Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 13:31
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
31. and for the wood offering ] Cf. Neh 10:35.
the firstfruits ] Cf. Neh 10:36-39.
The special mention of these practical measures of reorganization perhaps implies that they remedied two principal causes of discontent and points most liable to abuse from negligence.
Remember me, O my God, for good ] Cf. Neh 13:14; Neh 13:22, Neh 5:19.
Additional Note on Neh 13:6. Prof. Kirkpatrick suggests that Nehemiah’s first Mission lasted ‘perhaps for not more than a year,’ and that he then returned to Susa. The words ‘I went to the king’ he explains of Nehemiah’s going to serve his turn as cupbearer; and ‘at the end of certain days’ he would refer to the close of his term of office. This explanation has the merit of allowing an interval of 12 years between Nehemiah’s two visits to Jerusalem. The objection arising from the date in Neh 5:14 he meets by the conjecture that the Compiler has inserted it from a misunderstanding of ch. Neh 13:6, or ‘that Nehemiah continued to be nominal governor though not resident in Juda.’ (‘Doctrine of the Prophets,’ London, 1892, pp. 508, 509.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Neh 13:31
Remember me, O my God, for good.
Simplicity and power
Consciousness of religion cannot be of necessity wrong, and it is only a false estimate of human nature with regard to God which enables men to take another view with regard to such sets. With boldness and without hesitation Paul says he has run good course and fought a good fight; and he based upon this declaration that there was laid up for him a crown of righteousness. In the same way we find constant recognition by David of his own good conduct throughout the Psalms; And Samuel protests his innocence in the sight of the congregation. Hezekiah upon his sick-bed narrates the better sets of his life as a reason for God to prolong his term of years; while more than one of the apostles reminds our Lord of their self-denying adherence to His cause. While Nehemiahs consciousness of certain acts that he knew he had done to please God shines with a soft and mellowed lustre on his figure whenever he comes into notice, the evident simplicity of his purpose and sincerity of his mind, and the utter absence of anything like censoriousness or boastfulness, prevent him from being in the least degree shadowed by vanity or presumption. A view like Nehemiahs of those sets which are performed with a pure intention of pleasing God is justified, because–
1. The doing so involves truthfulness in our estimate of moral action.
2. Of the very direct encouragement that we receive from the consciousness that we have done what is pleasing to God. In our intercourse with our fellow-creatures nothing so encourages in the effort to please as the fact of having pleased; nothing so discourages as the consciousness of not having given satisfaction, or what is worse, the impression that we have dissatisfied. (E. Monro.)
Prayer for Gods blessing
The Rev. Dr. Brock, of Bloomsbury, when about twenty-one years old (1828), and just out of his apprenticeship, left Devonshire for London. He had not gone far from his home before he stopped, and sat down under a hedge, in a lane, and opening his Bible at the 13th chapter of Nehemiah, his eye fell upon the 31st verse: Remember me, O my God, for good. Kneeling down upon his knees under that hedge, with his hand upon the passage, ha put up a fervent prayer that God would befriend him by remembering him for good in his metropolitan life. How strikingly was that prayer answered! Dr. Brock himself used to say, Who can tell how much of the success of my after-life may be traced back to that prayer?
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 31. For the wood-offering] This was a most necessary regulation: without it the temple service could not have gone forward; and therefore Nehemiah mentions this as one of the most important services he had rendered to his nation. See Ne 10:34.
Remember me, O my God, for good.] This has precisely the same meaning with, O my God, have mercy upon me! and thus alone it should be understood.
OF Nehemiah the Jews speak as one of the greatest men of their nation. His concern for his country, manifested by such unequivocal marks, entitles him to the character of the first patriot that ever lived. In the course of the Divine providence, he was a captive in Babylon; but there his excellences were so apparent, that he was chosen by the Persian king to fill an office the most respectable and the most confidential in the whole court. Here he lived in ease and affluence; he lacked no manner of thing that was good; and here he might have continued to live, in the same affluence and in the same confidence: but he could enjoy neither, so long as his people were distressed, the sepulchres of his fathers trodden under foot, the altars of his God overturned, and his worship either totally neglected or corrupted. He sought the peace of Jerusalem; he prayed to God for it; and was willing to sacrifice wealth, ease, and safety, and even life itself, if he might be the instrument of restoring the desolations of Israel. And God, who saw the desire of his heart, and knew the excellences with which he had endowed him, granted his request, and gave him the high honour of restoring the desolated city of his ancestors, and the pure worship of their God. On this account he has been considered by several as an expressive type of Jesus Christ, and many parallels have been shown in their lives and conduct.
I have already, in several notes, vindicated him from all mercenary and interested views, as well as from all false notions of religion, grounded on human merit. For disinterestedness, philanthropy, patriotism, prudence, courage, zeal, humanity, and every virtue that constitutes a great mind, and proves a soul in deep communion with God, Nehemiah will ever stand conspicuous among the greatest men of the Jewish nation, and an exemplar worthy to be copied by the first patriots in every nation under heaven.
It has already been observed that, in the Jewish canon, Ezra and Nehemiah make but one book; and that both have been attributed, but without reason, to the same author: hence the Syriac version ends with this colophon-The end of the book of Ezra, the scribe, in which are contained two thousand three hundred and sixty-one verses.
MASORETIC NOTES.
Ezra and Nehemiah contain six hundred and eighty-eight verses. Middle verse is Ne 3:32. Sections, ten.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For the wood-offering and the first-fruits; and particularly I took care for these things, because they had been lately neglected.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And for the wood offering, at times appointed,…. Of which see Ne 10:34. Levites were appointed to receive the wood that was brought at the times and by the persons fixed, and lay it up in its proper place, and carry it to the altar when wanted:
and for the first fruits; to receive and take care of them, and distribute them to the persons to whom they belonged:
remember me, O my God, for good; to bless him with all good things, temporal and spiritual, to keep him faithful, to make him useful in church and state, and protect him from all his enemies: or rather this may respect what goes before, that as to the wood offering and the firstfruits, that God would graciously remember him as to them, since the one was as necessary to the altar as the other was to those that minister at it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(31) Remember me, O my God, for good.With these words Nehemiah leaves the scene, commiting himself and his discharge of duty to the Righteous Judge. His conscientious fidelity had brought him into collision not only with external enemies but with many of his own brethren. His rigorous reformation has been assailed by many moralists and commentators in every age. But in these words he commits all to God, as it were by anticipation.It may be added that with these words end the annals of Old Testament history.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31. For the wood offering and for the firstfruits See Neh 12:44; Neh 10:34; Neh 10:38.
Remember me, O my God, for good Thus Nehemiah closes his narrative with the pious prayer of a soul conscious of earnest and self-sacrificing labour for the cause of God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 13:31. Remember me, O my God, for good It has appeared extraordinary to some, that Nehemiah should be so lavish of his own praise, so ostentatious of his good works, as frequently to call upon God to remember him for good, and not to wipe out his good deeds which he had done, &c. See Neh 13:14; Neh 13:22, and ch Neh 5:19. Now to this may be replied, that, as Nehemiah appears in the character of the writer of his own administration over Judea, in which it cannot misbecome him to give the world a narrative how himself behaved in that high station; in doing of this he could not avoid the saying of something in his own commendation, unless he had been disposed, out of his excessive modesty, to conceal from posterity (which it had been invidious to do) an excellent example of his extraordinary virtue and love for his country. Compare ch. Neh 5:18 with 2Co 11:7; 2Co 11:33. He who made us, and set the springs in our nature, knows very well that we are principally actuated, by hopes and fears; and, for this reason, has proposed rewards and punishments to us; nor do we ever find it accounted a defect in the characters of the worthies of old, or an indication of their mercenary spirit, that, in all their good works or sufferings, they had a respect to the recompence of the reward, which God the righteous judge hath promised to give unto his faithful servants. See Balguy’s first Letter to a Deist. How long Nehemiah lived after he had made the reformations mentioned in this chapter; whether he continued in his place of governor, and whether he died in Judea or in Persia, neither the text nor Josephus inform us; only the latter says, that he died in an advanced age; and, indeed, even at the time where his book ends, he must have been at least seventy years of age. It is most probable, however, that he continued in his government till the time of his death, supporting his character by the most exemplary zeal for religion, justice, and the good of his nation, and the dignity of his office by a magnificent hospitality. We just add, that Dean Prideaux concludes the seven first weeks of the seventy of Daniel’s prophesy with this last reformation of Nehemiah; which was finished, according to him, in the fifteenth year of Darius Nothus. See also Univ. Hist.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
BEHOLD, my soul! how God’s people have been enjoined in all ages to keep separate from all others, and never to mingle with them, much less to form alliances with them, and learn their works. See then that thou art come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing. In God’s original appointment the people of his dear Son dwell alone. They have a distinct mark and character, Given to Jesus. Purchased, redeemed, ransomed by Jesus. Regenerated by the spirit of Jesus, and set as a seal of the Spirit on Jesus hand, and in Jesus heart. Oh! then as one of the Lord’s ransomed sinners may it be my portion thus to be known, and distinguished. Let no Tobiahs, no Sanballats, neither Ammonites nor Hanaanites be in my alliance. But oh! let me be found one with Jesus, united to my Lord: and Christ my Lord be formed in my heart, the hope of glory. And oh! for grace to be so known in reverencing the sabbaths of my Lord, the ordinances of Jesus, his word, the ministrations of his grace, and all his holy things. Lord, remember me for my good in all these, according to the greatness of thy mercies, in Jesus thy dear and ever blessed Son.
And now farewell, thou noble Tirshatha, thou magnanimous Nehemiah, thou great and faithful servant of the most high God! I pray for grace to imitate thy lovely example. And amidst all the opposition of the Sanballats and Tobiahs of the present day, may it be my happiness to be distinguished, as thou wert in thy generation, valiant for the truths sake; and only zealous to be approved before God.
But oh! Almighty God! thou who didst give to Nehemiah all he possessed of fortitude and grace in this blessed cause; to thee would I chiefly look, and while delighted with the history of the servant, recognize the hand of the Almighty Master; influencing, guiding, guarding, and giving success to Nehemiah in all! Yes! Holy Spirit! it is thou which hast in all ages raised up faithful servants, to be honoured instruments in thy almighty hand, for good to thy people. To thee, then, be all the praise and all the glory. I desire to bless thee for thy mercies to this great man, in giving him so distinguished a post in thy church. I desire to bless thee for causing his history to be handed down as an example to succeeding ages. And oh! Lord, grant that all may be blessed to bring glory to God, and happiness to thy people in Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be endless praise. Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Neh 13:31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Ver. 31. And for the wood offering ] See Neh 10:34-35 .
Remember me, O my God, for good
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the wood offering. See note on Neh 10:34, Neh 10:35.
Remember me. Thus ends the latest sacred history of the O.T.; chronological, not canonical. In 2 Macc, 2.13 it is recorded of Nehemiah “how he, founding a library, gathered together the books about the kings and prophets, and the books of David, and letters of kings about sacred gifts”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the wood: Neh 10:34
Remember: Neh 13:14, Neh 13:22, Psa 25:7, Psa 26:8, Psa 26:9, Psa 106:4, Luk 23:42
Reciprocal: Gen 8:1 – God remembered Lev 1:7 – lay Lev 6:12 – burn wood Deu 26:2 – That thou shalt 2Ki 20:3 – remember 2Ch 31:5 – came abroad Neh 5:19 – Think Psa 26:11 – and Psa 112:6 – the righteous Isa 38:3 – Remember Jer 15:15 – remember 2Ti 1:16 – Lord Heb 6:10 – to forget
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 13:31. Remember me, O my God, for good The best services done to the public, have sometimes been forgotten by those for whom they were done, Ecc 9:15; therefore Nehemiah refers himself to God to be recompensed by him, and then doubts not but he shall be well paid. This may well be the summary of our petitions: we need no more to make us happy but this, Remember me, O my God, for good.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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.