Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 5:16

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants [were] gathered thither unto the work.

16. Yea also I continued in the work, &c.] R.V. marg. ‘Heb. held fast to ’. It does not appear certain whether Nehemiah here refers to his continuous supervision of the building or to his personal share in the work of restoration at his own cost of some portion of it. The word rendered ‘continued’ (used in its literal sense of ‘held’ in Neh 4:16) admits of either application.

neither bought we any land ] In connexion with the previous and the following clauses, these words should be taken to mean that Nehemiah and his friends were too strenuously occupied to interest themselves in the purchase of lands. Former governors had possibly made investments in good land. Such transactions were incompatible with Nehemiah’s ceaseless devotion to the work. But it is necessary also to regard the words as an allusion to the substance of Neh 5:10. Although they had abundant opportunity to make private gain out of mortgaged property, they withstood the temptation of enriching themselves out of their fellow-countrymen. The word ‘land’ is the same as that which in the Plur. the R.V. has altered to ‘fields’ in Neh 5:3-5 ; Neh 5:11.

all my servants were gathered ] Their work at the wall and in Nehemiah’s employ was too incessant to permit of the inspection of purchaseable land or of its proper cultivation if they had purchased it.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

I continued … land – i. e. – I took my share in the work of the wall, as general superintendent. I did not take advantage of the general poverty to buy poor mens plots of ground.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Neh 5:16

Neither bought we any land.

Nehemiah an example of unworldliness of mind

The people of God maintain a certain unearthly peculiarity throughout all their relationship to earth; they do not become assimilated to the crowd through which they hold the tenor of their way. Like that limpid stream of which we are told that, entering a salt and bituminous lake, it clears its way through the uncongenial waters, untainted and uncommingled, so that it issues forth below as pure as when it entered, so the current of Gods people, passing through the dead sea of this world, does not blend with its waters, but speeds on undefiled to the clear ocean in heaven. Consider how this unworldly spirit will tell on your every-day course.

I. It will restrain you from intimacy, though you cannot avoid intercourse, with the ungodly.

II. You will be distinguished from the world by the moderation with which you will form your plans and prosecute your undertakings.

III. You will show another spirit in the friendships which you form and the associations which you choose.

IV. You will be restrained from that greediness of gain which, more than ever, characterises the world in this present age.

V. You will have a large and open hand for the claims of god, the service of his church, and for the relief of the poor and needy.(Hugh Stowell, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 16. Neither bought we any land] Neither he nor his officers took any advantage of the necessities of the people, to buy their lands, &c. He even made his own servants to work at the wall.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

In the work of this wall; overseeing, directing, and encouraging the workmen, which was my whole business; and this at my own cost.

Neither bought we any land of our poor brethren, whose necessities gave me abundant opportunity of enriching myself with good bargains. But I durst not build my house upon other mens ruins.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,…. Of building the wall of Jerusalem; here he gave his constant attendance to direct and encourage the workmen, and see that they kept to their work, and did it well:

neither bought we any land; neither he nor the principal men with him, though they could have bought it cheap, but they chose not to take the advantage of the poverty of the people:

and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work: all were employed in it, taking no wages for their work, being maintained at his expense.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(16) I continued.I repaired: that is, as superintendent. His servants and himself did not take advantage of the peoples poverty to acquire their land by mortgage; they were, on the contrary, absorbed in the common work.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

16. Neither bought we any land By taking advantage of the distress of the people, as the nobles and rulers had done. Comp. Neh 5:10, note.

My servants unto the work And were not allowed to tyrannize over the people. Compare Neh 5:15.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Neh 5:16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants [were] gathered thither unto the work.

Ver. 16. Yea, also I continued in the work ] He meaneth, saith Lyra, that he wrought with his own hands to draw on others the more, when they should see their governor himself so intent to the work. He was constant at it, and held out till all was finished. And this he recordeth, not out of ostentation, but to show that the love and fear of God constrained him; as it did afterwards Paul, that spiritual builder, who laboured more than they all, and denied himself to bring others to heaven, as himself setteth forth, 2Co 11:1-33 . In praising ourselves, our end must be, that our light may be seen, not ourselves seen, Mat 5:16 . Men’s praise may be sought, modo tibi non quaeras, sed Christo, Seek not for yourself, but Christ. saith Aretius, so that Christ be thereby set up and served.

Neither bought we any land ] As easily we might have done with the surplusage of our revenue; especially if we had exacted the utmost of our right. But public spirits mind not their own interests. Joshua divided the land to Israel, and left none to himself; and that portion that was given him, and he content with, was but a poor one in the barren mountains, as Jerome observes. The late victorious king of Sweden (a second Joshua), in his reprehensory speech to the German plunderers, hath this passage: I protest, before God, that I have not by all this war enriched myself so far as a pair of boots cometh to; yea, I had rather ride without boots than in the least degree enrich myself by the damage of poor people (Mr Clark, in his Life).

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

See Neh 5:14 for a longer note that applies to this verse.

we. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “I”

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

I continued: Luk 8:15, Rom 2:7, 1Co 15:58, Gal 6:9

neither bought: Num 16:15, Act 20:33-35, 1Th 2:5, 1Th 2:6

all my: 2Co 12:16-18, Phi 2:20, Phi 2:21

Reciprocal: Neh 4:16 – my servants Neh 4:23 – So neither I

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Neh 5:16. Yea, also I continued in the work Overseeing, directing, and encouraging the workmen, which was my whole business; and this at my own cost. Neither bought we any land Of our poor brethren, whose necessities gave abundant opportunities of enriching myself by good bargains. And all my servants were gathered unto the work They also were constantly employed in the same work, and received no pay for their labour, though they could not be so employed without the neglect of my own private business.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments