Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 4:1
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
Ch. Neh 4:1-23 . The Opposition to the Work. ( a) 1 6. The ridicule of the Samaritans. ( b) 7 23. The menaces of the foe, and the precautions taken by Nehemiah
1. The IVth Chapter in ordinary editions of the Hebrew text does not begin till Neh 4:7.
and took great indignation ] The form of the word here used in the original is of rare occurrence and is found only in late Hebrew, 2Ch 16:10, ‘was in a rage;’ Eze 16:42, ‘be angry;’ Psa 112:10, ‘be grieved,’ Ecc 5:17; Ecc 7:9. For the common use of the word in its causative sense, ‘provoke to anger’ see Neh 4:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Neh 4:1-4
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth.
Sanballat: a study in party spirit
You must clearly understand, to begin with, that Samaria was already, even in that early day, the deadly rival of Jerusalem; and also that Sanballat was the governor of Samaria. And Sanballat was a man of this kind, that he was not content with doing his very best to make Samaria both prosperous and powerful, but he must also do his very best to keep Jerusalem downtrodden and destroyed. And thus it was that, when Sanballat heard that Nehemiah had come from Shushan with a commission from Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the exasperating news drove Sanballat absolutely beside himself. And thus it is that such a large part of Nehemiahs autobiography is taken up with Sanballats diabolical plots and conspiracies both to murder Nehemiah and to destroy the new Jerusalem. We see in Sanballat an outstanding instance of the sleepless malice of all unprincipled party spirit.
1. Now, in the first place, diabolically wicked as party spirit too often becomes, this must be clearly understood about party spirit, that, after all, it is but the excess, and the perversion, and the depravity of an originally natural and a perfectly proper principle in our hearts. It was of God, and it was of human nature as God had made it, that Sanballat should love and serve Samaria best; and that Nehemiah should love and serve Jerusalem best. And all party spirit among ourselves also, at its beginning, is but our natural and dutiful love for our own land, and for our own city, and for our own Church, and for those who think with us, and work with us, and love us.
2. But then, when it comes to its worst, as it too often does come, party spirit is the complete destruction both of truth and of love. The truth is hateful to the out-and-out partisan. We all know that in ourselves. As many lies as you like, but not the truth. It exasperates us to hear it. You are henceforth our enemy if you will insist on speaking it. It is not truth that divides us up into such opposed parties as we see all around us in Church and State, it is far more lies. It is not principle once in ten times. Nine times out of ten it is pure party spirit. And I cling to that bad spirit, and to all its works, as if it were my life. I feel unhappy when you tell me the truth, if it is good truth, about my rival. And where truth is hated in that way love can have no possible home. Truth is love in the mind, just as love is truth in the heart. Trample on the one and you crush the other to death. Now the full-blown party spirit is utter poison to the spirit of love as well as to the spirit of truth. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love rejoiceth not in iniquity, etc. But party spirit is the clean contradiction of an that.
3. By the just and righteous ordination of Almighty God all our sins carry their own punishment immediately and inseparably with them. And party spirit, being such a wicked spirit, it infallibly inflicts a very swift and a very severe punishment on the man who entertains it. You know yourselves how party spirit hardens your heart, and narrows, and imprisons, and impoverishes your mind. You must all know how party spirit poisons your feelings, and fills you with antipathy at men you never saw, as well as at men all around you who never hurt a hair of your head, and would not if they could.
4. Another Divine punishment of party spirit is seen in the way that it provokes retaliation, and thus reproduces and perpetuates itself till the iniquity of the fathers is visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate the truth and murder love. And, inheriting no little good from our contending forefathers, we have inherited too many of their injuries, and retaliations, and antipathies, and alienations also. And the worst of it is that we look on it as true patriotism, and the perfection of religious principle, to keep up and perpetuate all those ancient misunderstandings, and injuries, and recriminations, and alienations.
5. Who, then, is a wise man, and endued with wisdom among you? Who would fain be such a man? Who would behave to his rivals and enemies, not as Nehemiah, good man though he was, behaved to the Samaritans, but as Jesus Christ behaved to them? Who, in one word, would escape the sin, and the misery, and the long-lasting mischief of party spirit? Butler has an inimitable way of saying some of his very best and very deepest things. And here is one of his great sayings that has helped me more in this matter than I can tell you.
4. Let us remember, he says, that we differ as much from other men as they differ from us. What a lamp to our feet is that sentence as we go through this world! And then, when at any time, and towards any party, or towards any person whatsoever, you find in yourself that you are growing in love, and in peace, and in patience, and in toleration, and in goodwill, and in good wishes, acknowledge it to yourself; see it, understand it, and confess it. Do not be afraid to admit it, for that is God within your heart. That is the Divine Nature–that is the Holy Ghost. Just go on in that Spirit, and ere ever you are aware you will be caught up and taken home to that Holy Land where there is neither Jerusalem nor Samaria. There will be no party spirit there. There will be no controversy there. (A. Whyte, D. D.)
What do these feeble Jews?–
Feeble agencies not to be despised
When we behold a wide, turf-covered expanse, we should remember that its smoothness, on which so much of its beauty depends, is mainly due to all the inequalities having been slowly levelled by worms. It is a marvellous reflection that the whole of the superficial mould over any such expanse has passed, and will pass again, every few years, through the bodies of worms. The plough is one of the most ancient and most valuable of mans inventions; but long before he existed the land was, in fact, regularly ploughed by earth-worms. It may be doubted whether there are any other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world as have these lowly organised creatures. Some other animal, however, still more lowly organised–namely, corals, have done far more conspicuous work in having constructed innumerable reefs and islands in the great oceans; but these are almost confined to the tropical zones. (Charles Darwin.)
Intrinsic energy not to be gauged by magnitude
Remember that lofty trees grow from diminutive seeds; copious rivers flow from small fountains; slender wires often sustain ponderous weights; injury to the smallest nerves may occasion the most agonising sensation; the derangement of the least wheel or pivot may render useless the greatest machine of which it is a part; an immense crop of errors may spring from the least root of falsehood; a glorious intellectual light may be kindled by the minutest spark of truth; and every principle is more diffusive and operative by reason of its intrinsic energy than of its magnitude. (J. Gregory.)
Censure should not interfere with duty
Be not diverted from your duty by any idle reflections the silly world may make on you, for their censures are not in your power, and consequently should be no part of your concern. (Epictetus.)
Fools-bolts should be disregarded
What action was ever so good, or so completely done, as to be well taken on all hands? It concerns every wise Christian to settle his heart in a resolved confidence of his own holy and just grounds, and then to go on in a constant course of his well-warranted judgment and practice, with a careless disregard of those fools-bolts which will be sure to be shot at him, which way soever he goes. (Bp. Hall.)
Petty criticism should be disregarded
It is often more difficult to endure the stinging of insects than to face the bravest perils. Explorers in tropical countries find these tiny, noxious creatures much more destructive of their peace and comfort than the larger and more deadly animals which sometimes beset them. Many a man faces courageously a grave peril who becomes a coward when a set of petty annoyances have worn his nerves out and irritated him to the point of loss of self-control. Every man who attempts an independent course of life, whether of thought, habit, or action, finds himself beset by a cloud of petty critics, who are, for the most part, without malice, but whose stings, inspired by ignorance, are quite as hard to bear as they would be if inspired by hate. The misrepresentations and misconceptions which good men suffer are a part of the pathos of life. The real answer to criticism is a mans life and work. A busy man has no time to stop and meet his critics in detail; he must do his work, and let that be his answer to criticism. (Christian Age.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
CHAPTER IV
Sanballat and Tobiah mock the Jews, and endeavour to prevent
the completing of the wall, 1-3.
Nehemiah prays against them, and the people complete one half of
the wall, 4-6.
The Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, conspire together, and
come to fight against the Jews, 7, 8.
The Jews commend themselves to God, and determine to fight for
their lives and liberties; on hearing of which their enemies are
disheartened, 9-16.
The Jews divide themselves into two bands; one half working, and
the other standing ready armed to meet their enemies. Even the
workmen are obliged to arm themselves, while employed in
building, for fear of their enemies, 17, 18.
Nehemiah uses all precautions to prevent a surprise; and all
labour with great fervour in the work, 19-22.
NOTES ON CHAP. IV
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Pretending contempt in his words when he had grief in his heart.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. when Sanballat heard that webuilded the wall, he was wrothThe Samaritan faction showedtheir bitter animosity to the Jews on discovering the systematicdesign of refortifying Jerusalem. Their opposition was confined atfirst to scoffs and insults, in heaping which the governors madethemselves conspicuous, and circulated all sorts of disparagingreflections that might increase the feelings of hatred and contemptfor them in their own party. The weakness of the Jews in respect ofwealth and numbers, the absurdity of their purpose apparently toreconstruct the walls and celebrate the feast of dedication in oneday, the idea of raising the walls on their old foundations, as wellas using the charred and mouldering debris of the ruins as thematerials for the restored buildings, and the hope of such a parapetas they could raise being capable of serving as a fortress ofdefensethese all afforded fertile subjects of hostile ridicule.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall,…. Or were building it; for as yet it was not finished, see Ne 4:6,
he was wroth, and took great indignation; inwardly, though outwardly he pretended to treat the work with contempt, as if it never would be accomplished, which yet he feared:
and mocked the Jews; as a set of foolish builders, and unable to finish what they had begun.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3:33-34)
The ridicule of Tobiah and Sanballat. – As soon as Sanballat heard that we were building ( , partic., expresses not merely the resolve or desire to build, but also the act of commencing), he was wroth and indignant, and vented his anger by ridiculing the Jews, saying before his brethren, i.e., the rulers of his people, and the army of Samaria ( , like Est 1:3; 2Ki 18:17), – in other words, saying publicly before his associates and subordinates, – “What do these feeble Jews? will they leave it to themselves? will they sacrifice? will they finish it to-day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps that are burned?” , not, What will they do? (Bertheau), for the participle is present, and does not stand for the future; but, What are they doing? The form , withered, powerless, occurs here only. The subject of the four succeeding interrogative sentences must be the same. And this is enough to render inadmissible the explanation offered by older expositors of : Will they leave to them, viz., will the neighbouring nations or the royal prefects allow them to build? Here, as in the case of the following verbs, the subject can only be the Jews. Hence Ewald seeks, both here and in Neh 4:8, to give to the verb the meaning to shelter: Will they make a shelter for themselves, i.e., will they fortify the town? But this is quite arbitrary. Bertheau more correctly compares the passage, Psa 10:14, , we leave it to God; but incorrectly infers that here also we must supply , and that, Will they leave to themselves? means, Will they commit the matter to God. This mode of completing the sense, however, can by no means be justified; and Bertheau’s conjecture, that the Jews now assembling in Jerusalem, before commencing the work itself, instituted a devotional solemnity which Sanballat was ridiculing, is incompatible with the correct rendering of the participle. construed with means to leave, to commit a matter to any one, like Psa 10:14, and the sense is: Will they leave the building of the fortified walls to themselves? i.e., Do they think they are able with their poor resources to carry out this great work? This is appropriately followed by the next question: Will they sacrifice? i.e., bring sacrifices to obtain God’s miraculous assistance? The ridicule lies in the circumstance that Sanballat neither credited the Jews with ability to carry out the work, nor believed in the overruling providence of the God whom the Jews worshipped, and therefore casts scorn by both upon the faith of the Jews in their God and upon the living God Himself. As these two questions are internally connected, so also are the two following, by which Sanballat casts a doubt upon the possibility of the work being executed. Will they finish (the work) on this day, i.e., to-day, directly? The meaning is: Is this a matter to be as quickly executed as if it were the work of a single day? The last question is: Have they even the requisite materials? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish which are burnt? The building-stone of Jerusalem was limestone, which gets softened by fire, losing its durability, and, so to speak, its vitality. This explains the use of the verb , to revive, bestow strength and durability upon the softened crumbled stones, to fit the stones into a new building (Ges. Lex.). The construction is explained by the circumstance that is by its form masculine, but by its meaning feminine, and that agrees with the form .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Opposition of Sanballat, c.. | B. C. 445. |
1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these 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? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
Here is, I. The spiteful scornful reflection which Sanballat and Tobiah cast upon the Jews for their attempt to build the wall about Jerusalem. The country rang of it presently; intelligence was brought of it to Samaria, that nest of enemies to the Jews and their prosperity; and here we are told how they received the tidings. 1. In heart. They were very angry at the undertaking, and had great indignation, v. 1. It vexed them that Nehemiah came to seek the welfare of the children of Israel (ch. ii. 10); but, when they heard of this great undertaking for their good, they were out of all patience. They had hitherto pleased themselves with the thought that while Jerusalem was unwalled they could swallow it up and make themselves masters of it when they pleased; but, if it be walled, it will not only be fenced against them, but by degrees become formidable to them. The strength and safety of the church are the grief and vexation of its enemies. 2. In word. They despised it, and made it the subject of their ridicule. In this they sufficiently displayed their malice; but good was brought out of it; for, looking upon it as a foolish undertaking that would sink under its own weight, they did not go about to obstruct it till it was too late. Let us see with what pride and malice they set themselves publicly to banter it. (1.) Sanballat speaks with scorn of the workmen: “These feeble Jews” (v. 2), “what will they do for materials? Will they revive the stones out of the rubbish? And what mean they by being so hasty? Do they think to make the walling of a city but one day’s work, and to keep the feast of dedication with sacrifice the next day? Poor silly people! See how ridiculous they make themselves!” (2.) Tobiah speaks with no less scorn of the work itself. He has his jest too, and must show his wit, v. 3. Profane scoffers sharpen one another. “Sorry work,” says he, “they are likely to make of it; they themselves will be ashamed of it: If a fox go up, not with his subtlety, but with his weight, he will break down their stone wall.” Many a good work has been thus looked upon with contempt by the proud and haughty scorners.
II. Nehemiah’s humble and devout address to God when he heard of these reflections. He had notice brought him of what they said. It is probable that they themselves sent him a message to this purport, to discourage him, hoping to jeer him out of his attempt; but he did not answer these fools according to their folly; he did not upbraid them with their weakness, but looked up to God by prayer.
1. He begs of God to take notice of the indignities that were done them (v. 4), and in this we are to imitate him: Hear, O our God! for we are despised. Note, (1.) God’s people have often been a despised people, and loaded with contempt. (2.) God does, and will, hear all the slights that are put upon his people, and it is their comfort that he does so and a good reason why they should be as though they were deaf, Psa 38:13; Psa 38:15. “Thou art our God to whom we appeal; our cause needs no more than a fair hearing.”
2. He begs of God to avenge their cause and turn the reproach upon the enemies themselves (Neh 4:4; Neh 4:5); and this was spoken rather by a spirit of prophecy than by a spirit of prayer, and is not to be imitated by us who are taught of Christ to pray for those that despitefully use and persecute us. Christ himself prayed for those that reproached him: Father, forgive them. Nehemiah here prays, Cover not their iniquity. Note, (1.) Those that cast contempt on God’s people do but prepare everlasting shame for themselves. (2.) It is a sin from which sinners are seldom recovered. Doubtless Nehemiah had reason to think the hearts of those sinners were desperately hardened, so that they would never repent of it, else he would not have prayed that it might never be blotted out. The reason he gives is not, They have abused us, but, They have provoked thee, and that before the builders, to whom, it is likely, they sent a spiteful message. Note, We should be angry at the malice of persecutors, not because it is abusive to us, but because it is offensive to God; and on that we may ground an expectation that God will appear against it, Psa 74:18; Psa 74:22.
III. The vigour of the builders, notwithstanding these reflections, v. 6. They made such good speed that in a little time they had run up the wall to half its height, for the people had a mind to work; their hearts were upon it, and they would have it forwarded. Note, 1. Good work goes on well when people have a mind to it. 2. The reproaches of enemies should rather quicken us to our duty than drive us from it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Nehemiah – Chapter 4
Ridicule and Response, Verses 1-9,
The enthusiasm and zeal of the Jews in the construction of the walls of Jerusalem did not escape the anxious attention of their enemies, led by Sanballat. The official position of Sanballat in the land is uncertain, but he must have felt threatened by the re-establishment and strengthening of Jerusalem. He was not a little displeased, for he became very wroth and indignant. Doubtless he felt frustration at not being able to bring it to a stop. He spoke of their work with sarcastic contempt and mocked their efforts. He spread the word to his cohorts in an effort to enlist them in his effort to stop the work. Speaking to his fellows, who made up the army of Samaria, he asked suggestive questions. “What are these feeble Jews up to? Do they intend to fortify their city (suggesting they might have rebellion in mind)? Do they plan to sacrifice? The reason for this question may have been contempt for their temple worship, which they refused to allow the Samaritans to join in. Maybe their wall was to keep out those they denied the privilege of sacrificing in their temple. Then all this zeal and enthusiasm! Do they think they can finish their wall in a day? Will they simply resurrect the burned stones out of the ground and have them take their place in their wall by a miraculous feat?”
In this diatribe Sanballat was joined by his companion, Tobiah the Ammonite, who was a Persian officer of some kind. He commented that the wall was so hurriedly constructed that it could not stand if a small fox leaped upon it.
Nehemiah responded in the spirit which Jesus admonished His servants to have (Mat 5:11-12). He took it to the Lord in prayer, calling on Him to hear the despising of their enemies and to judge .them according to His own provocation. Nehemiah realized that it was not really the Jews who should be provoked, but the Lord by whose command they were engaged in rebuilding the wall.
Nehemiah’s prayer-must have kept up the courage of his workers,
for they continued steadily on the job (cf. Gal 6:9, for the present day). Very soon the wall was raised to the halfway mark, because, said Nehemiah, “the people had a mind to work.” Much is always accomplished if the Lord’s people are willing to put forth the effort required, according to the ability of each (2Co 8:12).
All those around heard that the walls were progressing at an astounding rate. With Sanballat and Tobiah the ringleaders, animosity appeared from the ranks of various nations around Judaea, the Arabians from the desert south, the Ammonites from the Transjordan, and the Ashdodites from the Philistine coastland. They had heard that the broken gaps of the ruined walls were being filled and the wall steadily going up, and they were very displeased at the news. It was a very formidable opposition, doubtless much stronger numerically than the Jews.
So determined were they to stop the work they planned to join themselves in force and compel the Jews to cease the work by fighting against them. Nehemiah and his people learned of their plans, but did not quit. Instead they made special prayers to God for His watchcare and set their own watch both day and night lest they be surprised by an attack. There is no place for the Lord’s people to quit when in His work, regardless of the odds the Devil is able to mount against them.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
THE DIFFICULTIES OF REBUILDING
The opening chapter acquaints us with Nehemiahs very soul. The heart of the man is here exposed and the reader is permitted his deepest thought. He inquires after the remnant left in Jerusalem and learns that they are in great affliction and reproach, the walls of the city broken down, the gates burned, and he not only sits him down to weep, but mourns for days and fasts and prays before the God of Heaven, and his prayer as reported in chapter 1, Neh 1:5-11, is a model of intercession, while chapters 2 to 7 record the result of that petition before God.
These seven chapters suggest three things:
First, the strain of prayer and the exercise of patience. Chapters 1 and 2,
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
That Hanani, one of my 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.
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven,
And said, I beseech Thee, O Lord God of Heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love Him and observe His commandments:
Let Thine ear now be attentive, and Thine eyes open, that Thou mayest hear the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee now, day and night, for the Children of Israel Thy servants, and confess the sins of the Children of Israel, which we have sinned against Thee: both I and my fathers house have sinned.
We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech Thee, the word that Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
But if ye turn unto Me, and keep My commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the Heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set My name there.
Now these are Thy servants and Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great power, and by Thy strong hand.
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 fear Thy Name: and prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the kings cupbearer (Neh 1:1-11).
Neh 2:1-20.
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of 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.
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers sepulchres, lieth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of Heaven.
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers sepulchres, that I may build it.
And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the kings 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 the good hand of my God upon me.
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the kings letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
When 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.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the kings pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.
And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the kings words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said. What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
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 memorial, in Jerusalem (Neh 2:1-20).
I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven (Neh 1:4). There are people who make easy work of prayer. They either repeat what their mothers taught them in infancy, Now I lay me down to sleep, or else they think over what they would like to have and lightly tell God about it at night or in the morning; or else they remember the famous story of the saint who was heard to say, Well, Lord, Pm glad we are on the same good terms! Good-night! and the whole exercise is finished. Or perhaps, as possibly the greater multitude, forget to pray before retiring, awake in the night and remember it, and while formulating the phrases, fall to sleep again.
There are people who never pray without agonizing. They hold a conviction that any appeal addressed to God must be voiced in sobs if heard in Heaven, and they take on prayer tones and assume sorrow, contrition, agony of soul, and such are wont to think that no one prays who does not cry aloud; but while such patented prayers produce strange and almost revolting feelings on the part of the discerning, it remains a fairly well established fact that true praying is no easy or lackadaisical task.
The prayer of Jacob at Peniel was no slight mental exercise. It consisted not in framing a few petitions. It is described in the Book as a wrestling with God all the night through, a clinging that would not let Him go without a blessing. Abraham in praying for Sodom, continued his petition; advanced his requests and did not let God go until the best possible proffer was secured. Moses in agony for Israel reached the point where he begged that if God would not bless them, He should blot his name out of the Book of remembrance. In Gethsemane, Jesus remained on knees and wrestled with the Father and not only cried in agony, If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, but sweat great drops of blood.
Prayer is no mere passing of time in talk; prayer is no mere opportunity of literary expression or homiletical arrangement; prayer, at its best, is an agony; prayer, at its best, utterly exhausts; prayer consumes!
Christ, Himself, in teaching us how to pray, employed the illustration of the importunate widow who would not be turned aside but, prostrate before the unjust judge, kept her petitions going until he was wearied with her. Many times I have heard Dwight L: Moody pray and the memory of it will never pass from my mind. I am perfectly confident that a five-minute prayer passing Moodys lips exhausted him more than five hours of hard physical labor would have done; more than the hour sermon that followed, for while Moody assumed no agonizing tones, prayer with him was indeed a soul exercise. He went trembling into the presence of God, as Esther approached the king. He ordered his cause before Him as one who felt that the highest human interests and holiest were at stake. He came not back until he was conscious that he had been heard and his hearts request was fully before God.
Listen to the language of Nehemiahs prayer; I beseech Thee, O Lord God of Heaven * * Let Thine ear now be attentive and Thine eyes open. I pray before Thee now, day and night (Neh 1:3; Neh 1:6). Hear his confession of sin, Both I and my fathers house have sinned, Remember, I beseech Thee, and again, O Lord, I beseech Thee, let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant. Grant him mercy in the sight of this man, for he was the kings cupbearer.
But if prayer is exhausting, to wait for the answer is equally if not more so; for the man who truly prays is impatient. He yearns; he longs! Nehemiahs prayer seems to have been made in the month Chisleu, or December, and he waited until Nisan or April, before he had a chance with the king. Four months is a long time to wait when every moment is freighted with anxiety. The reports that had come to him of the condition of his loved city and its sacred temple, and of these blood relatives to whom he was bound as only a Jew is bound to his own, made every day of waiting seem like an eternity.
John Knox was heard, in a secret place behind the hedge-row, to pray, O God, give me Scotland or I die. Three times the passer-by heard this petition, wrung from his soul, and yet even Knoxs agony never exceeded that of Nehemiahthe waiting, weeping man!
Think what it would mean to you if the temple that we are now demolishing at Tenth Street had been in such state for years, and the place to which we were once wont to go and gladly worship God, and in which we once waited with such delightful songs and profitable exercise of soul, was never to rise again, and we knew that only God could call back its towers and make possible the completion of its auditorium and breathe His own Spirit, like a soul, into the same!
Joseph Parker said, Can we hear of sacred places burning without a single tear? Could we hear of St. Pauls cathedral being burned down without feeling we had sustained an irreparable loss, and if anything happened to that grand old Abbey at Westminster, we should feel as if a sacred place was gone, a sanctuary indeed, and as if it were every Englishmans duty to help put it up again.
When the cathedral at Rheims was destroyed, the entire Christian world revolted and grieved, and justly so; but that was a matter of pride rather than of passion. We may be moved with the report that the mansion on the boulevard has burned, but the souls deeps are smitten when one stands before the smoldering ashes of his own home, the place where he has thought and wrought, hoped and helped, planned and prayed. In a great sense, such a place is an essential part of life itself, and to smite it is to smite the soul of man.
To wait for the new building to come, to abide patiently until the walls rise again, and to look unto God who alone can bring order out of chaos, victory out of defeat, restoration out of despair; that is the strain for which few men are sufficient, but under which Nehemiah stood steadfastly.
But the whole of exhausting is not in waiting. Nehemiah proved sufficient for a second thing, namely, the exhausting stimulus of seeing plans perfected.
There are people who imagine that all weariness is over when once a work is well begun, clearly under way, with every prospect of completion. On the contrary, the opposite is true. That is when and where the truest exhaustion takes place. Its exhilaration we grant; its stimulus is often mistaken for strength; but it is none the less consuming.
Some years ago Mrs. Riley and myself sat down to think through plans for a home. Weeks we spent upon those plans, and they were weeks of pleasure. Anticipation played conspicuous part and the enthusiasm of new thought for this convenience and that cheered and encouraged, but when the building time came, the constant watch and care-taking concern was exhausting.
The members of the building committee of the First Baptist Church would bear kindred testimony. I doubt if any building the city of Minneapolis holds, had more time expended in thinking through plans than the two buildings upon the plans of which we have been engaged for years. They have been drawn three times, and the utmost endeavor was put into every detail, and yet the actual construction itself, while stimulating, has proven also exhausting. It may be difficult for racers to wait the word Go, and it is; and when once the race is commenced, the very stimulus of prospective victory leads one to forget self and muscles are not conscious of the strain, but with joy yield themselves to their task. The goal, however, never fails to find an exhausted runner.
But the greatest difficulty of this rebuilding is found in a third circumstance, namely, the increasing load of every conceivable opposition.
This opposition took varied forms; in fact, almost every form possible to Satanic suggestion.
Its first form was scorn. Sanballat and Tobiah laughed, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? wilt they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
Then, with a great guffaw they continued, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall (Neh 4:2-3).
What so hard to endure as scorn; what so difficult to bear as a laugh? It stings like a hornet! It is one of the things against which it is hard to go. The Professor who teaches evolution also teaches his students that ridicule is an insult to science. They know its power and they also know that that subject deserves it; and on that account they wince at the very suggestion. But, on any subject, ridicule is hard to bear. However the true builder, a leader like Nehemiah and his co-laborers go on joining wall to wall and will not be laughed out of court on a great and needful enterprise.
Seeing this, Sanballat and Tobiah changed voices, and, joining with Arabians, Ammonites and Ashdodites, they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder if (Neh 4:7-8). The man who makes fun of you, when he finds his laughter ineffective, and your success assured, comes to hate, and if possible, to hurt. Human nature does not change through the coming and going of the centuries. All our enemies are of a kind; mockery at first, murder afterward. But, Gods man can commonly meet the true adversaries, Satans servants.
A far more difficult opposition is that recorded in the fifth chapter, the opposition of ones own. The Jews now join their complaints with the others, and the great cry of the people and their wives against their brethren was this:
We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the kings tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Yet now our flesh is 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 to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards (Neh 5:2-5).
For the moment they forgot that no man among them had sacrificed as Nehemiah had sacrificed, and, in reckoning their losses, they overlooked the circumstance that he had shaken his lap out, leaving himself nothing. That was a harder opposition than was created by Sanballat and Tobiah.
The disappointment of Christs life was not in the fact that He faced the Cross; He came to do that. It was not in the cruelty of the nails that crushed His tender flesh; from all eternity that had been anticipated! But, His agony was in the lifting up a heel against Him by one out of the little circle, dear to Him. Never was sarcasm reduced to such keen edge and more deeply felt than in the Garden of Gethsemane when Christ, looking into the face of Judas, said, FRIEND, wherefore art thou come?
FRIENDwhat that must have meant to Judas! If he knew the Scriptures, like a flash, Psa 41:9 filled his thought. My own familiar FRIEND, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me (Psa 41:9).
And yet again how he would recall the words of the great Zechariah (Zec 13:6), And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of My FRIENDS.
Blessed is the man, the members of whose house join with him in his enterprises; and cursed indeed is he who endures their opposition.
But Satan has other methods of opposition than scorn, warfare and domestic rebellion. In the sixth chapter Sanballat tried to effect a companionship and consequent compromise with Nehemiah. Four times over he sends requesting that they meet together for a conference and adjust their differences. The recent Convention of Baptists is now heralded as a triumph of brotherly love. The whole session has gone by and only a single protest characterized it, and only one man voiced that complaint and the newspapers have been filled with jubilation of the reports of peace. The fundamentalists have subsided and the path of the future is smooth! Such is the glared acclaim; and that in the face of the fact that in the last twelve months the most flagrant denials of the faith that ever passed the lips of Baptist men, or dribbled from the pens of Baptist writers, have gone brazenly into print. The peace that comes by a compromise of principle, a conference that results to the satisfaction of Gods enemies, a conference that follows a fellowship of Satanic plans; these are, after all, the most effective hindrances to the truth of God. And it is written to the eternal credit of Nehemiah that he fell into no such trap, but declined the conference, resented the approach, rejoicing that he had escaped the pit digged for him, and recorded the fact that the wall was finished on the twentieth and fifth day of the month, being completed in fifty-two days.
And this same man who had led in the building now organized to hold what he had gained, and the result was a revival.
Mark
THE STABLE FEATURES OF THIS REVIVAL
It commenced in a careful canvass of returned captives. The seventh chapter of the Book of Nehemiah would amaze the modernist, should he read the same. That individual imagines that the social surveys of the last few years constitute a twentieth century novelty, but here three thousand years ago Nehemiah orders a census taken with a view to knowing the strength of Israel and sounding out his possible resources, the fuller carrying out of which has seldom been equalled and never surpassed. The report rendered by the commissioned workers was perfect. He took count of the last man and of his possessions, and when it was finished, Nehemiah knew how many people he had upon whom he could dependforty-two thousand three hundred sixty, besides seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven servants and two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women.
There is a suggestion there for modernists; better count rather than estimate! My candid judgment is that the one sin that characterizes more ministers than any other is estimating versus counting. I went into a church where the preacher had claimed a congregation of forty-four hundred, and counted exactly twenty-two hundred seats, including the choir gallery; and in another church largely over-estimated, reporting six thousand, and counted exactly thirty-two hundred including the choir. Better count than estimate. One might greatly reduce his crowd but would increase his reputation for veracity and increase his self-respect. The man who goes to battle had best not count on soldiers he does not have, and the church of God is militant and cannot win its victories with congregations that are estimated, but never existed.
The relation, however, to such a careful reckoning of ones resources to a revival is intimate and logical. I am inclined to think that of the years of my pastorate in this church, no single meeting held in it has accomplished more for it than the two years campaign that commenced with a most careful canvass of the membership. A canvass itself suffices to bring a conviction of responsibility to the individual, and to waken interest in the task to be undertaken by the entire people. Nehemiah knew the principles of a revival thirty centuries ago as well as the evangelist knows them today.
The second feature of this revival is significant in the last degree: The Word of God was produced and read to all the people.
It was no brief reading; it went on for hours, from morning until 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 (Neh 8:3).
There will never be a revival of religion without a revival of Bible reading. We are publishing more Bibles than ever before in human history, but the individual is not reading the Bible as much as his father did, and the whole church of God feels the relapse. When the Christian takes his Book in hand and abides with it by the hour, when the family begins the day by reading a chapter from the Book, when the, preacher turns from textual sermons and revives expository preaching, when the Sunday School ceases from lesson helps and pores over the text itself, the revival will be well on the way.
There never will be strength in the church until we feed on the Bread from Heaven and on the meat of Gods Word; until we hold the milk bottle of that same Word to the lips of babes. If we would have a revival we must bring the Bible from its shelf of neglect; if we would have a revival we must exalt it against the charges of infidelity; if we would have a revival we must rescue the people themselves from indifference to this Book. We are novel readers now; we are readers of the daily newspapers; some few of the more industrious, are magazine readers; a smaller company still, are book-readers, but the Church of God waits Bible reading; and if the day of Bible study should suddenly break in upon usand there are some signs of it then as sure as day follows night, an unspeakable blessing immeasurable in extent, infinitely desirable in character, will fall on the sons of man.
But note again, Repentance, fasting, and a fresh covenant follows (Neh 8:9 to Neh 12:39). Impenitent people will never become Bible students. The gormandizing crowd will never give itself to Gods Word; the pleasure-seeking will never enter into covenant with the Lord.
However, if, in the wisdom of His grace, the present Bible movement voices itself in the fundamentals association, and the thousands of Bible conferences that have been held, in the Bible Unions of China and England, and America, shall result in earnest and sincere and increasing study of the Scriptures, we may well expect repentance to follow. Men will break with sin and will no longer make a god of their bellies, but will fast; and out of this conviction self-control will come and a fresh covenant, made in sincerity, and destined to be kept in the power of the Holy Spirit.
So much for the stable features of revival, let us conclude our Book study with
THE STUBBORN FACTS OF RE-OCCUPATION
These are recorded in chapters 11 to 13, and the first one that we face is this: The Jerusalem dwellers were recorded as especially favored. The rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city (Neh 11:1).
It is a significant suggestion: Jerusalem, the city of the king; Jerusalem, the captial city of the land; Jerusalem, the subject of every Jews love, and the choice of every Jews living.
It does make a difference where one lives. A Minneapolis minister, returning from the Orient, a few years since, in an address before the Baptist ministers, said, I spent some days in Jerusalem; it is a bum town!
But only the readers of the Old Testament know what the ancient Jerusalem was and what it meant to every living Jew. It was more than the capitol; it was more than the city of the king: it was more than beautiful; it was, to them, Divine! They believed that God Himself was there; and in a sense they were correct, for He had made every pledge of His Presence in the Temple, and He performed His promise. Ones life, in no small measure, is the result of ones location.
I think I may be pardoned in passing, if I pay tribute to this city. I declare it my conviction that life has meant more to me, that the burdens have pressed less heavily upon my shoulders, that the joy of living has itself been increased, and that I hold a confidence against decrepitude and old age that would be impossible, if I lived in a city less charming than this beautiful metropolis. Life is profoundly affected by location. In the northern woods of Minnesota I stumbled suddenly and unexpectedly upon a small house. I was hungry and supposed myself beyond the pale of civilization. Going in I was met at the door by a charming looking woman to whom I said, I am hungry and have a party of four friends with me; would it be possible for you to give us a dinner? She graciously answered, It would be a delight to give you a dinner; bring your friends in. When the dinner was over and I tried to pay her, she declined to receive anything, and it was only by leaving the money on the table that I could force it upon her. She said, I have not seen a living face, except that of my little son, for three months; you cannot imagine the pleasure this dinner has been to me, for it has meant companionship. I asked, Will you tell me why you live here away from all civilization and friends?
Yes, sir, I live here with pleasure and with joy. In Southern Illinois I dragged a miserable existence; in these north woods my health is recovered and living is a joy.
Who will say that location has nothing to do with living. Jerusalem! Ah, that was the city coveted by every Jew, and the tenth man permitted to dwell there dwelt not only nigh to the Temple but nigh to God; and whatever else may be said of the Jew, it was the acme of his existence that he believed God and sought to live near God.
You will find again that in this city special provision was made for the priests and Levites. God never forgets those He calls to be His special servants !
There are special promises made to all Gods people! In fact, Dean Frost, our former great-souled co-laborer, used to say that there were thousands of promises in the Bible, and that with a solitary exception, they were all made to Gods own, and that exception was salvation proffered to the sinner. But while all Gods people are the subject of promises, the servant whose entire time is devoted to Gods work is the subject of His special promise, and the object of His constant care. The Levite was never forgotten; the priest was never overlooked. By law the provisions made for them both were adequate.
I meet a good many ministers who tell me they feel it incumbent upon them to look out for themselves, and judging by their conduct, they are keen on the job. They hunt for positions; they seek compensation; they corral opportunities. It all raises a serious question, whether one has much to do with the subject of caring for himself if he be the true servant of God, or whether it is sufficient for him to devote himself to that service and leave the whole question of his care to Him who careth and never faileth.
Finally, by the Law of the Lord certain were excluded from the city. Chapter 13.
Mark who they were: Ammonites and Moabites were not to come into the congregation of God forever, and note the reason, They met not the Children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them (Neh 13:2).
It is a grievous thing to refuse help to Gods people in the hour of their need. It is more grievous, a thousand-fold, than the average man imagines. It is not a rejection of the people onlyit is a rejection of Him. The twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew is a further presentation of this subject. The great day of Judgment has come; men are separated to the right and to the left, after the manner of sheep and goats, and the King is saying to them on His right hand,
Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in:
Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.
Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink?
When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee?
Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.
Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.
Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee?
Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (Mat 25:34-46).
And yet this is not the only sin that excludes. After all, it is not sin that does exclude, save the sin of having rejected Jesus. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (Joh 3:36).
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
EXPLANATORY NOTES.] Neh. 4:1-6 are in the Hebrew v. 3338 of chap. Neh. 3:1
Neh. 4:1. Sanballat] See on chap. Neh. 2:10. That we builded the wall] That we were building it (participle expresses not merely resolve, but act of commencing). Mocked] Afraid to use violence.
Neh. 4:2. Before his brethren] i. e. Tobiah and his brethren in council. The army of Samaria] It is likely that Sanballat had brought an armed force in sight of the city. What do these feeble Jews? &c.] Keil makes two pairs of questions. Will they leave the building of the fortified walls to themselves? i. e. Do they think they are able with their poor resources to carry out this great work? Will they sacrifice? i. e. bring sacrifices to obtain Gods miraculous assistance? Sanballat casts scorn upon the Jews ability and upon their faith in God. Second pair of questions; Will they finish the work to-day, directly? Have they even the requisite materials? Will they revive? &c. The building-stone of Jerusalem was limestone, which, softened by fire, loses its vitality.
Neh. 4:3. Tobiah] See on chap. Neh. 2:10. If a fox go up] Foxes in great numbers infested the ruined and desolate places in the mount and city of Zion (Lam. 5:18).
Neh. 4:4. Hear, O our God] An imprecatory prayer anticipating Gods justice.
Neh. 4:5. Cover not] i. e. forgive not (Psa. 85:2).
Neh. 4:6. All the wall was joined together unto the half thereof] Completed to the half of the intended height.
Neh. 4:7. The Arabians] Those in Samaria. See on chap. Neh. 2:19. The Ammonites] Incited by their countryman Tobiah. Ashdodites] Inhabitants of Ashdod, a Philistine city destroyed three hundred years after. That the walls of Jerusalem were made up] Lit. that a bandage was applied to the walls of Jerusalem. A Biblical expression (2Ch. 24:13; Jer. 8:22; Jer. 30:17; Jer. 33:6).
Neh. 4:9. We] Nehemiah and the superintendents of the work.
Neh. 4:10. Judah said, &c] The labour is beyond our power.
Neh. 4:12. Ten times] i. e. frequently.
Neh. 4:13. Therefore set I, &c.] Nehemiah placed detachments properly armed at such points of the walls as had attained the least height, and were most exposed to attack.Crosby.
Neh. 4:14. And I looked, &c] These words can only mean, When I saw the people thus placed with their weapons, I went to them, and said to the nobles, &c., Be not afraid of them (the enemies): remember the Lord, the great and the terrible, who will fight for you against your enemies (Deu. 3:22; Deu. 20:4; Deu. 31:6), and fight ye for your brethren, your sons and daughters, wives and houses, whom the enemies would destroy.Keil.
Neh. 4:15. God had brought their counsel to nought] Although by natural means.
Neh. 4:16. My servants] Nehemiahs personal retinue. Habergeon] Old English for coat of mail. The rulers, &c.] i. e. each was behind his own people who were employed on the work, to encourage them in their labour, and in case of attack to lead them against the enemy.
Neh. 4:17. They which builded, &c.] The burden-bearers worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
Neh. 4:18. The builders, &c.] Needing both hands for their work had swords girt to their sides.
Neh. 4:22. Lodge within Jerusalem] Those that had their homes in the villages and distant towns should now continue night and day in the city.
Neh. 4:23. Saving that every one put them off for washing] A puzzling sentence. Conjectures and emendations have been resorted to. The idea of the whole verse is clearunceasing watchfulness.
HOMILETICAL CONTENTS OF CHAPTER 4
Neh. 4:1-23. An Undaunted Heart.
Neh. 4:1-23. Active Hostility frustrated.
Neh. 4:1-23. The Soldier Builders.
Neh. 4:1-3. The Laws of Opposition.
Neh. 4:1. Anger.
Neh. 4:2. The Day of Small Things.
Neh. 4:4-9. Praying and Working.
Neh. 4:4-5. Imprecations.
Neh. 4:11. The Craft and Cruelty of the Churchs Adversaries.
Neh. 4:11. Satanic Subtlety.
Neh. 4:15. A Pause in the Work.
Neh. 4:17-18. The Work and Warfare of Life.
AN UNDAUNTED HEART
Chap. 4
THE childlike piety and the white integrity of Nehemiah not more marked than his heroic undauntedness. Recapitulate his progress from the first resolution:silent cherishing of his purpose; maturing of his plans; organized schemes and allotments of labour; vigilant precautions; cheery FEAR NOT! Be not ye afraid (Neh. 4:14). A model to the Christian workman and soldier.
I. Reasons for fear.
1. Ridicule (Neh. 4:1-3). Mocked. Jesus Christ mocked and spitted on. And it is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master (Joh. 9:28). Foolishness of apostolic preaching. Greek philosophy and Roman civilization, scorn and reviling of the Nazarenes. Religion not the only department in which the right has been reviled by the wrong. Science has always begun to climb upward amid the laughter of circling ignorance. Most great principles have had a point in their history when they were believed in by one and ridiculed by all the rest. InstanceGeorge Stephenson and the railway enterprise. (a) Dont be ashamed of your Christian faith; let Sanballat and Tobiah laugh themselves hoarse; follow thou after life! (b) Dont be ashamed of your Christian work. It is easy for a keen witling to pull out his cigar and point to a humorous element in your little tasks. What do these feeble Christians? Will they revive the stony hearts of fallen men, and rear a dwelling-place for truth and peace amid the rubbish of the world? They will, God being their helper!
2. Guile. In chap. 6 are accounts of strategy adopted by Nehemiahs opponents where it required a wise head to keep the heart firm. Plausible pretences of enemies and feigned friendship were of no avail to bend the iron purpose of the Jewish liberator. Nehemiahs enemies bade him join them for a conference in order to trap and hinder him (Neh. 6:2-3); they warned him to beware of his reputation (Neh. 6:6); they urged him to show the white feather (Neh. 6:11). Satan is transformed into an angel of light (2Co. 11:14). (a) How many plausible excuses a treacherous heart and a worldly friend can coin for postponement of religious decision and devotion, (b) How many reasons might not every one find in the worlds opinion for leaving his Christian work undone. Be ye wise as serpents (Mat. 10:16).
3. Force (Neh. 4:8). The conspiring rabble around the rebuilders of Jerusalem but an emblem of the circling forces which press upon the servant of God. Our way is like the way of Pauls mariners, against contrary winds. Our progress is disputed inch by inch.
(1) The oppositions to the culture of the Christian character are manifold. A false heart within; a sin-maximed world without j break-downs and discouragements in experience.
(2) So of the oppositions to Christian work. You must rebuild your fallen fellows into society not because you are invited to do it, but in face of oppositions; nay, the very stones will cry out; the people you want to lift up will try in this to throw you down, or at least will conspire to hinder. But consider him! (Heb. 12:3).
II. Motives for courage.
1. The power of God (Neh. 4:14-15). The courage of Moses based on the Certainly I will be with thee of God (Exo. 3:12). Davids fearlessness rested on the Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God (Psa. 20:7). The three Hebrew children were firm because our God is able to deliver us (Dan. 3:17). The undaunted apostles were fixed on the same centre (Act. 4:29-30).
And were this world all devils oer,
And watching to devour us,
We lay it not to heart so sore;
Not they can overpower us.
And let the prince of ill
Look grim as eer he will,
He harms us not a whit.
For why? His doom is writ;
word shall quickly slay him.
2. The strength of right. Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just.
My strength is as the strength of ten,
Because my heart is pure.
Great is truth, and shall prevail. All such maxims of the ancient and the modern world bear the popular faith that RIGHT is MIGHT. The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1Jn. 2:17). To have this testimony, that we please God, is to be clad in triple steel.
III. Expedients of the imperilled.
1. Prayer (Neh. 4:4; Neh. 4:9). We made our prayer unto God. I cried unto the Lord is the Christians explanation of many a hairbreadth escape.
2. Vigilance (Neh. 4:9). We set a watch against them day and night.
Hear the victors that oercame.
Still they mark each warriors way,
All with one sweet voice exclaim,
Watch and pray.
3. Hope (Neh. 4:20). Our God shall fight for us. Giant Despair is a sad foe of Christian souls. The stroke of despondency stuns us like a blow on the head; therefore take the helmet of hope (1Th. 5:8).
4. Perseverance (Neh. 4:21 and Neh. 4:23).
Application. In Christian life and in Christian work take as a motto Poly-carps words to his pupilStand thou firm as an anvil that is beaten.
Write on thy heart this holy principle,
Nobly resolve and do as thou resolvest,
Thou shalt not die till victory crown thy brows.
ACTIVE HOSTILITY FRUSTRATED
Chap. 4
Various forms of active hostility frustrated through the combined vigilance and prayer of the Church. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces (1Sa. 2:10). Whenever a door of usefulness is opened there are many adversaries (1Co. 16:9). Stand firm and fearless, in nothing terrified by your adversaries (Php. 1:28). Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord! (a) Remember the Lord God, who has been described as All-eye. Let this encourage. He knows all the details of individual lives. Let this warn. He scrutinizes all thoughts and deeds. (b) Remember the Lord Christ. All his adversaries were ashamed (Luk. 13:17).
I. Hostility to the work of God assuming phases of growing intensity.
1. Rage. Sanballat had laughed (Neh. 2:19); now he is enraged (Neh. 4:1).
2. Mockery (Neh. 4:2). Tobiah was only Sanballats echo (Neh. 4:3).
3. Conspiracy (Neh. 4:7-8). This opposition a sign of success; an honour paid to truth. When Dr. Johnson wrote anything that was not vilified he said, I did not strike hard enough, or the blow would rebound. Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! (Luk. 6:26).
II. The Church fortifying herself against expected assault.
1. By appealing to God (Neh. 4:4-5). Eight times in this book Nehemiah interjects a prayer. They are prayers while writing, not while acting. The grounds of this prayer are
(1) Gods people are despised;
(2) excited to fear by the enemy.Crosby. Prayer is a sure anchor in all storms; and they never perish that humbly fly unto it and cleave unto it. Prayer is a salve for all sores; yea, it healeth not only body and soul, but even hard stony walls. No kind of earthly physic that God hath made is good for all kind of folk at all times, and all kind of diseases; but this heavenly physic of prayer, in wealth and woe, in plenty and poverty, in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and in health, in war and peace, in youth and age, in life and death, in mirth and sadness, yea, in all things and times, in the beginning, midst, and ending, prayer is most necessary and comfortable. Happy is that man that diligently useth it at all times.Pilkington.
2. By redoubled activity in prosecuting the work. So built we the wall, &c. (Neh. 4:6). Prayer did not slacken the energy of the Jews. They experienced the redoubled zeal and activity which all true prayer produces. They made their prayer to God, and set a watch against their foes day and night. All the natural means, whether of mind or matter, form channels through which God conveys his grace in answer to prayer. To stop these channels is to cancel prayer. Prayer was never intended to foster idleness or diminish responsibility.Crosby.
3. By organized vigilance (Neh. 4:9).
4. By defensive preparations (Neh. 4:13). The Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward (Exo. 14:15). There is a time to pray and a time to prepare to fight. Let the farmer sow his seed, and then pray for rain and sunshine.
5. By mutual encouragement (Neh. 4:14). Workers tire; warriors flee when hope dies.
6. By self-denying assiduity (Neh. 4:16; Neh. 4:21-23).
III. The evil counsels of the Churchs adversaries frustrated by Divine interposition. God brought their counsel to nought (Neh. 4:15). Our God shall fight for us. There are laws; is there not a law-giver? There are agencies; point they not to an agent? Will our modern magicians never say, like those of Egypt (Exo. 8:19), This is the finger of God.
Oft in danger, oft in woe,
Onward, Christians, onward go;
Fight the fight, maintain the strife,
Strengthened with the bread of life.
Onward, then, to glory move,
More than conquerors ye shall prove:
Though opposed by many a foe,
Christian soldiers, onward go.
THE SOLDIER BUILDERS
Chap. 4
Energy, unity, and perseverance (chap, 3) give way to discouragement within and conspiracy without.
I. Combination of prayer and watchfulness (Neh. 4:9). Prayer without watchfulness is hypocrisy; watchfulness without prayer is presumption. An old writer, speaking of men as stewards, urges wise trading. Their WAREHOUSE (i. e. heart and memory) must store up precious thingsholy affections, grateful remembrances, celestial preparations. Their WORKHOUSE (or their actions), wherein they retail to others. Their CLOCK-HOUSE (e. g. their speech), which must speak the truth. Their COUNTING-HOUSE (or conscience), which should be scrupulously kept, or everything else will fail.
II. Combination of precept and example. Nehemiah looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid, &c. (Neh. 4:14). But he was not content with that. WE returned to the wall (Neh. 4:15). He that sounded the trumpet was by me (Neh. 4:18).
III. Every builder was also a soldier. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded (Neh. 4:17-18).
IV. A mutual co-operation went hand in hand with personal work and responsibility. Every one unto his work (Neh. 4:15).
(Abridged from Rev. J. M. Randalls Nehemiah, his Times and Lessons.)
THE LAWS OF OPPOSITION
Neh. 4:3. But it came to pass, &c.
The unconscious working of mens minds is a servant of law. There is a reign of law. Distinguished Christian thinkers hold that the great scientific doctrine of evolution ratifies all that is highest and holiest in the nature of man, and makes out a new claim to reverent acceptance of supernatural truths. There is a Divine government of the passions of men. Surely the wrath of men shall praise thee, &c. (Psa. 76:10). The emotions excited by the passions in our senses are not free. An angry man is carried beyond himself in spite of himself. These emotions are not proportional. A timorous man turns as pale at the sight of a fanciful as of a real danger. These emotions do not obey the orders of our will. The movement is not a gentle stream, but a rapid flood.Saurin. Sanballat was angry; Tobiah was scornful.
I. Men seek in others what they find in themselves. The old maxim of English law. Every man is to be deemed honest until he is proved to be a rogue; the dishonest the reverse. Cowards disbelieve in bravery. There is a moral obliquity of vision. The unjust cannot appreciate justice. Impure men suspect impurity everywhere. The compact of the wicked is not binding. Judas and the priests. I have sinned. What is that to us? (Mat. 27:4-6). They cast off Judas when he had served their purpose, and took back their own accursed coins. All wrong-doing is blunder as well as crime. Marvellously deep and philosophic are the prophets words: Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? (Isa. 55:2).
II. All the branches of opposition grow out of the great trunk of selfishness. Sanballat the Samaritan and Tobiah the Ammonite rejoiced in the laying waste of Jerusalem. Its loss was their gain. Our gain explains many facts of history in ancient and modern times. Selfish gain has entered temples, disgraced senate houses, tarnished otherwise fair reputations. Gain has been Englands god. Speculation has been a species of madness. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others, is a peculiarly Christian injunction.
III. Great work is generally accomplished by a committee of one. There was one Nehemiah against Sanballat, Tobiah, men of Arabia, &c. (Neh. 4:7); one Luther against Rome, the monks, and the schoolmen; one Tindal against Bishop Tonstal and Sir Thomas More. John Evangelist Gossner was a solitary workerOne-in-hand somebody styled him. Its quite true, he said, laughing, when it came to his ears; and yet old One-in-hand carries more passengers than your Four. Organize, organizethat is well. But individuality is lost in the mass.
Application.
1. We mortal millions dwell alone.
2. The way of sorrow leadeth to the city of God.
3. Whatever has value is bought at a high price.
Illustrations:The spirit of cynicism. The Cynics were a sect of philosophers among the Greeks, founded by Antisthenes, who, on account of his snappish, snarling propensities, was frequently called the dog; and probably enough it may have been on account of this that his school of philosophy was called the Cynic or Dog school. He was stern, proud, and unsympathetic. He taught that all human pleasure was to be despised. He was ostentatiously careless as to the opinions, the feelings, and the esteem of others. He used to appear in a threadbare dress, so that Socrates once exclaimed, I see your pride, Antisthenes, peeping through the holes in your cloak! His temper was morose, and his language was coarse and indecent. It is from this old school of philosophy that we derive the term cynicism; and we commonly apply it now-a-days to that mood or habit of mind which looks out upon mankind with cold and bitter feeling, which finds little or nothing to admire in human character and action, which systematically depreciates human motives, which rejoices to catch men tripping, which sneers where others reverence, and dissects where others admire, and is hard where others pity, and suspects where others praise. Distinguish between cynicism and satire. No doubt the cynic is often satirical; satire is just the kind of weapon that comes ready to his hand. But the same weapon may-be wielded by very different hands, and in very different causes; and satire may often be employed by men who are anything but cynical. There is such a thing as genial satirethe light and even humorous play of irony or sarcasm around some venial fault, or some peculiar excrescence of character. Then there is also the satire of moral indignation, which applies the stinging lash to manifest vices, or pours the vials of scorn on some detestable meanness, in order to make the shameless ashamed, or to infuse a healthy contempt of vice into the souls of those who are still uncontaminated by it. The old Hebrew prophets knew how to wield this weapon, and even in the pages of the New Testament it finds its fitting place. In fact, all such satire as thiswhether of the genial or the vehement typeis often used by men who are passionate admirers of human excellence, and who are not only warmly attached to individuals, but also earnest lovers of their race. Whereas it is the very characteristic of cynicism that it lacks earnestness. It knows nothing of a noble scorn. Its satire is neither genial nor vehement. Even its humour is always sardonic. Its very bitterness, although intense, is unimpassioned. It is a kind of acrid gelatine. The fully-developed cynic prides himself on his indifferentism. Remorselessly he dissects and analyzes human character and action; for, like Iago, he is nothing, if not critical; but his criticism has no useful end in view; he is not seeking to make others wiser or better. He is scarcely earnest enough even to care about his success in stinging and wounding? It is simply his way to pick faults and to sneer. We find the culmination of this cynicism in Goethes Mephistopheles; and indeed the word devil itself means accuserthe slanderer of God and man.Finlayson.
Let us keep our scorn for our own weaknesses, our blame for our own sins, certain that we shall gain more instruction, though not amusement, by hunting out the good which is in anything than by hunting out the evil.Kingsley.
Sarcasm I now see to be, in general, the language of the devil: for which reason I have long since as good as renounced it.Carlyle.
ANGER
Neh. 4:1. Sanballat was wroth, and took great indignation
It is not a sin to be angry, but hard not to sin when we are angry. Anger is a tender virtue, and such as by reason of our unskilfulness may be easily corrupted and made dangerous. He that in his anger would not sin, must not be angry at anything but sin. Our Saviour was angry with Peter, and angry with the Pharisees for the hardness of their hearts (Mat. 16:23; Mar. 3:5). Moses was even blown up with holy anger at the people for the golden calf. Do not I hate them that hate thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred, saith David; I count them mine enemies (Psa. 139:21). This is the anger of zeal, found in Phinehas, Elijah, Elisha, our Saviour, Joh. 2:17; and should have been found in Adam towards his wife, in Eli towards his sons, in Lot towards his servants (Gen. 13:7). It must have a good rise and a good end, saith Bucer, else it becomes a mortal, not a venial, sin, as the Papists fondly conclude from Mat. 5:22 : Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, &c. There is a just cause then of anger; sin, as an offence to God. And there must be a just measure observed, that our anger for sin render us not unfit either to pity the sinner (as our Saviour in his anger did the obstinate Pharisees) or to pray for him (as Moses for those idolaters he was so enraged atExo. 32:31-32). Anger that is not thus bounded is but a momentary madness, saith the heathen; it resteth in the bosom of fools, saith Solomon, whether it be anger, wrath, or hatred (for into those three degrees Damascen distinguisheth it). The one, saith he, hath beginning and motion, but presently ceaseth; the other taketh deep hold in the memory; the third desisteth not without revenge. Clichloveus compareth the first to fire in stubble; the second to fire in iron; the third to fire that is hid and never bewrayeth itself, but with the ruin of the matter wherein it hath caught. Some are sharp, some are bitter, a third kind are implacable, saith Aristotle. The first are the best, that, as children, are soon angry and as soon pleased again. Be ye children in malice (1Co. 14:20). Of Beza, his colleagues would often say that, like the dove, he was without a gall. Giles of Brussels, martyr, when the friars (sent to reduce him) did any time miscall him, he ever held his peace, insomuch that those blasphemers would say abroad that he had a dumb devil in him. Cassianus reports that when a certain Christian was held captive of infidels, tormented with divers pains and ignominious taunts, being demanded by way of scorn and reproach, Tell us what miracle thy Christ hath done? he answered, He hath done what you see, that I am not moved at all the-cruelties and contumelies you cast upon me. Christ did not strive, nor cry, nor did any man hear his voice in the streets; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously (Mat. 12:19; 1Pe. 2:23). So did Moses when murmured against by Aaron and Miriam. He was meek, and complained not. The less any man strives for himself, the more is God his champion. Anger is a short devil, saith Chrysostom; the fury of the unclean spirit. Wrath killeth the foolish man (Job. 5:2), delivers him to the destroyer, if it rest in his bosom especially, and lodge a night with him, which is the second degree above mentioned.
Let not therefore the sun go down upon your wrath; for that is all one as to give place to the devil, who hereby entereth the heart and takes possession. Many there are that suffer the sun not only to go down upon their anger, but to run his whole race, yea, many races, ere they can be reconciled; whereby their anger becomes inveterate, and turns into malice, for anger and malice differ but in age. Now cursed be this anger, for it is fierce; and this wrath, for it is cruel (Gen. 49:7). It is the murder of the heart (Mat. 5:21 seq.); the fountain of the murder both of the tongue and hand. Hence it is said, He that hateth his brother is a man-slayer (1Jn. 3:15). He is so in desire, he would be so in deed if he durst. There is a passion of hatred and there is the habit of it. The former is a kind of averseness and rising of the heart against a man when one sees him, so that he cannot away with him, nor speak to nor look courteously or peaceably upon him, but ones countenance falls when he sees him, and he even turns away, and by his good will would have nothing to do with him: this is the passion of hatred. The habit of it is when the heart is so settled in this alienation and estrangement that it grows to wish and desire and seek his hurt. This is that third and worst sort of anger. Are we mortal, and shall our anger be immortal? To be revenged is more honourable than to be reconciled, saith Aristotle. This is the voice of nature. Thus the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy. But God giveth more grace.
1. Cease therefore from anger and refrain strife. Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (Psa. 37:8). When thou findest thyself incensed and chafing ripe, presently lay a necessity of silence upon thyself; as Ahasuerus walked a while in his garden ere he would pass sentence upon Haman. Another repeated the Greek alphabet ere he would say or do anything in his anger. He doth better that repeateth some grave sentences of Scripture, such as these: Be angry, but sin not; be slow to wrath; avenge not yourselves, but give place to wrath; submit to God; resist the devil, and he will fly from you. This devil of anger, if thus resisted by Scripture, will surely fly; he cannot bide by it; especially if we set ourselves to pray it down.
2. Get thy heart purified by faith, for faith makes patience. When the disciples heard that they must forgive till seventy times seven times in a day, they prayed, Lord, increase our faith (Luk. 17:5). The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable (Jas. 3:17). Unrepentant David was cruel to the Ammonites. The devils are most impure, and therefore most malicious; Christ, on the other side, most pure, and therefore most gentle.
3. Study to be quiet and do your own business. Seldom is a patient man inquisitive, or an inquisitive man patient. It doth require much study to live quietly.
4. Consider the deformity, disgrace, and danger of anger. Plato and Seneca have advised the angry man to look at his face in a glass. Anger hurteth not great minds.
5. Consider wisely of Gods providence, presence, patience. Set God before thy passions, and they will be soon hushed.
6. Add a constant endeavour to be lowly. Keep the strict watch of the Lord over your heart; pray down your passions. Your labour will not be in vain.
(From Trapps Marrow of many good Authors.)
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS
Neh. 4:2. What do these feeble Jews?
Two great events in the history of the returned captives from Babylon: building the second temple; rebuilding and fortifying the city. SubjectThat God produces great events by comparatively feeble means.
I. As it relates to the objects of personal religion. What do these feeble Jews? Zechariah said, Who hath despised the day of small things? (Neh. 4:10). We may ask, Who has not? All do. It is quite to the taste of human nature in its search after that which is great to overlook that which is small. The captives did so as well as their heathen persecutors; they wept when they saw the foundation (Ezr. 3:12). Zerubbabel and Zechariah probably did too. Not by might! (Zec. 4:6). Good men do, both in judging of their own religion and that of other people. It is possible to err on the side of despondency as well as on that of presumption. We dishonour God as much by denying the grace we have as by boasting of the grace we have not. We ought not to despise it because it is day. () A day which God originates; () the day of Christs power; () a day which must advance to its perfection, and shall never know a night. Though man despises it, God does not. He sees the flower in the bud, the pearl in the shell, the man in the infant, the heir of glory in the child of grace. He sees not only what they are, but what they shall be. Remember that God accomplishes his greatest designs by apparently slight and inconsiderable means. (a) In nature. (b) In providence. (c) In grace. The birth of an infant child in the manger at Bethlehem seemed a very ordinary occurrence, but it was an event on which the salvation of the world was made to turn. The cross of Christ is to them that perish foolishness; to the saved it is the power of God (1Co. 1:18). The rod of Moses; Gideons lamps, pitchers, and trumpets; the rams horns at Jericho; Davids sling and stone, worked wonders. Pharaohs dreams were made the means of Josephs advancement. The ark, though small, saved the heirs of a shipwrecked world. Zoar, a little city, saved Lot from the shower of fire. The mantle of Elijah divided the waters of Jordan. The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed (Mat. 13:31-32). The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. This is the Lords doing! (Mat. 21:42.)
II. That God accomplishes great events by small means encourages in all our efforts to promote the good of others.
1. To the preaching of the gospel at home and the diffusion of the gospel abroad. We have this treasure in earthen vessels (2Co. 4:7). We are often discouraged. The disproportion between the means and the end; the slow progress of the renovating principle. We would recognize the presence and advance of the kingdom of God. Where is the Lord God of Elijah? (2Ki. 2:14). Where are the kings for nursing fathers? (Isa. 49:23). Where are the great masters of science and literature? Where are the nations born in a day? The confederacies of guilt are still powerful, and the enemies of the truth replete with confidence. The answer to all this is, Gods ways are not our ways. That we can clothe our exertions with a power not our own. Remember, the most weak and uninfluential may be made to effect great things, as Naamans little maid. A mite cast into the treasury of God is not overlooked. It may produce ten talents.
2. The parent and Sunday school teacher.Anonymous.
PRAYING AND WORKING
Neh. 4:4-9. Hear, O our God; for we are despised, &c.
The man-ward side of prayer.
I. It narrows the conditions of the strife. Who are Sanballat and Tobiah? Men of position, ranging under them Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdoditesa crowd of warriors. Who is Nehemiah? A chieftain of a handful of feeble Jews. Hear, O our God! The cause is thine. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. Establish thou the work of our hands upon us (Psa. 90:16-17). When, like Moses the man of God, any man of God discovers that Gods work and his work are one and the same thing, the aspect of affairs is changed. The contest is then spiritual. The forces arrayed are light and darkness, truth and error, God and the devil.
II. It inspires energy. So built we the wall, &c. (Neh. 4:6). Nevertheless we made, &c. (Neh. 4:9). Nevertheless! The foes were many, powerful, determined, bloodthirsty. Nevertheless God was approachable. Work was possible, pressing, needing earnest minds and willing hands.
III. It awakens faith. Prayer first, then work, in the assurance that the prayer will be answered and the work successful.
Patience! have faith, and thy prayer will be answered.
Look at this delicate plant that lifts its head from the meadow,
See how its leaves all point to the north as true as the magnet;
It is the compass-flower, that the finger of God has suspended
Here on its fragile stalk, to direct the travellers journey
Over the sea-like, pathless, limitless waste of the desert.
Such in the soul of man is faith.
Illustrations:Ora et labora, writes Dr. Wichern in one of his pleasant papers, is carved on a peasants house in the Vierland. It must be French, said a neighbours wife, as I stood looking at the legend; but you know it just means
With this hand work, and with the other pray, And God will bless them both from day to day.
Ora et labora is the legend of the Christians faith, and the plan of his life. His fervent prayer begets honest, manly, unshrinking work; his work, as it is faithful, and it is faithful in proportion as he realizes it is for God, throws him back upon prayer. It is true that this connection is regarded with some suspicion. It is associated with the failure, and worse, of monastic life. Ora et labora was the monkish watchword with which men went into the wilderness, and builded up their lonely cells, and toiled at their simple gardens, and knelt in solemn thought of the world behind them, through long fastings and wakeful nights. But on their lips it was a profound mistake. They had cut themselves off from brotherly sympathies and social duties, from the entire sphere of Christian work. They had thrown themselves upon the selfishness of lonely hours and solitary thoughts. Their ora, earnest and well meant at first, became mechanical and unreal; their labora was a fiction. They had no right to their motto. And remembering the hollowness and hypocrisy to which their system brought them, its utter worthlessness, its world-wide scandal, men have shrunk with fear from the truth they misused. Nor are they alone guilty. Those who by practice or speech arrogate to prayer the time and place of ordinary duties are in the same error. Divorced from the common charities of life, prayer must become mechanical and untrue. If it be used to set some apart, on some sacred and haughty height above the rest and the ordinary obligations of society, if it only make them more rigid censors of others, while they themselves are less kindly, less helpful, less useful, who can wonder that the world revolts, or that the more thoughtful and reverent minds are carried to the other extreme, and boldly say that work is prayer? Work is no more prayer than prayer is work, although the looseness of the expression is often forgiven for the deeper truth of the thought. Work is no more prayer than a walk in the fields is religious worship. To the devout man both are devout; to the undevout man they are nothing. Nay, work without prayer is as dangerous, ay, and more, than prayer without work. It is the practical ignoring of God, of a spiritual world and spiritual laws. It is the start downwards to the grossest and most superstitious materialism. It is a clear peril of our present time. We do not want to be reminded of the need and dignity and sacredness of work; the whole century is preaching that; but we do want to be taught the need and sacredness of prayer, and that it is a force, of which though the world knows nothing, yet it establishes greater than the worlds works.Stevenson.
Prayer is a strong wall and fortress of the Church. It is a godly Christians weapon, which no man knows or finds but only he who has the spirit of grace and of prayer.Luther.
IMPRECATIONS
Neh. 4:4-5. Hear, O our God; for we are despised, &c.
This prayer takes its tone, form, and expression from the imprecations in the Psalmsthe Cursing Psalms, as some have styled them. Consider we then some Specimens of such, Psalms, that we way know where the difficulty lies; and in what way if any, this difficulty may be solved.
I. The following are fair specimens:
Psa. 5:10. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
Psa. 10:15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
Psa. 28:4. (Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
Psa. 40:14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
Psa. 68:2. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the tire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
Psa. 83:9-17. Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna. O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; so persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish.
Psa. 109:6-15. Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; and let. another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers he remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Psa. 137:7-9. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
These passages seem to breathe a vindictive spirit; they seem to be opposed to the spirit of the New Testament.
II. In what way is the difficulty to be solved?
1. Whatever difficulty there exists is created by the Bible itself. It cannot be said that the writers indulged in feelings which they were unwilling to record. The Bible is thus a book of candour. There was some reason for making the record.
2. It may be a fair subject of inquiry how much of what is charged as wrong, harsh, and vindictive belongs to the spirit of the age. To know how much words express, we must understand the customs and habits of the times. The strong language used by a Covenanter or a Puritan may have expressed no other internal emotion than would be expressed by the milder language which we should use.
3. Part of these passages may undoubtedly be regarded as prophetic: expressing what would be, rather than indicating any wish that such things should be. Partnot all.
4. Some of the expressions are a mere record of the feelings of others. The inspired writer is only responsible for the fairness of the record; e. g. cruelty of sons of Jacob (Gen. 34:25-29; Gen. 49:6-7), David (2Sa. 12:31), Joab, Ahithophel, Ahab. In Psa. 137:8-9 the pleasure which they would actually feel who should wreak vengeance on Babylon is described.
5. Can such imprecations ever be right? (a) David was a magistrate, a king. As a magistrate, he represented the state, the majesty of the law, the interests of justice. (b) Punishment is right when properly inflicted. (c) Arrangements are made in every community for detecting and punishing crime, (d) A Judge who prays that he may discharge his duty has no vindictive feeling.
6. There is another solution of the difficulty. These expressions are a mere record of what actually occurred in the mind of the Psalmist, and are pre-served to us as an illustration of human nature when partially sanctified. If such is a just view of the matter, then all that inspiration is responsible for is the correctness of the record; the authors of the Psalms actually recorded what was passing in their own minds. They gave vent to their internal emotions. They state feelings which men have actually had. They do not apologize for it; they do not pause to vindicate it; they offer no word in extenuation of it, any more than other sacred writers did when they recorded the facts about the errors in the lives of the patriarchs, of David, and of Peter. In some of these ways it is probable that all the difficulties with regard to imprecations in the Bible may be met. Those who deny the inspiration of the records that contain them should be able to show that these are not proper explanations of the difficulty; or that they are not consistent with any just notions of inspiration.Barnes, abridged.
THE CRAFT AND CRUELTY OF THE CHURCHS ADVERSARIES
Neh. 4:11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease
Chapter gives view of Nehemiahs discouragements. Like waves of the sea breaking upon him, he an unshaken rock. Like Jobs messengers, one hardly gone before another comes. Like Ezekiels prophecy, mischief upon mischief.
First verse: adversaries rage. Second verse: venting itself in foam. But this is cool: it reaches blood-heat (Neh. 4:7-8).
I. A strong combination against the Church of God. Adversaries.
II. A wicked design they were combined in. To cause the work to cease.
III. A bloody means propounded. Slay them.
IV. A subtle way projected for the effecting of this. Secretly, suddenly.
Sum of the whole. The great design of the enemies of the Church is by craft or cruelty, or both, to hinder any work that tends to the establishment or promoting of the Churchs good.Matthew Newcomen, 1642.
SATANIC SUBTLETY
Neh. 4:11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease
The malice of Satan by his members is so great against the building of Gods city, that by all means, inward enemies and outward, fair words and foul, sword, fire and faggot, war and peace, in teaching or holding their tongue, knowledge or ignorance, undermining or conspiracies, and all other devices whatsoever, they let none slip, but try all, that they may overthrow all, and not so much to do themselves good as to hinder others; to set up themselves in the sight of the world, and to deface the glory of God; but in the end all is in vain, and our God shall have the victory. They will not yet use any open violence, but cunningly come on them unawares.
1. In this serpentine, crafty, and malicious dealing of these wicked men appeareth the old serpentine nature and malice of Satan, that old enemy of God and man from the beginning. God said to the serpent that the seed of the woman should tread upon his head, and the serpent should tread upon his heel (Genesis 3). Crafty and subtle men, when they will work a mischief, go privily about it, to deceive the good man. God endued man, when he made him, with such a majesty in his face, afore he fell to sin, that all creatures did reverence and fear him; and although sin hath much defaced and blotted out that noble majesty and grace that God endued him with, yet it is not utterly disgraced and taken away, but some spark and relic remaineth at this day, that no wild nor venomous beast dare look a man in the face boldly and hurt him, but will give place for the time, and seek how he may privily wound or hurt him when he seeth him not. These crafty and subtle foxes, therefore, like the seed of the serpent, would not openly invade nor gather any great power of men against them, but at unawares steal on them privily, afore they should suspect any such thing. This is the nature of wicked men, so craftily to undermine the godly.
2. The next property of the serpent that appeareth in these wicked men is, that they mercilessly would murder them when they had once thus suddenly invaded them. Satan was a murderer from the beginning, as St. John saith; and therefore no marvel if his children be bloodsuckers, like unto the father. When he would not spare the innocent Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, but most cruelly crucified him, why should we marvel to see him by his wicked children so greedily seek to shed innocent blood still?
3. The last property of Satan appeareth here most plainly in these wicked men, in that they would so gladly overthrow this building of Jerusalem, that it should never be thought on any more. Satan is the prince of this world, and therefore cannot abide another king to reign, nor any kingdom to be set up but his own; and for maintaining of that he will strive by his members unto death. And as it falleth out thus generally in the building of Gods spiritual house and city that all sorts of enemies most diligently apply themselves, their labour, wit, power, policy, and friendship to overthrow the true worship of God, so particularly Satan goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and therefore every man hath great need to be wary and circumspect, that he be not suddenly overthrown, but let him watch and put on the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:13-18), that he may stand stoutly in the day of battle, and through the might of his God get the victory. The devil never ceaseth, for if he cannot overthrow the whole Church, yet he would be glad to catch any one that belongeth to the Lord if he could.Bishop Pilkington.
A PAUSE IN THE WORK
Neh. 4:15. We returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work
A dangerous pause. Judah had become fainthearted (Neh. 4:10). The opponents were gaining strength (Neh. 4:11). Terror had taken hold upon the neighbouring Jews (Neh. 4:12.) An armed outlook was necessary (Neh. 4:13). Nehemiah encouraged the workers to wait the issue (Neh. 4:14). The enemy noted the attitude and saw that God had brought their counsel to nought (Neh. 4:15). The pause was over. Once again to the work. There is the truth of life in this parable.
I. A period of preparation is essential to successful work. Lightly begun means easily discontinued. Count the cost (Luk. 14:28-33). Raw haste is sister to undue delay. Find thy task, calculate thy strength, and rest not until the evening. Impetuous natures need patience and perseverance; fearful and timid natures need courage and self-reliance; all need encouragement. MosesWho am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh? (Exo. 3:11-22). JoshuaBe strong (Jos. 1:1-9). JeremiahI am a child (Jer. 1:4-10). EzekielBe not afraid of them (Eze. 2:3-8). Nehemiahs workmenBe not ye afraid (Neh. 4:13-14).
II. Joyous acceptance of the allotted task is a great element of strength. Duty as duty, or duty joyously done, how different! Love thy task. Do it for its own sake, and it will become easier. Such service is perfect freedom. Men see what most interests them. An artist on entering a room sees pictures; a student books; an architect decorations.
The wide world
Is full of work, and everything therein
Finds in it its best blessedness. The bee
Sings at his task throughout the summer day.
III. Earnest work is sure to provoke opposition. Ridicule (Neh. 4:1), compromise (Neh. 6:2), misrepresentation (Neh. 6:7), attack (Neh. 4:8).
IV. Work is instrumental in developing personal character. What canst thou do? Nehemiah proved his men by trial.
V. Fluctuation in the success of an undertaking is no reason for relinquishing it (Neh. 4:10-15).
George Stephensons motto was PERSEVERE. Go on, sir, go on, was DAlemberts advice to a young discouraged student. John Wesley, interrogated as to the remarkable success of his followers, said, They are all at it, and always at it.
VI. The power of combined action in meeting a common foe (Neh. 4:13; Neh. 4:23). Nelson the day before Trafalgar took two officers who were at variance to the spot where they could see the fleet opposed to them. Yonder, he said, are your enemies; shake hands and be friends, like good Englishmen.
Oh! ye the ministers of Christ, and stewards of his truth,
Lead ye the band, all vigorous in faiths immortal youth.
But not alone shall ye repair,
For all must aid in toil and prayer.
Then let them say the work is nought, to scoff us into fear.
What is the answer we must make? Calmly the walls to rear;
Building with weapons girded on;
Warriors until the work is done.
Enlarged from Scenes from the Life of Nehemiah.
THE WORK AND WARFARE OF LIFE
Neh. 4:17-18. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one, &c.
Nehemiah 4 one of the Bible scenes that has indelibly impressed itself upon the popular imagination. Like the lamps, pitchers, and trumpets of Gideons army, the sword and trowel of Nehemiahs army has passed into a proverb. Only scenes, books, pictures, sculptures become popular that present the elementary conditions of human life, that go down to the rock on which the structure of human society rests, e. g. the parables of Jesus, Bunyans Pilgrims Progress, Nehemiah 4 a picture of the work and warfare of life.
I. The conditions of the conflict.
1. Against the solicitations of self-indulgence. The people had a mind to work (Neh. 4:6). Not always so. The spirit is not always willing. And when the spirit is willing the flesh is often weak. True (a) of the cultivation of personal character. To conquer pride, subdue passion, root out evil dispositions, to grow in grace, not an easy thing. In this sense flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. A Christian docs not always sail with a straight course, as did Paul on his first voyage to Europe (Act. 16:11). Oftener, like the same apostle on a later voyage, he sails slowly (Act. 27:7), or the ship sticks fast and remains unmoveable (Act. 27:41). Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward, is Gods message to the inspired leaders of every age. What doest thou here? is his question to every dispirited and inactive Elijah. Jonah may sit for awhile under the shadow of the gourd, but when the morning calls him to his work and to his labour the gourd perishes. True (b) of working for ones fellows. Social and philanthropic work. How little response of gratitude from those to whom you give, from those whom you toil to raise. Religious teaching and influence. Manifold are difficulties and discouragements. Unless work be its own reward, who shall continue? No motive lower than the stars, no inspiration less stable than trust in God, will enable a man to war against the lust of self-indulgence.
2. Against foes. (a) Foes may be violent and pronounced as Sanballat (Neh. 4:1). With such as these a man can count. Rouse a lion, and the consequences are clear. The arch foe and many of his emissaries are not unwilling to show a bold front to a servant of God. Specially if it can be said of him
Servant of God, well done!
Well done! thy words are great and bold;
At times they seem to me
Like Luthers in the days of old,
Half battles for the free!
Words for freedom, for brotherhood, against oppressors, against shams, must count the cost. Reformers, Covenanters, Puritans resisted unto blood, striving against sin (Heb. 12:4). (b) Foes may be subtle and plot in secret (Neh. 4:11). Against these we are comparatively defenceless. It is dastardly to stab in the dark. But the assassin is dastardly. Guilt makes cowards. (c) Foes have the advantage of numbers and possession (Neh. 4:7). They were on the ground. Nehemiah and his compatriots loss was their gain. They conspired all of them together, &c. (Neh. 4:8). The good have always been a minority. The great have too often been on the side of the majority. Not many wise, not many mighty, &c. (1Co. 1:26-29). We wrestle not against flesh and blood only, but against principalities, &c. (Eph. 6:12-13).
3. Against friends, (a) Half-hearted friends (Neh. 4:12). They had patriotism enough to warn Nehemiah of danger. But they dwelt near the adversaries. A decided foe better than a doubtful friend. Gideons 300, who had not time to kneel to drink, better than countless crowds of self-indulgent people (Judges 7). Art thou for us? said Joshua to the angel-captain (Joshua 5.). For or against is understood. But half-heartedness never won a battle, never gained a victory. (b) Dispirited friends (Neh. 4:10). The wall was built somewhat, but they feared their strength would give out. Fear and faith are antagonists. Trust in thy cause, trust in the God of thy cause, cures for dispiritedness.
I know not what the future hath
Of marvel or surprise,
Assured alone that life and death
His mercy underlies.
And if my heart and flesh are weak
To bear an untried pain,
The bruised reed he will not break,
But strengthen and sustain.
II. The conditions of victory.
1. All at it (Neh. 4:13). Every man at work. Every man at his own work. Every man under disciplineunder the rulers (Neh. 4:14), under Nehemiah (Neh. 4:18-20). Generalize these particulars. Nobody can do my work. My task is my own. No man can lift responsibility off his own shoulders. There is a cry to every man from some helpless man, or mass of men, Come over and help us. The unnamed disciple of John 20 did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre; but Peter first went into the sepulchre. Had he more courage or less reverence? Never mindeach left the other scope to work. St. John has left a greater name than his brother James. But James died for the truth. In this holy war men call life the feeble cannot be dispensed with. Nehemiah conferred with the nobles (Neh. 4:14). Nehemiah needed the bearers of burdens (Neh. 4:17).
2. Unslumbering vigilance. We set a watch (Neh. 4:9). I set the people, &c. (Neh. 4:13). And it came to pass, &c. (Neh. 4:16). There is a lesson of life in the heading of this chapter in our BiblesNehemiah prayeth and continueth the work. Patient waiting is a grace; perseverance is a virtue. Men are sometimes enervated by success. They become unwatchful. Doctor, said his wife to Martin Luther one day, how is it that, whilst subject to papacy, we prayed so often and with such fervour, whilst now we pray with the utmost coldness and very seldom? Every one with one hand held a weapon (Neh. 4:17). He that sounded the trumpet was by me (Neh. 4:18). In what place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us (Neh. 4:20). These are only the dictates of worldly prudence. So true is it that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light (Luk. 16:8). What said the greatest Christian Teacher? The Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore. What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch (Mar. 13:34-35; Mar. 13:37).
Illustration:That man is happy who can combine work and watching in perfect harmonywho has Stephens life of labour and Stephens vision in the end. In every soul there should be the sisters of Bethany, active effort and quiet thought, and both agreeing in mutual love and help. But Mary no longer sits at the feet of Christ and looks in his face; she stands at the door and gazes out into the open sky to watch the tokens of his coming, while in this hope her sister in the house still works. In due time he will be here to crown every humble effort with overflowing grace, to satisfy the longing soul that looks for him, and to raise all the dead for whom we weep.Dr. Ker.
3. Resort to the unseen Refuge. Hear, O our God (Neh. 4:4). Be not ye afraid: remember the Lord (Neh. 4:14). Our enemies heard that God had brought their counsel to nought (Neh. 4:15). Our God shall fight for us (Neh. 4:20). Our Godthe attestation of experience. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee (Job. 5:19). The Apostle Paul appealed from Festus unto Csar. Nehemiah appealed from Sanballat to God. In the miracle of feeding our Lord turned an inward look upon the troubled, calculating thoughts of his disciples, though he himself know what he would do. He turned an outward look upon the hungry, trustful crowd: Make the men sit down. He directed an upward look to God: When he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes he looked up to heaven. The inward look revealed distrust; the outward look revealed need; the upward look revealed strength and supply. A parable of life. Look abroadthe work is great; look withincalculate resources; look upThy God hath commanded thy strength. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truths sake. The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. We will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord (Psalms 115).
ADDENDA TO CHAPTER 4
SENTENCES FROM OLD WRITERS
Sanballats opposition (Neh. 4:1-2). The devil and his servants have ever been utter enemies to reformation. Jabesh-gilead would send in none to help the Lord against the mighty (Jdg. 21:9); no more would Meroz (Jdg. 5:23). Josiah met with much opposition; so did St. Paul wherever he came to set up evangelical and spiritual worship, which is called a reformation (Heb. 9:10). All the world was against Athanasius in his generation, and Luther in his; rejecting what they attempted with scorn and slander. Nehemiah and his Jews were not more busy in building than the enemies active in deriding, conspiring, practising to hinder and overthrow them. If thou hast not the favour of men, be not grieved at it; but take this to heart, that thou dost not behave thyself so warily and circumspectly as it becometh the servant of God and a devout, religious man. Why art thou troubled when things succeed not as thou wouldest or desirest? For who is he that hath all things according to his mind?
Tobiahs scorn, (Neh. 4:3). Say not, Should I suffer these things from so contemptible a fellow as this? Yes, truly; in consideration of that patient and meek spirit which was in Christ. No man will ever be reconciled by wrath or revenge. Victory consists in virtue, not in vice. One devil does not drive out another. We chiefly seek God for our inward witness, when outwardly we be contemned by men, and when there is no credit given unto us. Thou canst not have two paradises. Christ was willing to suffer and be despised; and darest thou complain of any man? Let thy thought be on the Highest. Whom God will keep no mans perverseness shall be able to hurt. Have a good conscience, and God will well defend thee.
Nehemiahs prayers (Neh. 4:4-5; Neh. 4:9). Nehemiah hateth not the men, but their wickedness; so we learn to put a difference betwixt the man and the sin of man, and pray for mercy to the one and justice to the other. Man is Gods good creature, and to be beloved of all sorts; sin is of the devil, and to be fled of all sorts. His prayer is not long, but full. Faithful prayer is never ineffectual. So built we the wall. This followed upon Nehemiahs prayer as a gracious answer to it; the people were encouraged, and the wall finished. Beware of hating the person whilst thou abhorrest his sin. Prayer is the key of heaven; the pillar of the world; the fire of devotion; the light of knowledge; the repository of wisdom; the strength of the soul; the remedy against faint-heartedness; the forerunner of honour; the nurse of patience; the guardian of obedience; the fountain of quietness; the comfort of the sorrowful; the triumph of the just; the helper of the oppressed; the refreshment of this life; the sweetening of death; and the foretaste of the heavenly life. God prevents our prayers, meets us (as it were) half-way, and courts our friendship, being a thousand times more ready to give than we are to receive.
Nehemiahs watchfulness (Neh. 4:9). It is not sufficient to pray and then to neglect such means as God hath appointed us to use for our defence and comfort, no more than it is to say, when he hath prayed, I will live without meat and drink, and God himself shall feed me. For as the Lord hath taught us to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, so he hath commanded us to work for it, and saith, If any will not work, neither shall he eat. Sin opens the door to the devil. Awaken us, O God, that we may watch; draw us to thee, and we will run the straight way, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Judahs defection (Neh. 4:10). It is an easy matter to begin a good work, but a special gift to stand in all storms and continue to the end. Judahs escutcheon was a lion, but here he is unlike himself. Nehemiah might well have said to these men of Judah, as Alexander once did to a faint-hearted soldier of his that was of his own name, Either leave off the name of Alexander, or be valiant. So either hold out and bear up under your burdens, or be Judah no more. Never was anything too hard for Alexander, because he never held anything impossible to be effected.
Nehemiahs policy and appeal (Neh. 4:11-14). Their brethren from abroad gave the workmen intelligence; and this was a friendly office, for premonition is the best means of prevention. It was their duty to have come home, stood in storms, and help to build Jerusalem. But God, which turneth our negligence and foolishness to the setting forth of his wisdom and goodness, gave them a good will and boldness to further that building as they might. Away with that cowardly passion which unmans a man. Remember the Lord, whom he that feareth needs fear none else. God and the world cannot be friends; and that maketh so few courtiers to tread this road.
Soldier-builders (Neh. 4:15-23). Courage and strength without wisdom is foolish rashness, and wisdom without courage and strength is fearful cowardliness. Nehemiah was an active man, trading every talent. In the Christians panoply there is no mention of armour for the back, though there is for the breast, because a Christian soldier should never fly. In Gods cause a man must be bold and blush not. Fear of the enemy did not weaken them, but waken them. Time was precious, and they redeemed and improved it. The common complaint is, We want time; but the truth is, we do not so much want as waste it. Nehemiah said not to his men, Go YE, but, Go WE.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT
D. The enemies try ridicule and rumor to block construction.
1. Their enemies try to block them with ridicule.
TEXT, Neh. 4:1-6
1.
Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.
2.
And he spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?
3.
Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, Even what they are buildingif a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!
4.
Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.
5.
Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before Thee, for they have demoralized the builders.
6.
So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
COMMENT
In Neh. 4:1 we read of Sanballats anger on hearing of progress on construction of the wall. Many times the enemy of the Lords work exposes himself by this means today. Perhaps he did not want the wall built because it would make it difficult for him to attack and rob the city; his opposition is hard to explain otherwise. Strong defenses at Jerusalem could pose no threat to the safety of Samaria. His first stage of opposition consequently was ridicule; so must the Lords people be prepared to deal with this tool which the Devil still uses.
Neh. 4:2 gives the details of his mockery. See if any of it sounds familiar today. (1) The reference to the Jews as feeble (drooping, languishing) may be a subtle suggestion that if they had been tending their crops instead of working on the walls, they wouldnt be as weak from hunger now. What food for his stomach does one get from building walls, or going to church to listen to sermons? (2) The meaning of the next phrase, restore it for themselves, is vague, and translations vary: it contains the ambiguous word from Neh. 3:8, which literally means, to cut loose or free, leave. One thing is clear: the emphasis on for themselves. What did they think they could do by themselves, without Sanballats help? (3) The next two phrases may go together, and imply that the Jews would be foolish to think that by making sacrifices to God they could gain His favor and be able to finish their work quickly, in a day; i.e., worship is futile, and such ideas are nonsense. Or we may see in the phrase, can they offer sacrifices? the implication that since the wall is not needed to enable them to make sacrifices, they must be building it to lead to a rebellion. Then the next phrase, Can they finish it in a day? has the contemptuous idea that the Jews would lose heart and would not stay with the work to its completion. (4) The last remark was an invitation to look at the rocks and rubbish before them; that would be enough to discourage anybody!
Neh. 4:3 indicates the close tie between Sanballat of Samaria and Tobiah of Ammon, on opposite sides of the Jordan. The evaluation of the wall, that it would be no match for even a fox, i.e., jackal, was pure caricature and not argument.
The tone of Neh. 4:4-5 indicates that all of Neh. 4:2-3 were spoken audibly before Jerusalem. Nehemiahs instantaneous reaction was a brief prayer. This characteristic of the man appeared before, at Neh. 2:4; it will crop up several more times.
Nehemiahs requests were that God would be conscious of the way they were being ridiculed, and that their enemies be repaid for their evil blocking of Gods approved plan. The imprecatory nature of the prayer is similar to that in a few of the Psalms (Psa. 69:27 f, for example). Let us not judge him by a morality which God would reveal through His Son several centuries later; we are bound, as he was not, to pray for our enemies; but it is true that the consequences which he asked are the natural outcome in this world of the kinds of evil being committed by their enemies. It is well for us to be warned, lest we suffer a similar fate.
Neh. 4:5 happily records that because the people put their heart into their work (mind is literally heart), the work progressed to the halfway stage. The word height is a conjecture; it is missing in the Hebrew text: we could substitute width or simply say it was half-finished just as accurately. Work was progressing throughout its whole length, according to chapter three. Note also Nehemiahs taking no credit to himself; it was the people who were responsible.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(1) Mocked the Jews.The mockery comes afterwards. Here, as often in Nehemiah, a general statement is made which is afterwards expanded.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
TROUBLES FROM THE SAMARITANS, Neh 4:1-23.
1. Sanballat See on Neh 2:10.
That we builded the wall That is, that we were building it. This chapter describes events that transpired while their work of rebuilding was going on.
Took great indignation He was irritated and provoked, for he hated the thought of having the Jews prosper.
Mocked He tried to scoff at what he secretly feared.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Sanballat Arouses The Neighbours Of The Jews To Ridicule Their Attempts To Rebuild The Walls, But Without Effect ( Neh 4:1-6 ).
We note here the deepening of the already revealed opposition to the Jews and to the building of the walls. Notice the growth in the antagonistic attitude of those who were opposed to them, each time expressed in accordance with a pattern:
o 2:10 ‘And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them greatly, in that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.’
o 2:19 ‘But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you do? Will you rebel against the king?”
o 4:1 ‘But it came about that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was furious, and took great umbrage, and mocked the Jews, and spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria.’
o 4:7-8 ‘But it came about that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry, and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion in it.’
Notice the pattern, ‘and when they/he heard of it’, and the growth in feeling, ‘it grieved them greatly’, ‘they laughed us to scorn, and despised us’, ‘he was furious, and took great umbrage’, ‘they conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem’.
We may also notice the growth in Nehemiah’s response:
o In Neh 2:10 he simply carried on with his purpose.
o In Neh 2:20 he responded by pointing out that the God of Heaven was with them, and that they had no part in it.
o In Neh 4:4-5 he specifically calls on God to deal with them severely.
o In Neh 4:9 he prays to God and sets up a watch against them.
Neh 4:1
‘But it came about that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was furious, and took great umbrage, and mocked the Jews.’
In his attempts to thwart the work an angry Sanballat, who was probably already governor of the district of Samaria, turned to insults, mocking the attempts of ‘the Jews’ (the returnees and those who had involved themselves with them in the pure worship of YHWH). The significance of the building of the walls is brought out by his fury. It was no light matter. It represented a new political force arising in the area, and one which was separatist based on its exclusive Temple worship (see Ezr 4:1-6). It thus represented the weakening of his authority, and was an affront to his own particular views. For he saw himself as a Yahwist, and was angry that the Jews would not accept him as such.
There is in fact no more potent weapon than ridicule when used against those who want to be well thought of. It can turn half-hearted people from their purposes, and prevent others from joining them. Many a Christian’s progress has been halted by such methods. But in this case it failed because ‘the people had a mind to work’. They were confident that they were doing the work of God. And it consequently only left the alternative of violence (Neh 4:7). The mockery was indirect (Neh 4:2), although it certainly reached Nehemiah’s ears. The aim was to build up a huge feeling of contempt concerning the activities of the Jews. It was also aimed at bolstering his own self-esteem.
Neh 4:2
‘And he spoke before his allies (brothers) and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are the feeble Jews doing? 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 rubbish, seeing they are burned?”
The word ‘brothers’ almost certainly means ‘allies’ (compare Amo 1:9), those in brotherly union with him as adversaries of the Jews. The army of Samaria would be a local military contingent such as a governor would necessarily require as a kind of police force (compare Ezr 4:23). The mention of the latter is significant as preparing for the intended violence that will follow. Sanballat thus makes his views widely known among those who have some authority, and those who will enforce his decisions. He is bolstering them up as well as himself.
His questions are clearly derogatory, based on his contemptuous view of their weakness and feebleness. What did such feeble people really think that they could achieve? As we know they had been constantly struggling against hard times and had been finding life difficult (Neh 1:3), something partly due to Sanballat and his cronies. The question brings home how necessary the powerful leadership of Nehemiah, combined with the strength of his escort, was to the ailing Jews. They provided some kind of backbone.
The first two questions can be seen as referring to their attempts to make themselves secure, ‘will they fortify themselves?’ or ‘depend on themselves?’ (ensuring their own protection)), ‘will they sacrifice?’ (thus ensuring God’s protection). The second set of questions then demonstrates that he saw that as a vain hope based on inadequate foundations. They may be seen as a chiasmus:
A ‘Will they fortify themselves?’ (Or ‘will they leave it to themselves?’).
B ‘Will they sacrifice?’
B ‘Will they make an end (of their problems) in a day?’ (by calling on God).
A ‘Will they make renewed stones out of the heaps of burned rubbish?’
In this case ‘fortifying themselves’ or ‘leaving it to themselves’ is paralleled by ‘making the burned stones live’, in other words relying on themselves and hoping for a miracle as they use inadequate materials for their fortifications. Sacrificing is paralleled with anticipating instantaneous results as a response. In this last there may be an echo of Zec 3:9, ‘I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day’. Did they really think that offering sacrifices could remove their sin in one day?
On the other hand we may see them as two couplets:
o ‘Will they leave themselves (in the hands of God), will they sacrifice?’
o ‘Will they make an end (of building) in a day, will they make burned stones live?’
The overall picture is the same. His claim is that they are relying on themselves and on an inadequate God, and are anticipating the achievement of a quick fix while relying on inadequate materials. Among other things he has in mind how long the building of such walls could be expected to take, especially given their lack of expertise, and the uselessness of using burned limestone, which would easily crumble, for building purposes. He considers that they are just not aware of the problems. The writer knows, of course, that his readers are aware that it has meanwhile been accomplished satisfactorily.
The regular meaning of ‘azab is to ‘leave, abandon’. Thus the translation ‘will they (vainly) leave themselves (in the hands of God)?’ (compare Psa 10:14), or ‘will they leave (it to) themselves?’. This is then followed by ‘will they (vainly) sacrifice?’ But at Ugarit a secondary meaning for ‘azah was found which translates as ‘to build, renovate, restore’. Thus the translation, ‘Will they fortify themselves?’ In other words, ‘will they make a vain attempt to render themselves secure using inadequate materials?’ This latter would then indicate that by ‘will they sacrifice?’ he is also indicating the uselessness of their sacrifices which are also inadequate. He probably saw their version of Yahwism as lacking in depth and quality, with its failure to unite Him with other gods (in contrast with the heretical Jews at Elephantine). Thus overall he is stressing that they are relying on inadequate things: on their own feeble activity, on their equally feeble sacrifices, on their confidence that they could complete the work quickly against all odds, and on their confidence that they could make useless materials useable. They were hoping for the impossible.
Neh 4:3
‘Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “Even what they are building, if a fox go up, he will break down their stone wall.”
Tobiah, who was standing by him, joined in the derision claiming that if even a fox were to climb on the walls it would cause them to break down. He too has in mind the inadequacy of the materials, the shortage of time and the lack of expertise of the builders. He considers that they are incapable of achieving their purpose.
Neh 4:4-5
“Hear, O our God, for we are despised. And turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity, and do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you, for they have provoked (you) to anger before (in front of) the builders.”
Nehemiah’s response emphasises the fact that Sanballat’s questions were intended to be an insult against the God of the Jews, as well as a reproach on His people. He calls on God to hear what has been said. They have despised His people, and have provoked Him to anger in front of His people. Thus he prays that what had previously happened to God’s own people because they had despised God, should now be done to these equally sinful people. Let their sin not be overlooked. Let them too be taken into exile.
Some modern translations have ignored the preposition ‘before’, translating ‘have provoked the builders to anger’. But this is to alter the clear significance of the text. ‘Before’ cannot be ignored, nor can it be taken adverbially. But there are a number of examples where ‘provoke to anger’ refers to God even when He is not mentioned (e.g. 1Ki 21:22; 2Ki 21:6; 2Ki 23:19 ; 2Ch 33:6; Psa 106:29; Hos 12:14).
‘And do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you.’ Compare Psa 109:14; Jer 18:23, which demonstrate that his prayer in such circumstances was on a parallel with that of other godly men. For the idea of having iniquity ‘covered’ (casah) see Psa 85:2. (The word casah means to put a cover over, but it is not the word that usually signifies atonement which is caphar). For to ‘have sins blotted out’ see Psa 51:1; Psa 51:9; Isa 43:25; Isa 44:22. These benefits were the prerogatives of God’s redeemed people when they came to God in God’s way.
But while recognising that Nehemiah falls short of the ideal of Christ’s teaching (‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’), we should note in his defence that Nehemiah was not praying that they would never find true forgiveness. He was praying rather that they would receive what their sins deserved while they remained in their present condition. For by their very attitude they were revealing that they had no true knowledge of YHWH (a knowledge that they claimed) and therefore had no rights to the benefits that they claimed through their own sacrificial system. These words are the negative side of ‘turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity’. He was not seeking to remove their right to forgiveness if they approached God on God’s terms (by renouncing idolatry and truly submitting to YHWH and His covenant), only praying that they would not find ‘easy forgiveness’ through their own ritual. Let them, in their unrepentant state, receive the due reward for their sins (we can compare the cry of the martyred saints in Rev 6:10).
‘For they have provoked (You) to anger before the builders.’ And his grounds for his prayer were that they had by their behaviour provoked God to anger. Their sin had not been against man, but against God. This need not mean that Sanballat and his cronies had actually openly spoken in front of the builders. Only that what they had been propagating had reached the ears of the builders. The builders had been made aware of the general mockery that accompanied their work, shaming them and thus provoking YHWH to anger because it was His work that they were doing.
Neh 4:6
‘So we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its (height), for the people had a mind to work.’
‘So we built the wall.’ In the face of the opposition, and with confidence in the One to Whom Nehemiah had prayed, the work on the walls continued apace until within a comparatively short time Jerusalem was encircled by a wall which was overall half the height of that finally intended. This would provide some defence in itself. No longer could people creep in anywhere at will. (The full height would be revealed by those parts of the wall which had survived the catastrophe). And this was the result of the exertions of men who were determined to get the job done, and had laboured accordingly.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Continual Opposition To The Building Of The Wall And Problems Related To It ( Neh 4:1 to Neh 6:14 ).
Meanwhile the work did not go on unopposed. Powerful men were involved in seeking to ensure that the walls were not rebuilt, and that Jerusalem was not re-established. We have already had three of these described to us in Neh 2:19. They were formidable opponents. We now learn about their activity in more detail.
o Initially they operated by using ridicule and threats (Neh 2:19; Neh 4:1-3). They had grave doubts about whether the objective would be achieved. It was after all a massive operation, and there was no one with the authority to enforce the rebuilding by using slave gangs and taskmasters. That was not within Nehemiah’s remit. It depended on voluntary cooperation and popular enthusiasm. They could not believe that the initial enthusiasm would be maintained. But as things progressed they began to fear that they might be wrong.
o Thus when that failed they turned to the idea of using extreme violence (Neh 4:7-11). But that too failed because of the vigilance of Nehemiah, and the stout-heartedness of God’s people, who worked with their swords in their hands.
o Then they five times (Neh 6:4-5) sought to entice Nehemiah to a place where they would be able to do him mischief (Neh 6:2). But he was no fool and once again they found themselves thwarted.
o As a consequence they resorted to suggestions to Nehemiah that in their view treason was involved in the building of the walls which they intended to report to the king of Persia himself along with a report of the activities of treasonable prophets (Neh 6:6-7). To these suggestions Nehemiah gave short shrift. He was confident that his royal master would rely on his trustworthiness.
o This was followed by an invidious attempt through someone who pretended to be friendly to persuade him to act in a cowardly way in order to protect his own life by taking refuge in the Temple along with him (Neh 6:10). But Nehemiah was no coward and roundly dismissed such an idea.
Combined with these activities was the problem of the extreme poverty that resulted for many due to their dedication to the building of the walls. Many had been living on the breadline for decades, scratching an existence from their limited resources, but now the concentration on the building of the walls had tipped them over the edge. They found themselves hungry, and even enslaved by debt, and that by their fellow Jews (Neh 5:1-6). This too was something that Nehemiah had to remedy (Neh 5:7-13).
Meanwhile the work on the wall progressed until it was finally accomplished. Jerusalem was once more a walled city, with its gates secure.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Neh 4:6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
Neh 4:6
Neh 4:12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
Neh 4:12
[42] John Gill lists ten literal occasions, “twice at the sea, Exodus 14:11; twice concerning water, Exodus 15:23; twice about manna, Exodus 16:2; twice about quails, Exodus 16:12; once by the calf, Exodus 32:1; and once in the wilderness of Paran, Numbers 14:1, which last and tenth was the present temptation.” John Gill, Numbers, in John Gill’s Expositor, in e-Sword, v. 7.7.7 [CD-ROM] (Franklin, Tennessee: e-Sword, 2000-2005), comments on Numbers 14:22.
[43] E. T. Espin and J. F. Thrupp, Numbers, in The Holy Bible According to the Authorized Version (A.D. 1611), with an Explanation and Critical Commentary and a Revision of the Translation, by Bishops and Clergy of the Anglican Church, vol. 1, part 1, ed. F. C. Cook (London: John Murray, 1871), 702.
Comments – We can see the same phrase “ten times” used as an idiom in several passages in the Scriptures:
Gen 31:7, “And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.”
Num 14:22, “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;”
Neh 4:12, “And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.”
The NAB translates this phrase in Gen 31:7 as “time after time.”
NAB, “yet your father cheated me and changed my wages time after time . God, however, did not let him do me any harm.”
The number ten represents a counting system that is based on ten units. Thus, the number ten can be interpreted literally to represent the numerical system, or it can be given a figurative meaning to reflect the concept of multiple occurrences.
Illustration – Jesus told Peter that we are to forgive seventy seven times (Mat 18:22). In this passage, Jesus did not literally mean that we were to forgive only seventy seven times, but that we were to forgive as often as was necessary to forgive, which is many times.
Mat 18:22, “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Illustration When my son was seven years old, he was learning how to add and subtract numbers in the first grade. One day he ran up to his mother to convince her that he knew what he was doing. He said, “Mommy, I know how to do it. I’ve done it many times. I’ve done it ten times.” Even without being conscience of it, he was using the number ten symbolically to represent the numerical system that he had recently learned (October 2012).
Neh 4:20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
Neh 4:20
2Ch 20:15, “And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s .”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Plans of the Adversaries
v. 1. But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, the Samaritan leader, heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, v. 2. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, v. 3. Now, Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, v. 4. Hear, O our God; for we are despised; and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity, v. 5. and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee; for they have provoked Thee to anger before the builders, v. 6. So built we the wall,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSTION
OPEN OPPOSITION OFFERED TO THE WORK BY SANBALLAT AND TOBIAH, AND ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY NEHEMIAH TO MEET IT (Neh 4:1-23.). It would seem that Sanballat and his friends, when they first heard that the wall was actually being restored, the working parties formed, and the work taken in hand, could scarcely bring themselves to believe it. “What! These feeble Jews undertake so heavy a task, attempt a work that must occupy so long a time, and for which they had not even the necessary materials? (Neh 4:2). Impossible! Such a wall as they could build would be so weak, that if a fox tried to get over it he would break it down” (Neh 4:3). But when, despite their scoffs, the working parties laboured steadily, and the whole wall was brought to half the intended height (Neh 4:6), and the gaps made in it by the Babylonians were filled up (Neh 4:7), they changed their tone, admitted the seriousness of the undertaking, and the probability that it would succeed unless steps were taken to prevent it. The natural course to pursue, if they really believed that rebellion was intended (Neh 2:19), or that the permission of Artaxerxes had not been obtained, was to act as Rehum and Shimshai had acted in the time of the Pseudo-Smerdis, and address a letter to the king informing him of Nehemiah’s proceedings, and recommending that a stop should be put to them (see Ezr 4:11 -522). But probably they had by this time become aware that Artaxerxes was privy to the proceedings of his cupbearer, and would not easily be induced to interfere with them. The letter to Asaph which Nehemiah had obtained (Neh 2:8) must have been delivered to him, and would become known; the fact that the king had sanctioned the restoration of the wall would be apparent; and all hope of a check from this quarter, if it ever existed, would be swept away. Besides, at the rate at which the work was progressing under Nehemiah’s skilful arrangements, it would be accomplished before the court could be communicated with, unless other steps were taken. Accordingly, it was resolved to stop the building by main force. Sanballat and Tobiah, his Ammonite hanger-on, entered into a league with the neighbouring peoples, the Philistines of Ashdod, the Ammonites, and some Arab tribe or tribes, and agreed with them that a conjoint attack should be made upon Jerusalem by a confederate army (Neh 3:7, Neh 3:8). It was hoped to take the working parties by surprise, and to effect their complete destruction (ibid. verse 11). But Nehemiah, having learnt what was intended, made preparations to meet and repulse the assailants. He began by setting a watch day and night (verse 9) on the side on which the attack was expected. When an assault seemed imminent, he stopped the work, and drew up the whole people in battle array, with swords, spears, and bows, behind the wall, but in conspicuous places, so that they could be seen from a distance, and in this attitude awaited the enemy (verse 13). The result was that no actual assault was delivered. Sanballat and his allies, when they found such preparations made to receive them, came to the conclusion that discretion was the better part of valour, and drew off without proceeding to blows (verse 15). The work was then resumed, but under additional precautions. The labourers were compelled to work either with a weapon in one hand, or at the least with a sword at their side (verses 17, 18). Nehemiah’s private attendants were armed and formed into two bands, one of which worked on the wall, while the other kept guard, and held the arms, offensive and defensive, of their fellow-servants (verse 16). At night the working parties retired to rest within the city, but Nehemiah himself, his brothers, his servants, and his bodyguard, remained outside, keeping watch by turns, and sleeping in their clothes, until the wall was finished (verses 22, 23).
Neh 4:2
Before his brethren. By “his brethren” would seem to be meant his chief counsellorsprobably Tobiah among them. The army of Samaria. Some understand by this a Persian garrison, stationed in Samaria under its own commander, with which Sanballat had influence, but there is no real ground for such a supposition. Psa 83:1-18, belongs probably to David’s time; and as Samaria had doubtless its own native force of armed citizens, who were Sanballat’s subjects, it is quite unnecessary to suppose that he addressed himself to any other “army” than this. The Persians would maintain a force in Damascus, but scarcely in Samaria; and Persian soldiers, had there been any in that city, would have been more likely to support a royal cupbearer than a petty governor with no influence at court. We can really only explain the disturbed state of things and approach to open hostility which appears in Nehemiah’s narrative, by the weakness of Persia in these parts, and the consequent power of the native races to act pretty much as they pleasedeven to the extent of making war one upon another. Will they fortify themselves? No other rendering is tenable. Ewald defends it successfully. Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? The meaning seems to be, “Will they begin and make an end in a day?” It is assumed that they will begin by offering a sacrifice to inaugurate their work. Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Rather, “Will they revive the burnt stones (the stones that are burned) out of the heaps of the rubbish?” Will they do what is im-possible-solidify and make into real stone the calcined and crumbling blocks which are all that they will find in the heaps of rubbish? If not, how are they to procure material?
Neh 4:3
Tobiah the Ammonite was by him. The presence of Tobiah on this occasion, before the alliance was made with the Ammonites (Neh 4:8), is a strong indication that his position was not one of independent authority, but of dependence upon Sanballat. There is nothing to show that he was more than a favourite slave of the Samaritan governor. A fox. Or, “a jackal,” which would be more likely than a fox to stray over a ruined wall into a town.
Neh 4:4
Hear, O our God. Compare Ezra’s parenthetic burst of thanksgiving (Ezr 7:27, Ezr 7:28). That which in Ezra was a sudden impulse has become a settled habit with Nehemiah (comp. Neh 5:19; Neh 6:9, Neh 6:14; Neh 13:14, Neh 13:22, Neh 13:29, Neh 13:31). Turn their reproach upon their own head. The imprecations of Nehemiah are no pattern to Christians, any more than are those of the Psalmists (Psa 69:22-28; Psa 79:12; Psa 109:6-20, etc.); but it cannot be denied that they are imprecations. Before men were taught to “love their enemies,” and “bless those that cursed them” (Mat 5:44), they gave vent to their natural feelings of anger and indignation by the utterance of maledictions. Nehemiah’s spirit was hot and hasty; and as he records of himself (Neh 13:25) that he “cursed” certain Jews who had taken foreign wives, so it is not to be wondered at that he uttered imprecations against his persistent enemies.
Neh 4:5
Cover not their iniquity, etc. Some of David’s imprecations are very similar (Psa 109:7, Psa 109:14, Psa 109:15, etc.), as also some of Jeremiah’s (Jer 18:23). They have provoked thee to anger before the builders. It is not as if they had merely “thought scorn” of thee, or insulted thee before one or two. They have uttered their insult publicly, so that it is known to the whole body of the builders. Therefore they deserve not to be forgiven.
Neh 4:6
So built we the wall. Rather, “and we (still) built the wall” Insults and gibes had no effect on usdid not touch us. Despite of them we steadily kept on our building, and the result was that soon all the wall was joined together unto the half thereofthe whole continuous line of wall was completed to half the contemplated height. For the people had a mind to work. Literally, “there was a heart to the people to work.” They wrought, as we should say, “with a will”they had their heart in the work. Insult and gibe rather stimulated than daunted them.
HOMILETICS
Neh 4:1-6
Ridicule of a good work.
Sanballat and his friends had at first thought it impossible that Nehemiah would attempt to repair and restore the wall of Jerusalem, But when they found that the work was actually begun, and making good progress, their anger was equalled only by their astonishment, and they gave vent to their wrath in scoffs and ridicule. Happily they seem to have been so misled by their contempt for the feebleness of the Jews as to have deemed it impossible that they could really complete the undertaking; and so they contented themselves with ridicule until the work was so far advanced, and the people so organised and inspirited, that more formidable measures were unavailing. Nehemiah, however, was much wounded by their scorn, expressed as it was not only before “the army of Samaria” (verse 2), but “before the builders” (verse 5), and adapted to discourage them; and he expressed his feelings strongly in prayer to God. But he and the people, so far from being disheartened, had only the greater “mind to work,” and speedily completed the restoration up to half the height of the wall. Note
I. THE CONTEMPT AND RIDICULE WHICH GOOD WORKS HAVE OFTEN TO ENCOUNTER, ESPECIALLY AT THEIR COMMENCEMENT. Many discoveries and inventions of a secular character might be cited in illustration. The Copernican system. Gas. Railways, and the speed of travelling expected on them. Ocean steam-ships. But, confining ourselves to Christian enterprises, the first preaching and avowed aims of the gospel, the efforts of Christian reformers and evangelists, the work of modern missions, may be referred to; and many an effort on a smaller scale to evangelise a dark and godless population.
1. The circumstances which are thought to justify contempt and ridicule.
(1) The supposed impossibility of accomplishing the proposed object. “Will they revive the stones,” etc.
(2) The feebleness of those who undertake it. In number, wealth, mental capacity, and culture, etc. “What do these feeble Jews?”
(3) Their expectation of Divine aid. “Will they sacrifice?” Thus “the preaching of the gospel is to them that perish foolishness;” and those who preach it are sometimes regarded as either knaves or fools.
2. Their actual causes.
(1) Dislike of the work and anger against the workers (verse 1). These help to produce blindness as to the real facts of the ease.
(2) Ignorance and unbelief. The world knows not the real resources of Christians, and cannot understand their motives. It has no faith in the gospel or the Holy Ghost, in the precepts or promises which impel and inspirit Christian workers, or the Divine love which constrains them. Hence cannot rightly estimate their conduct or the probabilities of their success. What the world can see is manifestly insufficient, and it cannot see what renders success certain.
(3) Felt paucity of solid grounds of objection. Ridicule often used as a substitute for argument.
II. THE EFFECT WHICH CONTEMPT AND RIDICULE SHOULD HAVE ON THOSE ENGAGED IN GOOD WORKS.
1. Care not to deserve them. It must be confessed that sometimes those engaged in religious enterprises invite ridicule, if not contempt; by manifest ignorance, by cowardly fears of advancing science, by clap-trap and worldly policy, by cant or weak sentimentalism, by glaring inconsistencies between their lofty professions and their actual conduct, etc. It is one of the wholesome functions of raillery to banish such follies from good undertakings, and thus make the work truer and stronger.
2. Prayer. Not like Nehemiah’s, for vengeance on the despisers; but forgiveness, and that God would “turn their reproach on their head” by granting signal success to the work.
3. Calm confidence. In the assurance of that Divine favour and assistance of which the world takes little account, and thus of good success.
4. Steady, persevering toil. All the more vigorous because of the opposition. Thus Christian workers will live down contempt, even if, as in this case, it give place to violent hostility. It may, however, be followed by applause when the work has proved itself good by results which even the world can appreciate.
Neh 4:4
Despising the godly.
“Hear, O our God; for we are despised.” The contempt of many for sincere and earnest Christians has respect not only to their undertakings, as here, but their whole religious life. Taking this more general subject, notice
I. THE TREATMENT LAMENTED. “We are despised.” How is it that Christians are ever despised? Sometimes, doubtless, they have themselves to blame (see, on the whole paragraph, II. 1). Thoroughly consistent Christians often obtain high respect from men of the world. But the feeling of others is that of contempt.
1. What they despise.
(1) Religion itself. Rejecting and disliking it, men persuade themselves that it is not worthy of serious regard; it cannot be, or persons so enlightened as they would be sure to recognise its worth. Hence they affect to think serious Christians credulous and foolish; believing what is unworthy of faith, spending thought, feeling, energy, money for that which is nought, and giving up real advantages and pleasures for phantoms; solid treasures for an estate in the clouds. Gradually they come to believe seriously what first they affected to believe, until all earnest Christians are regarded as ignorant fanatics.
(2) The contempt is sometimes increased by the circumstances with which religion is associated. Some Christians have so much which the world esteems as respectable, that their religion is overlooked or condoned. It may excite a smile, but does not awaken contempt. But when such things are wanting, and the one thing most prominent is piety, it is more apt to awaken feelings of hostility, and these to become contemptuous. These poor and ignorant folk, what right have they to deem themselves wiser and better than “their betters”? (see Joh 7:48, Joh 7:49).
(3) In some cases it is the form which religion assumes that awakens or intensifies contempt. A large part of the world, in a Christian country, deems it quite right to have a religion, but it must be that of the wealthy, respectable, and fashionable classes: all other it denounces, or with proud superciliousness ignores as unworthy of serious notice.
2. The real causes of their contempt.
(1) Unbelief. This the main cause. They do not really believe the truths of Christianity, faith in which is the mainspring of the Christian life. The Divine estimate of the relative worth of men and things is not accepted.
(2) Ignorance. Men highly intelligent in other departmentsmen of science, whose judgment is worthy of all respect in their own sphereare often profoundly ignorant of the Christian religion, and the actual principles and motives which animate the Christian; yet “speak evil of the things which they understand not.”
(3) Worldliness. Estimating all things by the worldly standard, “the things of the Spirit of God” are “foolishness unto them.”
(4) Conceit of superiority. Pride of intellect, rank, etc; blinds them, and produces disdain of those whom they deem inferior to them. Hence they become “despisers of those that are good.” It does not, however, require actual superiority to produce this effect; the conceit of it is enough.
II. THE FEELING WHICH SUCH TREATMENT AWAKENS. The feeling expressed in the text is evidently that of pain. It is singular that to be despised is harder to bear than any other kind of ill-treatment. It wounds self-respect more, perhaps pride. It is felt most keenly by those whose knowledge, or refinement, or position enables them best to appreciate the feelings which prompt it. St. Paul found it harder to bear the scorn of educated men than St. Peter. To be deeply affected by it, is in all cases a sign of too great regard for the good opinion of men. Habitual supreme regard for “the praise of God” would raise us above it.
III. THE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH WILL SUPPORT US UNDER IT. Let good men bear in mind
1. Who it is that despise them. Those whose judgment, for the reasons given above, is of little account.
2. For what they are despised. For that which they know to be wise, noble, substantial, worthy of all honour.
3. With whom they are despised. God (1Sa 2:30; Psa 10:13). Our Lord Jesus (Isa 53:3). Apostles, martyrs, saints in general, “the excellent of the earth.”
4. The estimation in which they are held by the wisest and best beings. God esteems and treats them as especially his “sons and daughters.” Christ “is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Angels are “ministering spirits” to them, and rejoice when even “one sinner repents” and is added to their number.
5. The vindication of themselves, and the confusion of their despisers, which will take place at the last day.
IV. To WHAT WE SHOULD RESORT WHEN SUFFERING FROM IT. Prayer for those who despise us. “Pray for them which despitefully use you.” “Being reviled, we bless.” Prayer for ourselves; for needful strength to bear contempt meekly yet manfully. “Strengthened with might by God’s Spirit in the inner man,” we shall not heed it.
Neh 4:6
A mind to work.
“The people had a mind to work.” In our age the calls and opportunities for Christian work are numerous and urgent. The prevalence of “a mind to work” is therefore of great importance; its existence throughout any Christian community is matter for thankfulness, when at least it springs from Christian principle, and is directed wisely to valuable ends.
I. WHENCE A TRULY CHRISTIAN “MIND TO WORK” SPRINGS.
1. Sense of necessity. Perception of evils needing to be removed; of good requiring to be done.
2. Sense of duty.
3. Gratitude and love to God and the Redeemer.
4. Benevolence.
5. Hope. Of accomplishing good; of obtaining good.
6. All these may be excited and guided by good leaders. Such as Nehemiah.
II. How IT WILL SHOW ITSELF. In actual work.
1. Prompt.
2. Hearty.
3. Happy.
4. Abundant.
5. Steady and persevering.
Notwithstanding scoffers, difficulties, etc.
III. WHAT IT WILL SECURE.
1. Freedom from fruitless speculation and unhealthy controversy.
2. Growth in true Christian life.
3. Success in doing good.
HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON
Neh 4:1-6
Derision and devotion.
Not the first nor the last instance was this one here recorded of
I. DEVOTION ASSAILED BY DERISION (Neh 4:1-3). Sanballat and Tobiah were contemptuously angry when they heard that the Jews had actually begun to build: they “took great indignation, and mocked the Jews” (Neh 4:1). “What do these feeble Jews?” said Sanballat (Neh 4:2). “If a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall,” said Tobiah (Neh 4:3), using the strongest language of derision. Here was
(1) misplaced contempt. A very ridiculous thing it must have seemed to Noah’s contemporaries for him to be building a great ship so far from the sea; but the hour came when, as the waters rose, the scorners who had laughed at him knew that he was the one wise man, and they the fools. A pitiably ruinous thing the ministers of Pharaoh’s court must have thought it in Moses to sacrifice his princely position in Egypt, and choose to “suffer affliction with the people of God” (Heb 11:25). We know now how wise he was. Many others beside Festus thought Paul mad to relinquish everything dear to man that he might be a leader of the despised sect, “everywhere spoken against.” We understand what he did for the world, and what a “crown of righteousness” he was winning for himself. To the shallow judgment of the Samaritans, Nehemiah and his workmen seemed to be engaged in a work that would come to noughtthey would “have their labour for their pains;” but their contempt was wholly misplaced. These men were earnest and devout workmen, guided by a resolute, high-minded leader, who had a plan in his head as well as a hope in his heart; they were to be congratulated, and not despised. So now
(a) fleshly strength, a thing of muscle and nerve, may despise the mind with which it competes; or
(b) material force (money, muskets, arms) the spiritual strength against which it is arrayed; or
(c) mere numbers, without truth and without God, the feeble band which is in a small minority, but which has truth, righteousness, God on its side. Very misplaced contempt, as time will soon show. Sanballat and Tobiah, in their superciliousness, used
(2) an easily-forged weaponridicule. Nothing is easier than to turn good things, even the very best things, into ridicule. It is the favourite weapon of wrong in its weakness. When men can do nothing else, they can laugh at goodness and virtue. Any simpleton may make filial piety seem ridiculous by a sneering allusion to a “mother’s apron-string.” The weakest-minded man can raise a laugh by speaking of death or of devotion in terms of flippancy. There was but the very smallest speck of cleverness in Sanballat’s idea of turning ashes into stones (verse 2), or in Tobiah’s reference to the fox breaking down the wall (verse 3), but it probably excited the derisive laughter of “the brethren and the army of Samaria” (verse 2). Let those who adopt the role of the mocker remember that it is the weapon of the fool which they are wielding. But though easily forged, this weapon of ridicule is
(3) a blade that cuts deeply. Nehemiah felt it keenly. “Hear, O our God; for we are despised” (verse 4). And the imprecation (verse 6) that follows shows very deep and intense feeling. Derision may be easily produced, but it is very hard to bear. It is but a shallow philosophy that says “hard words break no bones:” they do not break bones, but they bruise tender hearts. They crush sensitive spirits, which is more, and worse. “A wounded spirit who can bear?” (Pro 18:14). The full force of a human soul’s contempt directed against a sensitive spirit, the brutal trampling of heartless malignity on the most sacred and cherished convictions of the soul, this is one of the worst sufferings we can be called to endure. But we have
II. DEVOTION BETAKING ITSELF TO ITS REFUGE (verses 4, 5). Nehemiah, as his habit was, betook himself to God. He could not make light of the reproaches, but, smarting under them, he appealed to the Divine Comforter. “Hear, O our God,” etc. (verse 4). In all time of our distress from persecution we should
(1) carry our burden to our God; especially remembering “him who endured such contradiction of sinners” (Heb 12:3), and appealing to him who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:15), having been himself tried on this point even as we are.
(2) Ask his interposition with our enemies; only, as we have learned of Christ, asking not for retaliation (verse 5), but for the victory of love, for their conversion to a better mind.
III. DEVOTION DRIVEN TO DO ITS BEST (verse 6). Under the inspiration of an attack from without, Nehemiah and his brethren went on with their work
(1) with redoubled speed. “So built we the wall unto the half thereof.” It grew rapidly under their busy hands, nerved and stimulated as they were to do their best.
(2) With perfect co-operation. “All the wall was joined together.” There was no part left undone by any idlers or malcontents: each man did the work appointed him. The reproaches of them that are without knits together as one man those that are within.
(3) With heartiness. “The people had a mind to work.” No instru- ments, however cunningly devised and well-made, will do much without the “mind to work;” but with our mind in the work we can do almost anything with such weapons as we have at hand. Pray for, cherish “the willing mind” (2Co 8:12) in the work of the Lord, and then the busy hand will quickly “build the wall.”C.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Neh 4:1-23
1But [and] it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2And he spake before his bretnren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day [by day, i.e., openly]? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the 3rubbish which are burned? Now [and] Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4Hear, O our God; for we are despised [a contempt]: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity. 5And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked thee to anger before [they have acted vexatiously against] the builders. 6So built we [and we built] the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for [and] the people had a mind [heart] to work. 7But [and] it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up [that a bandage was applied to the walls of Jerusalem], and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it [to do wickedness to it]. 9Nevertheless [and] we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that [and] we are not able to build the wall. 11And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12And it came to pass, when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you [they said unto us ten times, i.e., frequently, from all places, Ye shall return unto us]. 13Therefore [and] I set in the lower places [lowest parts] behind the wall [at the place behind the wall], and in the higher places [in the exposed parts], I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14And 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: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15And it came to pass when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. 16And it came to pass from that time forth [from that day], 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 behind all the house of Judah. 17They which builded on the wall and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, [while carrying] every one with one 18of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For [and] the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 19And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we areseparated upon the wall, one far from another. 20In what place therefore ye hear 21the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. So [and] we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that [and] in the 23night they may be a guard to us, and labor on the day [by day]. So [and] 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 for washing.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
16. The seems to be misplaced. It should be with , and not with . Or the words may have changed places.
17. In the taken the place of .
22. Note the absence of with and .
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
The Hindrances (1) From Sanballat and his allies
(N. B. Neh 4:1-6 are in the Heb. Nehemiah 4:3338 of Nehemiah 3).
Neh 4:1. Mocked the Jews.Sanballat was evidently afraid to use violence directly on account of the favor shown by the Persian monarch to the Jews. His great rage could exhibit itself only in mockery.
Neh 4:2. Before his brethren,i.e., Tobiah and his brethren in council. The army of Samaria.It is likely that Sanballat had actually brought an armed force in sight of the city to intimidate the Jews. In a speech to his officers he uses the language of mockery here given, Will they fortify themselves?Perhaps, will they help themselves? Keil, comparing Psa 10:14, reads it will they leave it to themselves? which is harsh. (See on Neh 3:8 for the use of this word azab). Will they make an end in a day? Rather, will they make an end (i.e., accomplish it) by day (i.e., openly). So bayyom in Gen 31:40; Pro 12:16; Jdg 13:10.
Neh 4:3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him.The style of phrase in this verse suggests what we have already supposed, that when Sanballat addressed his armed men he was in sight of Jerusalem, looking with Tobiah and others at the Jews work.
Neh 4:4. Hear, O our God.Eight times in this book Nehemiah interjects a prayer. They are prayers while writing, not while acting. The grounds of this prayer are, (1) Gods people are despised; (2) excited to fear by the enemy. As in the imprecatory psalms, there is a prophetic power in this prayer. The prayer anticipates Gods justice.
Neh 4:5. They have provoked thee to anger before the builders. Rather, they have vexed (with alarm) the builders. So kaas in Eze 32:9. The leneged is that of hostility as in Dan 10:13.
Neh 4:6. Unto the half thereof in height. The people had a mind to work.The disaffected (including probably the high-priest or at least many of his family) were a few, and they had to yield to the zeal of the great mass. Patriotism, piety and security made the wall-building a popular work. (The fourth chapter in the Heb divisions begins here).
Neh 4:7. The Arabians.Those in Samaria. See on Neh 2:19.The Ammonites.Tobiahs influence had probably induced many Ammonites to take active part with Sanballat in opposing the Jews. If Sanballat was a Moabite (as we suppose), that fact would account for an Ammonitish alliance, as the two nations of Moab and Ammon were always closely united, especially against Israel. The Ashdodites, with the Philistine traditional hatred, remained hostile to the Jews until Jonathan, brother of Judas Maccabeus, three hundred years after this, destroyed Ashdod at the defeat of Apollonius.
That the walls of Jerusalem were made up.Lit., that a bandage was applied to the walls of Jerusalem. So in 2Ch 24:13.
Neh 4:8. To hinder it.Lit., to do wickedness to it. (So the word to ah in Isa 32:6). These various nationalities might suppose that by acting in concert, they could show to the Persian king they were only acting in his behalf for the safety of the empire against an insurrectionary movement of the Jews. An attack of Sanballat alone might readily be understood at court as a matter of personal jealousy and aggrandizement. Hence the confederacy.
Neh 4:10-12. And Judah said . and our adversaries said the Jews which dwelt by them said. Here were three sources of discouragement: (1) The severity of the work. (2) The threat of destruction by the confederacy. (3) The recall of the country Jews from the work by their timid fellows.
They said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.Rather, They said unto us ten times (i.e., frequently), From all places ye shall return unto us. The Jews from the outside towns that were near the enemy came to Jerusalem and endeavored to make their townsmen desist, through fear of injury from Sanballat. [The Heb. Asher as in Est 3:4.]
Neh 4:13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall and on the higher places I even set,etc.Rather, Therefore set I in the lowest parts at the place behind the wall, in the exposed parts, I even set, etc. Nehemiah placed detachments, properly armed, at such points of the wall as had attained the least height and were thus most exposed to attack. These detachments were formed of the families who had been working at the portions of the wall where these gaps were. There was a temporary cessation from the work. The lowest parts and the exposed parts are in apposition. The higher places (E. V.) is a mistaken rendering. The word tsehihi means a dry or bare place (comp. Eze 26:4-14), and hence by a metaphorical use, an exposed part of the wall.
Neh 4:14. And I looked.Implying perhaps an observation of some fear on the part of the different classes of the community. Or it may refer to a simple review of the defenders in their positions.
Neh 4:15. We returned all of us to the wall every one unto his work.This shows that there had been a cessation of the work at the first alarm.
Neh 4:16. My servants cannot be equal to my subjects as some hold, for naar could not be so used by Nehemiah, nor would he consider the people of Judah in the light of subjects. Nehemiah had probably a special band of men attached to his person, either by order of the king of Persia, or by the will of the people at Jerusalem. To these we suspect reference is here made. There is a distinction made between these and the others. These divided themselves into two parts, the one working while the other kept guard; but the others held a weapon while they wrought (Neh 4:17). Habergeon. Old English for coat of mail. From hals (neck) and bergen (to protect).
Neh 4:17. Read The builders of the wall and the burden-bearers while carrying. The builders and the burden-bearers each bore a javelin (shelah) in one hand, the builders (as distinct from the burden-bearers) also wearing a sword, as we see in Neh 4:18.
Neh 4:18. For.Read And. The signal trumpet was directly under Nehemiahs order, as commander of the defence.
Neh 4:22. Lodge within Jerusalem.That is, during the alarm, those that had their homes in the villages and distant towns should now continue night and day in the city.
Neh 4:23. Only Nehemiah and his immediate family and attendants are here referred to as not putting off their clothes. It became them to be patterns of watchfulness and and diligence to the rest.Saving that every one put them off from washing.A puzzling sentence. It is literally man his weapon the water. The rendering of the E. V. is in accordance with the old Jewish authorities who regard shilho as a verb of equivalent meaning with pashat (to put off). Probably some words are lost.
HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL
1. The wrath and great indignation of Sanballat prove the insincerity of his taunts. If the Jews were so feeble a folk in his estimation, he would not have sought an alliance (Neh 4:8) to fight against them. He had good reason to fear the sudden restoration of the Jewish power, and was merely exercising that which is praised as political wisdom when he used every energy to thwart Nehemiahs purpose. It is probable that in Galilee there existed a growing remnant of Israel (the men of Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath and Sepharvaim (2Ki 17:24) having been settled by the King of Assyria in Central Palestine), who, of course, sympathized with the movement at Jerusalem. Sanballat, situated between these two fragments of Israel, was the more alert to see danger in Israels growth. Hence his forwardness to move in the matter, for he was evidently the chief mover, although Arabians, Ammonites and Ashdodites were ready enough to take part.
2. The prayer of Nehemiah that the enemys reproaches might be turned upon their own head, and that their sin might never be forgiven (comp. Psa 69:27-28, and Jer 18:23), can only be understood by the soul that is so allied to God as to see His judgments proceeding forth from His holiness. The final judgment by the saints as assessors with God (Psa 149:6-9 and Rev 3:21) has the same character. Where the natural mind can only imagine revenge, the spiritual mind sees faith and holiness.
3. Prayer did not slacken the energy of the Jews. They experienced the redoubled zeal and activity which all true prayer produces. They made their prayer to God, and set a watch against their foes day and night. All the natural means whether of mind or matter form channels through which God conveys His grace in answer to prayer. To stop these channels is to cancel prayer. Prayer was never intended to foster idleness or diminish responsibility.
4. The remembrance of the Lord is the sure safe-guard against our afflictions. David says: I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved (Psa 16:8).
Remembering the Lord is an act of faith, a new grasp upon His divine help, and, at the same time, a purification of the heart. Forgetfulness of God is the unguardedness of the soul.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Neh 4:1-17. Our abiding tasks. 1) From work to conflict. (Neh 4:1-8.) a) On account of defying enemies from without and within, b) In spite of faint-hearted friends. c) With faith in the Lord. 2) From conflict to work. Neh 4:9-17.) a) Work remains the principal task. b) It can and must be advanced even during the preparation for conflict; the preparation for conflict does not hinder, but makes us active, zealous, and strong. c) Laziness and ease must be renounced, with self denial. Starke: We must guard ourselves well on all sides, that the devil may not make a breach, for he goes about us like a roaring lion, 1Pe 5:8. In the common struggle against Satan and his hosts we must support and help one another. True builders of the church of Christ must not only industriously build, i.e., teach and preach, but also diligently act on the defensive, and resist all the powerful incursions of the devil, and all godless conduct, Tit 1:9. In the church militant we must work in full armor, and have the sword of the Spirit at hand, that we may be a match for temptations, Eph 6:16-17. God can easily put to naught the crafty attacks of the enemy, Job 5:12.
Neh 4:1-8. The assaults of the people of God. 1) How they originate against it. a) Through enemies who threaten to undo His work. b) Through weak friends, who, in spite of, or, on account of watching and prayer, become depressed and dissuaded from the work. 2) How they are to be overcome. a) By readiness for the conflict, b) By confidence in the great, only-to-be-feared God, who fights for His people.Bede: Plane hc ira hreticorum, hc verba eorum sunt, qui se Samaritanos, hoc est, custodes legis Dei, frustra cognominant, cum sint maxime Deo contrarii ac legibus ejus, ut pote jamdudum a domo David, hoc est, ab unitate Christi et ecclesi per hreses aut schismata aut mala opera segregati; qui ne sua forte impugnetur atque excludatur impietas, muros fidei dificari metuunt. Tales solent imbecilles appellare Judos, hoc est, confessores fidei, et facile a gentibus superandos, dum in quotidiano animarum certamine plus amant vitia quam virtutis victori palnam obtinere.Starke: To pray and keep good watch are the best means in the time of danger, Eph 6:18. This is the way of many people; they make, indeed, a good start in the Lords work, but when it becomes hard they draw back, and wish to take no trouble, Mat 13:20-21. Honest souls should not allow themselves to be frightened back by them. Nothing makes one more courageous in war than to be entirely assured that God is with us, and fights for us, Rom 8:31; Psa 27:1.Our task at the time of attack. 1) Towards defying enemiesto pray and watch, i.e., to be prepared for conflict (Neh 4:1-3). 2) Towards depressed friends, who yet increase the defiance of the enemyto confirm their confidence in Him who alone is to be feared, and to sharpen their consciousness of the duty of the conflict (Neh 4:8).What attacks befall the servants of the Lord (as Nehemiah) in their work for the honor of God. 1) Through dangers on the part of defiant enemies, who cannot endure the difference between the kingdom of God and the world. 2) From the dejection, hesitation, and foolishness on the part of weak friends, who easily interrupt the work and put it back. 3) Through the breaches in the walls of Jerusalem, which render the defences of the city difficult.Our duty to watch and pray. 1) Its causethe malice of the enemy, their power, their aim, the whole attitude of their hearts towards the kingdom of God. 2) Its result: its fulfilment is difficult to many, certainly faithlessness, increased defiance of the enemy, and dissuasion from the work on the part of weak friends are excited; but in contrast to these are a) watchfulnessb) readiness for the conflictand c) the increasing the confidence in the Lord.Bede: Hoc est unicum adversus hostes universos ecclesi suffugium oratio videlicet ad Deum, et industria doctorum qui die noctuque in lege ejus meditantes corda fidelium contra insidias diaboli ac militum ejus prdicando, consolando, exhortando prmuniant.
Neh 4:9-17. What obligation does the enmity of the world against the building of the kingdom of God lay upon us? 1) To advance the building with all our might, in spite of dangers (Neh 4:9-10). 2) To be armed while at work (Neh 4:11-12). 3) To heed the signal of the leader, when he calls to conflict (Neh 4:13-14). 4) Perseverance in the preparation for war (Neh 4:15); joyful, sacrificing zeal in the work (Neh 4:16). In all positions severity towards ourselves, particularly towards our love of ease, and laziness.Starke: The church always needs those distinguished people, who can comfort the weak in faith, and timorous, and can give them a certain hope in the help of God, 1Th 5:14. In Nehemiah the rulers of the city, and heads of the church, have an example of godliness in his confidence in Godof foresight and diligent watchfulness in his management of this important work, and his arrangement of such good order and war discipline, also of courage and boldness in his proved heroic spirit in the midst of such great fear, danger, and difficulty as that with which he was surrounded on every side in this difficult work. Also in the spiritual conflict it is obligatory upon teachers and watchmen of the church that they should set the example in watchfulness and perception of the public good, and not allow themselves to be annoyed by any trouble. Rev 16:15; Luk 12:35.
Neh 4:11-12. The preparation for war of the Christian. 1) Why it is necessary the Christian has to build. His building is an attack upon the world, which is irritated by it to the conflict. 2) In what it consists. The Christian bears, even at work, the right weapons. 3) At what it aims. We must and will secure the continuance of the work, and cultivate the feeling of joy and assurance. God will exercise us at the same time in sobriety, self-denial, and activity. Neh 4:18-21. The voice of our general in face of the enemy 1) What it takes for grantedthat we are prepared for the conflict, even when at work. 2) Of what it reminds usof the greatness of the work which imposes upon us the building of the kingdom of God in others, and particularly in ourselves; and on the many dangers connected with it. 3) What it demandsthat we should heed the signal for conflict, and join ourselves with all the faithful in the strife. 4) What it promisesthat God will fight for us, and finally cause our work to succeed.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
In this chapter me have an account of the opposition the builders of the wall met with from the common enemy. While they mock, Nehemiah takes refuge in prayer, and setteth a watch to prevent their evil designs.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
(1) But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. (2) And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these 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? (3) Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
I would have the Reader look beyond the mere historical relation, to the matter couched beneath the several expressions. It was not simply the walls of Jerusalem which excited the displeasure and malice of their foes; but it was the church of God that those enemies hated, and wished to bring to nought. Reader! the same takes place every day in the world. Let a sinner be only once seriously set out for the salvation of his soul, and all hell is up in arms to oppose him. What the Lord Jesus declared, his people find to be true; a man’s foes are they of his own household. Hence, saith Christ, Think not that I am come to send peace, but rather division. Luk 12:51 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Enfeebled Burden-bearers
Neh 4:10
How often this happens! We frequently have to receive the disquieting intimation which was made to Nehemiah. Not seldom we have to make this announcement to ourselves, ‘The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed’.
We have not travelled far from the workers upon the walls of Jerusalem. Geographically we are remote from them, but sympathetically we are near by. There are many points of affinity between us and them. Observe some of the links which bind us together. They were ‘the bearers of burdens,’ and so are we. Is not this a pathetic and accurate and vivid portraiture of humanity? You may write men down under a hundred descriptive epithets, but none could be more veracious than this. We are all ‘the bearers of burdens’.
I. In Various Spheres ‘the Strength of the Bearers of Burdens is Decayed’. All kinds of strength are apt to fail under the burdens of life. In home life this is conspicuously so. What burdens domestic life involves! The father, the husband, the breadwinner, may well be described as the bearer of a burden. Great is the strain upon him. Never was it so severe as it is now. The wife, the mother, the housekeeper, may be similarly described. And her burdens are no less heavy because they are unheroic and monotonous. The Church ought to have words of ‘sweet release’ for the tired burden-bearers of home life.
How many enfeebled load-carriers there are in commercial life.
In the intellectual sphere the strength of the bearers of burdens often decays. The scholars, the students, the thinkers, how great are their burdens!
The strength of the bearers of burdens decays in the religious world.
In Christian service, too, the strength of the bearers of burdens decays. We who are by grace seeking to rebuild Jerusalem are called to carry great burdens. This is specially so in the age in which we live. The Church is full of exhausted workers.
II. From Many Causes ‘the Strength of the Bearers of Burdens is Decayed’. It often happens that the cause is physical. It was in the instance before us. Nehemiah’s brave labourers had overtaxed their strength. They were emphatically overworked.
Sometimes the cause of the enfeeblement of burden-bearers is mental. The weary weight of modern thought has pressed you down. You have looked upon the sun and it has blinded you for a season. ‘Brain fag’ is a very familiar feature of modern life. Intellect is often robbed of its strength by the pressure of its burdens.
The cause is frequently circumstantial. A business trouble. A family sorrow. A crushing bereavement. How these things explain the decaying strength of the bearers of burdens!
Spiritual causes often operate to this sad end. My brother, why is your strength decayed? Is it some passing wave of depression? It may be what the Puritans called a ‘desertion’. The Lord has withdrawn Himself for a while.
III. Great Precautions must be taken when ‘the Strength of the Bearers of Burdens is Decayed’. What shall we do in these enfeebled hours? Where shall we find our remedy?
Whatever other precautionary measure is adopted there must be Prayer. This is the supreme specific. God requires of His people that they ask for the strength He loves to impart.
When our strength decays there must be Adequate Rest. It is easy to retort that this is a counsel of perfection. But it is not. All tiredness is a call to rest, and somehow the summons must be obeyed. I know how difficult it is for many of us to secure the needed rest, but at all costs we must surmount the difficulty. We may bear heavier burdens than we ever bore if we will take temporary rest when our strength is decayed. Say not thy work is done. Take a space of rest. And out of it you shall emerge to build Jerusalem’s walls and carry the heavy burdens with joyous vigour.
When the strength is decayed we must practice Watchfulness. That is what Nehemiah did. And his procedure is our example. Great and subtle dangers attend us in weary seasons. The devil is always next door to us, but he is at our elbow in tired moments. Watch, then, against discouragement. We are apt to discourage ourselves and others in such moods. Many foes come out against us when we are exhausted.
There must be great Trustfulness in such crises. Let not your faith fail. Cling in weakness to what you have proved in strength. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Be like John Wesley, who was never so calmly and hopefully trustful as when nature’s strength decayed. Be like a great and saintly minister of whom a friend said, ‘In the stress of his busy life it was his childlike faith and trust in the Heavenly Father that kept him from the wear and tear and worry of work’. Say to thy wearied soul, ‘Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him’.
Dinsdale T. Young, The Gospel of the Left Hand p. 27.
References. V. 15. J. Guinness Rogers, Christian World Pulpit, vol. liii. 1898, p. 364. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture 2 Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah, p. 361. V. 19. Newman Hall, Penny Pulpit, vol. xii. No. 711. p. 357.
Sword and Trowel
Neh 4:17
Among the graphic scenes of this book none reads better, or counts for more in imagination, than the present sketch relating how they built the city walls. And in great part the interest revolves round Nehemiah himself. A singularly attractive figure, he stands out like a giant among children; and evidently it is to his tireless faith and perseverance, in the main, that we must ascribe success which crowned work of enormous difficulty.
This scene on the old walls of Jerusalem is a representation of the true life, as a building and a fight.
I. When they build a mansion in Rome or Jerusalem today, they have to dig, often through scores of feet of rubbish, the debris of old empires, ere they find what will bear the superincumbent weight; and just so if we are dead in earnest, and resolved that for us life shall rise firmly based on truth, as truth is in Jesus, then moral and spiritual excavation of a far-reaching kind may have to be the first stage of the business. These walls rising under the hand of these brave Jews were not merely designed for their own safety; their nobler aim was to enclose and be consecrated by the temple of the Holy One of Israel. Night and day they toiled at the battlements, putting tears and blood into the living task, but at the heart of all stood the sanctuary, more dear and more enduring still. So let us see to it that whatever we may build has a place for God at its centre, and that that place is filled.
II. Warfare goes along with work, rendering ‘sword and trowel’ the fittest motto for the experience that has been appointed us. Even when the capital is held by the true King, tumult and strife murmur on the frontier. It is the unwarlike life that ends in a heap of ruins.
H. R. Mackintosh, Life on God’s Plan, p. 156.
The Inadequacy of Spiritual Solitude
Neh 4:19-20
I. The great obstacle to the building of the old Jerusalem was the distance in space between the workmen: ‘We are separated upon the wall, one far from another’. The great obstacle to the building of the new Jerusalem is also the distance in space between the workmen. This latter statement seems a paradox. We can understand how a physical wall requires a vast company to build it But we have always taught ourselves to believe that salvation is a personal matter, and that its wall must be constructed in solitude. We look upon companionship as existing for outside things for the dance, for the orchestra, for the army, for the field of politics. But when a man begins to erect his own soul, we expect him to be alone with God.
II. Not thus shall I be able to build the walls of the new Jerusalem. The work of my salvation is not a solitary process. It is a solemn hour; but it is the solemnity, not of silence, but of crowdedness. I must summon into my sympathy all the sons of men. I cannot build up the virtues of my heart if I am thinking only of God. Would I be humble; mine must be a humility before man. Anyone could be humble before God. It does not need a redeemed soul to shrink in nothingness beneath the stars of night. But to sink my interests before a brother, to refrain from self-display in the presence of an inferior that is humility! Would I be meek; it must be before man. I dare not answer God; all flesh is silent in His presence. But to be gentle with an equal, to be soft with a dependant, to be lenient with a fallen soul that is meekness!
III. Would I be charitable; it must be before man. God needs not my silver nor my gold; they would add no drop to His ocean. But, to clothe a brother’s rags, to soothe a sister’s pain, to give the children bread, to help the orphan’s cry, to bind the broken heart and comfort the wounded conscience that is to succour God, that is charity! The walls of the new Jerusalem must be built in the presence of man.
G. Matheson, Messages of Hope, p. 129.
References. IV. 19. S. McFarlane, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xlvii. 1895, p. 230. A. Rowland, Christian World Pulpit, vol. liii. 1898, p. 168. V. 7. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxvi. No. 2123.
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
Neh 4
“But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews” ( Neh 4:1 ).
How Nehemiah Built the Wall
WE have heard of Sanballat before. We heard of him in the second chapter, where we read the following words: “When 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.” The word in that verse is “grieved”; the men were sore of heart, they were annoyed. There is nothing particular in the way of activity in the feeling it is rather a passive emotion; but in the verse under consideration we find that the same Sanballat was not grieved in the passive sense of the term, but he was wroth and took great indignation. Was Nehemiah turned aside by his grief? No. But Nehemiah cowered and trembled before the wrath and great indignation of the Horonite, did he not? Never. What was it that sustained him in the midst of this passive opposition, and this active hostility? Why, it was keeping his eye upon the Eternal there was a great purpose, a supreme and dominating conviction in the man’s soul, and it was that which gave him steadiness and constancy and determination, so that he could run through a troop and leap over a wall. If you are taking your line of life from some low centre, then you will be disturbed and fretted by every little accident that may occur on the road; you will have to apologise for your existence and consult everybody as to whether you are to live tomorrow. But if you live in God, if you drink water from the rock-spring if you feed upon the bread of heaven, then you will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left you will write the old Latin motto on your right hand and on your left “Per diem, per noctem” “Night and day on!” Who wrote the programme of your life? In what ink is it written? From what source do you derive your inspiration? Here is a man who was not turned aside by the grief, the wrath, the indignation of his enemies; he went straight on as if the whole universe were applauding his march. Let us endeavour to find out the secret of his inspiration: to draw the inspiration of our life from the same source, and to live as far above all incidental disturbance and superficial frets as Nehemiah did right away up yonder, near the sun, where God is where his blessing rests perpetually upon those who serve him.
Let us see how the Horonite expresses his wrath and indignation. Will he have anything original in his speech? Did the devil ever teach his scholars a single new speech? He has only one speech, only one great black lie it may be pronounced in this key or in that, but it is the same old villainous story, false from end to end, every syllable of it saturated with falsehood! still it will be instructive to hear what a mocking man has to say. When a man is in mocking mood he usually speaks with some pungency of accent.
“And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these 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?” (Neh 4:2 .)
That was an irreligious view of a religious work it is very well put indeed from his own point of view. First of all the Jews are feeble. As a matter of fact they certainly are without any peculiar strength. Will they fortify themselves? What will they do? Will they pluck dock-leaves and use them as breast-plates? Will they search the fields round about Jerusalem for nettles, and use those stinging herbs as implements and instruments of war? What will they do? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? There is no stone to be had no open quarries no rocks inviting them; how will they get the stones? Why, they will revive the rubbish put the mud together with their wet hands, and thus they will make stones. Ha, ha! That was his speech to the army. Is that a speech sufficient to stir the blood of an army? The army heard it and turned over on the other side, to have a little more sleep and a little more slumber, and a little folding of the hands together.
We do not wonder at men looking at Christian agencies and laughing at them. You have laughed when you saw a young man walking along with his Bible under his arm. Well, it did look exceedingly humble, very modest, and wholly unlikely that a man with a gilt-edged book ‘under his arm was going to do anything at all in the world. But in that book he had the whole panoply of God he had the book that moves the world, say what men will. They burn it: they come to rake over the hot ashes; there it is, the smell of fire has not passed upon it. It is God’s delight to choose foolish things in order to pull down things that are strong. Search the divine history through and through, and you will find that this is God’s principle base things of the world hath he chosen and foolish things and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are. There is a giant to be struck down a pebble will do it: there is an army to be surprised a lamp and pitcher will be enough. God’s law is the law of simplicity; man’s law is the law of round-aboutness. Man does not like the straight and simple course he likes a very great deal of elaboration and intricacy and puzzle, so that no other man shall be able to find out the secret and the key of his patent. He likes to keep a small key in his pocket, and to take it out now and then to pay adoration to it as to an idol. God says the simplest plan is the best go straight at it a pebble for armour, a pitcher and lamp for use in war, yea, and things that are not an army of nothing to bring to nought things that are.
Are you building character? You will be laughed at. Are you attempting to start on a new course of life? Sanballat will make a mocking speech about you. You once said, “Now, God helping me, I am going to begin: give me a pen and ink,” and you took it and wrote your name to a vow. And the next day Sanballat began to say to you, “Why, you don’t mean to say you are going through that sort of thing? I wouldn’t if I were you it will never do for you. Come along and go with your old folks, stand by your old comrades, and we will see you through.” It was a crisis in your history. If you said, “No, God helping me, I stand by the book and by the name, and I will look at those poor, crooked, rude letters, and out of their ink shall come inspiration to my poor heart again and again,” then you did well. Hold on: do not be mocked out of your godliness do not be laughed into hell What will these mocking people do for you in the swellings of Jordan?
There was another man with Sanballat we have heard of him it was Tobiah. And Tobiah has a little speech to make about the wall that is being built. Tobiah put his case figuratively he looked round at those who sat by him and he said, “Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.” Tobiah therefore said, “Gentlemen, sit down, there is no occasion for you to distress yourselves: the very first cat that goes out in stepping on the stone wall will throw it down.”
These are not the men who will make any great impression in the world. There is not the right tone there there is not the right sound. We can tell an earnest man by the mere tone of his voice. The whimperer does nothing, the mocker does nothing, the man of mere irony and jeering power does nothing. If any great positive lasting work is to be done in the world, it must be done by men of conviction, solidity of judgment, reality of character, divinity of spirit. And one such man is an army in himself a multitude, a conqueror. That is what we want now we want amongst us earnest men, men who believe something, men who will sacrifice something for their convictions, men who know right from wrong, the right hand from the left, and who will go straight on, whoever may jeer, satirise, mock, condemn, despise. God send us such men!
It will be interesting to know how Nehemiah deports himself under these mocking speeches. Are we going too far in saying that such speeches would have blown a great deal of the bloom off our piety? Are we going too far in saying that mocking speeches like these would have frightened you off your knees, frightened you into cowardice, saying, “I don’t make much profession of religion; I like to go to church now and then, just as a way of putting off the time”? Are we going too far in saying that you could not have stood the assault made by such men as Sanballat and Tobiah? Let us see how Nehemiah bore it. These speeches were reported to him, and what did he say? “We can jeer as well as they we can return sharp messages to their foolish speeches we can argue with them, and control as well as they by sheer force of argumentative power?” No. When he heard their mockery and their reviling, he lifted up that grand face, lined, ridged, wrinkled face, with age in it, and yet with immortal youth in it, too, and said, “Hear, O our God!” He made his appeal to heaven he handed the speech upward he put it into the hands of God to answer he said in effect, “O thou God of Israel, answer these mocking men thyself.” Yes, it is better that God should answer our enemies than that we should answer them. We have something better to do, and though we might outshine them in wit, outvie them in mockery, slay them with their own weapons, it is better not to do so; let us leave our enemies in the hands of God.
What did Nehemiah then proceed to do? He says with great simplicity, “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof.” Why? “For the people had a mind to work.” That is the secret of success. It will be a secret worth your learning, young man, just having begun business have a mind to work.
How is it in the building of the great Christian wall? There is the Independent, or Congregationalist, building his little bit, and yonder is the Episcopalian, and yonder is the Baptist, and yonder is somebody else, and they will not lend one another a spoonful of lime. Do let us remember that it is one wall, it is one Zion, it is one Jerusalem why not work together magnanimously in the spirit of brothers, realising the true ideal of patriotic and Christian fellowship and brotherhood, and let the wall rise from all points simultaneously, all compact, solid, indestructible masonry. Wherever there is a good man, whatever his particular denomination or badge may be, we should work heart and soul with him; or otherwise, God forgive us! for we sin against the spirit of the cross of his Son.
“But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it” [rather, to do it hurt] ( Neh 4:7-8 ).
If the enemy thinks it worth while to be in earnest, let us take a hint from his policy. The enemy is up earlier in the morning than we are. The dram shop is open before the drapery house. Does the house of ill-fame ever put its candle out? Is the bad place ever locked up so that we cannot get into it? Our churches are fastened up, instead of being open early in the morning so that some men passing might call in for a few minutes. Is that earnestness is that meaning it? Let any man, who ever was able in business to put one penny on the top of another by sheer industry, answer the flippant question. The enemies conspired. To conspire is to blow, to breathe together. But there is a better word than conspiracy, and that is union. Union is conspiracy, and something more: it is conspiracy sanctified conspiracy assured conspiracy made permanent. The conspiracy of bad men is but a momentary arrangement the conspiracy or union of good men ought to be a perpetual glory and satisfaction.
If there was conspiracy on one side there was union on the other. What does Nehemiah say, now that Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian, have all been joined by the Arabians and Ammonites and Ashdodites what does he say now? With marvellous constancy of purpose he turns up his face heavenward, and says, “Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God.” These were times in which a man could pray. It is difficult to pray now we are not in any crisis that tears the soul, we are not in any peril amounting to personal agony, things are going pretty smoothly and comfortably, and it is difficult to pray in stagnant water. Great litanies, mighty shouts have gone up through the howling wind and screaming tempest, through the billows of the troubled sea, through the thunders of the agitated air. In great sorrows men pray; in great trials men intercede; when the enemy draws a cordon round and round then they pray. Under other circumstances they hold small controversies about prayer, and put perplexing riddles to one another on the theological conception of the divine relation to law; but when they are pursued by wolves, and their hearts turn into great flaming agonies, then the long metaphysical words go right out of them, and they come to simple language to direct, face to face, hand to hand contact with God. Have we ever prayed so? Then there is no possibility of shaking our faith by any wordy controversy or syllable-mongering and hammering of insane metaphysicians.
Nehemiah set the people to watch. Having prayed he appointed them their places set the people with their families, with their swords, their spears, their bows. “I looked and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people ——” We have heard Sanballat’s mocking speech, Tobiah’s jeering remarks about the fox’s putting his fore-paw upon the wall and pulling it down; let us hear Nehemiah. Up to this time he had been talking upward praying to God; now he is going to make a speech to the people, and to the nobles, and the rulers, and it runs thus: “Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible; and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” What will they do? They will fight. This speech is one that must touch them; read it again. “Remember the Lord, which is great and terrible;” that is the religious aspect “and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses,” your hearthstones; fight for all that is near and dear to you. A speech like that is as a word of the Lord. It cannot return to the speaker void. Earnestness always accomplishes great results. After this, “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.” Understand the picture half building, half watching. Affirmative work, and service lying in wait, kept in reserve. Builders soldiers sword, spear, trowel, hammer a beautiful and useful division.
We are mistaken in our view of life if we suppose that there is nothing of that kind going on to-day, even in civilised countries. This is an exact, even literal, picture of the things that are round about us. Do you say, Nehemiah’s men had a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other I have only a trowel and not a sword, so how can it be a literal picture of what is taking place in my own time and in my own land? In this way. Other people are holding the sword for us whilst we are building. An enemy always occasions tremendous loss of power, waste of talent. The policemen are watching, the soldiers are fighting; that is the picture of civilisation as known to ourselves. Men can only return to their business every morning because the policemen parade the streets all night. That is the picture of civilisation. We are at peace with all the world; but we dare not disband the army, dissolve the navy, and send the volunteers and reserve forces home, to merchandise, to mechanism, to art and science.
We think that all is going on well because we are at church twice a day; we say, “Well, thank God, everything is very nice in England, sitting under our own vine and fig-tree, none daring to make us afraid.” It is because we have in London alone some thousands of men with helmets, with batons, with defences about their persons we have set them to watch the elements that would set fire to our social fabric in a moment: that would overpass the lines of social division and family defence and household security, and make a havoc amidst the social beauty of our privileged land. We have only edged these people out of sight they are all there; we have crowded them into the back slums but they are all there. And we walk down the thoroughfare and say “Peaceful evening very calm very comfortable; our own vine, our own fig-tree, and great improvements in social life, great progress in the arts and sciences, great advancement in civilisation since I was a boy.” In one point of view that is right enough within its own proper limits it is a true picture, and one to be admired and to occasion mutual felicitation amongst Englishmen; but there are forces in London that want to rob, and ravish, and destroy London, and they are only kept back by men who represent the spirit of social order and law. Break down that boundary, and where is our English civilisation? So we repeat the picture we have of Nehemiah’s building the wall, with the sword and trowel, is a picture of English life at the present day.
Nehemiah had a man beside him who was it? “He that sounded the trumpet was by me.” What was the use of a trumpeter now? What was the use of having a man to take up a brass instrument, and make a noise in the air? A decorative piece of humanity nothing more. You are wrong. “We are far apart one from another: we must have a signal: when you hear a blast from the trumpet, come together mass yourselves, the enemy is there.” And so we must in society have men in high political places, in high military places, in high ecclesiastical places trumpeting men, men who can sound a blast, make a cry, set up a signal, float a banner, give the watchword, congregate and mass the people into one patriotic solidity. And these are men that are truly of the working classes. Some say, “What does a preacher do for his living what does a newspaper writer do for his living what does a bootmaker do for his living what do we want of songs, lyrics, ballads, odes? We are the working men, hammering iron, building stones and bricks up.” That is a narrow and mistaken view. We are all necessary builder, architect, painter, writer, preacher, schoolmaster, and doctor we are all necessary to one another, and we ought to recognise the men who are ahead of us all, who can see farther than we can, and who sound the blast when there is any occasion for our coming together to a common rendezvous, to make a common front to face the common foe.
“So we laboured in the work: … 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 for washing” [or, every one went with his weapon for water. Bishop Barry (of Sydney) says: This rendering is very improbable, as the words are simply: “Every man his weapon water.” Some interpret that “each man’s weapon was his water”: evidently too subtle a turn of thought. It is best, on the whole, to supply the ellipsis: “every man went with his weapon to the water”] (Neh 4:21 , Neh 4:23 ).
That was work. How do we work? “So we laboured at the wall” at the wall, at one thing, at a definite object, at a prescribed and well-understood work at it, all at it, always at it, loving it and wanting to urge it forward. “So we laboured laboured laboured.” What is the Church doing what is the Church in the city doing empty, desolate, sitting in its own loneliness, moaning over its own solitariness what is the Church doing? If a man in the Church were to get up and speak above what somebody else considers to be a proper tone, he would be condemned and despised and avoided. If a man were to organise extraordinary work, there are not wanting narrow-minded Pharisees, small-spirited zealots, little almost immeasurable self-idolising popes, who would say that such kind of work was not the kind of service on which they could put the seal of their endorsement. And so the Church is always washing itself and putting on some new garment, and going to law to know whether it ought to have that garment on or not. Whilst we are doing that, the foxes are saying to one another “This is the wall, is it? You pull that stone down, and I will pull this: they are all at law, they want to know whether they shall eat wafers or loaves whether they shall stand to the east or look to the west pull down the wall!”
We want to build to build; to get a positive, distinct, affirmative work done. When we hear an earnest man, we need not care whether his face is to the east or west or the north or the south. Let us ask, “What is his word; is there music in his voice; is there redemption in his gospel; is there earnestness in his appeal; are there tears in the sound issuing from his throat; does he mean it?” And then, whether he be labouring at our corner of the wall or not, let us say, “God bless him help him to build much help him to build solidly, and God reward him for his work.” Men, brethren, and fathers Independents, Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians, whatever we be, let us forget all that is little and unworthy and trifling and superficial, and non-essential and then, coats off, every one, all day at the work, and God bless every servant that toils in his name and strives to promote his glory.
Prayer
Almighty God, we are lost therefore do we hail the blessed gospel that the Son of man is come to seek and to save us. Thou mightest have come to seek and to destroy us, for we have broken thy law, we have grieved thy Spirit, we have done the things we ought not to have done, and we have left undone the things that we ought to have done: but thou didst in thy great mercy send thy Son Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world. We bless thee for a salvation impartial as the sunlight shining upon the king’s palace and upon the mean man’s hut: we bless thee for a gospel adapted to every state and condition of life, a great and wonderful work of love, that touches our sin, that throws the light of hope upon our despair, that comforts us when no other consolation can touch our woe, and that throws upon the grave itself a glorious and a heavenly immortality. We bless thee for the glorious gospel: we have found it to be glorious: it found us in our low and lost estate, it spoke to us of thy heart, of thy love, of thy righteousness, of our own guilt and helplessness, and it shone upon us like a light in a dark place, and it brought to our hearts the comfort and assurance of an infinite redemption. Enable us to feel that Christ has done for us all that is needful to be done, and that we have alone to accept his work by a loving, simple, childlike, unquestioning trust, and inasmuch as this trust is essential to our salvation, hear us when we say “Lord, increase our faith.” Do thou destroy the power of the enemy, and let the wiles of the tempter be broken. Throw the enemy himself into confusion when he pursues our life, and enable us to hide ourselves in the infinite sanctuary of the defence of God, that, covered by the omnipotence of thy hand no malign power may be able to touch us. Guide us all our days help us up the steep hill: when the wind is bleak and the road is drear come nearer to us, and give us to feel the tenderness and the omnipotence of thy presence. Then shall there be no tears in our eyes, no aching shall disturb our hearts, no throb of mortal disease shall be baffling our rest, and the whole head shall be strong, and the whole heart shall be sound, and we shall walk on, forward, higher, upward, in that strength and peace and in the solace of thine infinite consolation, till we become perfected according to thy purpose, sanctified in every thought, cleansed and ennobled in every motive, and made beautiful with the loveliness of the glory of Christ. Lord, hear this prayer offered at the cross; whilst we yet feel the sacrificial blood from the holy Victim let thine answer be a reply of peace. Amen.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
XXIII
THE EXPEDITION OF NEHEMIAH AND HIS WORK OF REBUILDING
Nehemiah 1-7
The period of time between the books of Ezra and Nehemiah is about twelve years. The leader of this expedition was Nehemiah, who was in all probability a man of princely Jewish blood, brought up and trained in a foreign land, a man of fine presence and splendid ability. He was a favorite of the king, Artaxerxes, and he was a true Jewish patriot. He was the “cupbearer” of the king. This was a position of great responsibility, and yet of great authority. He was skilled in the diplomacy and trickery of the Oriental courts, a man who knew men and affairs.
He received word from his brother, Hanani, that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the people afflicted. This news produced a remarkable effect upon him, and he prayed to the God of heaven and fasted, confessing the sins of the people. He prayed that God would enable him to speak to Artaxerxes the king at the right time and that he might receive favors from him.
About two months Nehemiah continued to pray, waiting for his opportunity, though he dared not manifest that sadness in his face. Kings do not like for their servants to be sad in their presence. But the deep grief of Nehemiah could not be completely hid. The king noticed it, asking him why he looked so sad, stating that it could only be sadness of heart. He gave his reason for his sadness. Then the king asked him if he had any request to make,, and in that moment Nehemiah prayed to the God of ‘heaven for help. He had matured his plans and had come to a conclusion as to what he should ask of Artaxerxes. So he requested that he be sent to Jerusalem and that the king give him letters so that he might safely go on his way without being hindered by their enemies.
The date of this decree is 445 B.C. It gave to “Nehemiah the special commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, including letters to Asaph, the keeper of ‘the king’s forest, which also caused much grief to the enemy. This is the first sign of opposition which grew more and more intense as the work went on. After some time Nehemiah with his bodyguard arrived safely. He was a man of great position in the empire, and must have had a strong guard with him. He makes no mention of his mission on his arrival. He preserves a very tactful silence. If his purpose had been known, his enemies would have at once set to work to defeat it. His practical turn of mind is shown in the fact that he chose the secret hours of the night to ascertain the condition of the walls of Jerusalem, thus being able to mature his plans, no one suspecting his purpose. When he had surveyed and noted the condition of the walls, and had seen just what had to be done, he summoned the leaders of the people, made his purpose known and organized his forces for the rebuilding. Then followed an appeal to the elders to consider their evil case and to arise and build and then he told them how the good hand of his God had been upon him. “So they strengthened their hands for the good work” but the opposition now is more manifest. They laughed them to scorn, but Nehemiah replied, “God will prosper us . . . you have no portion or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah had organized his forces to perfection. The priest ly families began to build by the sheep gate which was the portion nearest to the Temple. They had a double incentive to work, viz: the protection of the city in which they dwelt, and the protection of that part of the city where their interests were. Nehemiah mentions many of the gates, e.g., the Fish Gate, which was probably at the northeastern entrance of the city. It was called the Fish Gate because the fish from the river Jordan and the Sea of Galilee were brought to the city from that side and through that gate. He mentions the old gate which was probably to the north of the city. The “tower of the furnace” probably refers to the potteries which existed in that day. The Valley Gate overlooking the valley of Ninnom opened west. The Dung Gate led out to the lower end of the valley of Hinnom on the southwest. The Fountain Gate probably led down to the Tyropean Valley on the south. The stairs led to the City of David. The next was the Horse Gate, but we do not know just where it was located. Thus he built the walls beginning at the east side and going around to the west and south. It is impossible to follow the construction exactly as Nehemiah built it. Only a small portion of this wall has been discovered, and that part is near Ophel. Hurlbut’s Bible Atlas is helpful here.
They built the walls in the face of opposition. No one knew that this would arise better than Nehemiah. He felt that the work must be rushed. The attitude of his enemies was characteristic. Anger in the first place gave place to scorn and contempt. Now Sanballat gathers his forces together to oppose Nehemiah. It was a trying time. The enemy mocked them (Neh 4:1-3 ), but Nehemiah set his prayers against the enemy and went forward.
Their third opposition was a conspiracy to fight, which was met on the part of Nehemiah by prayer and setting a watch against them, but just here a complaint came from Judah evidencing his lack of faith. It was threefold, viz: (1) The strength of the burden bearer is gone; (2) there is much rubbish; (3) the enemy is threatening. In view of this, Nehemiah made provisions for their safety, arming the people and setting them in battle array after their families and then he made a moat masterful plea: “Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” The effect of this plea is seen in their vigilance and diligence. Half of them worked while the other half held the arms; those that worked had on the sword and worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other. Nehemiah set trumpeters for signal purposes; they did not take off their clothes not lay down their weapons for water, but with sleepless vigilance they pressed the work to completion and were able to say, “And so we built the wall . . . for the people had a mind to work.”
Now we have followed Nehemiah’s work to the time that the walls were rebuilt. Almost as soon as this work had been completed there occurred great destitution. This is set forth in Neh 5 . Nehemiah had been devoting his energies to the fortification of the city; now he must give his attention to the matters in the city.
So we now take up the reforms of commercial and social abuses by Nehemiah. In this fifth chapter we come face to face with conditions that give us a painful surprise. One would think that they would be happy indeed, now, but instead, they were sorely downcast by serious circumstances, in that great wrongs were heaped upon them. Nehemiah was brought face to face with a serious condition of affairs. A great cry was raised by both men and women who were concerned. They said that they were in dire straits of poverty. They had no food, and were in danger of starvation. The suffering was intense. Others said, “We have mortgaged our fields, and vineyards and houses.” The implication really is that some of these had been taken away from them. Then they were without fields and vineyards, also without corn and wheat, things necessary to life. Then again, others said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute upon our fields and vineyards.” They even had to borrow money to pay the king’s tribute. Now we see that they were in sore straits when they had to borrow money to pay their taxes. But their distress does not stop here. We are told that some of them had to sell their own children in order to get bread to eat. “Lo, we bring unto bondage our sons and our daughters . . . for other men have our fields and our vineyards.” This is the condition with which Nehemiah was brought face to face.
Nehemiah was angry and said, “Then I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother.” He saw what had led to this state of affairs. It was just common greed and covetousness. Nehemiah was enraged. He called an assembly et the people, something like the old fashioned “Town Meeting” of New England. He says to them: “The thing ye do is not good: . . . I likewise, my brethren, and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.” The interest was about 12 per cent. All such interest was forbidden by the law of Moses. So Nehemiah issued a command ordering them to restore all this property. He called the priests together and took an oath of them that they were to see that this thing was done. Now this shows that the priests were the leading men in national life. They were to enforce the law. In order to impress it he says, “I shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house who does not do this.” Just as one would take an apron with articles in it and shake them out, so God would do to them, which meant excommunication. They were to restore the fields and the vineyards which the people sorely needed and ought to have. Then he cites his own example (Neh 5:14-19 ): “From the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah . . . I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor,” that is, he had not been collecting any salary. “But,” he says, “the former governors were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, and forty shekels of silver, but instead of that I fed one hundred and fifty of them at my own expense.” Then in Neh 5:19 he says, “Remember unto me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.”
During all this time, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem had been trying to entrap him. They sought some way to entangle Nehemiah and stop the work. But Nehemiah had been trained in an Oriental court. He was used to trickery and deception, common in the life of an Oriental palace. Sanballat and Tobiah invited him down to the plain of Ono for a conference. That sounds like they wanted to be friends with Nehemiah. But he says, “I cannot come down: why should the work cease while I leave it, and come down to you?” He saw through the plan. Four times they sent him that invitation, but each time he replied that he could not come down. In Neh 6:5 he says that they sent him an open letter in which Geshem says, “You think to rebel. You have appointed prophets to preach among the people that you are to be king in Judah.” That is a clever story. The letter informs Nehemiah that they were going to report to Artaxerxes that he was planning to be king; that prophets were preaching in Jerusalem that Nehemiah was to be king. That is the same threat that the Pharisees used on Pilate: “Pilate, if you let this man go you are not Caesar’s friend.” It would have frightened an ordinary man. That very thing drove Pilate to put Jesus to death, when he knew that he was innocent. They sought to stop the work in that way, but Nehemiah prayed: “Now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.” So the work went right on. In Neh 6:10 is the record of another attempt. They employed a certain prophet to help them. He was one of those men who made divinations and was secured to entice Nehemiah. Nehemiah went down to the house of this man, who had been shut up under a vow. Then the prophet said to him, “Let us meet together in the house of God; . . . let us shut the doors of the Temple: for they will come to slay thee.” That was a very subtle proposition. But Nehemiah was too wise even for this trap. He says, “Should such a man as I flee? I have no right to go into the Temple. Am I going to do wrong to save my life?” No wonder God cared for and used this man! Then he discovered that God had not sent the prophet, but he had been hired by Tobiah and Sanballat.
The work went right on, and the wall was completed on the fifty-second day. Now what was going on in the city? Neh 6:17 tells us that the nobles of Judah sent letters to Tobiah and he to them. Nehemiah says, “They spake of his good deeds before me and reported my words to him.” Now that was treachery, but Nehemiah paid no attention to that. He saw clearly through it all. They were simply trying to make him afraid.
Now when the wall had been built he set up the doors and appointed porters and singers and Levites. He appointed his own brother to be governor over the city. This brother was appointed because he was a God-fearing man. He gives instruction about the city gates, as to their opening and so on. Now we are told about the houses and the inhabitants. The record says, “Now the city was wide and large but the people were few therein.” Many Texas cities are like Jerusalem in that they are large and wide, but the houses are not yet built and the people few.
Now he had built the walls and set up the gates. Next he finds the book of the genealogy. That is the same as the list in Ezr 7 . The Apocryphal book, 1 Esdras, also contains a similar list. But why was it repeated here? It was taken from the same list from which Ezra’s was taken and is in accord with the great emphasis which the Jews put on their genealogies. This was necessary for the identification of all who had thus come to Jerusalem and confirms the account given by Ezra. There are no important differences no more than we might expect in two separate genealogical lists prepared by different persons. But there is a special advantage in having the two lists, viz: they enable us to make out a more complete catalogue of those who came at the first, though either list was sufficient for the purpose of identification.
QUESTIONS
1. What was the time period between the books of Ezra and Nehemiah?
2. How did Nehemiah come to know the condition of Jerusalem and according to this report what was the condition?
3. How did this affect Nehemiah and what did he do?
4. What of the providence of God in answer to his prayer and what was the lesson on the relation of prayer and works?
5. What date of this decree and what special commission did it give?
6. What effect of this decree on the enemy?
7. How did Nehemiah commence the work of Jerusalem?
8. What his appeal, what was the first opposition of the enemy and what was Nehemiah’s reply?
9. How did Nehemiah distribute the work and what was the lesson?
10. Locate as nearly as you can the parts of the wall which were assigned to the various companies to build.
11. What was the second opposition of the enemy and what was Nehemiah’s reply?
12. What was the third opposition of the enemy and how did Nehemiah meet it?
13. What was Judah’s complaint and what was the masterful plea made by Nehemiah in reply?
14. What indicates their great vigilance and diligence?
15. What complaint came to Nehemiah from the people?
16. How did this affect Nehemiah, what course did he take and what the result?
17. How does Nehemiah show his spirit of generosity and unselfishness?
18. After the wall was completed what artful proposition came from the enemy to Nehemiah, what was his course in the matter and what lesson for us?
19. How then did they try to entrap Nehemiah and what saved him from their scheme?
20. How long was the wall in building, what effect on the enemies, what embarrassing fact to Nehemiah here revealed, and what provision was made for the continued safety of Jerusalem?
21. Why should Zerubbabel’s register of names occur here also, are there any important differences between the two lists, and what the special advantage in having the two lists?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Neh 4:1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
Ver. 1. But it came to pass ] The devil and his imps have ever been utter enemies to reformation. So do savage beasts bristle up themselves, and make the most fierce assaults, when they are in danger of losing the prey which they had once seized on. Jabeshgilead would send in none to help the Lord against the mighty, Jdg 21:9 . No more would Meroz, Jdg 5:23 . Josiah met with much opposition; so did St Paul wherever he came, to set up evangelical and spiritual worship; which is called a reformation, Heb 9:10 . All the world was against Athanasius in his generation, and Luther in his; rejecting what they attempted, with scorn and slander. Here it is quarrel enough to Nehemiah and his Jews, that they would be no longer miserable. They were not more busy in building than the enemies active in deriding, conspiring, practising to hinder and overthrow them. A double derision is here recorded; and both as full of mischief as profane wit or rancoured malice could make them.
He was wroth
And mocked the Jews
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Nehemiah Chapter 4
“But it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews” (Neh 4:1 ). It was bad enough to find the work was begun. It was a great deal worse to find that it was going on, and that Nehemiah was not so easily frightened. Sanballat had threatened to report him as a rebel against the king; but where the heart is simple there is no such reason for alarm, and the more firm Nehemiah was in giving honour to the powers that be, the more he could afford to slight the threats and scorn of Sanballat.
“And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these 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?” Now the other man, Tobiah, joined him – “Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.” What does Nehemiah say? At once he turns to the Lord – “Hear, O our God, for we are despised.” So it was also in the early days of the church of God. The apostles were beaten, and were threatened, but what did they? They spread it out before the Lord, and the Lord answered. He answers with His own power. The Spirit shakes the building where they are, and, with great power, He gave them to witness for Him.
Yes, but here was a day of weakness, and what I would impress upon your mind and my own is that we are no longer in the day when the Spirit shakes the building. We are no longer in the day of power and glory. We are no longer in the day when signs and wonders are wrought. But are we, therefore, without God? What do we value most? – the powers and wonders God works, or God Himself? This is the great question. Have we confidence in the presence of God with us, and do we value the presence of God above all the powers and miracles that ever were wrought? It is a very simple question: so it was now for Nehemiah. There was no such thing as the Red Sea opened for the people – no such thing as the Jordan crossed. There was no manna that fell down from heaven, but there was the evident word of God accomplished, and the way was open for them. There was an open door, an open door to that place where the Lord’s eyes were continually – the land of God for the people of God. They had lost it as a matter of outward power, but not for faith. For they clung to God, even when God could not outwardly own them before all the world. This made it a trial, no doubt, but faith would find the trial most profitable.
And this is what I would further impress – that there is very often in thought, and sometimes in expression, a kind of complaint of the want of power. Now I distrust that. I never came out to power, and I should be sorry for anybody else to do it; but am I come out to the Lord? Am I come out because it is His will? – because it is His word? Let us be ever so weak, there He would have us be. There is nothing so sure as that, and, allow me to say, there is nothing that keeps us so truly and so steady, whereas, on the contrary, we may fall into the snare of clericalism if we are too much occupied with power.
Suppose a meeting, an assembly of God’s people, where, by the remarkable gift of one, or two, or three individuals, everything went on with apparent beauty – every prayer thoroughly according to the truth – suppose, too, that everything that was done was done with intelligence: yet if the action and presence of the Spirit of God were ignored – I should feel that this was the most miserable meeting possible. It would be hollow; and we ought not to be deceived. It is not merely two or three persons that hide the shame and the weakness of the assembly altogether. The all-important thing, beloved brethren, is that God’s children should be gathered round His name, and that the Spirit of God should be left in freedom to act. Consequently, as sure as we are acting with truth, weakness will appear, neither will the state of the assembly be the same thing from week to week. And it is far more important that we should be in the truth than that there should be a manifestation of power. A manifestation of power might be only a veil thrown over the true state of the assembly, and only the improper and unspiritual activity of two or three men of gift that would falsify the true state of that assembly. Now, I say, it is far better to have all the pains and penalties and sorrows of weakness than a state that is not true in the sight of God; and, of all things, that we ought to be in the truth of our condition. I am persuaded that anything is bad that would cause us to forget that, after all, we are only a remnant; and that the more we enjoy the truth, the more deeply are we called to feel the broken state of the church of God.
Another thing, too. There is often the idea that if we could only get the most spiritual and the most intelligent of all Christians together, what a happy meeting it would be! Yes, but, beloved friends, it would be all wrong, because that is not what we are called to. What warrants us to pick and choose among the people of God? Who gave us the title, even, to wish such a thing? Now, I feel the very contrary, and believe it to be of God, if, indeed, my brethren, you have got the secret of the Lord – if, indeed, you have the Spirit of God left free, I would rather look out for the lame, I would rather look out for the weak. I would rather try and get those that are in want, those that are feeble, those that are in danger. The strong ones, or, at any rate, those that think themselves strong, we must leave in the hands of the Lord; but, surely, the weak ones are those that the true, the real, the Good Shepherd cares for most; and we ought to feel like the Good Shepherd. The theory of gathering together only the best and the most intelligent is, therefore, a false theory. It is utterly contrary to the true principle of grace and truth. No, beloved friends, the only right thing is this: we do not pretend, we do not look for, we do not expect, that God will gather all His saints; but the moment we are in a position that we are not free and open to all the saints of God, we are false. It is not that I look for their coming, but the question is whether my heart is towards them all. If it is not towards them all, then I am a sectarian.
This, beloved friends, is exactly where Nehemiah was. His heart was towards them all, though it was only a poor little remnant. Why, after all, that remnant, when it came out, was only 42,000 and a few odd, and some seven thousand servants, that is, it was under 50,000, counting them all, masters and servants, and this was all the remnant of Israel. Time was when even Judah alone – one tribe – had no less than 450,000 fighting men. I mention this merely to show how great the wreck – how complete the ruin was.
Well now, Nehemiah – the same Nehemiah that loved the people, and whose heart went out to every one that was of Israel, whether they came or not, he whose heart received them in all their weakness, seeking, of course, to strengthen them, seeking to impart the intelligence that God had given his own soul, but not accepting and not receiving them upon any such ground as this, but receiving them because they were the Lord’s, receiving them all in the Lord’s land, where the Lord will have them be – now spreads out before God the insults and scorn and threats of these enemies of the Lord. This calmed his spirit. He was not uneasy. God listened and heard. “Hear, O our God; for we are despised; and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. So built we the wall” (vers. 4- 6).
But it became more serious, so much so that there was a conspiracy among the enemies to come and fight. “Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God.” One of the most striking features is that it was not merely the people that read the Bible. It was not merely the people that grew in the knowledge of the Scripture. That they did, and we shall find the proof of it. But the first thing that was found in these early days was prayer. There was a spirit of prayerfulness among them. They went to God. They brought everything to God, and, consequently, had the grace of God working in them, and the wisdom of God that was imparted to them. We find, accordingly, that Nehemiah quietly takes measures, and he “set the people after their families with their swords, their spears and their bows. 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: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
Well, the same thing has to be done now. I do not mean in the same way now. With the Christian it is not a question of fighting with the sword, but, undoubtedly, we have to fight the good fight of faith. It is not merely that we have to work, but we have to withstand as well as to stand in this evil day; that is, we have to be armed against the wiles of the devil, and not merely to be carrying on the peaceful work of the Lord. So it was then with the remnant of Judah, and he gives them direction, as they were scattered, that the trumpet was to communicate. The trumpet was to give a certain sound – a very important thing for us, too. “In what place, therefore, ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye hither unto us: our God shall fight for us. So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared” (verse 21).
Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 4:1-3
1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. 2He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones? 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, Even what they are buildingif a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!
Neh 4:1 The Masoretic Text continues in Neh. 3:33-35 of chapter 3, while most modern English translation begin Neh 4:1-3 here.
Sanballat See note at Neh 2:10.
he became furious This VERB (BDB 354, KB 351, Qal IMPERFECT), originally an Aramaic VERB, means to burn. It came to be used metaphorically of rage. This same root is translated zealous (used in a positive sense) in Neh 3:20.
very angry This VERB (BDB 494, KB 491) is another Qal IMPERFECT intensified with a Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE (BDB 915 I, KB 1176). Both the TEV and the NJB combine these descriptions of Sanballat into one.
mocked This VERB (BDB 541, KB 532 Hiphil IMPERFECT) was also used of Sanballat in Neh 2:19.
the Jews This term (BDB 397) originally referred to the tribe of Judah and its territorial allocation (cf. Joshua 15) and thereby those who were descendants from Judah, son of Jacob. After the breakup of the United Monarchy (Saul, David, and Solomon) in 922 B.C., it became the designation for the southern kingdom.
Lastly it became a way of referring to all the descendants of the Patriarchs who worship YHWH, especially in Jeremiah (seventh century), Nehemiah, and Esther (post-exilic).
It also became a way of referring to Hebrews (cf. 2Ki 18:26; 2Ki 18:28; 2Ch 32:18; Isa 36:11; Isa 36:13; Neh 13:24).
Neh 4:2
NASBthe wealthy men of Samaria
NKJV, NRSVthe army of Samaria
TEVthe Samaritan troops
NJBthe aristocracy of Samaria
The Hebrew root (BDB 298) can be understood in two ways:
1. from the phrase to be strong, referring to fortifications or military soldiers (#4)
2. from the phrase to be strong, used metaphorically of wealth (#3)
What follows in Neh 4:2 in a series of questions meant to ridicule the Jews’ rebuilding plans.
NASB, NKJV,
NRSVfeeble Jews
TEVmiserable Jews
NJBpathetic Jews
This ADJECTIVE (BDB 51) developed from the VERB (BDB 51, KB 63, Pulal), which is used often in the prophets (Puel).
1. loss of fertility, Jer 15:9
2. inhabitants of a defeated land, Isa 24:4; Hos 4:3
3. withered fortifications, Jer 14:2; Lam 2:8
4. withered fields or harvests, Isa 16:8; Joe 1:10; Nah 1:4
5. withered land, Isa 33:9
NASBAre they going to restore it for themselves
NKJVWill they fortify themselves
NRSVWill they restore things
TEVDo they intend to rebuild the city
NJBAre they going to give up
Some scholars think that themselves is a scribal error for God. Then the question is Will God restore? But no ancient translation has this wording. This suggestion occurs in the notes of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, p. 1435.
As it is the two Hebrew words seem to refer to the Jews who undertook the building project. It implies they overestimated their ability.
Can they revive the stones from dusty rubble even the burned ones The term revive (BDB 310, KB 309, Peel IMPERFECT) is usually used of living things. Here and in 1Ch 11:8, Jerusalem’s fortifications are personified as being brought back to life and health.
The walls of Jerusalem, which were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, were constructed from white limestone. When this material is burned it loses its strength and hardness and turns to powder.
Not only were the stones brittle, but they were so large it would be difficult to raise them up the ridge to the desired position. Nebuchadnezzar had burned all the gates and modern supports and pulled the stones down into the valley.
Neh 4:3 Tobiah (cf. Neh 2:10) continues Sanballat’s mockery by the use of an idiom. Foxes and jackals were animals that might jump on top of a wall. He asserts that the Jews’ construction was so inferior that even this small weight or pressure would collapse it.
Tobiah may have chosen this idiom because of the connotation of jackals with ruined, cursed cities (cf. Psa 63:10; Lam 5:18; Eze 13:4).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
But = And.
SanbalLatin See note on Neh 2:10.
builded = were building.
wroth. The third form of opposition. See note on Neh 2:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Chapter 4
Now it came to pass, when [this antagonist] Sanballat [and Tobiah] learned that they had started building the wall, they were very angry, and they began to mock the Jews ( Neh 4:1 ).
And they gathered together the army of the Samaritans who, of course, were already antagonistic toward the Jews. They sought to hinder the work through mockery.
What are these feeble Jews trying to do? Tobiah said, If a fox would go up against that wall they’re building, he could knock it over ( Neh 4:2-3 ).
It is interesting how that Satan so often uses mockery in order to discourage the work of God. It’s one of the tools that Satan often uses against us. You’ve probably been subjected to mockery. “Oh, don’t tell me you believe those fairy tale kind of things.” And mockery is often used; ridicule is used as a tool to discourage the work of God. And unfortunately, many times it works. We are sort of cowed by the ridicule of others. We don’t like to be ridiculed. We don’t like to be mocked. And mockery is oftentimes a tool used to discourage a person in the work of God.
Now Nehemiah met the challenge of their mockery with prayer.
Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own heads, and give them as a prey of captivity ( Neh 4:4 ):
Now Nehemiah answers this attack with prayer. Again, as we pointed out this morning, Nehemiah, as all of the leaders of the Old Testament were men of prayer, praying for guidance when the king says, “Well, why are you so sad? What would you want me to do?” “Oh God, you know, give me favor,” and then he lays it out to the king. And always there acknowledging God and everything.
Now here comes this ridicule and he just offers this prayer unto the Lord that God will turn it upon their own head. It’s sort of like some of the psalms of David where he prays not for God to bless his enemies, but for God to break their teeth in their mouth. And I sort of like David. I can identify with him easier than I can sometimes with the words of Christ where He said, “Love your enemies.” I find that difficult. “Do good unto those who despitefully use you” ( Mat 5:44 ). That’s hard. But where David says, “Lord, let the angel of the Lord pursue them and break their teeth in their mouth and smash their noses and all, Lord.” I can get into that. So here is Nehemiah saying, “Lord, turn it on their own heads. Turn it back to them, Lord.”
And so he’s saying:
Don’t cover their iniquity, don’t blot out their sin ( Neh 4:5 ):
Judge them, Lord; send them to hell. They said,
So we built the wall; and all of the wall was joined together: for the people had a mind to work ( Neh 4:6 ).
So when Sanballat and Tobiah saw that the work was progressing so well, they now decided on a more direct assault against this building project. And they began to attack with commando type of rage, harassing the builders and those that were seeking to do the work, because they began to fill in the breaches and the wall began to go up and it was obvious that these fellows were intent on what they were doing. And so they sought to hinder the building up by these attacks, and again Nehemiah answered this through prayer.
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and we set the watch against them day and night, because of these attacks ( Neh 4:9 ).
“Now we offered our prayer unto God and we set our watch.” The prayer was not used in lieu of responsible actions. Nor should prayer ever be used in lieu of responsible actions. God expects us to act responsibly. Some people use prayer as an excuse for their laziness. It should never be. “We offered our prayer unto God and we set the watch against the enemy.” God does expect us to do what is wise and what is prudent though all the while we are trusting in Him. We know that, “If the Lord doesn’t watch the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” ( Psa 127:1 ). But the watchman still wakes up.
We don’t say, “Lord, watch the city,” and then everybody just go to sleep. But the watchman is still there. But if the Lord isn’t watching, he’s waking up and he’s there in vain. We realize that it is necessary that God watch the city, but we also realize it’s necessary that we take the prudent actions that are required of us. So, “We offered our prayer unto our God and we set our watch day and night.”
So then there was further problems that developed, because
Those of Judah said, The strength of the bearers of the burdens are decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall ( Neh 4:10 ).
They just began to get discouraged. And what a tool discouragement is in the hand of the enemy as he seeks to discourage us from the work of the Lord. The enemy seems to have a whole bag of tricks. He’ll try to stop you by ridicule. If that doesn’t work, he’ll assault you. If that doesn’t work, then he’ll try to make you discouraged. And just so many things the enemy uses to keep you from doing the work of God. And it’s tragic when a person allows discouragement to stop him or to hinder him from that work and calling of God upon his life.
And there are always many people with words of discouragement for anything you might seek to do for the Lord. “Oh, don’t you realize people have tried to do that before? Oh, we tried that ten years ago and it was really a flop, you know.” Here you’re all inspired. You feel like doing something for the Lord. There’s always someone who’d pour cold water on your ideas to discourage you. And many times people, unfortunately, allow discouragement to keep them from the word of God.
And so he said in encouragement to them, they were saying, “Oh, you know, our strength is… we’re tired and these harassing attacks and all.” And he said, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord.” And remembering the Lord is always the cure for fear. David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me” ( Psa 23:4 ). Fear always ensues when I forget the Lord.
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? Why art thou disquieted within me?” ( Psa 42:5 ) Because I’ve forgotten that God is on the throne. I have forgotten that the Lord has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” ( Heb 13:5 ). I have forgotten the power of the Lord and the presence of the Lord. And thus, fear gripped my heart and discouragement because I have forgotten the Lord. Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord. The Lord is with you. The Lord will give you strength. You need not to fear.
and so God put the counsel of their enemies to nought, and they returned again to the building of the wall, every man to his work. So it came to pass from that time forth, that half of the fellows would work, and half would stand watching with their spears ready for the attack ( Neh 4:15-16 ).
And Nehemiah stood with them, and next to Nehemiah was the fellow with the trumpet. And whenever attack would come, the guy would go and blow the trumpet in that place and everybody would drop their trowel. And they work with the trowel with one hand and a sword in the other. And they take off with the swords to drive off the enemy.
Now it is interesting that in Daniel’s prophecy concerning the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah the Prince, he there declared, “And the wall shall be built again in troublous times” ( Dan 9:25 ). And surely the building of the wall was fraught with all kinds of trouble as the enemies sought to harass them and to hinder them in their work. Working with the trowel in one hand, the spear in the other. Half working while half watched. And they worked from sun up to sun down till the stars were out at night. And they didn’t even bother… they were so tired they just lay down with their clothes on. They didn’t even bother to remove their clothes except that they would wash them once in a while. But they just were staying right on the task. And the builders, every one of them, had his sword girded by his side, waiting for the trumpet to sound, dropping the trowel, going to battle. “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Neh 4:1. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
It was needful to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, which had been lying in ruins. They went on pretty briskly, for everyone had a mind to work. There never was a good work yet but what there were some to oppose it, and there never will be till the Lord comes. Sanballat heard what the Jews were doing, and he was very angry. He was wroth, and took great indignation. He was all on fire with anger that Gods work was being continued.
Neh 4:2. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews?
The enemies of Gods people generally take to sneering. It is a very easy way of showing opposition. 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? No doubt these questions were thought to be very witty and very sarcastic. The enemies of Christ are generally good hands at this kind of thing. Well, if it amuses them, I do not know that it need hurt us much; for, after all, it is their way of paying homage to Gods power.
Neh 4:3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
Such a man as Sanballat never lacks friends. If there is a bad man anywhere, there is sure to be another close at hand. The devil does not make a fire with one stick. When he has set the first one alight, he can generally find a fagot to put near it. Tobiah the Ammonite, who was tarred with the same brush as Sanballat the Horonite, was by him.
Neh 4:4-5. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity; and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
This was righteous indignation; but Nehemiah is not a perfect model for us. He was not only stern, but he mingled with his severity a measure of bitterness in his prayer that we must not imitate. Sometimes, when we have seen men plotting against God, seeking to ruin the souls of others, and trying to stop us in our endeavor to build up the church of God, we have felt such language as this trembling on our lips. It were better, however, for us to bow the knee, in humble imitation of our Lord upon the cross, and cry, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Neh 4:6. So built we the wall.
You half expected to read, So we stopped building the wall, and answered Sanballat and Tobiah. Not a bit of it. They kept to their work and let these two men scoff as they pleased.
Neh 4:6. And all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
They built the wall as high as they meant it to be ultimately; but they carried it all round, and joined it well together. If we cannot do all we would like to do, let us do what we can; and let us endeavor, as far as possible, to finish off the part that we do, waiting for better times to carry the walls higher.
Neh 4:7. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth
They were wroth before; now they were very wroth. If a work has no opposition from Satan, we may be half afraid it is good for nothing. If you cannot make the devil roar, you have not done him much harm; but the more he roars, the more cause is there for the angels singing the praises of God before the throne.
Neh 4:8. And conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
It is wonderful how unanimous bad men can be. It has always struck me as a very startling thing, that you have never heard of any division among the devils in hell. There are no sects among the devils; they seem to work together with an awful unanimity of purpose in their wicked design. In this one thing they seem to excel the family of God. Oh, that we were as hearty and united in the service of God as wicked men are in the service of Satan!
Neh 4:9-10. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. And Judah said,
Judah, you know, was the lion tribe. Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But Judah, instead of being lion-hearted, made a noise more like a mouse than a lion, for Judah said,
Neh 4:10. The strength of the bearers of burden is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
Poor Judah! He ought to have been bolder and braver; but he was not. It is the same today; some who seem to be pillars, prove very weak in the hour of trial, and by their cowardice discourage the rest.
Neh 4:11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
While some were discouraging the people within the city, their enemies, without the walls, were plotting to take them by surprise, and slay them.
Neh 4:12. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
These Jews ought to have been helping to build the wall; but they did not come to the help of the Lords people. Still, they were sufficiently friendly to tell Nehemiah of the plot that was being hatched by his enemies. God knows how, when his enemies are sinking a mine, to undermine them. If secrecy is necessary to the success of evil, somebody speaks out, and tells the story, so that the plot is discovered.
Neh 4:13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
When Nehemiah knew the danger to which the people were exposed, he took measures to guard against it. I like the common-sense of Nehemiah. He kept families together. I set the people after their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. Beloved friends, I have no greater joy than such as I had last Tuesday, when I received five children of one family, all brought to Christ. May the Lord make our families to be the guards of the church!
Neh 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 afraid of them.
Fear may waken us, but it must never be allowed to weaken us. We should put on the armor, and take the sword and spear and bow when there is cause for fear; we should never dream of running away.
Neh 4:14-15. Remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
There was no fighting after all. As soon as the enemy knew that their plot was found out, they did not make any assault. One commentator says: Some men, if they had been delivered from danger, would have returned every one to the ale-house; but these men returned every one to his work. They went back to their building, and continued still in the service of the city.
Neh 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 behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
They which builded on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. The sword and the trowel both guarded the city and builded the wall.
Neh 4:18. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
What the trumpet was for, we are told directly.
Neh 4:19-20. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what places, therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
That is a grand sentence. The moment you hear the trumpet, you are to leave your place on the wall, and come to the point where the enemy is attacking us. But Nehemiah does not say, You shall fight for us, he puts it much better, Our God shall fight for us. So he will still.
Neh 4:21. So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
They made long days. Christian people do not want merely eight hours a day for Christ. We can sometimes do eighteen hours work for him in a day; and we wish that we could do twenty-four.
Neh 4:22-23. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 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.
Nehemiah was a good leader. He did not say, Go, he said, Come; and he bore the brunt of the service. Like Alexander, who went with the Macedonians into the rough places, and did the hard work, so did Nehemiah. He and those with him did not put off their clothes, even for sleeping.
Neh 4:23. Saving that every one put them off for washing.
WHICH WAS NECESSARY; FOR CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS. THE LORD SENDS US MORE NEHEMIAHS, and PLENTY OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH THEM, WHO CAN ENDURE HARDNESS AS GOOD SOLDIERS OF JESUS CHRIST, and WHO WILL ALSO BE GOOD BUILDERS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD!
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Neh 4:1-6
Introduction
BITTER ENEMIES OF ISRAEL OPPOSE REBUILDING THE WALL
Two false interpretations of Nehemiah thus far must be rejected. One we have already noted, namely, the allegation that Nehemiah 3 was not written by Nehemiah and that it was “injected” into Nehemiah’s narrative. The other is the inaccurate allegation that Neh 3:3-6 “suggest the completion of the wall.” No such suggestion is found in Nehemiah 3. Oh yes, it says various workers “repaired!” this or that section of the wall; but that only designates the different assignments to the forty different companies of workers; and there’s not a word in the whole chapter that even hints that the walls were completed. If Nehemiah had intended this third chapter to indicate the completion of the wall, the dedication of it would have followed at once.
This chapter records the hostility and bitterness of Israel’s neighbors when they became aware of Nehemiah’s rebuilding the city’s fortifications. “Sanballat in Samaria on the north, Tobiah and the Ammonites on the east, Geshem and his Arabs to the south, and the Ashdodites and all the Philistines who had hated Israel from the times of Saul and David,” – all of these surrounding neighbors were outraged and disgusted with the prospect of Jerusalem’s restoration; and they opposed it in every way possible.
Neh 4:1-6
THE ENEMIES BEGIN THEIR ATTACK WITH RIDICULE AND MOCKERY
“But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? 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 rubbish, seeing they are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity; and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half the height thereof: for the people had a mind to work.”
This was only the first phase of Sanballat’s efforts to stop the fortification of Jerusalem. When this failed, he would try other measures. However, except for the remarkable ability and skill of Nehemiah, this initial opposition of laughter, ridicule and insults might have proved successful. “Nothing makes the enemies of the Lord’s work any more indignant than the success of God’s people.”
The nature of the insults heaped upon the Jews here was calculated to discourage them. They were called, “feeble Jews”; “will they fortify themselves”? was asked in a tone of unbelief. “The very idea that these people would contemplate such a thing.” “Will they sacrifice”? was a way of asking, “Do they expect their God to do this for them’? “Will they revive the stones … seeing they are burned”? “The effect of fire is to crack and weaken stone”; and this insult was merely a charge that the Jews did not have the material to rebuild the walls. Insults hurt, even if they are untrue. This one was only true in a very limited frame of reference. The stones from the vast majority of the ruined walls were in excellent condition. Only those ruined by the burned wooden gates would have been affected.
“If a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall” (Neh 4:3). “Foxes were mentioned, perhaps, from their having been known in large numbers to infest the ruined walls of Jerusalem, as recorded in Lam 5:18).” This insult was that of Tobiah.
“Hear, O our God, for we are despised …” (Neh 4:4-5). This writer agrees with Jamieson that, “This prayer is not marked by hatred, vengeance, nor any other sinful passion, and that it exhibits a pious and patriotic zeal for the glory of God and the success of his cause.” As we noted in our discussion of the so-called imprecatory Psalms, many of the things that current scholars are saying about such prayers evidences a claim of superior righteousness that we believe is unjustified.
Rawlinson wrote that, “Before men were taught to love their enemies and to bless them that cursed them (Mat 5:44), they gave vent to their natural feelings of anger and indignation by the utterance of maledictions in their prayers.” “The violence of Nehemiah’s imprecations here (Neh 4:4) grates harshly on modern ears; but it should be remembered that such vehemence against enemies appears repeatedly in the Psalms (Psa 79:4-12; Psa 123:3-4, and Psa 137:7-9).” (We have discussed this fully under those references in our Commentary on The Psalms.)
Christians should remember that when they pray for God’s will to be done, for righteouness and truth to prevail, and for the righteous to be protected and blessed, that there is most certainly a corollary to such a prayer; and that is that falsehood shall be repudiated, the wicked defeated, frustrated, and checkmated, and that the wicked shall indeed be cast into hell. There was nothing in Nehemiah’s prayer that is not contained embryonically in every prayer of a Christian today.
“Nehemiah’s short prayer here is parenthetical; and such prayers form one of the most striking characteristics of Nehemiah’s history. This is the first one, and others are in Neh 5:19; Neh 6:9; Neh 6:14; and Neh 13:14; Neh 13:22; Neh 13:29; Neh 13:31.”
“So we built the wall … unto half the height thereof” (Neh 4:6). “This means that the entire continuous wall had been constructed up to one half the contemplated height.” The taunting ridicule and mockery of the neighboring enemies had not succeeded in stopping construction.
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 4:1. Sanballat was the man who expressed his displeasure at first hearing of the coming of Nehemiah. He had no good feeling for the Jews and was grieved at the mere thought that anyone would do a favor for them. Now he was still more worked up over the fact that the wall was being built. He knew of the letters of authority that Nehemiah had from the king, and knew he would have no right to interfere. But he mocked or made fun of the work.
Neh 4:2. Sanballat feared lest his people become interested in the project of the Jews and perhaps lend them moral support at least. To prevent this, he tried to belittle the work, or to make it appear that they were undertaking that which was impossible. Make an end in a day is figurative, and implied that Nehemiah expected to accomplish the work in a very short time. He intimated that it would be an almost endless task to clear away the rubbish and get such a great wall built again. He failed to consider that the Jews had a God who was above all others, and that he would be a source of strength to his people in times of need or adversity.
Neh 4:3. It is almost amusing to observe how the enemy tried to encourage each the other. They were really feeling sorry for one another, but pretended to think the work of the Jews was a useless fabrication. Tobiah was near Sanballat when he was making his belittling speech. So he added his mite of condolence with the extravagant statement that a fox could overthrow the work. When a man will make such a ridiculous statement as that, it is evident that he is really concerned about the very thing he is belittling and pretending to regard as of no importance.
Neh 4:4. We are despised means they were being treated with contempt. Nehemiah heard of the reproachful sayings, and prayed to God that their reproach be turned back upon themselves. That is, be made to feel the sting of their own spiteful words.
Neh 4:5. The Bible teaches that God will always forgive when the guilty ones become penitent and comply with the terms of pardon. These enemies of the Jews were not God’s People and would not be inclined to make the proper approach to him for the securing of forgiveness. If God did cover or blot out their iniquity and sin, it would be by sheer favor. Such forgiveness was what Nehemiah prayed God not to grant them.
Neh 4:6. All the wall was joined together unto the half thereof. Moffatt’s translation words this, “So we built the wall to half its height all round.” The versions are both correct, but having the two, the thought is more clarified. The meaning is that all the parts of the wall were joined together as the work progressed. At the time referred to, the wall had been built up to half its proper height. The explanation for the success was the fact that the people had a mind to work. And it does not mean simply that they were active in the sense of being workfrenzied, but they were in tune with each other and cooperated in the whole proposition. Had that not been the case, the wall would have been built up at places, and lagging at others. As it was, every man worked in fellowship with his neighbor, and hence the wall was all joined together. This is a wonderful lesson to us on the advantage of cooperation in the work of the Lord. See Rom 12:16; 1Co 1:10; 1Co 3:9; 2Co 13:11.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
As the work proceeded, the opposition of outsiders turned from derision to anger, but rose no higher at the moment than contempt. However, Nehemiah was conscious of the menace of this attitude, and lifted his heart in prayer to God. An illuminative sentence, “The people had a mind to work,” shows how completely Nehemiah had captured and inspired them, and we are therefore not surprised when we read that the wall was half finished.
At this point, however, opposition became very wroth, and organized a conspiracy to hinder the work. Immediately, and with a keen sense of the necessity, Nehemiah says, “We made our prayer, and set a watch.” In his method there was neither foolish independence of God nor foolhardy neglect of human responsibility. Everything was done to procure that twofold attitude of simple faith in God and determined dependence on personal endeavor which always makes for victory. How often God’s workers fail for lack of one or other of these important elements.
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Braving Ridicule and Treachery
Neh 2:12-20; Neh 4:1-12
Suspicion, Neh 2:12-20. Sanballat was probably a Moabite, a native of Horonaim; Tobiah had been a slave. There are many descendants of these two men in all our Christian communities today, hindering Gods work. This heroic soul met their scorn and the depression of the people by unwavering faith and calm confidence in the good hand of God, Neh 2:18. How small do our difficulties seem when brought into the sight of the God of heaven!
Reproach, Neh 4:1-6. Whenever Gods work revives, there is sure to be evil-speaking and reproach. It is a mistake to reply. Let us hand over our cause to God, and go on with His work. It matters very little what men say, as long as He is pleased. Had Nehemiah had the message of Christ he would not have prayed as in Neh 2:5. Our Lord taught us to intercede for our enemies, Mat 5:44. But let us emulate Nehemiahs zeal for the name of God, and let us remember that increased light means increased responsibility, Mat 11:11.
Active opposition, Neh 2:7-12. In time of hostility, our friends and allies are apt to grow discouraged and to advise the suspension of our work. We are not able; but faith looks to God alone and triumphantly holds on its way.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Chapter 4
Soldier – Servants
The work which was so precious in the eyes of the Lord was but a theme for mockery and scorn in the mind of the mixed people, whose overtures of participation on common ground had been refused. Sanballats rage is stirred; but for the present it takes outwardly the form of contemptuous sneering: What do these feeble Jews? he asks his Samaritan brethren. 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 rubbish which are burned? And Tobiah the Ammonite joins in the mockery, exclaiming with a lightness he evidently did not feel, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall (vers. 1-3). Yet he and all his ilk were to prove later that, when guarded by Jehovahs subject, servants, it was too strong a wall for such foxes as they to break through.
In the name of the Lord, Nehemiah and his companions built steadily on, and that Name was to prove a strong tower into which the righteous might safely retreat from the malignity of their foes. When the people of pod cleave, to His Word and exalt His name-they need fear no enemy, human or supernatural. It is themselves who are responsible for any breaches made in the wall. It is unbelief and self-will in the people of God that weaken or destroy, those battlements against which the enemies outside might batter in vain.
Realizing this in some measure, the people of Judah lift up their hearts to the One whose they were and whom they served. Hear, O our God; for we are despised, they cry; and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity; and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders (vers. 4, 5). If any feel the difference between this prayer and such as are suited to the Christian in this dispensation of grace, the explanation is involved in the question. That was not the time when grace and sufferance were enjoined. The dispensation of law was still in force, and we must view these utterances from that standpoint. The important thing for us to observe is the way in which the remnant cast themselves wholly upon God. Sanballat, Tobiah, and the rest are His enemies, not merely theirs, and they count on Him to deal with them.
And so they prayed and builded, for such is the force of So built we the wall, in verse 6. Thus with the help of God the breaches were repaired, for willing hands made light work, and the people had a mind to work.
But soon the opposition took a different form. When the united nations (notice the lengthened list-Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites) heard that the work was actually nearing completion, and that the wall was being repaired in a substantial manner, their indignation became greater than ever. They had hoped the rubbish would impede the progress of the work to such an extent as to completely dishearten the Jews; but bit by bit this had been cleared away, and the stones uncovered and set in their places. Hence these enemies of what is of God realize something more than mockery is required if they would not soon be effectually shut out of the holy city.
As one reads such a record, it is almost impossible not to observe how accurately the history of old fits a later work of God-even that of the present time. As a result of centuries of darkness and superstition, practically every precious truth of the Scriptures was overwhelmed by the ecclesiastical rubbish gradually accumulated. When at last the reformers were raised up to recall Gods people to Gods own Word, they found themselves confronted by just such a task as that which Nehemiah had to face; and ever since, when there has been a settling down on the part of Gods people, the rubbish has accumulated again at an alarming rate, human tradition soon swamping what was of God; and so the need of persistent, devoted, prayerful toil, to separate the precious from the vile has been ever manifest. Carnal professors will mock, so-called liberals will demonstrate their bitter hatred of everything holy, but they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, and find all needed grace to stand in the evil day, and to distinguish between what is really divine and what is but of man in the great mounds of mingled truth and error, lying all about the ruined wall that once separated Church and world. Every fresh attempt to try the things that differ will provoke the ire of the worldly-religious mass; but what is of God is of too much value to be surrendered at the behest of fleshly foes. If The adversaries of Judah determined upon a sudden onslaught on the remnant, and so conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it (ver. 8). This was but a call to watch and pray, and so it was recognized by Nehemiah and his fellow-laborers. The language of verse 9 is most instructive: Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. This was holding things in the right proportion. Prayer alone would have been presumption. But they watch against the enemy at the same time that they call upon God.
In verse 10 we have the first note of discouragement from within. Constant toil and watching have worn upon the spirits of the Jews, and so the report comes to Nehemiah: The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. But to these disheartening words Nehemiah vouchsafes no reply, save to labor on. The adversaries continue their plotting without and the people grow faint within, but the Tirshatha continues to look up and count upon the living God.
A third trial is mentioned in verse 12. There were scattered Jews living among the Samaritans. They came unto us ten times, says Nehemiah, warning of the preparations for an assault, and declaring the utter inability of the remnant to stand against such powerful foes.
It was certainly discouraging to one who relied on a fleshly arm, but the man of faith could count on God through it all. Heretofore the people had labored, prayed, and watched. Now they must be prepared for conflict. So the governor set the people after their families in the vantage-places upon the wall, armed with swords, spears and bows. But he would not have them put their confidence in the weapons, but in the living God: Be ye not afraid of them: remem- ber the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives and your houses (ver. 14). This was to be their battle-cry, Remember the Lord!
Many a merely human conflict has been won by the inspiration of a watch-word recalling some past great event. In our own day, again and again, Spanish troops were repulsed as the American soldiery drove all before them with the cry, Remember the Maine! So Napoleon often inspirited his troops by causing them to remember some former victory. But what could stir the soul of an Israelite indeed more than such a cry as this, Remember the Lord! Similarly when pressing upon Timothy the need of devotedness in the Christian warfare, Paul cries, Remember Jesus Christ! (2Ti 2:8).10
This is faiths resource. The God who gave His Son for our redemption, who raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in highest glory, can be counted on in every time of trial to supply all needed grace for seasonable help.
When Nehemiahs enemies knew that their plans were known, and the citizens of Jerusalem armed and watchful, they gave up all hope of hindering by open warfare; while the remnant rejoiced that God had brought their counsel to nought; and so they returned every one with confidence to the work.
But this deliverance did not cause them to be any the less careful. Henceforth Nehemiah divided his own servants into two companies, one of which wrought in the work and the other stood guard heavily armed; while the builders and burden-bearers themselves labored, each with his sword girded by his side, or with a trowel in one hand and a weapon in the other. Both alike speak of the Word. The trowel is the Word used for edification, the sword is the Word used to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Significant are the words that close verse 18, after this vivid description of soldier-laborers: And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. The trumpet stands for the ministry of the Word, and it was meet that the trumpeter should abide with the ruler and get his instructions directly from him. So does the servant of Christ need to abide in Him that he may speak as the oracles of God, and then the trumpet gives no uncertain sound.
Scattered as the workers and soldiers were upon the whole length of the wall, it was important that all should be subject to one voice, the voice of Nehemiah, and this was expressed by the trumpet. Wherever the loud blast was heard, there all were to gather, counting upon God to fight for them (vers. 19, 20).
So,11 continues the inspired record, we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
There was much work to be done and time was pressing, so they dared not take their ease while there was light enough to labor. And at night all lodged within the wall, that they might be a defence to their brethren, though many had homes outside the city.
In all this devoted service, Nehemiah and his guard were ensamples to the rest, for so continuously were they on duty that they did not so much as remove their clothes, save for washing. It was a time to try mens souls, but the testing only proved how zealously affected in a good thing were the governor and his helpers. In this they shine as examples for us, bidding us hold fast what God has committed to us, and hold forth the word of life to others, while refusing all compromise with the unholy spirit of the age in which we live.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
Neh 4:6
We see in this passage:
I. Co-operation. “The people had a mind to work.” Success in war is due to two principles. The one is, Divide your enemy; and the other is, Unite yourselves. In proportion as co-operation has been real and vital, in that proportion has it been crowned with success.
II. Cheerfulness. “The people had a mind to work.” (1) Some men think that their function is that of critic or censor. (2) Sometimes people have a mind to speak, but not to work. (3) As they worked with purpose, so they worked with cheerfulness.
III. Success. “And all the wall was joined unto the half thereof.”
E. Mellor, The Hem of Christ’s Garment, p. 192.
References: 4:7-6:1, Neh 6:14.-Homiletic Magazine, vol. xi., p. 342. Neh 4:10.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xx., No. 1156.
Neh 4:17
I. There are pressing difficulties in the believer’s way while he is engaged in the prosecution of his work. The Christian life is a scene of perpetual conflict. Heart-corruption is the greatest foe of the Christian. From that he cannot flee. And had he nothing else than this corruption to fear while he strives to rear up the spiritual edifice-i.e., to advance in grace and in godliness-he would yet require to be furnished, as the people were under Nehemiah, with the weapon to defend as well as with the implement to build.
II. When we consider the very dangerous position which the Christian occupies, with a crafty adversary on the one side-viz., Satan-an alluring and sometimes a threatening foe on the other side-viz., the world-and a treacherous heart within, his proper attitude is that which was assumed by the people spoken of in the text, every one of whom, while with one of his hands he wrought in the work, with the other hand held a weapon. (1) The Jews in the text were in the exercise of constant watchfulness. They knew that there was evil meditated against them, but they knew not the moment when the onset might be, and therefore, like wise men, they stood prepared for it. Christian watchfulness is one of the most indispensable and, at the same time, one of the most comprehensive duties to which the disciples of Jesus are called. (2) The Jews were careful to furnish themselves with the means of defence. The Christian has the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (3) The attitude of the Jews indicates the firmest determination to make progress in their work. Advancement is the watchword of the Christian. Let each one act upon it.
A. D. Davidson, Lectures and Sermons, p. 83.
Neh 4:18, Neh 4:21
The restoration of God’s temple by the armed labourers of Nehemiah is a familiar and noble illustration of the restitution of the spiritual temple, “which temple are ye,” says St. Paul. Steadfast labour through trouble and hindrance is the method by which at once God’s high purposes are accomplished and His servants disciplined and perfected. We can labour with but one hand, as it were; the other is on the hilt of our sword the while.
I. If we are temples of the Holy Ghost at all, as St. Paul assures us lovingly that we already are, we know this, that we are not perfect, well-built, undefiled shrines. Much is lost, but even in our souls there is a remnant left. The foundations of the first building are yet traceable. If the skyward roof is gone, and the tall and shining pillars lie low, we may yet set our feet on the unstirred marbles of the pavement.
II. But this were poor comfort if this were all. Little would it profit to know how glorious the past had been if we believed that its glory had departed never to return. In the time of Nehemiah it was dawning anew. If the Jews were no more a proud, unbroken race, they were a free people, a ransomed and liberated nation. And to us surely the application is very plain. We too have been set free, not without the strong crying and tears of our Saviour and our Prince, not that we may leisurely enjoy His realm, but be active and able lords of our own, and in His spirit and by our labour restore in ourselves that holiness and glory which we have lost.
III. The rebuilding was a very different scene from the first building. Of old, in profound peace, in wealth, in joy, the Temple, and the king’s house, and the city walls had risen higher and higher. Now they laboured sore beset, savage, taunting foes about them and among them. It has been, and it is, even so with us; nor can we expect it otherwise. How far off and how fair is the story of the first foundation of this house of ours. How painful do we daily find the process of its rebuilding. Evil men and evil spirits fain would hinder the restoration of our holy city and of the temple that is in our hearts. Therefore there is but one thing for us to do: we must build our walls sword on side.
IV. Lastly, though this our temple be rebuilding at such disadvantage, in a way so different from its first rise, yet the promise is for us good also, as of old, “that the glory of the latter house shall exceed the glory of the former.” That shall be more precious which was restored at the price of such trouble and pains than that which was founded in wealth and ease. Man reformed after his fall shall be greater and holier than unfallen man. Redeemed, he shall stand higher than when untempted.
Archbishop Benson, Boy Life: Sundays in Wellington College, p. 259.
Reference: 4-Parker, Fountain, Aug. 2nd, 1877.
Fuente: The Sermon Bible
CHAPTER 4
1. The indignation and sneers of the enemies (Neh 4:1-3)
2. Nehemiahs ejaculatory prayer (Neh 4:4-6)
3. Conspiracy, and more prayer (Neh 4:7-9)
4. Nehemiahs precautions and confidence (Neh 4:10-23)
Neh 4:1-3. Sanballat (hate in disguise) having heard of the successful building of the wall, became very angry and mocked the Jews. And Tobiah the Ammonite used sarcasm. He said that which they build will be so weak that one of the foxes, which infested the broken-down walls (Psa 63:10) could break these newly built walls again.
Neh 4:4-6. The answer to these sneers was prayer. The language these two enemies used was provoking, but Nehemiahs refuge is prayer. Hezekiah did the same when the Assyrian taunted him and defiled the God of Israel. It is another of the brief ejaculatory prayers of Nehemiah. There are seven of them in this book: chapters 2:4; 4:4-6; 5:19; 6:14; 13:14, 22, 29. He prayed, Hear, our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity; and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; because they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. He cast himself wholly upon God and with this prayer Nehemiah and the people put the matter in the hands of the Lord. They were an object of contempt, as His people who were doing the work of the Lord wanted to have done. Sanballat and Tobiah were the enemies of God. This prayer reminds us of the many imprecatory prayers in the psalms. When in the future another remnant of the Jews returns to the land, they will face in the great tribulation more powerful enemies than this remnant had to contend with. The man of sin, the Antichrist, will be in control, and it is then that they will pray these prayers, some of them almost like Nehemiahs prayer (Psa 109:14).
The work was not hindered by the taunts of the enemy. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof, for the people had a mind to work. If only Gods people are in touch with God and cast themselves wholly upon Him, all the efforts of the enemy are unavailing.
Neh 4:7-9. As the work progressed and the Samaritan enemies saw that their taunts were unsuccessful, they became very wroth and conspired to use force and fight against Jerusalem. Sanballat and Tobiah had gathered others, the Arabians, Ammonites and Ashdodites, to hinder the work. Behind them stood the same enemy of God, Satan, who always hinders the work of God. His work of opposition is the same in every age. A very serious time had come to the builders of the wall. The enemy was threatening to fall upon them, and perhaps destroy what they had built. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God. It was prayer, dependence on God, first. The next thing they did was to take precaution against the enemy–and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. But was not prayer enough? Why the setting of a watch if they trusted the Lord? If they had not done this it would have been presumption on their part. Their action did not clash with their trust in God.
Neh 4:10-23. There was also discouragement in their midst. As the apostle wrote of himself, without were fightings, within were fears (2Co 7:5), this was true of them. They became timid and fainthearted. It was Judah, the princely tribe, whose emblem was the lion, which showed discouragement and was ready to give up in despair. But Nehemiah made no answer to the complaint we are not able to build the wall. The best remedy was to keep right on praying, working and watching. The adversaries intended to make a surprise attack and slay the workmen and cause the work to cease. That was their plan; but they did not reckon with God, who watched over His people. Ten times the Jews which were scattered among these adversaries warned them of the great danger of the coming attack. This was another discouragement. Then Nehemiah acted in the energy of faith. He knew God was on their side and that He would fight for them. He prepared the people for the threatening conflict and armed them with swords, spears and bows. Then he addressed them with inspiring words. Be not afraid of them: Remember the Lord, great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses. All was at stake. No mercy could be expected from the wicked adversaries. It was a blessed battle-cry he gave to them: Remember the Lord. If He is remembered and kept before the heart defeat is impossible. The great preparation was soon reported to the enemies, by which they knew that their attack had become known. Nehemiah saw in it all Gods gracious and providential dealings, God had brought their counsel to nought. Then he continued to work at their task of building the wall. But they did not become careless. They continued to be on their guard. Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon. A trumpeter stood at Nehemiahs side. If he sounded the alarm they were to gather together; then, said Nehemiah, our God shall fight for us. So we labored in the work, and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. We leave it with the reader to apply all this to our spiritual warfare against our enemies. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and constant watching is needed for that.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Sanballat: Neh 2:10, Neh 2:19, Ezr 4:1-5, Act 5:17
mocked: Psa 35:15, Psa 35:16, Psa 44:13, Psa 44:14, Mat 27:29, Heb 11:36
Reciprocal: Gen 21:9 – mocking 1Ki 9:7 – and Israel 2Ch 7:20 – a proverb Neh 4:7 – Sanballat Neh 6:1 – when Sanballat Neh 6:15 – fifty Neh 6:16 – when all our enemies Psa 79:4 – scorn Pro 22:10 – General Isa 58:12 – build Jer 30:17 – they Joh 4:9 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
WHEN THE WORK of building was really started, the anger and opposition of the adversaries was much increased, as chapter 4 records. All this was expressed in a threefold way. First there was mockery. The Jews were indeed feeble and their work of reviving ‘the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned’, did seem a fantastic enterprise, and the adversaries made the most of it by way of ridicule. But further there was misrepresentation, regarding the objects before them in their work; and then the opposition took an active form in preparation to intervene by force, and fight against them.
We may trace similar opposition by the great adversary in this our Gospel age. We see it in the service of the Apostle Paul. Delivering his message in cultured Athens, he was derided as a ‘babbler’, (Act 17:18). Again before Festus he was considered ‘mad’ (Act 26:24). Here was ridicule. In Thessalonica there was misrepresentation, for he was imagined to be turning ‘the world upside down’, and doing things, ‘contrary to the decrees of Caesar’ (Act 17:6, Act 17:7). Neither assertion was true. The Gospel leaves the world-system untouched, but calls individuals out of the world, turning them right side up, according to God. Then the violent opposition of the adversary was seen in the sufferings he had to endure, a list of which he was inspired to place on record in 2Co 11:24-27. If we in our day were more energetic and more faithful in our service for the Lord Jesus, we should doubtless know more of all three things.
In the latter part of the chapter we learn the measures that were taken in the presence of all this. First of all there was prayer made to God, as verse Neh 4:9 records. A very right move! Nehemiah began with prayer, as we saw at the start of the story, and in a prayerful spirit they continued. Have we not often made the mistake in some emergency of taking certain steps that to us seemed reasonable and prudent, and then praying afterwards that God would bless what we have done. In His mercy He may so bless. but we should have done better if we had prayed first.
Then they faced the difficulties of the work. There was much rubbish that hindered and caused the strength of workers to fail, and the adversaries prepared to attack them. We venture to draw an analogy here. Their work was one of revival-reviving the wall that separated the temple of God from the outside world. In the mercy of God various revivals have been granted in the history of the professing church, and every time there has been more or less ‘rubbish’, that needed to be removed. What a terrible accumulation of worldly and moral rubbish, for instance, had been heaped up by Papal Rome, during the thousand years or more, that preceded the revival, that we speak of as the Reformation. And not all by any means, was actually removed then; the strength of the workers failed before it was accomplished. We Christians have always to watch against the accumulation of this kind of rubbish.
Then the opponents threatened actual attack of a violent sort, and against this the Jews armed themselves. In their case of course such arms as the world then used -spears, swords, etc.-were taken both by the would-be attackers and the defenders. In our age the more dangerous form of attack is of a spiritual sort. Servants of God, even in our day, have been slain, but ‘the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church’, which has been proved again and again. The sword to be used, in meeting the spiritual attack, is ‘the word of God’, as plainly declared in Eph 6:17, where the spiritual conflict is stressed.
In English-speaking lands, where religious liberty is freely granted, the conflict side of Christian life is apt to be overlooked, and the idea entertained that our pilgrimage to a joyous heaven is to be happy and serene. But such is not the prospect held out in Scripture. We are not only pilgrims but also disciples, who are called to take up our cross in following our rejected Lord, and as identified with Him, conflict is inevitable. As ‘a good soldier of Jesus Christ’ we are to ‘endure hardness’ (2Ti 2:3), consequently the protective armour of Eph 6:1-24 is needed, as well as the ‘sword of the Spirit’, for offensive action.
The courage that marked Nehemiah and his helpers is seen very clearly in verse Neh 4:14; a courage which sprang from the call to ‘remember the Lord, which is great and terrible’, who was on their side. The result was that the building of the wall did not cease, though perhaps it proceeded more slowly, since defence was necessary. The workers, whether bearers of burdens or builders, had to carry weapons, and so each had only one hand for the work, the other holding a sword. Thus it is stated in verse 17.
Thus too it has been during the church’s history, even to our own times. True servants of God have always had to spend a substantial portion of their time and energy in defence of the truth. From the beginning the apostles had not only to evangelize and teach the truth; they had to spend much time in defending it from the attacks of the adversary, as the epistles bear witness. There was, if we remember aright, not so long ago a magazine entitled ‘Sword and Trowel’, produced by the well known C. H. Spurgeon, who with all his preaching gift had to contend earnestly for the faith in his closing days. The title of the magazine was doubtless taken from the chapter we are considering. The truth is worth contending for. If we lose it we lose practically everything. So let us each see to it that in a spiritual sense we have a sword in one hand, while in the other we have a trowel, wherewith to do the work of the Lord.
At the end of our chapter we notice another thing. Beside the sword and the trowel there was the trumpet, which was to be blown when an alarm was necessary. The work was great and large, so that the workers were widely separated, one from the other, yet they were one in the work, and not a number of disconnected individuals. Hence what endangered one endangered all, and their unity in the work was to be preserved. Here again we see an important lesson, that we very much need to bear in mind, in order to act on it.
This oneness of action in the service of God is specially important for us, and that for two reasons. First, because the oneness of saints today, brought into the church of God, is much more fully stressed than it was with the twelve tribes of Israel. This is seen in the Ephesian epistle-read Eph 2:14-18, where the word ‘one’ occurs four times; and Eph 4:3-6, where it occurs seven times. Second, because the present service of God is so varied, as we see in 1Co 12:1-31. There is great diversity in the unity, so that the human body is used to illustrate it, and no one member can dispense with the service of another without damage and loss. The trumpet on the walls of Jerusalem reminds us that if the enemy set himself to attack one of the small groups of workers, he was really attacking all.
In the closing verse of our chapter we get a glimpse of the great zeal and devotion that characterized Nehemiah and his helpers. All of them were to lodge inside Jerusalem, thus obtaining such protection as the partly built walls could offer, and none of them put off their clothes, so as to sleep with comfort by night, though they removed them for personal cleanliness. They were therefore always ready to labour in the work and to meet the foe. A very impressive picture!
Vigilance and purity are two things very necessary for us. We see them impressed on Timothy by Paul. If we read 2Ti 2:21, we find he was to be vigilant as to error of a fundamental sort, and ‘purge’ himself out from it. Then, reading the next verse, we find he was to ‘flee also youthful lusts’, so that his personal cleanliness might be maintained, in a spiritual way.
And the instructions given to Timothy in the first century are in this twentieth century equally important for us.
Fuente: F. B. Hole’s Old and New Testaments Commentary
Neh 4:1-2. And mocked the Jews Pretending contempt in his words, when he had grief, anger, and vexation in his heart. And he spake before his brethren Before Tobiah, Geshem, and others, whom Nehemiah calls his brethren, because of their conjunction with him in office and interest. And the army in Samaria Whom he hereby designed to incense against them, or, at least, whose minds he thought thus to learn. What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify, &c. Do they intend to begin and finish the work, and keep the feast of dedication by sacrifice, all in one day? For if they spend any long time about it, they cannot think that we and the rest of their neighbours will suffer them to do it. Thus he persuaded himself and his companions that their attempt was ridiculous; and this mistake kept him from giving them any disturbance till it was too late. So did God infatuate him to his own grief and shame, and to the advantage of the Jews. Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish? Will they pick up their broken stones out of the ruins, and patch them together? Which are burned Which stones were burned, and broken by the Chaldeans, when they took the city.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 4:2. He spake before his brethren; that is, before Tobias, &c. his brother governors, and other great officers whom he had convened for counsel against the Jews.
Neh 4:5. Let not their sin be blotted out. This is a frequent character of prayers in the old testament; but they are the prayers of judges and prophets, and prayers against robbers and murderers, which do not preclude repentance; and I know not that it is wrong to ask the rod for the incorrigible, and to disable the wicked from doing mischief. But to the christian the command is, Bless and curse not. Love your enemies.
Neh 4:6. The wall was joined together unto the half thereof. That is, the entire wall round the city was joined, and built up half the intended height, so as to form some defence against the threatened attack: Neh 4:8.The people had a mind. Hebrews a heart to work. They did the Lords work cheerfully and heartily.
Neh 4:12. From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. The latter words are not in the Hebrew, but are supplied by our translators. The reading of the LXX is preferable. They said unto us ten times, from all places they come up against us; that is, from all parts of Samaria.
Neh 4:16. Habergeons; the breastplates or coats of mail.
Neh 4:23. Put them off for washing. The word translated put them off, signifies a weapon; and the word rendered washing, signifies water. But from their great exertions in labour they seemed to require a change of linen; our version therefore retains the best reading.
REFLECTIONS.
While Jerusalem, aided by the surrounding cities, and by strangers, made astonishing efforts for its safety and defence, tidings of the work daily reached the ears of Sanballat in Samaria, and excited his indignation and malice to the last degree. But while he was employed in convening his associate governors, and forming plans of ruin to Jerusalem, behold the wall was finished, and the people awaited him in arms. Thus the Lord, in whose counsel the people stood, laughed the enemy to scorn.
At first, When those governors heard of the rapid progress of the works, they affected to despise the effort as a mere heap of rubbish raised from the ditches, and so flimsy in its construction, that the tail of a fox would dash it down. Yet withal they feared, and could not but tremble that a Nehemiah was in the city: for this single man was to Israel a revenue, a host, and a council. He was a general in arms, and a minister of religion in the sanctuary, addressing himself to heaven for divine protection. So shall the enemies of the church be confounded and embarrassed, while they see the hand of God so evidently with his people; and at the same time, his indignant looks frowning confusion on all the plots of their malicious foes.
But we most admire that this great work, at another time the labour of years, was done by the union of much prayer and hard labour, and the vigorous exercise of arms; and while the scouting armies of Samaria every moment menaced the city, every man therefore had his weapon by his side. The enemy from the surrounding hills, was grieved to see the walls joined, the towers raised, and the altar of JEHOVAH smoke with victims of atonement for the people. Alas, for poor Samaria, all its conventions, and all its assembling of armies were in vain. They assaulted not the city, but retired as timid foxes when the husbandman is on the watch. So when religion is in a low and ruined condition, and everywhere surrounded with enemies, it must rise by exertions of faith and prayer. When the lot also of a good minister falls in a district where the barriers of morality are in ruins, as Nehemiah found the walls of Jerusalem, he must gather the dispirited and almost degenerate believers together; he must animate them by sermons, refresh them by his prayers, and elevate their hopes of future prosperity. He must prompt them to devotion and exertions of every kind, and arm them with the maxims of truth against the assaults of all wicked and ungodly men. And the God of this good governor will direct that minister, and succeed his work.
As Nehemiah acquainted not Samaria with his designs, nor yet his own people till the fourth day, let a minister, anxious to effect, under God, a blessed work, learn to avoid all ostentation, all pomp and parade: for the kingdom of God cometh not with observation. His ministry should resemble the milder beams of morn, shedding the welcome rays of truth and grace on the hearts of the people without noise, and before the wicked are aware. Then if Satan roar as a lion, and the greatest of his children take counsel to destroy the work, it is too late. The people have tasted the good word of God, and felt the powers of the world to come: they are apprised of the enemys designs, and smile at all his rage.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 4:1-23. Samaritan Attempt to Frustrate the Building of the Walls.In Neh 4:2 f. the text is very corrupt, though the general sense of the passage is fairly clear, viz. the Samaritans mock the efforts made by the Jews in building the walls; Sanballats wrath in conjunction with his contempt is a little incongruous. The mention of the Samaritan army is difficult to account for; if an army had really been there some attempt would assuredly have been made there and then to stop the building; probably we must picture a crowd of Samaritans and not warriors. But the corrupt state of the text makes it impossible to feel sure what the meaning really is.
Neh 4:2. will they fortify themselves? The Heb. will they leave to them? is meaningless; Ryle emends the text so as to read, will they commit themselves to their God? This gives excellent sense and is supported by the words which follow, will they sacrifice? i.e. to their God; at the same time one must remember the words in Ezr 4:2, spoken by the Samaritans, we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him . . .; if, as is clear, the questions in the verse before us are intended to be words of mockery, we should hardly expect the Samaritans to have made reference to the God, whom they, too, worshipped, in such an unfitting manner. Perhaps it is best to follow the reading of one of the Greek MSS, Shall we leave them alone? (so Batten), implying, of course, a negative answer.revive: read restore.
Neh 4:4 f. An interjected prayer (cf. Neh 5:19, Neh 6:9; Neh 6:14, Neh 13:14; Neh 13:22).
Neh 4:7-20. A critical time is here described; on the one hand, the Jews were getting wearied with the work, while, on the other, the enemy, as Nehemiah had found out, were planning an attack. To make things worse, the Jews living round about Jerusalem. who were better able to see what was going on among their enemies, and who realised what was being planned by them, called upon their brethren at the walls to flee. Nehemiahs firmness and presence of mind alone saved the situation. But he saw that the only way whereby the work could be continued and the danger of a sudden attack avoided was to arm the builders, while he himself kept a general look-out with a trumpeter by his side, who would be ready to give the alarm at any moment.
Neh 4:21. This would read more intelligibly if the words and half of them held the spears were omitted; for (a) there is nothing in the context to show who are referred to in the words half of them; and (b) there was no point in this holding of the spears ready during the day-time, seeing that Nehemiah had just said that his trumpeter would give the signal immediately any danger of attack showed itself. The time for holding the spears was in the night when the labour had to cease (see Neh 4:22). Read, So we wrought in the work from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
Neh 4:23. everyone . . . water: the text, as it stands, is corrupt (see mg.) and quite meaningless; a slight emendation makes the passage read, each had his weapon in his hand.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
DECISION IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION
(vv. 1-23)
The diligent labor of the Jews drew out more bitter anger on the part of the enemy. Sanballat was furious and resorted to the moral weakness of mockery, speaking contemptuously of “these feeble Jews” (vv. 1-2). “Will they fortify themselves?” he asked. His very attitude showed that it was necessary for them to fortify themselves against him! Also, “Will they offer sacrifices?” In other words, he did not want them to honor God by sacrificing to Him. “Will they complete it in a day?” He feared the energy with which they were working. “Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish?” Can they possibly repair the wall after its being so demolished by the enemy? If Sanballat thought this was too ambitious a project, he would soon find out the answer. All these questions are too frequently asked by opposers of the work of God when believers seek to return to God’s principles of truth in connection with the church of God.
Tobiah continued the same hateful ridicule by say, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.” Very well: Tobiah was a fox: Let him try to break down the wall! But how good it is to hear the involuntary prayer of Nehemiah, “Hear, O God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!” (v. 4). He added, “Do not let their sin be blotted out from before You, for they have provoked You to anger before the builders: (v.5). Where there is true repentance before God, sins will be blotted out (Isa 43:25), just as Israel will learn at the end of their Great Tribulation, but these men knew nothing of repentance, for they instead provoked the Lord to anger by their persecution of His servants. Nehemiah did not speak of how badly he himself felt, but of how God had been provoked to anger.
God’s answer to this short prayer is seen in verse 6, “So we built the wall.” Opposition did not stop the work: in fact, “the people had mind to work.” May we too be stirred to continue in the work of the Lord in spite of whatever opposition. At such times too God gives special grace.
When the wall had been joined together up to half its height, Sanballat and Tobiah, together with Arabs, Ammonites and Ashdodites became very angry (v. 9). They had tried mockery and ridicule, but were frustrated in this. Therefore they conspired to attack Jerusalem in order to spread confusion among the builders (v. 8). But the Jews were aware of this determined conspiracy, and first prayed to God, then set a watch against them day and night (v. 9). This was certainly the right order of action. They did not panic and think of attacking the enemy, but rather depended on God and were watchful against the enemy, and God protected them.
However, not only was the opposition of the enemy a trial to them, but their labor was hindered by the fact of much rubbish being in their way. This was no doubt caused by the residue of the former broken down wall. The strength of the laborers was failing in the face of so monumental a task of clearing away the rubbish. In Christian profession today, there is much rubbish too, the rubbish of much false teaching, and it is no easy task to remove such rubbish so that people may be freed from weary confusion. Though some are truly burden bearers, the labor of this becomes so heavy as to take away strength. Well indeed do we need the exhortation, “let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal 6:9).
Nehemiah also knew that their enemies were plotting, “They will neither know nor see anything, till be come into the midst and kill them and cause the work to cease” (v. 11). Nehemiah had Jewish informers who lived near these adversaries, who warned Nehemiah ten times that these enemies intended to attack them in spite of their precautions (v. 12). Therefore Nehemiah positioned men with armaments behind the lower parts of the wall and at the openings. These were prepared for conflict with swords, spears and bows (v. 13). May we be willing laborers in the work of God, and at the same time prepared for spiritual conflict.
In the Church of God today we also ought to be prepared for conflict, but “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:4-5). If we are prepared with such weapons which involve obedience to the Word of God, we may find the battle is already won, as did the workers on the wall.
For Nehemiah had spoken plainly, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses” (v. 14). Having the Lord with them, though being prepared to fight, they were not required to do so. Believers today may well experience the same thing. If they are prepared through study of scripture to watch against the subtleties of the enemy, Satan will be afraid to attack, for he would find himself facing the Lord rather than facing a weak believer. Satan wants to catch us off guard, not having our confidence firmly in the Lord: otherwise he knows he can do no damage. When the adversaries found that the Jews knew of their plotting, they could do nothing (v. 15). If we are ignorant of Satan’s devices he will take advantage of us, but if we are on proper guard against those devices we shall be protected by the Lord (2Co 2:11).
Special plans had been made at that time, with half of Nehemiah’s servants working on the wall and half being armed with spears, shields and bows, also having armor (v. 16). The leaders are mentioned as being “behind all the house of Judah,” possibly to back up and encourage the work and the watchfulness of the guard. Both the builders and the burden bearers are said to have worked with one hand and carried a weapon in the other (v. 17). This is perhaps further explained in verse 18 as not literally always carrying the sword in the hand, but having it girded on his side, where he could easily use it if necessary.
Beside Nehemiah was one who sounded the trumpet. It was priests who did this service (Num 10:8). If warfare impended, they were to sound an alarm (Num 10:9). In this case it would be Nehemiah who gave orders to the trumpeter, for Nehemiah is a type of Christ, the Leader. He gave the reason for having the trumpeter with him, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us” (vv. 19-20). How good that he insists on this confidence in God!
Thus, the opposition did not succeed in hindering the work of God. The laborers continued their work from the break of day until the stars appeared at night (v. 21). This is a reminder of Paul’s words in 1Co 16:9, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” He does not say, “but there are many adversaries,” as though this might excuse him from persisting in the work, but simply “and there are many adversaries,” therefore it was the more important to have his whole heart in the service of God.
Nehemiah gave orders too that the workers and servants were to stay at night inside the walls of Jerusalem, thereby serving the purpose of guard duty at night as well as working by day (v. 22). This concerted concentration on the work of the Lord continued till the wall was built. What an example for believers today, who might take to heart the exhortation of 1Co 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
As to Nehemiah himself and his special servants and the men of the guard who attended him (not all the workers), they did not take off their clothes even for sleeping, though the one exception was for when they washed themselves. However busy we may be in the Lord’s work, we must never neglect “the washing of water by the Word,” for occupation with the work itself will cause some defilement which must be washed away by the application of the Word of God.
Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible
SECOND DIVISION
The Opposition to the Work
Nehemiah 4. The roaring lion; or the outward opposition of the enemy.
Nehemiah 5. The corruption of the flesh; or the work hindered by the low moral condition of the people.
Nehemiah 6. The wiles of Satan; or the work hindered by the corrupt practices of the enemy.
Nehemiah 7. The administration of the City; or the safeguards against the enemy.
THE ROARING LION
Nehemiah 4
Every revival amongst the returned remnant calls forth opposition in one form or another.
Zerubbabel sets up the altar and lays the foundation of the temple, and immediately the adversaries, under the leadership of Rehum, raise opposition (Ezra 4).
The second revival, under Haggai and Zechariah, is opposed by Tatnai and his companions (Ezr 5:3).
The third revival under Ezra finds opposers in Jonathan and Jahaziah (Ezr 10:15. N. Tr.).
Finally the last revival under Nehemiah is opposed by Sanballat, Tobiah, and others associated with them. This opposition is presented in greater detail than the former ones and is full of instruction for those who, in these last days, are seeking to walk in separation from the corruptions of Christendom. As in the past, so to-day every attempt of God-fearing men to maintain separation from evil amongst the people of God stirs up every form of opposition. Satan knows full well that if he can break down separation between the people of God and the world, every truth will be weakened and the deeper truths of Christianity entirely lost. Whereas the maintenance of the walls of separation coupled with a right spiritual condition, will mean the preservation of every truth recovered in past revivals.
Coming now to the consideration of the opposition to this last revival under Nehemiah, it will be found that it takes different forms, the first being open opposition in which the enemy is seen as the roaring lion (1Pe 5:8). This form of opposition is mainly before us in chapter 4, together with the special difficulties that it creates.
It will be remembered that the arrival of Nehemiah in Jerusalem had grieved the enemy (Neh 2:10). Then the decision to build the wall called forth their scorn (Neh 2:19). Now that the good work is in hand it stirs up their rage and indignation (Neh 4:1), leading to the adoption of violent measures, for they conspire “to come and fight against Jerusalem.” At first, however, the opposers seek to cover their real feelings of rage by the affectation of contempt for a feeble people and their puny efforts, which, they say, a fox would bring to nothing. If this represented the true state of the case, it would have been needless to trouble themselves further. They could very well leave the matter to the fox to deal with.
Looking merely on the outward circumstances, the enemy with some show of truth speak of this little remnant as “feeble,” and very well ask, “Shall they be permitted to go on.” (N. Tr.), to sacrifice, to “finish,” and “revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish?” But in such questions they left out God and His grace, and talked folly about a fox.
The course Nehemiah takes to meet this attack is simple and instructive. Faced by the rage of Sanballat, “his brethren, and the army of Samaria” he refuses to be drawn into any argument against them; he makes no appeal to them; he suggests no compromise with them; nor does he go forth to oppose them, but he turns to God.
The enemy left God out, Nehemiah brings God in. He owns that the people are despised and in “reproach” (4). When in Babylon he had owned the reproach of the people (Neh 1:3), but how different the circumstances: then they were in reproach because of the ruin of the wall, now they are in reproach because of the building of the wall. In the former case “reproach” was to their shame, now it is to their honour.
Moreover having owned the affliction of the people, Nehemiah proceeds to spread out before God the sin of their opposers, and asks that they may be given “for a prey in the land of captivity.” It is not ours, in this day of grace, to ask for judgment on those who oppose, and yet how constantly it is seen, in the government of God, that those who oppose the maintenance of the walls of separation fall into hopeless captivity to the religious world.
But while Nehemiah was fully aware of the opposition of the enemy and, in secret, meets it by the power of prayer, in public the work went on “for the people had a mind (lit. “a heart”) to work.” It was not simply that Nehemiah and a few earnest leaders had a mind to work, but “the people” had a mind to work. Their heart was in the work of maintaining what was due to God by means of the walls and gates. This unity of mind, and energy of purpose, gave sure evidence of a work of the Spirit of God.
Nor is it otherwise to-day. As then, God may call attention to the need of separation from evil by one or two, but if there is a general movement amongst the people of God uniting them in one mind and effort to maintain separation from evil, it will surely evidence a work of the Spirit of God.
The united perseverance of the people of God arouses the united opposition of the enemy (7, 8). Hitherto the opposition had come from individuals but now, Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, unite with Sanballat and Tobiah “to fight against Jerusalem.” People with very different interests and views can join hands in opposing a movement which is of God. And this united movement emboldens the opposition to violent measures. Commencing with sneers, developing into rage, it ends in violent methods. Again and again has this been verified in the history of God’s people. Those who end in taking violent measures generally commence by speaking sneeringly of their brethren. Again as the spirit in which the people proceed with the work proves the movement to be of God, so the spirit of the opposition proves it to be a work of the enemy. For behind this joint attack there is “wrath” and “conspiracy.” “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (Jam 1:20), and the Spirit of God will be no party to underhand human devices. Thus it is that the true character of the opposition can often be detected by its carnal methods.
The people of God have to remember that the weapons of their warfare are not carnal. This the remnant in Nehemiah’s day realize, for they meet this united attack of the enemy by uniting in prayer to God. “We made our prayer unto our God” (9). They met the power of the enemy by the yet greater power of prayer. When men turned upon them in rage, they turned to God in prayer. But if they set their faces toward God they also “set a watch against the enemy.” And this still has a voice for us, for has not the Lord said “Watch and pray” (Mat 26:41)? So too the Apostle, in the exhortation of the Epistle, unites “praying and watching” (Eph 6:18). Moreover the Apostle has linked “perseverance” with watching and prayer, and this too is set forth by this feeble remnant for if they set a watch they do so “day and night.”
Thus by prayer, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, the enemy is held at bay in this first opposition, but, as a result of the attack, the people of God are harassed, and this in a threefold way.
First, by corruption from within (10). Alas there are those who take a leading place among the people of God and yet would stop the building of the wall. Thus we read “Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.” The after-history will bring to light that the nobles of Judah are in constant communication with the enemy. For the moment this evil association with the enemy is not divulged, and the reasons they advance for stopping the work have no connection with the enemy. The facts they bring forward may be true, but the conclusion based upon the facts is entirely false. There is no question as to the weakness of those who bear the burdens, and it is also plain that there is much rubbish, but to conclude therefore that it is impossible to build the wails is false. Yet how often in our days have these facts been asserted to contend for a similar false conclusion. There are still those who say “The people of God are so weak, the corruption of Christendom is so great, evil is so universal, that it is really impossible to maintain a strict separation according to the word of God. We must accept things as they are and do the best we can.” Such is the voice of Judah in our day. And as in Nehemiah’s day, those who use such language are too often found in close association with the opposers of the truth.
Second, the remnant are further harassed by the fear of sudden and unexpected onslaughts of the enemy (verse 11). The adversaries say “They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them.” This is a deliberate effort to obtain a footing amongst the people of God in order “to slay them and cause the work to cease.” Again there are not wanting to-day those who would creep in unawares to undermine the principle of separation that is sought to be maintained.
Thirdly there is the attempt to harass those engaged in the work by the constant repetition of disquieting rumours (12). There are those who dwell by the enemy, and seem very well acquainted with all his doings, and by the reports they bring from time to time tend to distract the builders. They are not enemies, but Jews who bring these reports. Possibly they have no intention of opposing, indeed they may think they are helping by giving timely warnings, nevertheless they are doing the enemies’ work.
Here then we have a little remnant of God’s people set upon keeping out evil, opposed by the open opposition of the enemy, and harassed by the corrupt arguments of men in league with the enemy, the apprehension of unexpected attacks, and the constant repetition of disquieting rumours.
The remainder of the chapter informs us how these different difficulties were met by Nehemiah. First he arms the people for the conflict and sets them in the exposed places (13). There were “the lower places” and “the higher places” in the walls which were peculiarly open to attack. The devil cares not how he gets a footing among the people of God, whether by ‘low’ walk or ‘high’ pretension. May we not say the wall was low in the Assembly at Corinth where the world was getting in through lasciviousness? At Colosse, where the Assembly was in danger of letting in religious flesh by lofty pretensions, may we not say there was danger “in the higher places”?
To meet either form or evil we need to put on the whole armour of God. But in Nehemiah’s day the confidence of the people was not to be solely in their weapons of defence. The word was “Remember the Lord which is great and terrible” (14), and thus would they be delivered from all fear. So too in like spirit the Apostle precedes his exhortation as to the armour by saying “My brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
Moreover in defending themselves they were fighting for their brethren and for those who would come after them (14). In all our conflicts against evil and for the maintenance of the truth, we do well to keep before us these three things.
1st. To remember the Lord – all that He is and all that is due to Him.
2nd. To remember our brethren – that in maintaining the truth, often in a local conflict, we are fighting for all our brethren.
3rd. we are helping to maintain the truth for those who may follow us – our sons and our daughters.
Thus it came to pass in the days of Nehemiah God brought to nought the counsel of opposers. Thus encouraged the work proceeded as we read, “We returned all of us to the wall 1, every one to his work” (15). Every one had his appointed work, some wrought in the actual work of building, some in conflict against the enemy; some “builded on the wall,” some “bare burdens,” some “loaded” the burdens, and there was one who sounded the trumpet to warn of danger. Every one had his appointed work but all contributed to one end – to build the wall and set up the gates.
Fuente: Smith’s Writings on 24 Books of the Bible
2. The opposition to the workers ch. 4
Any attempt to fulfill God’s desires will almost certainly draw opposition from God’s enemies.
"The real test of a leader is how he or she faces crises and reacts to opposition. This chapter recounts several forms of opposition and how Nehemiah confronted them." [Note: Breneman, p. 193.]
The Jews’ enemies used ridicule (Neh 4:1-6), as well as armed resistance (Neh 4:8), to oppose the work. A better translation of the Hebrew word rendered "wealthy" (Neh 4:2) is "army."
"The Hebrew root ’mll is occasionally used in the OT to denote the fading or withering of a plant (Isa 16:8; Isa 24:7; etc.). It is also used of people without any hope (Isa 19:8; Hos 4:3). It is employed here in Nehemiah [translated "feeble," Neh 4:2, NASB, NIV] to ridicule the Jews." [Note: Fensham, p. 180.]
Nehemiah based his imprecatory prayer (Neh 4:4-5) on God’s promise that He would bless those who blessed Abraham’s descendants, and curse those who cursed them (Gen 12:1-3).
"God’s people should always regard prayer not as a last resort but as our primary weapon against opposition." [Note: Breneman, p. 194.]
We should probably understand Nehemiah’s request that God would not forgive their sin (Neh 4:5) as referring to their sin of opposing the builders, not all their sins. John Bright considered Nehemiah "not . . . an overly modest man." [Note: Bright, p. 373.] This is a minority opinion.
"The iniquities and sins were committed by sneering at the work God had commanded. The prayer was thus not vindictive because the Jews were insulted, but because God’s work was ridiculed." [Note: Fensham, p. 182.]
"To understand such violent language, we need to appreciate fully the sense of the divine purpose at work, so that opposition is not seen in human terms but as opposition to God himself." [Note: Peter Ackroyd, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, pp. 277-78.]
Furthermore, God had already pronounced judgment on Israel’s enemies, so Nehemiah was praying according to God’s will that He would deliver Jerusalem from her enemies (Jos 1:5). Finally, Nehemiah was asking God to take vengeance, which is His work, not the work of Nehemiah or other believers (cf. Deu 32:35; Rom 12:19). [Note: Gene A. Getz, "Nehemiah," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 682.]
Nehemiah and the people’s responses to opposition-prayer, continued work, and self-defense (Neh 4:9)-are the proper ones whenever an enemy seeks to stop the building of what God has commanded (e.g., His church, cf. Mat 16:18).
With the added opposition of the Ashdodites, the residents of a formerly Philistine town (Neh 4:7), the Jews’ enemies surrounded them on all sides: north, south, east, and west. Josephus wrote, "They slew many of the Jews." [Note: Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 11:5:8.] The workers became discouraged by their own fatigue, the immensity of their task, and the threats of their enemies (Neh 4:10-12). Nehemiah responded by increasing security, focusing their attention again on God, and reminding them of their duty to protect their families and property (Neh 4:13-14). Oliver Cromwell similarly counseled, "Trust in God and keep your [gun]powder dry." C. H. Spurgeon advised his students, "Pray as if everything depended on God, then preach as if everything depended on you." [Note: Quoted by J. G. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, p. 95.] His approach proved effective (Neh 4:15-16). The Jews were willing to make temporary sacrifices and endure some discomfort to finish the work God had given them to do (Neh 4:17-23). In this they are models for all of us who serve God.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
elete_me Neh 2:19
ON GUARD
Neh 2:10; Neh 2:19; Neh 4:1-23
ALL his arrangements for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem show that Nehemiah was awake to the dangers with which he was surrounded. The secrecy of his night ride was evidently intended to prevent a premature revelation of his plans. The thorough organisation, the mapping out of the whole line of the wall, and the dividing of the building operations among forty-two bands of workpeople secured equal and rapid progress on all sides. Evidently the idea was to “rush” the work, and to have it fairly well advanced, so as to afford a real protection for the citizens, before any successful attempts to frustrate it could be carried out. Even with all these precautions, Nehemiah was harassed and hindered for a time by the malignant devices of his enemies. It was only to be expected that he would meet with opposition. But a few years before all the Syrian colonists had united in extracting an order from Artaxerxes for the arrest of the earlier work of building the walls, because the Jews had made themselves intensely obnoxious to their neighbours by sending back the wives they had married from among the Gentile peoples. The jealousy of Samaria, which had taken the lead in Palestine so long as Jerusalem was in evidence, envenomed this animosity still more. Was it likely then that her watchful foes would hear with equanimity of the revival of the hated city-a city which must have seemed to them the very embodiment of the anti-social spirit?
Now, however, since a favourite servant of the Great King had been appointed governor of Jerusalem, the Satrap of the Syrian provinces could scarcely be expected to interfere. Therefore the initiative fell into the hands of smaller men, who found it necessary to abandon the method of direct hostility, and to proceed by means of intrigues and ambuscades. There were three who made themselves notorious in this undignified course of procedure. Two of them are mentioned in connection with the journey of Nehemiah up to Jerusalem. {Neh 2:10} The first, the head of the whole opposition, is Sanballat, who is called the Horonite, seemingly because he is a native of one of the Beth-horons, and who appears to be the governor of the city of Samaria, although this is not stated. Throughout the history he comes before us repeatedly as the foe of the rival governor of Jerusalem. Next to him comes Tobiah, a chief of the little trans-Jordanic tribe of the Ammonites, some of whom had got into Samaria in the strange mixing up of peoples after the Babylonian conquest. He is called the servant, possibly because he once held some post at court, and if so he may have been personally jealous of Nehemiahs promotion.
Sanbaltat and his supporter Tobiah were subsequently joined by an Arabian Emir named Geshem. His presence in the group of conspirators would be surprising if we had not been unexpectedly supplied with the means of accounting for it in the recently deciphered inscription which tells how Sargon imported an Arabian colony into Samaria. The Arab would scent prey in the project of a warlike expedition
The opposition proceeded warily. At first we are only told that when Sanballat and his friend Tobiah heard of the coming of Nehemiah, “grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.” {Neh 2:10} In writing these caustic words Nehemiah implies that the jealous men had no occasion to fear that he meant any harm to them, and that they knew this. It seems very hard to him, then, that they should begrudge any alleviation of the misery of the poor citizens of Jerusalem. What was that to them? Jealousy might foresee the possibility of future loss from the recovery of the rival city, and in this they might find the excuse for their action, an excuse for not anticipating which so fervent a patriot as Nehemiah may be forgiven; nevertheless the most greedy sense of self-interest on the part of these men is lost sight of in the virulence of their hatred to the Jews. This is always the case with that cruel infatuation-the Anti-Semitic rage. Here it is that hatred passes beyond mere anger. Hatred is actually pained at the welfare of its object. It suffers from a Satanic misery. The venom which it fails to plant in its victim rankles in its own breast.
At first we only hear of this odious distress of the jealous neighbours. But the prosecutions of Nehemiahs designs immediately lead to a manifestation of open hostility-verbal in the beginning. No sooner had the Jews made it evident that they were responsive to their leaders appeal and intended to rise and build, than they were assailed with mockery. The Samaritan and Ammonite leaders were now joined by the Arabian, and together they sent a message of scorn and contempt, asking the handful of poor Jews whether they were fortifying the city in order to rebel against the king. The charge of a similar intention had been the cause of stopping the work on the previous occasion. {Ezr 4:13} Now that Artaxerxes favourite cup-bearer was at the head of affairs, any suspicion of treason was absurd, but since hatred is singularly blind-far more blind than love-it is barely possible that the malignant mockers hoped to raise a suspicion. On the other hand, there is no evidence to show that they followed the example of the previous opposition and reported to headquarters. For the present they seem to have contented themselves with bitter raillery. This is a weapon before which weak men too often give way. But Nehemiah was not so foolish as to succumb beneath a shower of poor, ill-natured jokes.
His answer is firm and dignified. {Neh 2:20} It contains three assertions. The first is the most important. Nehemiah is not ashamed to confess the faith which is the source of all his confidence. In the eyes of men the Jews may appear but a feeble folk, quite unequal to the task of holding their ground in the midst of a swarm of angry foes. If Nehemiah had only taken account of the political and military aspects of affairs, he might have shrunk from proceeding. But it is just the mark of his true greatness that he always has his eye fixed on a Higher Power. He knows that God is in the project, and therefore he is sure that it must prosper. When a man can reach this conviction, mockery and insult do not move him. He has climbed to a serene altitude, from which he can look down with equanimity on the boiling clouds that are now far beneath his feet. Having this sublime ground of confidence, Nehemiah is able to proceed to his second point-his assertion of the determination of the Jews to arise and build. This is quite positive and absolute. The brave man states it, too, in the clearest possible language. Now the work is about to begin there is to be no subterfuge or disguise. Nehemiahs unflinching determination is based on the religious confession that precedes it. The Jews are Gods servants, they are engaged in His work, they know He will prosper them, therefore they most certainly will not stay their hand for all the gibes and taunts of their neighbours. Lastly, Nehemiah contemptuously repudiates the claim of these impertinent intruders to interfere in the work of the Jews, he tells them that they have no excuse for their meddling, for they own no property in Jerusalem, they have no right of citizenship or of control from without, and there are no tombs of their ancestors in the sacred city.
In this message of Nehemiahs we seem to hear an echo of the old words with which the temple-builders rejected the offer of assistance from the Samaritans, and which were the beginning of the whole course of jealous antagonism on the part of the irritated neighbours. But the circumstances are entirely altered. It is not a friendly offer of co-operation, but its very opposite, a hostile and insulting message designed to hinder the Jews, that is here so proudly resented. In the reply of Nehemiah we hear the church refusing to bend to the will of the world, because the world has no right to trespass on her territory. Gods work is not to be tampered with by insolent meddlers. Jewish exclusiveness is painfully narrow, at least in our estimation of it, when it refuses to welcome strangers or to recognise the good that lies outside the sacred enclosure, but this same characteristic becomes a noble quality, with high ethical and religious aims, when it firmly refuses to surrender its duty to God at the bidding of the outside world. The Christian can scarcely imitate Nehemiahs tone and temper in this matter, and yet if he is loyal to his God he will feel that he must be equally decided and uncompromising in declining to give up any part of what he believes to be his service of Christ to please men who unhappily as yet have “no part, or right, or memorial” in the New Jerusalem, although, unlike the Jew of old, he will be only too glad that all men should come in and share his privileges.
After receiving an annoying answer it was only natural that the antagonistic neighbours of the Jews should be still more embittered in their animosity. At the first news of his coming to befriend the children of Israel, as Nehemiah says, Sanballat and Tobiah were grieved, but when the building operations were actually in process the Samaritan leader passed from vexation to rage-“he was wroth and took great indignation.” {Neh 4:1} This man now assumed the lead in opposition to the Jews. His mockery became more bitter and insulting. In this he was joined by his friend the Ammonite, who declared that if only one of the foxes that prowl on the neighbouring hills were to jump upon the wall the creature would break it down. {Neh 4:3} Perhaps he had received a hint from some of his spies that the new work that had been so hastily pressed forward was not any too solid. The “Palestine Exploration Fund” has brought to light the foundations of what is believed to be a part of Nehemiahs wall at Ophel, and the base of it is seen to be of rubble, not founded on the rock, but built on the clay above, so that it has been possible to drive a mine under it from one side to the other-a rough piece of work, very different from the beautifully finished temple walls.
Nehemiah met the renewed shower of insults in a startling manner. He cursed his enemies. {Neh 4:4} Deploring before God the contempt that was heaped on the Jews, he prayed that the reproach of the enemies might be turned on their own head, devoted them to the horrors of a new captivity, and even went so far as to beg that no atonement might be found for their iniquity, that their sin might not be blotted out. In a word, instead of himself forgiving his enemies, he besought that they might not be forgiven by God. We shudder as we read his terrible words. This is not the Christ spirit. It is even contrary to the less merciful spirit of the Old Testament. Yet, to be just to Nehemiah, we must consider the whole case. It is most unfair to tear his curse out of the history and gibbet it as a specimen of Jewish piety. Even strong men who will not give way before ridicule may feel its stabs-for strength is not inconsistent with sensitiveness. Evidently Nehemiah was irritated, but then he was much provoked. For the moment he lost his self-possession. We must remember that the strain of his great undertaking was most exhausting, and we must be patient with the utterances of one so sorely tried. If lethargic people criticise adversely the hasty utterances of a more intense nature, they forget that, though they may never lose their self-control, neither do they ever rouse themselves to the daring energy of the man whose failings they blame. Then it was not any personal insults hurled against himself that Nehemiah resented so fiercely. It was his work that the Samaritans were trying to hinder. This he believed to be really Gods work, so that the insults offered to the Jews were also directed against God, who must have been angry also. We cannot justify the curse by the standard of the Christian law, but it is not reasonable to apply that standard to it. We must set it by the side of the Maledictory Psalms. From the standpoint of its author it can be fully accounted for. To say that even in this way it can be defended, however, is to go too far. We have no occasion to persuade ourselves that any of the Old Testament saints were immaculate, even in the light of Judaism. Nehemiah was a great and good man, yet he was not an Old Testament Christ.
But now more serious opposition was to be encountered. Such enemies as those angry men of Samaria were not likely to be content with venting their spleen in idle mockery. When they saw that the keenest shafts of their wit failed to stop the work of the citizens of Jerusalem, Sanballat and his friends found it necessary to proceed to more active measures, and accordingly they entered into a conspiracy for the double purpose of carrying on actual warfare and of intriguing with disaffected citizens of Jerusalem-“to cause confusion therein.” {Neh 4:8; Neh 4:11} Nehemiah was too observant and penetrating a statesman not to become aware of what was going on, the knowledge that the plots existed revealed the extent of his danger, and compelled him to make active preparations for thwarting them. We may notice several important points in the process of the defence.
1. Prayer.- This was the first, and in Nehemiahs mind the most essential defensive measure. We find him resorting to it in every important juncture of his life. It is his sheet-anchor. But now “he uses the plural number. Hitherto we have met only with his private prayers.” In the present case he says, “We made our prayer unto our God.” {Neh 4:9} Had the infection of his prayerful spirit reached his fellow-citizens, so that they now shared it? Was it that the imminence of fearful danger drove to prayer men who under ordinary circumstances forgot their need of God? Or were both influences at work? However it was brought about, this association in prayer of some of the Jews with their governor must have been the greatest comfort to him, as it was the best ground for the hope that God would not now let them fall into the hands of the enemy. Hitherto there had been a melancholy solitariness about the earnest devotion of Nehemiah. The success of his mission began to show itself when the citizens began to participate in the same spirit of devotion.
2. Watchfulness.- Nehemiah was not the fanatic to blunder into the delusion that prayer was a substitute for duty, instead of being its inspiration. All that followed the prayer was really based upon it. The calmness, hope, and courage won in the high act of communion with God made it possible to take the necessary steps in the outer world. Since the greatest danger was not expected as an open assault, it was most necessary that an unbroken watch should be maintained, day and night. Nehemiah had spies out in the surrounding country, who reported to him every planned attack. So thorough was this system of espionage, that though no less than ten plots were concocted by the enemy, they were all discovered to Nehemiah, and all frustrated by him.
3. Encouragement.- The Jews were losing heart. The men of Judah came to Nehemiah with the complaint that the labourers who were at work on the great heaps of rubbish were suffering from exhaustion. The reduction in the numbers of workmen, owing to the appointment of the guard, would have still further increased the strain of those who were left to toil among the mounds. But it would have been fatal to draw back at this juncture. That would have been to invite the enemy to rush in and complete the discomfiture of the Jews. On Nehemiah came the obligation of cheering the dispirited citizens. Even the leading men who should have rallied the people, like officers at the head of their troops, shared the general depression. Nehemiah was again alone-or at best supported by the silent sympathy of his companions in prayer, There was very nearly a panic, and for one man to stand out under such circumstances as these in solitary courage, not only resisting the strong contagion of fear, but stemming the tide ant counteracting its movement, this would be indeed the sublimity of heroism. It was a severe test for Nehemiah, and he came out of it triumphant. His faith was the inspiration of his own courage, and it became the ground for the encouragement of others. He addressed the people and their nobles in a spirited appeal. First, he exhorted them to banish fear. The very tone of his voice must have been reassuring; the presence of one brave man in a crowd of cowards often shames them out of their weakness. But Nehemiah proceeded to give reasons for his encouragement. Let the men remember their God Jehovah, how great and terrible He is! The cause is His, and His might and terror will defend it. Let them think of their people and their families, and fight for brethren and children, for wives and homes! Cowardice is unbelief and selfishness combined. Trust in God and a sense of duty to others will master the weakness.
4. Arms.- Nehemiah gave the first place to the spiritual and moral defences of Jerusalem. Yet his material defences were none the less thorough on account of his prayers to God or his eloquent exhortation of the people and their leaders. They were most complete.
His arrangements for the military protection of Jerusalem converted the whole city into an armed camp. Half the citizens in turn were to leave their work, and stand at arms with swords and spears and bows. Even in the midst of the building operations the clatter of weapons was heard among the stones, because the masons at work on the walls and the labourers while they poised on their heads baskets full of rubbish from the excavations had swords attached to their sashes. Residents of the suburbs were required to stay in the city instead of returning home for the night, and no man could put off a single article of clothing when he lay down to sleep. Nor was this martial array deemed sufficient without some special provision against a surprise. Nehemiah therefore went about with a trumpeter, ready to summon all hands to any point of danger on the first alarm.
Still, though the Jews were hampered with these preparations for battle, tired with toil and watching, and troubled by dreadful apprehensions, the work went on. This is a great proof of the excellency of Nehemiahs generalship. He did not sacrifice the building to the fighting. The former was itself designed to produce a permanent defence, while the arms were only for temporary use. When the walls were up the citizens could give the laugh back to their foes. But in itself the very act of working was reassuring. Idleness is a prey to fears which industry has no time to entertain. Every man who tries to do his duty as a servant of God is unconsciously building a wall about himself that will be his shelter in the hour of peril.