Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 4:4

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:

4, 5. Nehemiah’s Soliloquy and Prayer. A parenthesis

4. This is the first of the parenthetical addresses to the Almighty, which are a characteristic feature of Nehemiah’s writing. See also Neh 5:19, Neh 6:9; Neh 6:14, Neh 13:14; Neh 13:22.

Hear, O our God ] Cf. Lam 3:61, ‘Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord, and all their devices against me.’

for we are despised ] Literally, ‘we have become an object of contempt.’ The people are inseparable from their God; the mockery of Sanballat and Tobiah directed against the Jews affects Jehovah.

turn their reproach upon their own head ] R.V. turn back &c. Cf. Psa 79:12, ‘And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.’ Lam 3:64, ‘Thou wilt render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.’

and give them for a prey in the land of captivity ] R.V. and give them up to spoiling in a land of captivity ‘Spoiling,’ a word used in late Hebrew (2Ch 14:13; 2Ch 25:13 ; 2Ch 28:14; Ezr 9:7; Est 9:10; Est 9:15-16; Dan 11:24; Dan 11:33) here, as in Ezr 9:7, Dan 11:33, to denote the process of plundering, not as in A.V. the thing plundered and carried off. ‘A land of captivity’ (not ‘the land’), the expression is general, but obviously Nehemiah wishes for the enemies of the Jews the misfortunes of his own race.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The parenthetical prayers of Nehemiah form one of the most striking characteristics of his history. Here we have the first. Other examples are Neh 5:19; Neh 6:9, Neh 6:14; Neh 13:14, Neh 13:22, Neh 13:29, Neh 13:31.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. Turn their reproach upon their own head] A prayer of this kind, understood literally, is not lawful for any Christian. Jesus, our great master, has said, “Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you.” Such sayings as the above are excusable in the mouth of a Jew, under severe irritation. See the next verse.

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

Turn their reproach upon their own head; let them be really as contemptible as they represent us to be. This, and the following requests, may seem harsh, but they were both just, as being directed against such malicious, inveterate, and implacable enemies to God and to his people, and necessary for the vindication and defence of Gods honour, and worship, and people.

Give them for a prey in the land of captivity; let them be removed from our neighbourhood, and carried into captivity; and there let them find no favour, but further severity. Or,

give them for a prey to their enemies, and let these carry them into

the land of captivity.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4, 5. Hear, O our God; for we aredespisedThe imprecations invoked here may seem harsh, cruel,and vindictive; but it must be remembered that Nehemiah and hisfriends regarded those Samaritan leaders as enemies to the cause ofGod and His people, and therefore as deserving to be visited withheavy judgments. The prayer, therefore, is to be considered asemanating from hearts in which neither hatred, revenge, nor anyinferior passion, but a pious and patriotic zeal for the glory of Godand the success of His cause, held the ascendant sway.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Hear, O our God, for we are despised,…. Here begins the prayer of Nehemiah, who had been informed of what these men said in contempt of him, and his builders, and to whom he sent no answer, but applied to God:

and turn their reproach upon their own head; as they have despised and reproached us, let them be despised and reproached by their neighbours:

give them for a prey in the land of captivity; let them be carried captive, as we have been, and become a prey and booty to their enemies.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(3:36-37)

When Nehemiah heard of these contemptuous words, he committed the matter to God, entreating Him to hear how they (the Jews) were become a scorn, i.e., a subject of contempt, to turn the reproach of the enemies upon their own head, and to give them up the plunder in a land of captivity, i.e., in a land in which they would dwell as captives. He supplicates, moreover, that God would not cover, i.e., forgive (Psa 85:3), their iniquity, and that their sin might not be blotted out from before His face, i.e., might not remain unpunished, “for they have provoked to wrath before the builders,” i.e., openly challenged the wrath of God, by despising Him before the builders, so that they heard it. without an object, spoken of provoking the divine wrath by grievous sins; comp. 2Ki 21:6 with 2Ch 33:6.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(4) Hear, O our God.The habit of Nehemiah is to turn everything to devotion as he goes on. This prayer is full of an angry jealousy for the honour of a jealous God.

They have provoked thee.The tone of its holy revenge pervades the Old Testament, and has not altogether departed in the New.

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

4. Hear, O our God The bitter scorn and derision of the enemy causes Nehemiah to break out with an imprecatory prayer.

Turn their reproach Let them fall under the reproach and scorn that now afflict us.

A prey in the land of captivity Bring them to suffer violence and abuse in captivity. The land of captivity is to be understood of any land in which the persons referred to might dwell as captives.

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

(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.

Observe, in the conduct of Nehemiah, where the believer’s resource is in the time of persecution: even at a throne of grace. Here we may lodge all our concerns. And here we are sure of success; for here is One, whom the Father heareth alway.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Neh 4:4 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:

Ver. 4. Hear, O our God ] These mocks and menaces lay so heavy upon Nehemiah’s spirit, that he could not ease himself but by breathing heavenward; and turning them over to God to take an order with them. His prayer is not long, but full. A child may not chat in his father’s presence: his words must be humble, earnest, direct to the point, avoiding vain babblings and tedious drawn out affairs.

For we are despised ] Heb. We are contempt in the abstract. Not vilified we are only, but nullified, as a company of , no bodies. So Paul (the most precious man upon earth) and his companions (the glory of Christ, and a royal diadem in the hand of Jehovah, Isa 62:3 ) were looked upon as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things, 1Co 4:13 . What matter is it, then, what becometh of us? We have a God to turn us to, and Demetrius hath testimony of the truth; that is enough, let Diotrephes prate what he pleaseth, 3Jn 1:9 .

And turn their reproach upon their own heads ] Surely God scorneth these scorners, saith Solomon, Pro 3:34 ; that is, saith Rabbi Levi upon that text, he casts them into some calamity, and so makes them a laughing stock to those whom they have laughed at. God loves to retaliate, to pay men home in their own coin. Thus he dealt by Appion of Alexandria; who, scoffing at religion (and especially at circumcision), had an ulcer the same time and in the same place (Josephus). The like ill end befell Julian the apostate, whose daily practice was to scoff at Christ and his people. Dioclesian the emperor (as Volaterran writes) had a jester called Genesius, who used to make him merry at meals, and, among their devices, would scoff and squib at Christians; but God plagued him, for example to others. And the like he did to Morgan, that mocking bishop of St David’s; to John Apowel, who derided William Mauldon for his devotion; and lastly, to one Lever, of Brightwell, in Berkshire, who said that he saw that ill-favoured knave Latimer when he was burned at Oxford, and that he had teeth like a horse. But the Lord suffered not this scorn and contempt of his servant to pass unpunished; for that very day, and about the same hour, that Lever spake these words, his son wickedly hanged himself, saith mine author. Lege, cave. Read and take note!

And give them for a prey, &c. ] A heavy curse, and, as not causeless (against implacable enemies to God and goodness), so nor fruitless. Woe be to such as against whom the saints, moved with a zeal of God, shall imprecate vengeance. God usually inflicts what they denounce against his and their irreconcilable adversaries. Fire proceeds out of their mouths, &c., Rev 11:5 .

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

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 4:4-5

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. 5Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.

Neh 4:4 The book of Nehemiah highlights Nehemiah’s prayer life. Neh 4:4-5 is his prayer to God to defend His people and judge their enemies. There are three VERBS (IMPERATIVES) used as entreaties to God.

Hear The VERB (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE) means to hear so as to do. It is used often in Deuteronomy to encourage the covenant people to covenant faithfulness (cf. Deu 4:1; Deu 5:1-7; Deu 6:4; Deu 9:1; Deu 20:3; Deu 27:9). Here Nehemiah calls on God to be faithful to His covenant promises of protection.

Return. . .give The first VERB (BDB 996, KB 1427) is a Hiphil IMPERATIVE. The second (BDB 678, KB 733) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. Both are used as supplications to God.

despised. . .plunder There may be a sound word play between these two terms (BDB 100 & 103).

reproach The term (BDB 357) means the taunt of an enemy (cf. Neh 5:9). The term is used often in Jeremiah.

Nehemiah asked God to do to them what they want to do to His people (idiom, on their own heads). He even asks for their exile!

Neh 4:5

NASB, TEVforgive

NKJV, NRSVcover

NJBpardon

This negated VERB is literally to cover (ksh, BDB 491, KB 487, Peel JUSSIVE). The NOUN was used to hide or to conceal. It is rarely used in the sense of forgive, but usually this is reserved for kpr (BDB 497). In Jer 18:23, to which Nehemiah seems to allude, he substitutes ksh for kpr (see NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 692). See Special Topic: Forgiveness in the OT .

iniquity. . .sin The first term (BDB 730) means to bend or to twist. It becomes the metaphor which denotes perversion from God’s law (e.g., Gen 15:16; Exo 20:5-6; Lev 16:22). The terms right, just, and straight are used to describe God’s character and word (see Special Topic below). To deviate from the standard is sin, rebellion.

The second term’s (BDB 308) basic meaning is to miss the mark. It implies a violation of God’s law (e.g., Lev 4:2). This is the most common term for sin in the OT.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Righteousness

be blotted out Neh 4:5 starts with two NEGATED parallel lines. The term blotted out (BDB 562, KB 567, Niphal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense) is a metaphor for removing something from one’s memory (cf. Jer 23:18). Nehemiah asks that God not forgive or blot out the words of the Jews’ enemies.

NASBfor they have demoralized the builders

NKJVfor they have provoked You to anger before the builders

NRSVfor they have hurled insults in the face of the builders

TEVfor they have insulted us who are building

NJBfor they have insulted the builders to their face

The VERB (BDB 494, KB 491, Hiphil PERFECT) means to provoke to anger. It is often used of provoking God (e.g., 2Ch 28:25, cf. NKJV), but the context demands that it refer to the workmanship of the Jewish volunteer (non-professional builders) labor force.

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Hear. turn. Figure of speech Apostrophe. Nehemiah’s prayer an echo of Psalms 120, 121, 123:3-4, 124, 125, 127, and 129. In accord with that dispensation.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

despised = become a taunt.

captivity. Some codices, with six early printed editions and Syriac, read “their captivity”.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Hear: Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4

despised: Heb. despite

turn: 1Sa 17:26, Psa 79:12, Pro 3:34, Hos 12:14

Reciprocal: Jdg 12:4 – fugitives 2Sa 6:20 – glorious Neh 6:14 – think thou Pro 18:3 – General Jer 18:19 – hearken Jer 18:23 – forgive Lam 1:22 – all their Lam 5:1 – behold Eze 25:6 – rejoiced

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Neh 4:4-5. Hear, O our God Nehemiah here interrupts the relation, to mention the prayer he made on the occasion. Turn their reproach upon their own head Let them really be as contemptible as they represent us to be. This and the following requests must seem harsh to us, who are taught by the Lord Jesus to love our enemies, to bless those that curse us, and pray for those that despitefully use and persecute us. Probably they were uttered rather by a spirit of prophecy than a spirit of prayer, and are to be considered as declaratory of the judgments of God against persecutors. They certainly had their accomplishment in the subsequent doom of these nations. And give them for a prey in the land of their captivity Let them be removed from our neighbourhood, and carried into captivity; and there let them find no favour, but further severity. Or, give them for a prey to their enemies, and let these carry them into the land of captivity. And cover not their iniquity Let their wickedness be in thy sight, so as to bring down judgments upon them, that either they may be reformed, or others may be warned by their example. God is said to cover or hide sin, when he forbears to punish it. For they have provoked thee They have not only provoked us builders, but thee also. Or, they have provoked, or derided, the builders to their face; that is, openly and impudently, in contempt of God, and of this work, which is done by his direction and encouragement. Nehemiah, in these petitions, if they be petitions, and not rather predictions, as has just been intimated, is not to be imitated by us, but rather he, whose disciples we profess to be, and who, when upon the cross, and under the bitterest agonies, prayed most fervently for the forgiveness of those that crucified him.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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

(c) This is the remedy that the children of God have against the derision and threatenings of their enemies, to flee to God by prayer.

(d) Let them be spoiled and led away captive.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes