Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 5:13
Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
13. Also I shook my lap ] R.V. Also I shook out my lap. (LXX. . Vulg. ‘sinum’.) The word here rendered ‘lap’ only occurs elsewhere in the O. T. in Isa 49:22, R.V. ‘bosom,’ A.V. ‘arms.’ Nehemiah here employs a symbolical gesture, suiting his action to his metaphor. He pressed tightly to his body the loose fold of his mantle, so that it hung like a bag or wallet against him; then with a vehement motion of both hands he suddenly stretched it out and shook it in the sight of all the people, so that anything which it might have before concealed would have been jerked violently from him. Even so, he says, may God cast forth from His protection and love, in home and work, the man who fails to abide by the compact. Cf. Job 38:13, ‘That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it.’ Isa 24:1. The gesture was rhetorical. It would impress itself upon the audience, and emphasize the speaker’s words. For instances of symbolical action comp. 1Ki 11:30 ; 1Ki 20:35-43; 1Ki 22:11; Jer 13:1-14; Jer 18:1-12; Jer 19:1-13; Mat 27:24; Act 18:6.
that performeth not this promise ] Lit. ‘that fulfilleth or establisheth not this word.’ The same phrase in the original as Deu 27:26, ‘Cursed be he that confirmeth not the words of this law to do them.’
from his house, and from his labour ] This conjunction of words sounds proverbial, but does not occur elsewhere in the O. T. ‘His labour’ does not mean so much ‘his means of occupation’ the modern idea as ‘the exercise and even the fruits of his industry.’ The word used is that found in the expression ‘the labour of the hands,’ Gen 31:42; Job 10:3; Psa 128:2; Hag 1:11. Cf. Deu 28:33, ‘The fruit of thy ground, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up.’
promise, even thus ] R.V. promise; even thus.
all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord ] The people said ‘Amen,’ ratifying the curse of Nehemiah and the condition of the contract: they praised the Lord, because the poor had been succoured and the division of the people healed. The ‘Amen,’ as the people’s assent to the ruler’s proposition, occurs again Neh 8:6. Cf. 1Ki 1:36 ; 1Ch 16:36, and Deu 27:15.
And the people did, &c.] If we may press the distinction between the two words employed, ‘the people’ in the mass carried into execution the resolutions of ‘the congregation,’ that had approved Nehemiah’s measures.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I shook my lap – Compare the marginal references. By lap is meant a fold in the bosom of the dress, capable of serving as a pocket. Compare Isa 49:22 margin.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. Also I shook my lap] This was a significant action frequent among the Hebrews; and something of the same nature was practised among other nations. “When the Roman ambassadors entered the senate of Carthage, they had their toga gathered up in their bosom. They said, We carry here peace and war; you may have which you will. The senate answered, You may give which you please. They then shook their toga, and said, We bring you war. To which all the senate answered, We cheerfully accept it.” See Livy. lib. xxi., cap. 18; and see Calmet.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I shook my lap, i.e. the lap or extreme parts of my garment, which I first folded together, and then shook it, and scattered it asunder. This was a form of swearing then in use.
From his labour, i.e. from enjoying what he hath got by his labour.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Also I shook my lap,…. The fore skirts of his garment, shaking the dust out of them, as a symbol of what follows; a like rite was used in the case of peace and war, the choice of either, by the Romans, as proposed by their ambassadors to the Carthaginians, as having either in their bosom to shake out l:
and said, so God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour; what he has got by his labour:
that performeth not his promise; confirmed by an oath:
even thus be he shaken out, and emptied; of all that he has in the world, and out of the world too, as Jarchi adds:
and all the congregation said, Amen; so let it be, even those that had taken pledges and usury, as well as others:
and praised the Lord; that had given them such a governor to direct, advise, and exhort them to their duty, and had inclined their hearts to attend thereunto:
and the people did according to this promise; they punctually kept it, and the oath they had sworn.
l Florus, l. 2. c. 6. Liv. l. 21. c. l8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) Shook my lap.This symbolical act imprecated on every man who broke this covenant an appropriate penalty: that he be emptied of all his possessions, even as the fold of Nehemiahs garment was emptied. And it is observable that the iniquity thus stopped is not referred to in the subsequent covenant (Nehemiah 10), nor is it one of the offences which the governor found on his second return (Nehemiah 13).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Shook my lap Or, shook my bosom; that is, the bosom of my garment. This was a symbolical act to designate, as Nehemiah immediately explains, the casting out from the covenant people those who performeth not this promise. The person using this sign gathered up his garment in his bosom, intimating that there was the seat of confidence and trust, and then, shaking it out, he represented the utter casting off and disowning of any that would violate such a solemn pledge.
The people did They kept their promise by restoring all they had taken from their brethren.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 5:13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
Ver. 13. Also I shook my lap ] By this rite (running into their senses) this holy man runs with terrors into the eyes and hearts of all that should perfidiously forswear themselves, by a direful denunciation of divine vengeance, in all lawful oaths there is an imprecation, though it be not always expressed, Gen 14:23 ; Heb. iii.
So God cast out every man from his house
And from his labour
And all the congregation said, Amen
And praised the Lord
And the people did according to this promise
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
congregation = assembly or muster.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I shook my lap: So “when the Roman ambassadors entered the senate of Carthage, they had their toga gathered up in their bosom, and said, We carry here peace and war; you may have which you will. The senate answered, You may give which you please. They then shook their toga, and said, We bring you war.” – Livy. Mat 10:14, Act 13:51, Act 18:6
So God: 1Sa 15:28, 1Ki 11:29-31, Zec 5:3, Zec 5:4
emptied: Heb. empty, or void
Amen: Num 5:22, Deu 27:14-26
praised: 1Ch 16:36
the people: 2Ki 23:3, Psa 50:14, Psa 76:11, Psa 119:106, Ecc 5:5
Reciprocal: 2Ki 11:17 – made a covenant 2Ch 15:14 – sware 2Ch 23:16 – made a covenant Neh 8:6 – Amen Neh 10:29 – entered Neh 13:25 – cursed Pro 21:13 – at Mat 6:12 – as Mar 6:11 – whosoever Luk 9:5 – shake Rev 19:4 – Amen
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 5:13. Also I shook my lap The extreme parts of my garment, which I first folded together, and then shook it and scattered it asunder. This was one form of swearing then in use. So God shake every man from his house, &c. Thus he represented, by an external sign, as the manner of the prophets often was, how God would cast them out of their possessions, and of the fruit of their labours, who did not observe this oath. And all the congregation said, Amen! God so influenced the peoples hearts, that even they who had been guilty of taking usury consented to this imprecation, and wished this mischief to themselves, if they did not do as he required. And praised the Lord So far were they from promising with regret, that they promised and even took an oath to do as he desired, with all possible expressions of joy and gladness, and with thankfulness to God for giving them such a good governor, and inclining them to submit to him.