mh_parser/vol_split/16 - Nehemiah/Chapter 7.xml

<div2 id="Neh.viii" n="viii" next="Neh.ix" prev="Neh.vii" progress="94.50%" title="Chapter VII">
<h2 id="Neh.viii-p0.1">N E H E M I A H</h2>
<h3 id="Neh.viii-p0.2">CHAP. VII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Neh.viii-p1">The success of one good design for God and our
generation should encourage us to proceed and form some other;
Nehemiah did so, having fortified Jerusalem with gates and walls,
his next care is, I. To see the city well kept, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.1-Neh.7.4" parsed="|Neh|7|1|7|4" passage="Ne 7:1-4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. To see it well peopled, in
order to which he here reviews and calls over the register of the
children of the captivity, the families that returned at first, and
records it, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.5-Neh.7.73" parsed="|Neh|7|5|7|73" passage="Ne 7:5-73">ver. 5-73</scripRef>. It
is the same, in effect, with that which we had, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.2.1-Ezra.2.62" parsed="|Ezra|2|1|2|62" passage="Ezr 2:1-62">Ezra ii.</scripRef> What use he made of it we shall
find afterwards, when he brought one of ten to live in Jerusalem,
<scripRef id="Neh.viii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.11.1" parsed="|Neh|11|1|0|0" passage="Ne 11:1"><i>ch.</i> xi. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Neh.viii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7" parsed="|Neh|7|0|0|0" passage="Ne 7" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Neh.viii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.1-Neh.7.4" parsed="|Neh|7|1|7|4" passage="Ne 7:1-4" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Neh.7.1-Neh.7.4">
<h4 id="Neh.viii-p1.7">The Completion of the Wall. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.viii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 445.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Neh.viii-p2">1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built,
and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the
Levites were appointed,   2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and
Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he
<i>was</i> a faithful man, and feared God above many.   3 And
I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until
the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors,
and bar <i>them:</i> and appoint watches of the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one <i>to be</i> over
against his house.   4 Now the city <i>was</i> large and
great: but the people <i>were</i> few therein, and the houses
<i>were</i> not builded.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p3">God saith concerning his church (<scripRef id="Neh.viii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.62.6" parsed="|Isa|62|6|0|0" passage="Isa 62:6">Isa. lxii. 6</scripRef>), <i>I have set watchmen
upon thy walls, O Jerusalem!</i> This is Nehemiah's care here; for
dead walls, without living watchmen, are but a poor defence to a
city.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p4">I. He appointed <i>the porters, singers,
and Levites,</i> in their places to their work. This is meant of
their work in general, which was to attend the temple service; it
had been neglected in some degree, but now was revived. God's
worship is the defence of a place, and his ministers, when they
mind their duty, are watchmen on the walls. Or, in particular, he
ordered them to be ready against the wall was to be dedicated, that
they might perform that service in an orderly and solemn manner;
and the dedication of it was its strength. That is likely to be
beneficial to us which is devoted to God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p5">II. He appointed two governors or consuls,
to whom he committed the care of the city, and gave them in charge
to provide for the public peace and safety. Hanani, his brother,
who came to him with the tidings of the desolations of Jerusalem,
was one, a man of approved integrity and affection to his country;
the other was Hananiah, who had been ruler of the palace: for he
that has approved himself faithful in less shall be entrusted with
more. Of this Hananiah it is said that he was a <i>faithful man and
one that feared God above many,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.2" parsed="|Neh|7|2|0|0" passage="Ne 7:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, 1. Among those who fear God
truly there are some who fear him greatly, and excel others in the
expressions and instances of that fear; and they are worthy a
double portion of that honour which is due to those that <i>fear
the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.15.4" parsed="|Ps|15|4|0|0" passage="Ps 15:4">Ps. xv. 4</scripRef>.
There were many in Jerusalem that feared God, but this good man was
more eminent for religion and serious godliness than any. 2. Those
that fear God must evidence it by their being faithful to all men
and universally conscientious. 3. God's Jerusalem is then likely to
flourish when those rule in it, and have charge of it, who excel in
virtue, and are eminent both for godliness and honesty. It is
supposed, by some, that Nehemiah was now about to return to the
Persian court to have his commission renewed, and that he left
these two worthy men in charge with the affairs of the city in his
absence. Good governors, when and where they cannot act themselves,
must be very careful whom they depute.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p6">III. He gave orders about the shutting of
the gates and the guarding of the walls, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.3-Neh.7.4" parsed="|Neh|7|3|7|4" passage="Ne 7:3,4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. See here, 1. What the present
state of Jerusalem was. The city, in compass, was large and great.
The walls enclosed the same ground as formerly; but much of it lay
waste, for the houses were not built, few at least in comparison
with what had been; so that Nehemiah walled the city in faith, and
with an eye to that promise of the replenishing of it which God had
lately made by the prophet, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.3-Zech.8.8" parsed="|Zech|8|3|8|8" passage="Zec 8:3-8">Zech.
viii. 3</scripRef>, &amp;c. Though the people were now few, he
believed they would be multiplied, and therefore built the walls so
as to make room for them; had he not depended upon this he might
have thought walls without a city as great a reproach as a city
without walls. 2. What was the care of Nehemiah for it. He ordered
the rulers of the city themselves, (1.) To stand by, and see the
city-gates shut up and barred every night; for in vain had they a
wall if they were careless of their gates. (2.) To take care that
they should not be opened in the morning till they could see that
all was clear and quiet. (3.) To set sentinels upon the walls, or
elsewhere, at convenient distances, who should, in case of the
approach of the enemy, give timely notice to the city of the
danger; and, as it came to their turn to watch, they must post
themselves <i>over against their own houses,</i> because of them,
it might be presumed, they would be in a particular manner careful.
The public safety depends upon every one's particular care to guard
himself and his own family against sin, that common enemy. It is
every one's interest to watch, but many understand not their own
interest; it is therefore incumbent upon magistrates to appoint
watches. And as this people had lately found God with them in their
building (else they would have built in vain), so now that the wall
was built, no doubt, they were made sensible that <i>except the
Lord kept the city the watchman waked but in vain,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.127.1" parsed="|Ps|127|1|0|0" passage="Ps 127:1">Ps. cxxvii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Neh.viii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.5-Neh.7.73" parsed="|Neh|7|5|7|73" passage="Ne 7:5-73" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Neh.7.5-Neh.7.73">
<h4 id="Neh.viii-p6.5">The Register of the
Captives. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.viii-p6.6">b. c.</span> 445.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Neh.viii-p7">5 And my God put into mine heart to gather
together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they
might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the
genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written
therein,   6 These <i>are</i> the children of the province,
that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried
away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and
came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
  7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah,
Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum,
Baanah. The number, <i>I say,</i> of the men of the people of
Israel <i>was this;</i>   8 The children of Parosh, two
thousand a hundred seventy and two.   9 The children of
Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.   10 The children
of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.   11 The children of
Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and
eight hundred <i>and</i> eighteen.   12 The children of Elam,
a thousand two hundred fifty and four.   13 The children of
Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.   14 The children of
Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.   15 The children of
Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.   16 The children of
Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.   17 The children of
Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.   18 The
children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.   19
The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.  
20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.   21 The
children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.   22 The
children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.   23 The
children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.   24 The
children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve.   25 The children of
Gibeon, ninety and five.   26 The men of Beth-lehem and
Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight.   27 The men of
Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.   28 The men of
Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.   29 The men of Kirjath-jearim,
Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.   30
The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.   31
The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two.   32 The men
of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three.   33 The men of
the other Nebo, fifty and two.   34 The children of the other
Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.   35 The children
of Harim, three hundred and twenty.   36 The children of
Jericho, three hundred forty and five.   37 The children of
Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.   38 The
children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.  
39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua,
nine hundred seventy and three.   40 The children of Immer, a
thousand fifty and two.   41 The children of Pashur, a
thousand two hundred forty and seven.   42 The children of
Harim, a thousand and seventeen.   43 The Levites: the
children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, <i>and</i> of the children of
Hodevah, seventy and four.   44 The singers: the children of
Asaph, a hundred forty and eight.   45 The porters: the
children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon,
the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of
Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight.   46 The Nethinims: the
children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of
Tabbaoth,   47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the
children of Padon,   48 The children of Lebana, the children
of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,   49 The children of
Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,   50 The
children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
  51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the
children of Phaseah,   52 The children of Besai, the children
of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,   53 The children of
Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,   54
The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of
Harsha,   55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera,
the children of Tamah,   56 The children of Neziah, the
children of Hatipha.   57 The children of Solomon's servants:
the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of
Perida,   58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon,
the children of Giddel,   59 The children of Shephatiah, the
children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the
children of Amon.   60 All the Nethinims, and the children of
Solomon's servants, <i>were</i> three hundred ninety and two.
  61 And these <i>were</i> they which went up <i>also</i> from
Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could
not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they
<i>were</i> of Israel.   62 The children of Delaiah, the
children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and
two.   63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the
children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took <i>one</i>
of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called
after their name.   64 These sought their register
<i>among</i> those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not
found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
  65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not
eat of the most holy things, till there stood <i>up</i> a priest
with Urim and Thummim.   66 The whole congregation together
<i>was</i> forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
  67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom
<i>there were</i> seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven:
and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing
women.   68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their
mules, two hundred forty and five:   69 <i>Their</i> camels,
four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty
asses.   70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the
work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold,
fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.   71
And <i>some</i> of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of
the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two
hundred pound of silver.   72 And <i>that</i> which the rest
of the people gave <i>was</i> twenty thousand drams of gold, and
two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests'
garments.   73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the
porters, and the singers, and <i>some</i> of the people, and the
Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the
seventh month came, the children of Israel <i>were</i> in their
cities.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p8">We have here another good project of
Nehemiah's; for wise and zealous men will be always contriving
something or other for the glory of God and the edification of his
church. He knew very well that the safety of a city, under God,
depends more upon the number and valour of the inhabitants than
upon the height or strength of its walls; and therefore, observing
that the people were few that dwelt in it, he thought fit to take
an account of the people, that he might find what families had
formerly had their settlement in Jerusalem, but were now removed
into the country, that he might bring them back, and what families
could in any other way be influenced by their religion, or by their
business, to come and rebuild the houses in Jerusalem and dwell in
them. So little reason have we to wish that we may be placed alone
in the earth, or in Jerusalem itself, that much of our safety and
comfort depends upon our neighbours and friends; the more the
stronger, the more the merrier. It is the wisdom of the governors
of a nation to keep the balance even between the city and country,
that the metropolis be not so extravagantly large as to drain and
impoverish the country, nor yet so weak as not to be able to
protect it. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p9">I. Whence this good design of Nehemiah's
came. He owns, <i>My God put it into my heart,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.5" parsed="|Neh|7|5|0|0" passage="Ne 7:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Note, Whatever good motion
is in our minds, either prudent or pious, we must acknowledge it to
come from God. It was he that <i>put it into our hearts;</i> for
every good gift and every good work are from above. He gives
knowledge; he gives grace; all is of him, and therefore all must be
to him. What is done by human prudence must be ascribed to the
direction of divine Providence; he that teaches the husbandman his
discretion (<scripRef id="Neh.viii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.26" parsed="|Isa|28|26|0|0" passage="Isa 28:26">Isa. xxviii.
26</scripRef>) teaches the statesman his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p10">II. What method he took in prosecution of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p11">1. He called the rulers together, and the
people, that he might have an account of the present state of their
families—their number and strength, and where they were settled.
It is probable that when he summoned them to come together he
ordered them to bring such an account along with them out of their
several districts. And I doubt they were not so many but that it
might be soon done.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p12">2. He reviewed the old <i>register of the
genealogy of those who came up at the first,</i> and compared the
present accounts with that; and here we have the repetition of that
out of <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.2" parsed="|Ezra|2|0|0|0" passage="Ezra 2">Ezra 2</scripRef>. The title is the same here (<scripRef id="Neh.viii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.6-Neh.7.7" parsed="|Neh|7|6|7|7" passage="Ne 7:6,7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>) as there (<scripRef id="Neh.viii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.1-Neh.7.2" parsed="|Neh|7|1|7|2" passage="Ne 7:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>): <i>These are the children of
the province,</i> &amp;c. Two things are here repeated and recorded
a second time from thence—the names and numbers of their several
families, and their oblations to the service of the temple. The
repetition of these accounts may intimate to us the delight which
the great God is pleased to take in the persons, families, and
services of his spiritual Israel, and the particular notice he
takes of them. He knows those that are his, knows them all, knows
them by name, has his eye on the register of those children of the
captivity, and does all according to the ancient counsel of his
will concerning them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p13">(1.) Here is an account of the heads of the
several families that first came up, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.6-Neh.7.69" parsed="|Neh|7|6|7|69" passage="Ne 7:6-69"><i>v.</i> 6-69</scripRef>. As to this, [1.] Though it
seem of little use to us now, yet then it was of great use, to
compare what they had been with what they now were. We may suppose
they were much increased by this time; but it would do well for
them to remember their small beginnings, that they might
acknowledge God in multiplying their families and building them up.
By this means likewise their genealogies would be preserved, and
the distinction of their families kept up, till the Messiah should
come, and then an end be put to all their genealogies, which were
preserved for his sake, but afterwards were endless. But, [2.]
There are many differences in the numbers between this catalogue
and that in Ezra. Most of them indeed are exactly the same, and
some others within a very few under or over (one or two perhaps);
and therefore I cannot think, as some do, that that was the number
of these families at their first coming and this as they were now,
which was at least forty years after (some make it much more); for
we cannot suppose so many families to be not at all, or but little,
altered in their numbers in all that time; therefore what
differences there are we may suppose to arise either from the
mistakes of transcribers, which easily happen in numbers, or from
the diversity of the copies from which they were taken. Or perhaps
one was the account of them when they set out from Babylon with
Zerubbabel, the other when they came to Jerusalem. The sum totals
are all just the same there and here, except of the singing-men and
singing-women, which there are 200, here 245. These were not of
such importance as that they should keep any strict account of
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Neh.viii-p14">(2.) Here is an account of the offerings
which were given towards the work of God, <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.70-Neh.7.72" parsed="|Neh|7|70|7|72" passage="Ne 7:70-72"><i>v.</i> 70</scripRef>, &amp;c. This differs much
from that in <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.2.68-Ezra.2.69" parsed="|Ezra|2|68|2|69" passage="Ezr 2:68,69">Ezra ii. 68,
69</scripRef>, and it may be questioned whether it refers to the
same contribution; here the tirshatha, or chief governor, who there
was not mentioned, begins the offering; and the single sum
mentioned there exceeds all those here put together; yet it is
probable that it was the same, but that followed one copy of the
lists, this another; for the <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.73 Bible:Ezra.2.70 Bible:Ezra.3.1" parsed="|Neh|7|73|0|0;|Ezra|2|70|0|0;|Ezra|3|1|0|0" passage="Ne 7:73,Ezr 2:70,3:1">last verse</scripRef> is the same here that
it was <scripRef id="Neh.viii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.73 Bible:Ezra.2.70 Bible:Ezra.3.1" parsed="|Neh|7|73|0|0;|Ezra|2|70|0|0;|Ezra|3|1|0|0" passage="Ne 7:73,Ezr 2:70,3:1">Ezra ii. 70, adding
<i>ch.</i> iii. 1</scripRef>. Blessed be God that our faith and
hope are not built upon the niceties of names and numbers,
genealogy and chronology, but on the great things of the law and
gospel. Whatever is given to the work of God, he is not unrighteous
to forget it; nor shall even a cup of cold water, wherewith he is
honoured, go without its reward.</p>
</div></div2>