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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Nehemiah, Chapter VII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>N E H E M I A H</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. VII.</FONT>
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<P>
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The success of one good design for God and our generation should
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encourage us to proceed and form some other; Nehemiah did so, having
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fortified Jerusalem with gates and walls, his next care is,
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I. To see the city well kept,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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II. To see it well peopled, in order to which he here reviews and calls
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over the register of the children of the captivity, the families that
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returned at first, and records it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:5-73">ver. 5-73</A>.
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It is the same, in effect, with that which we had,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+2:1-62">Ezra ii.</A>
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What use he made of it we shall find afterwards, when he brought one of
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ten to live in Jerusalem,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+11:1"><I>ch.</I> xi. 1</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Ne7_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Completion of the Wall.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 445.</TD></TR>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set
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up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites
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were appointed,
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2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the
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palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he <I>was</I> a faithful man, and
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feared God above many.
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3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be
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opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them
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shut the doors, and bar <I>them:</I> and appoint watches of the
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inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one
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<I>to be</I> over against his house.
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4 Now the city <I>was</I> large and great: but the people <I>were</I> few
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therein, and the houses <I>were</I> not builded.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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God saith concerning his church
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+62:6">Isa. lxii. 6</A>),
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<I>I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem!</I> This is
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Nehemiah's care here; for dead walls, without living watchmen, are but
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a poor defence to a city.</P>
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<P>
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I. He appointed <I>the porters, singers, and Levites,</I> in their
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places to their work. This is meant of their work in general, which was
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to attend the temple service; it had been neglected in some degree, but
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now was revived. God's worship is the defence of a place, and his
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ministers, when they mind their duty, are watchmen on the walls. Or, in
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particular, he ordered them to be ready against the wall was to be
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dedicated, that they might perform that service in an orderly and
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solemn manner; and the dedication of it was its strength. That is
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likely to be beneficial to us which is devoted to God.</P>
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<P>
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II. He appointed two governors or consuls, to whom he committed the
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care of the city, and gave them in charge to provide for the public
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peace and safety. Hanani, his brother, who came to him with the tidings
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of the desolations of Jerusalem, was one, a man of approved integrity
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and affection to his country; the other was Hananiah, who had been
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ruler of the palace: for he that has approved himself faithful in less
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shall be entrusted with more. Of this Hananiah it is said that he was a
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<I>faithful man and one that feared God above many,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Note,
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1. Among those who fear God truly there are some who fear him greatly,
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and excel others in the expressions and instances of that fear; and
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they are worthy a double portion of that honour which is due to those
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that <I>fear the Lord,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+15:4">Ps. xv. 4</A>.
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There were many in Jerusalem that feared God, but this good man was
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more eminent for religion and serious godliness than any.
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2. Those that fear God must evidence it by their being faithful to all
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men and universally conscientious.
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3. God's Jerusalem is then likely to flourish when those rule in it,
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and have charge of it, who excel in virtue, and are eminent both for
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godliness and honesty. It is supposed, by some, that Nehemiah was now
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about to return to the Persian court to have his commission renewed,
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and that he left these two worthy men in charge with the affairs of the
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city in his absence. Good governors, when and where they cannot act
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themselves, must be very careful whom they depute.</P>
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<P>
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III. He gave orders about the shutting of the gates and the guarding of
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the walls,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:3,4"><I>v.</I> 3, 4</A>.
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See here,
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1. What the present state of Jerusalem was. The city, in compass, was
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large and great. The walls enclosed the same ground as formerly; but
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much of it lay waste, for the houses were not built, few at least in
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comparison with what had been; so that Nehemiah walled the city in
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faith, and with an eye to that promise of the replenishing of it which
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God had lately made by the prophet,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+8:3-8">Zech. viii. 3</A>,
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&c. Though the people were now few, he believed they would be
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multiplied, and therefore built the walls so as to make room for them;
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had he not depended upon this he might have thought walls without a
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city as great a reproach as a city without walls.
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2. What was the care of Nehemiah for it. He ordered the rulers of the
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city themselves,
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(1.) To stand by, and see the city-gates shut up and barred every
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night; for in vain had they a wall if they were careless of their
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gates.
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(2.) To take care that they should not be opened in the morning till
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they could see that all was clear and quiet.
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(3.) To set sentinels upon the walls, or elsewhere, at convenient
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distances, who should, in case of the approach of the enemy, give
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timely notice to the city of the danger; and, as it came to their turn
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to watch, they must post themselves <I>over against their own
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houses,</I> because of them, it might be presumed, they would be in a
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particular manner careful. The public safety depends upon every one's
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particular care to guard himself and his own family against sin, that
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common enemy. It is every one's interest to watch, but many understand
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not their own interest; it is therefore incumbent upon magistrates to
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appoint watches. And as this people had lately found God with them in
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their building (else they would have built in vain), so now that the
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wall was built, no doubt, they were made sensible that <I>except the
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Lord kept the city the watchman waked but in vain,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+127:1">Ps. cxxvii. 1</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Register of the Captives.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 445.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles,
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and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by
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genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which
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came up at the first, and found written therein,
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6 These <I>are</I> the children of the province, that went up out of
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the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom
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Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came
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again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
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7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah,
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Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
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The number, <I>I say,</I> of the men of the people of Israel <I>was
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this;</I>
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8 The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and
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two.
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9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
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10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
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11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and
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Joab, two thousand and eight hundred <I>and</I> eighteen.
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12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
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13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
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14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
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15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
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16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
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17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and
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two.
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18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.
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19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.
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20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.
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21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
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22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.
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23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
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24 The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve.
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25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.
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26 The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and
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eight.
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27 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
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28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.
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29 The men of Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven
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hundred forty and three.
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30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.
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31 The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two.
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32 The men of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three.
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33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.
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34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty
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and four.
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35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
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36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
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37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty
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and one.
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38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and
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thirty.
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39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of
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Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
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40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
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41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and
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seven.
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42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
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43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, <I>and</I> of
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the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
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44 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and
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eight.
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45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater,
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the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of
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Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight.
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46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of
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Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
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47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of
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Padon,
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48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children
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of Shalmai,
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49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children
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of Gahar,
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50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children
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of Nekoda,
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51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children
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of Phaseah,
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52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children
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of Nephishesim,
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53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the
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children of Harhur,
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54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the
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children of Harsha,
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55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children
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of Tamah,
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56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
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57 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai,
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the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
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58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children
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of Giddel,
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59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the
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children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
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60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants,
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<I>were</I> three hundred ninety and two.
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61 And these <I>were</I> they which went up <I>also</I> from Tel-melah,
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Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show
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their father's house, nor their seed, whether they <I>were</I> of
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Israel.
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62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the
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children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
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63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of
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Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took <I>one</I> of the daughters
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of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their
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name.
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64 These sought their register <I>among</I> those that were reckoned
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by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as
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polluted, put from the priesthood.
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65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat
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of the most holy things, till there stood <I>up</I> a priest with Urim
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and Thummim.
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66 The whole congregation together <I>was</I> forty and two thousand
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three hundred and threescore,
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67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom
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<I>there were</I> seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and
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they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing
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women.
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68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two
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hundred forty and five:
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69 <I>Their</I> camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand
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seven hundred and twenty asses.
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70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The
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Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty
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basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.
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71 And <I>some</I> of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure
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of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and
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two hundred pound of silver.
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72 And <I>that</I> which the rest of the people gave <I>was</I> twenty
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thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and
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threescore and seven priests' garments.
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73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the
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singers, and <I>some</I> of the people, and the Nethinims, and all
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Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came,
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the children of Israel <I>were</I> in their cities.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here another good project of Nehemiah's; for wise and zealous
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|
men will be always contriving something or other for the glory of God
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|
and the edification of his church. He knew very well that the safety of
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|
a city, under God, depends more upon the number and valour of the
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|
inhabitants than upon the height or strength of its walls; and
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|
therefore, observing that the people were few that dwelt in it, he
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|
thought fit to take an account of the people, that he might find what
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|
families had formerly had their settlement in Jerusalem, but were now
|
|
removed into the country, that he might bring them back, and what
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|
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>
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|
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<P>
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|
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I. Whence this good design of Nehemiah's came. He owns, <I>My God put
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|
it into my heart,</I>
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|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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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
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+28:26">Isa. xxviii. 26</A>)
|
|
|
|
teaches the statesman his.</P>
|
|
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|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. What method he took in prosecution of it.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
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 Ezra
|
|
|
|
2. The title is the same here
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:6,7"><I>v.</I> 6, 7</A>)
|
|
|
|
as there
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>These are the children of the province,</I> &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>
|
|
|
|
(1.) Here is an account of the heads of the several families that first
|
|
came up,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:6-69"><I>v.</I> 6-69</A>.
|
|
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
(2.) Here is an account of the offerings which were given towards the
|
|
work of God,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:70-72"><I>v.</I> 70</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c. This differs much from that in
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+2:68,69">Ezra ii. 68, 69</A>,
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:73,Ezr+2:70,3:1">last verse</A>
|
|
|
|
is the same here that it was
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+7:73,Ezr+2:70,3:1">Ezra ii. 70, adding <I>ch.</I> iii. 1</A>.
|
|
|
|
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>
|
|
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|
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