nehemiah therefore put an end tothis misdemeanour also.

Neh 13:21

He warned the merchants to do this no more, threatening them:"If you do (this) again (i.e., pass the night before the walls), I will layhands on you,"i.e., drive you away by force. The form לנים for לנים occurs only here as a "semi-passive"formation; comp. Ewald,§151, b . From that time forth they came no more on the Sabbath.

Neh 13:22

A further measure taken by Nehemiah for the sanctification ofthe Sabbath according to the law, is so briefly narrated, that it does notplainly appear in what it consisted. "I commanded the Levites that theyshould cleanse themselves, and they should come keep the gates tosanctify the Sabbath-day."The meaning of the words השּׁערים שׁמרים בּאים is doubtful. The Masoretes haveseparated בּאים from שׁמרים by Sakeph; while deWette, Bertheau, and others combine these words: and that they shouldcome to the keepers of the doors. This translation cannot be justified bythe usage of the language; for בּוא with an accusative of the personoccurs only, as may be proved, in prophetical and poetical diction (Job 20:22; Pro 10:24; Isa 41:25; Eze 32:11), and then in the sense of tocome upon some one, to surprise him, and never in the meaning of to comeor go to some one. Nor does this unjustifiable translation give even an appropriate sense. Why should the Levites go to the doorkeepers to sanctify the Sabbath?Bertheau thinks it was for the purpose of solemnly announcing to thedoorkeepers that the holy day had begun, or to advertise them by someform of consecration of its commencement. This, however, would havebeen either a useless or unmeaning ceremony. Hence we must relinquishthis connection of the words, and either combine השּׁערים שׁמרים as an asyndeton with בּאים : coming andwatching the gates, or: coming as watchers of the gates; and then themeasure taken would consist in the appointment of certain Levites to keepthe gates on the Sabbath, as well as the ordinary keepers, thus consecratingthe Sabbath as a holy day above ordinary days. Nehemiah concludes theaccount of the abolition of this irregularity, as well as the preceding, byinvoking a blessing upon himself; comp. rem. on Neh 13:14. על חוּסה like Joe 2:17.

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 13:23-24

Marriages with foreign wives dissolved. - Neh 13:23 and Neh 13:24. "In those days Ialso saw, i.e., visited, the Jews who had brought home Ashdodite,Ammonite, and Moabite wives; and half of their children spoke the speechof Ashdod, because they understood not how to speak the Jews' language,and according to the speech of one and of another people."It is not said, Isaw Jews; but, the Jews who ... Hence Bertheau rightly infers, thatNehemiah at this time found an opportunity of seeing them, perhaps upona journey through the province. From the circumstance, too, that a portionof the children of these marriages were not able to speak the language ofthe Jews, but spoke the language of Ashdod, or of this or that nation fromwhich their mothers were descended, we may conclude with tolerablecertainty, that these people dwelt neither in Jerusalem nor in the midst ofthe Jewish community, but on the borders of the nations to which theirwives belonged. הושׁיב like Ezr 10:2. וּבניהם precedes inan absolute sense: and as for their children, one half (of them) spake. יהוּדית (comp. 2Ki 18:26; Isa 36:11; 2Ch 32:18) is thelanguage of the Jewish community, the vernacular Hebrew. The sentence וגו ואינם is an explanatory parenthesis, ועם עם וכלשׁן still depending upon מדבר :spake according to the language, i.e., spake the language, of this and thatpeople (of their mothers). The speech of Ashdod is that of the Philistines,which, according to Hitzig ( Urgeschichte u. Mythol. der Philistäer ),belonged to the Indo-Germanic group. The languages, however, of theMoabites and Ammonites were undoubtedly Shemitic, but so dialecticallydifferent from the Hebrew, that they might be regarded as foreign tongues.

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 13:25-27

With these people also Nehemiah contended ( אריב like Neh 13:11 andNeh 13:17), cursed them, smote certain of their men, and plucked off their hair( מרט , see rem. on Ezr 9:3), and made them swear by God: Yeshall not give your daughters, etc.; comp. Neh 10:31. On the recurrence ofsuch marriages after the separations effected by Ezra of those existing athis arrival at Jerusalem. Nehemiah did not insiston the immediate dissolution of these marriages, but caused the men toswear that they would desist from such connections, setting before them,in Neh 13:26, how grievous a sin they were committing. "Did not Solomon, kingof Israel, sin on account of these?"( אלּה על , on account ofstrange wives). And among many nations there was no king like him(comp. 1Ki 3:12., 2Ch 1:12); and he was beloved of his God(alluding to 2Sa 12:24), and God made him king over all Israel (1Ki 4:1); and even him did foreign women cause to sin (comp. 1Ki 11:1-3). "And of you is it heard to do (that ye do) all this great evil, to transgressagainst our God, and to marry strange wives?"Bertheau thus rightlyunderstands the sentence: "If the powerful King Solomon was powerlessto resist the influence of foreign wives, and if he, the beloved God, foundin his relation to God no defence against the sin to which they seducedhim, is it not unheard of for you to commit so great an evil?"He alsorightly explains הנשׁמע according to Deu 9:23; while Geseniusin his Thes. still takes it, like Rambach, as the first person imperf.: nobisnemorem geramus faciendo ; or: Should we obey you to do so great an evil?(de Wette); which meaning - apart from the consideration that no obedience,but only toleration of the illegal act, is here in question - greatly weakens, ifit does not quite destroy, the contrast between Solomon and לכם .

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 13:28-29

Nehemiah acted with greater severity towards one of the sons of Joiadathe high priest, and son-in-law of Sanballat. He drove him from him( מעלי , that he might not be a burden to me). The reason forthis is not expressly stated, but is involved in the fact that he was son-in-law to Sanballat, i.e., had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite(Neh 2:10), who was so hostile to Nehemiah and to the Jewish communityin general, and would not comply with the demand of Nehemiah that heshould dismiss this wife. In this case, Nehemiah was obliged to interferewith authority. For this marriage was a pollution of the priesthood, and abreach of the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Hence he closesthe narrative of this occurrence with the wish, Neh 13:29, that God would bemindful of them ( להם , of those who had done such evil) onaccount of this pollution, etc., i.e., would punish or chastise them for it. גּאלי , stat. constr. pl . from גּאל , pollution ( plurale tant .). It was a pollution of the priesthood to marry a heathen woman, suchmarriage being opposed to the sacredness of the priestly office, which apriest was to consider even in the choice of a wife, and because of whichhe might marry neither a whore, nor a feeble nor a divorced woman, whilethe high priest mighty marry only a virgin of his own people (Lev 21:7, Lev 21:14). The son of Joiada who had married a daughter of Sanballat wasnot indeed his presumptive successor (Johanan, Neh 12:11), for then hewould have been spoken of by name, but a younger son, and therefore asimple priest; he was, however, so nearly related to the high priest, thatby his marriage with a heathen woman the holiness of the high-priestlyhouse was polluted, and therewith also "the covenant of the priesthood,"i.e., not the covenant of the everlasting priesthood which God granted toPhinehas for his zeal (Num 25:13), but the covenant which God concludedwith the tribe of Levi, the priesthood, and the Levites, by choosing thetribe of Levi, and of that tribe Aaron and his descendants, to be His priest( לו לכהנו , Exo 28:1). This covenant required, on the part of thepriests, that they should be "holy to the Lord"(Lev 21:6, Lev 21:8), who hadchosen them to be ministers of His sanctuary and stewards of His grace.

Josephus ( Ant . xi. 7. 2) relates the similar fact, that Manasseh, a brotherof the high priest Jaddua, married Nikaso, a daughter of the satrapSanballat, a Cuthite; that when the Jewish authorities on that accountexcluded him from the priesthood, he established, by the assistant of hisfather-in-law, the temple and worship on Mount Gerizim (xi. 8. 2-4), andthat many priests made common cause with him. Now, though Josephuscalls this Manasseh a brother of Jaddua, thus making him a grandson ofJoiada, and transposing the establishment of the Samaritan worship onGerizim to the last years of Darius Codomannus and the first of Alexanderof Macedon, it can scarcely be misunderstood that, notwithstanding thesediscrepancies, the same occurrence which Nehemiah relates in the presentverses is intended by Josephus. The view of older theologians, to whichalso Petermann (art. Samaria in Herzog's Realenc . xiii. p. 366f.) assents,that there were two Sanballats, one in the days of Nehemiah, the other inthe time of Alexander the Great, and that both had sons-in-law belongingto the high-priestly family, is very improbable; and the transposition ofthe fact by Josephus to the times of Darius Codomannus and Alexanderaccords with the usual and universally acknowledged incorrectness of hischronological combinations. He makes, e.g., Nehemiah arrive at Jerusalemin the twenty-fifth year of Xerxes, instead of the twentieth of Artaxerxes,while Xerxes reigned only twenty years.

Keil-Delitzsch: Neh 13:30-31

Nehemiah concludes his work with a short summary of what he hadeffected for the community. "I cleansed them from all strangers"(comp. Neh 13:23., Neh 9:2; Neh 13:1.), "and appointed the services for the priests andLevites, each in his business, and for the wood-offering at times appointed(Neh 10:35), and for the first-fruits"(Neh 10:36.). The suffix to וטהרתּים refers to the Jews. נכר , strange, means foreign heathencustoms, and chiefly marriages with heathen women, Neh 13:23., Neh 9:2; Neh 13:1. משׁמרות העמיד , properly to set a watch, here usedin the more general sense of to appoint posts of service for the priests andLevites, i.e., to arrange for the attendance upon those offices which theyhad to perform at their posts in the temple, according to the law; comp. Neh 10:37, Neh 10:39; Neh 12:44-46; Neh 13:13. וּלקרבּן and ולבּכּוּרים , Neh 13:31, still depend on משׁמרות ואעמידה : I appointed the attendance for the delivery of thewood for the altar at appointed times (comp. Neh 10:35), and for the first-fruits, i.e., for bringing into the sanctuary the heave-offering for thepriests. The בּכּוּרים are named as pars pro toto , instead of all the תרוּמות prescribed by the law. On the arrangements connectedwith these two subjects, viz., the purification from heathen practices, andthe restoration of the regular performance of divine worship, wasNehemiah's whole energy concentrated, after the fortification of Jerusalemby a wall of circumvallation had been completed. He thus earned a lastingclaim to the gratitude of the congregation of his fellow-countryman thatreturned from Babylon, and could conclude his narrative with the prayerthat God would remember him for good. On this frequently-repeatedsupplication (comp. Neh 13:14, Neh 13:22, and Neh 5:19) Rambach justly remarks: magnam Nehemiae pietatem spirat . This piety is, however - as we cannotfail also to perceive - strongly pervaded by the legal spirit of post-Babylonian Judaism.

rdrb rdrs rdrw30 rsp20

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 13:1-31

D. The Reforms Instituted by Nehemiah ch. 13

To understand when the events described in this chapter took place it is necessary to read verses 1-7, not just verse 1. Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes in 432 B.C. (v. 6). It was customary in the ancient Near East for kings to require their servants to return to them periodically to reaffirm their allegiance. "Some time" later Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem (v. 6). The text does not say how much later this was. The prophet Malachi reproved the Jews in Judah for the same sins Nehemiah described in this chapter, and conservative scholars usually date his prophecies about 432-431 B.C. Therefore Nehemiah may very well have returned to Jerusalem about 431 B.C. Undoubtedly he would have wished to return as soon as possible.

Each of the following reforms dealt with a violation of the covenant these people had made with God (cf. 10:29-32).

Constable: Neh 13:10-14

3. The revival of tithing 13:10-14

Because the people had failed to bring their tithes to the temple the Levites had to abandon their service in the temple to provide for their own physical needs. This failure may have resulted in rooms standing vacant for Tobiah to occupy as well. In response to Nehemiah's reprimands, and Malachi's preaching, the people began to tithe again (cf. Mal. 3:8-10)

Thus far all of Nehemiah's reforms, following his return to Jerusalem, involved temple service. Verse 14 records his prayer in view of these reforms (cf. 5:19).

Constable: Neh 13:15-22

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

Nehemiah discovered that foreign merchants were selling goods in Jerusalem on the Sabbath and that the Jews were also preparing and transporting goods on that holy day. He rebuked both the merchants and the Jewish nobles (cf. 10:31). Furthermore, he locked the city gates on the Sabbath and kept traders from gathering outside and tempting the Jews to buy and sell. He asked God to remember him for his fidelity to the Mosaic Law (v. 22b).

"In opposing Tobiah's personal use of a room in the temple precincts, Nehemiah was concerned about honoring holy space; in his anger against those who wanted to make the Sabbath just another day of buying and selling, he wanted to protect holy time."⁸⁸

Constable: Neh 13:23-29

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

Nehemiah confronted this problem as Ezra had several years earlier (Ezra 9-10). The text records only Nehemiah's words to the people, but since we know what kind of person he was we can safely assume that he followed up his words with action. Evidently some of these Jews had divorced their Jewish wives to marry foreigners (Mal. 2:10-16). Plucking the beard (v. 25) was a form of punishment (cf. Isa. 50:6), and it was a public disgrace (2 Sam. 10:4).

The marriage of Joiada's son to a foreigner (v. 28) was especially bad since he was the grandson of the high priest, and priests were to marry only Jewish virgins (Lev. 21:14).

"Any person in the high-priestly lineage could become high priest. It was thus a dangerous situation."⁸⁹

In the ancient East marriages involving prominent families were often arranged to secure political advantage and to form alliances. Probably this was the case in the marriage of the high priest's grandson and Sanballat's daughter.

Again, a similar prayer by Nehemiah marks off this significant reform (v. 29; cf. v. 14).⁹⁰

Constable: Neh 13:30-31

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

Probably we should understand these verses as summarizing Nehemiah's reforms after he returned to Jerusalem, namely, those described in this chapter. How long Nehemiah remained in Jerusalem is unknown. He behaved in this chapter as though he still had the power of a Persian governor.

". . . as facilitator of political stability and as the resolute upholder of the law, Nehemiah's mission has messianic features about it as well. He is thus a religious reformer who can be cast into the very best traditions of a Josiah or a Hezekiah."⁹¹

"Nehemiah's singlemindedness of purpose, attention to detail, willingness to delegate authority, dedication to service, and dependence on God were combined in a man who can simply be labeled as a servant of God."⁹²

Guzik: Neh 13:1-31

Nehemiah 13 - Nehemiah's Reforms

A. True worship leads to the nation's obedience.

1. (1-2) Hearing the law brings a call to obedience.

On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

a. No Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God: As the people drew near to God in worship (as seen in Nehemiah 11 and 12), they became aware of God's standards. In this case the standard stated in Deuteronomy 23:3-4, where the Ammonites and Moabites were not to be regarded as part of Israel.

b. Because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water: The Ammonites and Moabites were singled out because of their devious schemes against Israel, when Israel came into the promised land - at least a thousand years before this.

i. Long before the Ammonites and Moabites had schemed against Israel, God had made a promise to the father of the Jewish people, Abraham: I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you (Genesis 12:3). The command about the Ammonites and the Moabites is a simple fulfillment of this promise.

c. Should ever come into the assembly of God: This meant to be regarded as one of the people of Israel and people of God. It meant one could fully participate in the spiritual life of Israel.

i. An Israelite became a part of God's covenant by birth; but an Ammonite or Moabite could not. They had to become a part of the covenant by choice - by joining with God's covenant people and leaving their own people.

ii. This command was a powerful message - both then and now. It said to these Ammonites and Moabites, "You are not a part of the people of God by birth. You must make a choice. You can not live the thinking and deeds of your anti-God culture, and truly join in the spiritual life of God's people. Unless you leave one and join the other, you will never really be a part of this spiritual life. Come join us!"

d. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing: This refers to the events of Numbers 22-24, where God blessed Israel, even though the prophet Balaam wanted to curse them. It also reminds us that God is able - more than able - to turn any curse into a blessing.

2. (3) After hearing God's command, Israel obeys and separates from the mixed multitude.

So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

a. They separated all the mixed multitude from Israel: They could have thought of 20 reasons to not do what the word of God plainly told them to do. Instead, they simply obeyed.

i. They might have made familiar excuses:

· "That command was made long ago, and speaks to a different time."

· "Things are different now."

· "Let's not go overboard."

· "Let's assign a task force to examine the issue."

b. The mixed multitude: This refers to those who wanted to associate with the people of Israel, but did not want to count the cost and make a full commitment.

i. Even today, there may be people of good will in churches; honorable people, who respect God and His word. Yet they are part of the mixed multitude because they have not received God's covenant of salvation in Jesus. Such people are welcome, but it should be understood where they stand.

B. Nehemiah's reforms.

1. (4-9) Temple reforms.

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah. And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests. But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

a. But during all this I was not in Jerusalem: This section indicates that Nehemiah left Jerusalem and went back to his duties in the Persian court. He was gone from Jerusalem for anywhere from 10 to 12 years.

i. Nehemiah left sometime after the remarkable spiritual revival noted in the recent chapters. But the real test of revival - the real test of God's work in our lives - is the long term. It is seeing where we are with the Lord ten years after a season of great work.

b. I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah: When Nehemiah came back, he saw that Eliashib the priest had entered into agreements with one of the enemies of Nehemiah's work of rebuilding the wall - Tobiah.

i. Incidentally, Tobiah was an Ammonite (Nehemiah 2:10) - one of the very mixed multitude that had been put out of the assembly of God's people some 10 years before. At this point in the record of Nehemiah, Tobiah was not only present among the assembly, he actually rented rooms in the temple courts.

ii. Apparently, Tobiah had not changed over the years. He did not join the people of God in the terms of His covenant. The problem was evident to Nehemiah - but Eliashib was completely blind to it.

c. And it grieved me bitterly: There were many reasons why this was so distressing to Nehemiah.

i. Because rooms in the courts of the temple of God were being occupied by a man not only a pagan, but who also had a history of actively opposing God's work in the days of Nehemiah.

ii. Because it reflected so badly on Eliashib (a man who was a spiritual leader in Israel) and those around him. It showed that if Eliashib was blind to a problem area, there was also no one around him who could confront him with the problem.

iii. Because it made Nehemiah question the lasting value of the spiritual revival he witnessed when last in Jerusalem.

d. Therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room: Nehemiah wasn't one just to sit back and grieve. He took action - throwing all Tobiah's stuff out of the rooms he occupied in the temple courts, then ceremonially cleansing the rooms, and finally by putting the rooms to their proper use - as storerooms for the sacred things of the temple.

i. Nehemiah is much like Jesus when He cleansed the temple from those who profaned it. Both Jesus and Nehemiah had the wisdom to not confuse love with being "nice" - and the wisdom to know when to take bold action.

2. (10-14) Financial reforms.

I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. So I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their place. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!

a. I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them: The people did not obey God's word regarding giving. Because of the lack of support, those who should give their time to the service of God and His people (the Levites and the singers) could not - and they had to leave that service.

b. Why is the house of God forsaken? The lack of giving was a way of forsaking the house of God.

c. I gathered them all together and set them in their place: Nehemiah set the situation right by expecting the Levites and the singers to recommit to the work of serving God and His people as they should. He also reorganized the collection and accounting of the people's tithes and gifts.

3. (15-22) Priority reform.

In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath." So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, "Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!" From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

a. In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath: The Sabbath was being ignored in disobedience to God's clear command under the Old Covenant. Foreigners sold and the people of Israel bought.

i. At the root, this was a problem of priorities. There is nothing wrong with buying and selling, only when our desire to buy and sell, to make money or spend money, becomes more important to us than honoring God. This was a clear way the people of Israel were putting making and spending money before glorifying God.

ii. The New Testament makes it clear we are not under the law of the Sabbath in the same sense Israel was under the Old Covenant (Colossians 2:16-17); but we are certainly under the same obligation to make honoring God more important than making money or spending money.

b. You bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath: Nehemiah knew that sin was not only a personal issue. When such open sin is winked at and left uncorrected among God's people, it invites the correcting hand of God.

i. Nehemiah wasn't going to sit still for this; he threatened If you do so again, I will lay hands on you! He did not mean the gentle laying on of hands for prayer, but the rough laying on of hands for correction.

4. (23-31a) Relationship reform.

In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?" And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times.

a. In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab: In the years Nehemiah was away the Israelites had resumed their practice of intermarrying with the pagan nations surrounding them. This was in dramatic disobedience to God's command.

b. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear: From this strong reaction of Nehemiah, we gather he considered this to be the most dangerous of their sins - pursing ungodly romance, and getting involved in romantic relationships God had said "no" to.

i. His example of Solomon is well taken (Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? . . . pagan women caused even him to sin). If Solomon, one of the wisest and most blessed men ever, sinned with unwise and ungodly romance then no one else should consider themselves invulnerable.

5. (31b) Conclusion: Nehemiah's clear conscience.

Remember me, O my God, for good!

a. Remember me: At the end of it all, Nehemiah knew he did his best to make the people of God strong, safe, and secure. Beyond that, he also led them to be pure, worshipful, and obedient.

b. Remember me, O my God, for good! Yet, Nehemiah certainly carried a sense of failure. In Nehemiah 10 the people made a solemn covenant to God that they would not do three things: have ungodly romantic relationships (10:30), buy and sell on the Sabbath (10:31), and support the work of God with money as He commanded (10:32-39).

i. Nevertheless, in Nehemiah 13, some 10 to 12 years later, Israel was steeped in the exact sins they vowed to stop. Nehemiah had to address the problems of ungodly romantic relationships (13:23-31), buying and selling on the Sabbath (13:15-22), and failing to support the work of God as He commanded (13:10-14).

ii. In Nehemiah 10:39 the people promised: we will not neglect the house of our God. But later in Nehemiah 13:11, Nehemiah had to ask: Why is the house of God forsaken? It was forsaken because Israel did not keep its promises before God.

iii. This makes a point vividly clear: the law - that is, rules, vows, promises, covenants, and the such, are all ultimately powerless to stop sin. Only the grace of God, alive and flowing in our lives, can give us the power to truly overcome sin.

iv. Paul expresses this in Romans 8:3, among other places: For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Too many Christians look for victory in the making of rules, of vows, of promises - and fail to find it, because all those things tend to make us look to ourselves, instead of looking to Jesus.

v. The Old Testament history of Israel, from beginning to end, illustrates this. When the nation was first born at the Exodus, despite the most spectacular miracles, displays of God's glory, and revelation of the law, the people sinned, by crediting a gold calf with their deliverance from Egypt! And now here, at the end of the Old Testament history of God's people in the promised land, Nehemiah is pulling hair out - his own and those of sinners - because they couldn't keep their promises to God.

vi. If we could be saved by our own promises, by our own commitment to Jesus, then His death would have been noble, but unnecessary. We aren't saved by some vow we make, or some leaf we turn over, but by trusting in who Jesus is, and what He has done to save us.

© 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 13 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

Neh 13:1, Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude; Neh 13:4, Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed; Neh 13:10, He reforms the offices in the house of God; Neh 13:15, the violation of the sabbath; Neh 13:23, and the marriages with the strange wives.

Poole: Nehemiah 13 (Chapter Introduction)

CHAPTER 13

Upon the reading of the law separation is made between Israel and the mixed multitude, Neh 13:1-3 . Nehemiah, at his return to Jerusalem, causeth the chambers to be cleansed. Neh 13:4-9 . He restoreth and reformeth the offices of the priests and Levites in the house of God, Neh 13:10-14 ; and seeing the violation of the sabbath, he contendeth with the nobles of Judah, Neh 13:15-18 . He shutteth the gates, and setteth a watch at them, Neh 13:19-22 . The punishment of marrying with strange wives, Neh 13:23-28 . Nehemiah’ s prayer, Neh 13:29-31 .

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 13 (Chapter Introduction)

(Neh 13:1-9) Nehemiah turns out the mixed multitude.

(Neh 13:10-14) Nehemiah's reform in the house of God.

(Neh 13:15-22) Sabbath-breaking restrained.

(Neh 13:23-31) The dismissal of strange wives.

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 13 (Chapter Introduction)

Nehemiah, having finished what he undertook for the fencing and filling of the holy city, returned to the king his master, who was not willing to be long without him, as appears (Neh 13:6). But, after some time, he obtained leave to come back again to Jerusalem, to redress grievances, and purge out some corruptions which had crept in in his absence; and very active he was in reforming several abuses, which here we have an account of. I. He turned out from Israel the mixed multitude, the Moabites and Ammonites especially (Neh 13:1-3). With a particular indignation, he expelled Tobiah out of the lodgings he had got in the court of the temple (Neh 13:4-9). II. He secured the maintenance of the priests and Levites to them more firmly than it had been (Neh 13:10-14). III. He restrained the profanation of the sabbath day, and provided for the due sanctification of it (Neh 13:15-22). IV. He checked the growing mischief of marrying strange wives (Neh 13:23-31).

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 13 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 13

This chapter relates the reformation of various abuses crept in among the Jews by Nehemiah, who removed the Moabites and Ammonites, mixed with them, Neh 13:1, threw the household goods of Tobiah out of a chamber of the temple, and restored it to its former use, Neh 13:4, took care that the Levites had their portion given them which had been kept from them, Neh 13:10 prevented the profanation of the sabbath by selling goods on that day, Neh 13:15, and put a stop to the marrying of strange wives, which had prevailed again among them, Neh 13:23.