256 lines
19 KiB
XML
256 lines
19 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Neh.iv" n="iv" next="Neh.v" prev="Neh.iii" progress="93.20%" title="Chapter III">
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<h2 id="Neh.iv-p0.1">N E H E M I A H</h2>
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<h3 id="Neh.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Neh.iv-p1">Saying and doing are often two things: many are
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ready to say, "Let us rise up and build," who sit still and do
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nothing, like that fair-spoken son who said,"I go, Sir, but went
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not." The undertakers here were none of those. As soon as they had
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resolved to build the wall about Jerusalem they lost no time, but
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set about it presently, as we find in this chapter. Let it never be
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said that we left that good work to be done to-morrow which we
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might as well have done to-day. This chapter gives an account of
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two things:—I. The names of the builders, which are recorded here
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to their honour, for they were such as herein discovered a great
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zeal for God and their country, both a pious and a public spirit, a
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great degree both of industry and courage; and what they did was
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fit to be thus largely registered, both for their praise and for
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the encouragement of others to follow their example. II. The order
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of the building; they took it before them, and ended where they
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began. They repaired, 1. From the sheep-gate to the fish-gate,
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<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.1-Neh.1.2" parsed="|Neh|1|1|1|2" passage="Ne 1:1,2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. 2. Thence to the
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old-gate, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.3-Neh.1.5" parsed="|Neh|1|3|1|5" passage="Ne 1:3-5">ver. 3-5</scripRef>. 3.
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Thence to the valley-gate, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.6-Neh.1.12" parsed="|Neh|1|6|1|12" passage="Ne 1:6-12">ver.
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6-12</scripRef>. 4. Thence to the dung-gate, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.13-Neh.1.14" parsed="|Neh|1|13|1|14" passage="Ne 1:13,14">ver. 13, 14</scripRef>. 5. Thence to the gate of the
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fountain, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.15" parsed="|Neh|1|15|0|0" passage="Ne 1:15">ver. 15</scripRef>. 6. Thence
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to the water-gate, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.16-Neh.1.26" parsed="|Neh|1|16|1|26" passage="Ne 1:16-26">ver.
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16-26</scripRef>. 7. Thence by the horse-gate to the sheep-gate
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again, where they began (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.27-Neh.1.32" parsed="|Neh|1|27|1|32" passage="Ne 1:27-32">ver.
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27-32</scripRef>), and so they brought their work quite round the
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city.</p>
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<scripCom id="Neh.iv-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3" parsed="|Neh|3|0|0|0" passage="Ne 3" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Neh.iv-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.1-Neh.3.32" parsed="|Neh|3|1|3|32" passage="Ne 3:1-32" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Neh.3.1-Neh.3.32">
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<h4 id="Neh.iv-p1.10">The Rebuilding of the Wall. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.iv-p1.11">b. c.</span> 445.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Neh.iv-p2">1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his
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brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they
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sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of
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Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. 2 And
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next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded
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Zaccur the son of Imri. 3 But the fish gate did the sons of
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Hassenaah build, who <i>also</i> laid the beams thereof, and set up
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the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
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4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son
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of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah,
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the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son
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of Baana. 5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but
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their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
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6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and
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Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and
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set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars
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thereof. 7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the
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Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of
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Mizpah, unto the throne of the governor on this side the river.
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8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the
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goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of <i>one
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of</i> the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the
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broad wall. 9 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son
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of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. 10 And next
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unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against
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his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of
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Hashabniah. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the
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son of Pahathmoab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the
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furnaces. 12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of
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Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his
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daughters. 13 The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the
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inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof,
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the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on
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the wall unto the dung gate. 14 But the dung gate repaired
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Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem; he
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built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the
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bars thereof. 15 But the gate of the fountain repaired
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Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built
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it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks
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thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah
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by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the
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city of David. 16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of
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Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, unto <i>the
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place</i> over against the sepulchres of David, and to the pool
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that was made, and unto the house of the mighty. 17 After
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him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him
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repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his
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part. 18 After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of
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Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. 19 And next
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to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah,
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another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the
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turning <i>of the wall.</i> 20 After him Baruch the son of
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Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning <i>of
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the wall</i> unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high
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priest. 21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the
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son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib
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even to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 And after him
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repaired the priests, the men of the plain. 23 After him
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repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him
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repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his
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house. 24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad
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another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning <i>of the
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wall,</i> even unto the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai,
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over against the turning <i>of the wall,</i> and the tower which
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lieth out from the king's high house, that <i>was</i> by the court
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of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh. 26
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Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto <i>the place</i> over
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against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth
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out. 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over
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against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of
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Ophel. 28 From above the horse gate repaired the priests,
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every one over against his house. 29 After them repaired
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Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired
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also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.
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30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and
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Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired
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Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber. 31
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After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of
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the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad,
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and to the going up of the corner. 32 And between the going
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up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and
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the merchants.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p3">The best way to know how to divide this
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chapter is to observe how the work was divided among the
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undertakers, that every one might know what he had to do, and mind
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it accordingly with a holy emulation, and desire to excel, yet
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without any contention, animosity, or separate interest. No strife
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appears among them but which should do most for the public good.
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Several things are observable in the account here given of the
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building of the wall about Jerusalem:—</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p4">I. That Eliashib the high priest, with his
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brethren the priests, led the van in this troop of builders,
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<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.1" parsed="|Neh|3|1|0|0" passage="Ne 3:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Ministers should
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be foremost in every good work; for their office obliges them to
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teach and quicken by their example, as well as by their doctrine.
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If there be labour in it, who so fit as they to work? if danger,
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who so fit as they to venture? The dignity of the high priest was
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very great, and obliged him to signalize himself in this service.
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The priests repaired the <i>sheep-gate,</i> so called because
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through it were brought the sheep that were to be sacrificed in the
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temple; and therefore the priests undertook the repair of it
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because <i>the offerings of the Lord made by fire were</i> their
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inheritance. And of this gate only it is said that <i>they
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sanctified it</i> with the word and prayer, and perhaps with
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sacrifices perhaps, 1. Because it led to the temple; or, 2. Because
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with this the building of the wall began, and it is probable
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(though they were at work in all parts of the wall at the same
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time) that this was first finished, and therefore at this gate they
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solemnly committed their city and the walls of it to the divine
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protection; or, 3. Because the priests were the builders of it; and
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it becomes ministers above others, being themselves in a peculiar
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manner sanctified to God, to sanctify to him all their
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performances, and to do even their common actions <i>after a godly
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sort.</i></p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p5">II. That the undertakers were very many,
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who each took his share, some more and some less, in this work,
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according as their ability was. Note, What is to be done for the
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public good every one should assist in, and further, to the utmost
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of his place and power. United force will conquer that which no
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individual dares venture on. Many hands will make light work.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p6">III. That many were active in this work who
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were not themselves inhabitants of Jerusalem, and therefore
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consulted purely the public welfare and not any private interest or
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advantage of their own. Here are the men of Jericho with the first
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(<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.2" parsed="|Neh|3|2|0|0" passage="Ne 3:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), the men of
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Gibeon and Mizpah (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.7" parsed="|Neh|3|7|0|0" passage="Ne 3:7"><i>v.</i>
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7</scripRef>), and Zanoah, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.13" parsed="|Neh|3|13|0|0" passage="Ne 3:13"><i>v.</i>
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13</scripRef>. Every Israelite should lend a hand towards the
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building up of Jerusalem.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p7">IV. That several rulers, both of Jerusalem
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and of other cities, were active in this work, thinking themselves
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bound in honour to do the utmost that their wealth and power
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enabled them to do for the furtherance of this good work. But it is
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observable that they are called rulers of <i>part,</i> or the
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<i>half part,</i> of their respective cities. One was <i>ruler of
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the half part of Jerusalem</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.12" parsed="|Neh|3|12|0|0" passage="Ne 3:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), another of part of
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Beth-haccerem (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.14" parsed="|Neh|3|14|0|0" passage="Ne 3:14"><i>v.</i>
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14</scripRef>), another of part of Mizpah (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.15" parsed="|Neh|3|15|0|0" passage="Ne 3:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), another of <i>the half part of
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Beth-zur</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.16" parsed="|Neh|3|16|0|0" passage="Ne 3:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>),
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one was ruler of <i>one half part,</i> and another of <i>the other
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half part, of Keilah,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.17-Neh.3.18" parsed="|Neh|3|17|3|18" passage="Ne 3:17,18"><i>v.</i>
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17, 18</scripRef>. Perhaps the Persian government would not entrust
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any one with a strong city, but appointed two to be a watch upon
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each other. Rome had two consuls.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p8">V. Here is a just reproach fastened upon
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the nobles of Tekoa, that they <i>put not their necks to the work
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of their Lord</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.5" parsed="|Neh|3|5|0|0" passage="Ne 3:5"><i>v.</i>
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5</scripRef>), that is, they would not come under the yoke of an
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obligation to this service; as if the dignity and liberty of their
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peerage were their discharge from serving God and doing good, which
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are indeed the highest honour and the truest freedom. Let not
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nobles think any thing below them by which they may advance the
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interests of their country; for what else is their nobility good
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for but that it puts them in a higher and larger sphere of
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usefulness than that in which inferior persons move?</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p9">VI. Two persons joined in repairing <i>the
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old gate</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.6" parsed="|Neh|3|6|0|0" passage="Ne 3:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>),
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and so were co-founders, and shared the honour of it between them.
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The good work which we cannot compass ourselves we must be thankful
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to those that will go partners with us in. Some think that this is
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called the <i>old gate</i> because it belonged to the ancient
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Salem, which was said to be first built by Melchizedek.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p10">VII. Several good honest tradesmen, as well
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as priests and rulers, were active in this work—<i>goldsmiths,
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apothecaries, merchants,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.8 Bible:Neh.3.32" parsed="|Neh|3|8|0|0;|Neh|3|32|0|0" passage="Ne 3:8,32"><i>v.</i> 8, 32</scripRef>. They did not think their
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callings excused them, nor plead that they could not leave their
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shops to attend the public business, knowing that what they lost
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would certainly be made up to them by the blessing of God upon
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their callings.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p11">VIII. Some ladies are spoken of as helping
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forward this work—<i>Shallum and his daughters</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.12" parsed="|Neh|3|12|0|0" passage="Ne 3:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), who, though not capable
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of personal service, yet having their portions in their own hands,
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or being rich widows, contributed money for buying materials and
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paying workmen. St. Paul speaks of some good women that <i>laboured
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with him in the gospel,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.3" parsed="|Phil|4|3|0|0" passage="Php 4:3">Phil. iv.
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3</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p12">IX. Of some it is said that they repaired
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<i>over against their houses</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.10 Bible:Neh.3.23 Bible:Neh.3.28 Bible:Neh.3.29" parsed="|Neh|3|10|0|0;|Neh|3|23|0|0;|Neh|3|28|0|0;|Neh|3|29|0|0" passage="Ne 3:10,23,28,29"><i>v.</i> 10, 23, 28, 29</scripRef>), and of one
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(who, it is likely, was only a lodger) that he repaired <i>over
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against his chamber,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.30" parsed="|Neh|3|30|0|0" passage="Ne 3:30"><i>v.</i>
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30</scripRef>. When a general good work is to be done each should
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apply himself to that part of it that falls nearest to him and is
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within his reach. If every one will sweep before his own door, the
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street will be clean; if every one will mend one, we shall be all
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mended. If he that has but a chamber will repair before that, he
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does his part.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p13">X. Of one it is said that he
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<i>earnestly</i> repaired that which fell to his share (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.20" parsed="|Neh|3|20|0|0" passage="Ne 3:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>)—he did it with an
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inflamed zeal; not that others were cold or indifferent, but he was
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the most vigorous of any of them and consequently made himself
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remarkable. It is good to be thus <i>zealously affected in a good
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thing</i> and it is probable that this good man's zeal provoked
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very many to take the more pains and make the more haste.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p14">XI. Of one of these builders it is observed
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that he was <i>the sixth son</i> of his father, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.30" parsed="|Neh|3|30|0|0" passage="Ne 3:30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. His five elder brethren, it
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seems, laid not their hand to this work, but he did. In doing that
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which is good we need not stay to see our elders go before us; if
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they decline it, it does not therefore follow that we must. Thus
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the younger brother, if he be the better man, and does God and his
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generation better service, is indeed the better gentleman; those
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are most honourable that are most useful.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p15">XII. Some of those that had <i>first done
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helped their fellows,</i> and undertook another share where they
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saw there was most need. Meremoth repaired, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.4" parsed="|Neh|3|4|0|0" passage="Ne 3:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef> and again, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.21" parsed="|Neh|3|21|0|0" passage="Ne 3:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. And the Tekoites, besides the
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piece they repaired (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.5" parsed="|Neh|3|5|0|0" passage="Ne 3:5"><i>v.</i>
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5</scripRef>), undertook another piece (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.27" parsed="|Neh|3|27|0|0" passage="Ne 3:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), which is the more remarkable
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because their nobles set them a bad example by withdrawing from the
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service, which, instead of serving them for an excuse to sit still,
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perhaps made them the more forward to do double work, that by their
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zeal they might either shame or atone for the covetousness and
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carelessness of their nobles.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.iv-p16"><i>Lastly,</i> Here is no mention of any
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particular share that Nehemiah himself had in this work. A
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name-sake of his is mentioned, <scripRef id="Neh.iv-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.3.16" parsed="|Neh|3|16|0|0" passage="Ne 3:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. But did he do nothing? Yes,
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though he undertook not any particular piece of the wall, yet he
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did more than any of them, for he had the oversight of them all;
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half of his servants worked where there was most need, and the
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other half stood sentinel, as we find afterwards (<scripRef id="Neh.iv-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.4.16" parsed="|Neh|4|16|0|0" passage="Ne 4:16"><i>ch.</i> iv. 16</scripRef>), while he himself
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in his own person walked the rounds, directed and encouraged the
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builders, set his hand to the work where he saw occasion, and kept
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a watchful eye upon the motions of the enemy, as we shall find in
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the next chapter. The pilot needs not haul at a rope: it is enough
|
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for him to steer.</p>
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</div></div2> |