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Nehemiah
From the Original 1599 Geneva Bible Notes

Ne 1:1

1:1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month {a} Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

The Argument - God, in all ages and at all times, sets up worthy persons for the convenience and profit of his Church, as now within the compass of seventy years he raised up various excellent men for the preservation of his people after their return from Babylon. Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, of which the first was their captain to bring them home, and provided that the temple was built: the second reformed their manners and planted religion: and the third built up the walls, delivered the people from oppression and provided that the law of God was carried out among them. He was a godly man, and in great authority with the king, so that the king favoured him greatly and gave him letters to accomplish all the things he desired. This book is also called the second of Ezra by the Latins because he was the author of it.

(a) Which contains part of November and part of December, and was their ninth month.

Ne 1:2

1:2 That Hanani, one of my {b} brethren, came, he and [certain] men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

(b) A Jew as I was.

Ne 1:3

1:3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the {c} province [are] in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also [is] broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

Ne 1:11

1:11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to {d} fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of {e} this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

(d) That is, to worship you.
(e) That is, the king Artaxerxes.

Ne 2:1

2:1 And it came to pass in the month {a} Nisan, in the twentieth year of {b} Artaxerxes the king, [that] wine [was] before him: and I took up the wine, and gave [it] unto the king. Now I had not been [beforetime] sad in his presence.

(a) Which was the first month of the year, and contains part of March and part of April.
(b) Who is also called Darius, Ezr 7:1 and was the son of Hystaspis.

Ne 2:4

2:4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed {e} to the God of heaven.

(e) I desired God in my heart to prosper my enterprise.

Ne 2:8

2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertained] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to {d} the good hand of my God upon me.

(d) As God moved me to ask, and as he gave me success in it.

Ne 2:10

2:10 When {e} Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

(e) These were great enemies to the Jews, and laboured always both by force and subtilty to overcome them and Tobiah, because his wife was a Jewess, knew of their affairs and so brought them great trouble.

Ne 2:17

2:17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we [are] in, how Jerusalem [lieth] waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more {f} a reproach.

(f) That is, contemned by other nations as though God had forsaken us.

Ne 2:18

2:18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they {g} strengthened their hands for [this] good [work].

(g) They were encouraged and gave themselves to do well, and to travel in this worthy enterprise.

Ne 2:19

2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and {h} Geshem the Arabian, heard [it], they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What [is] this thing that ye do? will ye {i} rebel against the king?

(h) These were three chief governors under the king of Persia beyond the Euphrates.
(i) Thus the wicked when they will burden the children of God, always lay treason to their charge both because it makes them most odious to the world, and also stirs the hatred of princes against them.

Ne 2:20

2:20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor {k} memorial, in Jerusalem.

(k) Neither are you of the number of the children of God
(to whom he has appointed this city only) neither did any of your predecessors ever fear God.

Ne 3:1

3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they {a} sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.

(a) In Hebrew they sanctified it, that is, they finished it, and so dedicated it to the Lord by prayer, in desiring him to maintain it.

Ne 3:5

3:5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles {b} put not their necks to the work of their Lord.

(b) The rich and mighty would not obey those who were appointed officers in this work, neither would they help them.

Ne 3:7

3:7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the {c} throne of the governor on this side the river.

Ne 3:19

3:19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the {d} turning [of the wall].

(d) Where the weapons and armour of the city lay.

Ne 3:22

3:22 And after him repaired the priests, the men of {e} the plain.

(e) Who dwelt in the plain country by Jordan and Jericho.

Ne 3:26

3:26 Moreover the {f} Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto [the place] over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.

(f) Read Ezr 2:43.

Ne 3:30

3:30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the {g} sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.

(g) Meaning the sixth of his sons.

Ne 3:31

3:31 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate {h} Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.

(h) Which was the place of judgment or execution.

Ne 4:2

4:2 And he spake before his {a} brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these {b} feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

(a) Of his companions who dwelt in Samaria.
(b) Thus the wicked who do not consider that God's power is always ready to defend his, mock them as thought they were weak and feeble.

Ne 4:4

4:4 {c} Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey {d} in the land of captivity:

(c) This is the remedy that the children of God have against the derision and threatenings of their enemies, to flee to God by prayer.
(d) Let them be spoiled and led away captive.

Ne 4:5

4:5 And cover not their {e} iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders.

(e) Let the plagues declare to the world that they set themselves against you and your Church: that he prays only having respect for God's glory and not for any private affection, or grudge.

Ne 4:12

4:12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us {f} ten times, {g} From all places whence ye shall return unto us [they will be upon you].

(f) That is, often.
(g) They who brought the tidings said this, when you leave your work, and go either to eat or to rest, your enemies will assail you.

Ne 4:14

4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: {h} remember the Lord, [which is] great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

(h) Who is always on hand to deliver his out of danger: and therefore seeing they should fight for the maintenance of God's glory, and for the preservation of their own lives and of theirs, he encourages them to play the valiant men.

Ne 4:16

4:16 And it came to pass from that time forth, [that] the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers [were] {i} behind all the house of Judah.

(i) To overcome them and encourage them in their work.

Ne 4:20

4:20 In what place [therefore] ye hear the sound of the trumpet, {k} resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

(k) Meaning, to resist their enemies, if need be.

Ne 4:23

4:23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, [saving that] every one put them off {l} for washing.

(l) That is, when they purified themselves or else when they washed their clothes.

Ne 5:1

5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives {a} against their brethren the Jews.

(a) Against the rich who oppressed them.

Ne 5:2

5:2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up {b} corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.

(b) This is the complaint of the people, showing the extremity they were brought to.

Ne 5:4

5:4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's {c} tribute, [and that upon] our lands and vineyards.

Ne 5:5

5:5 Yet now our flesh [is] as {d} the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and [some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage [already]: neither [is it] in our power {e} [to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

(d) By nature the rich are no better than the poor.
(e) We are not able to redeem them, but out of poverty are forced to sell them to others.

Ne 5:7

5:7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye {f} exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great {g} assembly against them.

(f) You press them with usury, and seek to bring all thing into your hands.
(g) Both because they should be moved with pity seeing how many were oppressed by them, and also hear the judgment of others, who should be witnesses of their dealings with their brethren.

Ne 5:8

5:8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be {h} sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing [to answer].

(h) Seeing God has once delivered them from the bondage of the heathen, shall we make them our slaves?

Ne 5:9

5:9 {i} Also I said, It [is] not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the {k} reproach of the heathen our enemies?

(i) Meaning, Nehemiah.
(k) Who by this occasion will blaspheme the Name of God, seeing that our actions are no better than theirs.

Ne 5:11

5:11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, {l} that ye exact of them.

(l) Which you take from them for the loan.

Ne 5:14

5:14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the {m} bread of the governor.

(m) I did not receive the portion and diet which the governors who were before me exacted, in which he declares that he rather sought the wealth of the people than his own convenience.

Ne 5:18

5:18 Now [that] which was prepared [for me] daily [was] one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of {n} all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

(n) While at other times they had by measure, at this time they had most liberally.

Ne 6:1

6:1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and [that] there was no {a} breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

(a) That is, that they were joined together, as in Ne 4:6.

Ne 6:3

6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I [am] doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: {b} why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

(b) Meaning, that if he obeyed their request, the work God had appointed would cease: showing by this that we should not commit ourselves to the hands of the wicked.

Ne 6:6

6:6 Wherein [was] written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith [it, that] thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these {c} words.

Ne 6:7

6:7 And thou hast also appointed {d} prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

(d) You have bribed and set up false prophets, to make yourself king, and so to defraud the king of Persia of that subjection which you owe to him.

Ne 6:10

6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who [was] {e} shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

(e) As though he would be secret, to the intent that he might pray to God with greater liberty, and receive some revelation, which in him was only hypocrisy.

Ne 6:11

6:11 And I said, {f} Should such a man as I flee? and who [is there], that, [being] as I [am], would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

(f) He did not doubt that God was able to preserve him and knew that if he had obeyed this counsel he would have discouraged all the people: thus God gives power to his to resist false prophecies, though they seem to have great probability.

Ne 6:14

6:14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the {g} prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

(g) Grief caused him to pray against such, who under the pretence of being the ministers of God, were adversaries to his glory, and went about to overthrow his Church, declaring also by this that where there is one true minister of God, the devil has many hirelings.

Ne 6:15

6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] {h} Elul, in {i} fifty and two days.

(h) Which was the sixth month and contained part of August, and part of September.
(i) After I had sent Sanballat his answer.

Ne 6:17

6:17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many {k} letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them.

(k) Thus the Church of God always has enemies within itself, which is more dangerous than outward and professed enemies.

Ne 7:3

7:3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while {a} they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar [them]: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one [to be] over against his house.

(a) That is, they who are mentioned, Ne 7:2.

Ne 7:6

7:6 These [are] the {b} 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;

(b) That is, the inhabitants of Judah.

Ne 7:7

7:7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, {c} Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, [I say], of the men of the people of Israel [was this];

Ne 7:25

7:25 The {d} children of Gibeon, ninety and five.

(d) That is, the inhabitants of Gibeon.

Ne 7:33

7:33 The men {e} of the other Nebo, fifty and two.

(e) For there were two cities with this name.

Ne 7:46

7:46 The {f} Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

(f) Read Ezr 2:43.

Ne 7:65

7:65 And {g} the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood [up] a priest with Urim and Thummim.

(g) Meaning, Nehemiah: for Tirshatha in the Chaldee tongue means a butler.

Ne 7:70

7:70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand {h} drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.

(h) Read Ezr 2:69.

Ne 7:73

7:73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and [some] of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the {i} seventh month came, the children of Israel [were] in their cities.

(i) Which contained part of September and part of October.

Ne 8:1

8:1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that [was] before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the {a} scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

(a) Read Ezr 7:6.

Ne 8:2

8:2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all {b} that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

(b) Who had age and discretion to understand.

Ne 8:3

8:3 And he read therein before the street that [was] before the water gate from the morning until {c} midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people [were attentive] unto the book of the law.

Ne 8:5

8:5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people;
(for he was {d} above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

(d) So that his voice might be heard the better.

Ne 8:9

8:9 And Nehemiah, which [is] the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day [is] holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people {e} wept, when they heard the words of the law.

(e) In considering their offences against the Law, therefore the Levites do not reprove them for mourning, but assure them of God's mercies if they are repentant.

Ne 8:10

8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is {f} prepared: for [this] day [is] holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the {g} joy of the LORD is your strength.

(f) That is, remember the poor.
(g) Rejoice in the Lord, and he will give you strength.

Ne 8:16

8:16 So the people went forth, and brought [them], and made themselves booths, every one upon the {h} roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

(h) For their houses were made with flat roofs, read De 22:8.

Ne 8:17

8:17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the {i} days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

(i) Which was almost a thousand years.

Ne 9:1

9:1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this {a} month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

(a) Meaning, the seventh.

Ne 9:3

9:3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God [one] fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they {b} confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.

(b) They confessed their sins, and used prayers.

Ne 9:21

9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet {c} swelled not.

Ne 9:22

9:22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst {d} divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

(d) Meaning, the heathen whom he drove out.

Ne 9:26

9:26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which {e} testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

(e) Taking heaven and earth to witness that God would destroy them unless they returned, as in 2Ch 24:19.

Ne 9:28

9:28 But after they had {f} rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest [them] from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

(f) He declares how God's mercies always contended with the wickedness of the people, who always in their prosperity forgot God.

Ne 9:29

9:29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and {g} withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not {h} hear.

(g) Which is a sign taken from oxen that shrink at the yoke or burden in Zec 7:11.
(h) When you admonished them by your prophets.

Ne 9:32

9:32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the {i} kings of Assyria unto this day.

(i) By whom we were led away into captivity and have been appointed to be slain, as in Es 3:13.

Ne 9:33

9:33 Howbeit thou [art] just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast {k} done right, but we have done wickedly:

(k) He confesses that all these things came to them justly for their sins, but he appeals from God's justice to his mercies.

Ne 9:34

9:34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst {l} testify against them.

(l) That you would destroy them, unless they would return to you, as in Ne 9:26.

Ne 9:36

9:36 Behold, we [are] servants this day, and [for] the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the {m} fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we [are] servants in it:

(m) That is, to be the Lord's.

Ne 9:38

9:38 And because of all this we make {n} a sure [covenant], and write [it]; and our princes, Levites, [and] priests, seal [unto it].

(n) Thus by affliction they promise to keep God's commandments to which they could not be brought by God's great benefits.

Ne 10:8

10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these [were] {a} the priests.

(a) Who subscribed to keep the promise.

Ne 10:28

10:28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the {b} Nethinims, and all they that had {c} separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

(b) Read Ezr 2:43.
(c) Who being idolaters forsook their wickedness and gave themselves to serve God.

Ne 10:29

10:29 They {d} clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a {e} curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

(d) They made the oath in the name of the whole multitude.
(e) To which they gave themselves if they broke the law, De 28:15.

Ne 10:31

10:31 And [if] the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, {f} [that] we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and [that] we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

(f) Which nonetheless they broke soon after, Ne 13:15.

Ne 10:33

10:33 For the {g} shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy [things], and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and [for] all the work of the house of our God.

(g) This states why they gave this third part of the shekel which was beyond the half shekel that they were required to pay, Ex 30:13.

Ne 10:36

10:36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as [it is] {h} written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:

(h) This rehearsal shows that there was no part or ceremony in the Law, to which they did not bind themselves by covenant.

Ne 10:37

10:37 And [that] we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our {i} tillage.

(i) Wherever we laboured or worked, there the tithes were due to the Lord both by the law, and according to the oath and covenant that we made.

Ne 10:39

10:39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where [are] the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and {k} we will not forsake the house of our God.

(k) We will not leave it destitute of that which is needed for it.

Ne 11:1

11:1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, {a} to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts [to dwell] in [other] cities.

(a) Because their enemies dwelt round about them, they provided that it might be replenished with men, and used this policy because there were few who offered themselves willingly.

Ne 11:4

11:4 And at Jerusalem dwelt [certain] of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of {b} Perez;

(b) Which came from Perez the son of Judah.

Ne 11:11

11:11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, {c} [was] the ruler of the house of God.

Ne 11:12

11:12 And their brethren {d} that did the work of the house [were] eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah,

(d) That served and ministered in the temple.

Ne 11:17

11:17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, [was] the principal to {e} begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

(e) That is, he began the psalm and was the chanter.

Ne 11:19

11:19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the {f} gates, [were] an hundred seventy and two.

(f) Meaning of the temple.

Ne 11:20

11:20 And the {g} residue of Israel, of the priests, [and] the Levites, [were] in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

(g) Of them who dwelt not in Jerusalem.

Ne 11:24

11:24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, {h} [was] at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people.

(h) Was chief about the king for all high affairs.

Ne 12:1

12:1 Now these [are] the priests and the Levites that {a} went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

(a) From Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ne 12:7

12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These [were] the {b} chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

(b) Next in dignity to the high priests and who were of the stock of Aaron.

Ne 12:8

12:8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, [and] Mattaniah, {c} [which was] over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

Ne 12:9

12:9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, [were] over against them in the {d} watches.

(d) They kept the wards and watches according to their turns, 2Ch 23:6.

Ne 12:12

12:12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of {e} Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

(e) That is, next to Seraiah or rather of the order, who was called after the name of Seraiah.

Ne 12:17

12:17 Of {f} Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

(f) Of which was Zachariah, John the Baptist's father.

Ne 12:24

12:24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise [and] to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over {g} against ward.

(g) That is, one after another and every one in his course.

Ne 12:28

12:28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of {h} Netophathi;

(h) Who were a certain family and had their possessions in the fields, 1Ch 2:54.

Ne 12:31

12:31 Then {i} I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great [companies of them that gave] thanks, [whereof one] went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

(i) Meaning, Nehemiah.

Ne 12:36

12:36 And {k} his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

(k) That is, the brass throne of Zaccur.

Ne 12:37

12:37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the {l} stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

(l) Which was going up to the mount Zion, which is called the city of David.

Ne 12:44

12:44 And at that time were some appointed {m} over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

(m) Which were chambers appointed by Hezekiah to put in the tither, and such things, 2Ch 31:11 and now were repaired again for the same use.

Ne 12:47

12:47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified [holy things] unto the Levites; and the Levites {n} sanctified [them] unto the children of Aaron.

(n) That is, the tenth part of the tithes.

Ne 13:3

13:3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel {a} all the mixed multitude.

(a) That is, all who had joined in unlawful marriage and also those with whom God had forbidden them to mingle with.

Ne 13:4

13:4 And before {b} this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, [was] {c} allied unto Tobiah:

(b) That the separation was made.
(c) He was united with Tobiah the Ammonite the enemy of the Jews.

Ne 13:6

13:6 But in all this [time] was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of {d} Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

(d) Called also Darius, Ezr 6:1.

Ne 13:7

13:7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of {e} the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

(e) Thus we see to what inconveniences the people fall into when they are destitute of one who fears God, seeing that their chief governor was absent only for a little while and yet they fell into such great absurdities: as appears in, Ex 32:1.

Ne 13:14

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 Ne 13:22,31.

Ne 13:15

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.

Ne 13:18

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.

Ne 13:19

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.

Ne 13:22

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.

Ne 13:23

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.

Ne 13:25

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.

Ne 13:29

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.

Ne 13:31

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.

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