2 That I gave my brother H251 Hanani, H2607 and Hananiah H2608 the ruler H8269 of the palace, H1002 charge H6680 over Jerusalem: H3389 for he was a faithful H571 man, H376 and feared H3372 God H430 above many. H7227
And a letter H107 unto Asaph H623 the keeper H8104 of the king's H4428 forest, H6508 that he may give H5414 me timber H6086 to make beams H7136 for the gates H8179 of the palace H1002 which appertained to the house, H1004 and for the wall H2346 of the city, H5892 and for the house H1004 that I shall enter into. H935 And the king H4428 granted H5414 me, according to the good H2896 hand H3027 of my God H430 upon me.
And Ahab H256 called H7121 Obadiah, H5662 which was the governor of his house. H1004 (Now Obadiah H5662 feared H3373 the LORD H3068 greatly: H3966
Then H116 the presidents H5632 and princes H324 sought H1934 H1156 to find H7912 occasion H5931 against Daniel H1841 concerning H6655 the kingdom; H4437 but H3606 they could H3202 find H7912 none H3809 occasion H5931 nor H3809 fault; H7844 forasmuch H6903 as he was faithful, H540 neither H3809 was there any H3606 error H7960 or fault H7844 found H7912 in him. H5922
G3739 G1161 Moreover G3063 it is required G2212 in G1722 stewards, G3623 that G2443 a man G5100 be found G2147 faithful. G4103
He that is faithful G4103 in G1722 that which is least G1646 is G2076 faithful G4103 also G2532 in G1722 much: G4183 and G2532 he that is unjust G94 in G1722 the least G1646 is G2076 unjust G94 also G2532 in G1722 much. G4183 If G1487 therefore G3767 ye have G1096 not G3756 been G1096 faithful G4103 in G1722 the unrighteous G94 mammon, G3126 who G5101 will commit G4100 to your G5213 trust G4100 the true G228 riches? And G2532 if G1487 ye have G1096 not G3756 been G1096 faithful G4103 in G1722 that which is another man's, G245 who G5101 shall give G1325 you G5213 that which is your own? G5212
G1161 His G846 lord G2962 said G5346 unto him, G846 Well done, G2095 thou good G18 and G2532 faithful G4103 servant: G1401 thou hast been G2258 faithful G4103 over G1909 a few things, G3641 I will make G2525 thee G4571 ruler G2525 over G1909 many things: G4183 enter thou G1525 into G1519 the joy G5479 of thy G4675 lord. G2962
Who G5101 then G686 is G2076 a faithful G4103 and G2532 wise G5429 servant, G1401 whom G3739 his G846 lord G2962 hath made ruler G2525 over G1909 his G846 household, G2322 to give G1325 them G846 meat G5160 in G1722 due season? G2540
And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto them the third H7992 day, H3117 This do, H6213 and live; H2421 for I fear H3373 God: H430
The LORD H3068 is exalted; H7682 for he dwelleth H7931 on high: H4791 he hath filled H4390 Zion H6726 with judgment H4941 and righteousness. H6666 And wisdom H2451 and knowledge H1847 shall be the stability H530 of thy times, H6256 and strength H2633 of salvation: H3444 the fear H3374 of the LORD H3068 is his treasure. H214
Mine eyes H5869 shall be upon the faithful H539 of the land, H776 that they may dwell H3427 with me: he that walketh H1980 in a perfect H8549 way, H1870 he shall serve H8334 me.
There was a man H376 in the land H776 of Uz, H5780 whose name H8034 was Job; H347 and that man H376 was perfect H8535 and upright, H3477 and one that feared H3373 God, H430 and eschewed H5493 evil. H7451
And I made treasurers H686 over the treasuries, H214 Shelemiah H8018 the priest, H3548 and Zadok H6659 the scribe, H5608 and of the Levites, H3881 Pedaiah: H6305 and next to them H3027 was Hanan H2605 the son H1121 of Zaccur, H2139 the son H1121 of Mattaniah: H4983 for they were counted H2803 faithful, H539 and their office was to distribute H2505 unto their brethren. H251
But the former H7223 governors H6346 that had been before H6440 me were chargeable H3513 unto the people, H5971 and had taken H3947 of them bread H3899 and wine, H3196 beside H310 forty H705 shekels H8255 of silver; H3701 yea, even H1571 their servants H5288 bare rule H7980 over the people: H5971 but so did H6213 not I, because H6440 of the fear H3374 of God. H430
And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone H3212 from thee, that the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 shall carry H5375 thee whither I know H3045 not; and so when I come H935 and tell H5046 Ahab, H256 and he cannot find H4672 thee, he shall slay H2026 me: but I thy servant H5650 fear H3372 the LORD H3068 from my youth. H5271
My servant H5650 Moses H4872 is not so, who is faithful H539 in all mine house. H1004
Moreover thou shalt provide H2372 out of all the people H5971 able H2428 men, H582 such as fear H3373 God, H430 men H582 of truth, H571 hating H8130 covetousness; H1215 and place H7760 such over them, to be rulers H8269 of thousands, H505 and rulers H8269 of hundreds, H3967 rulers H8269 of fifties, H2572 and rulers H8269 of tens: H6235
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 7
Commentary on Nehemiah 7 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
II. Nehemiah's Further Exertions in Behalf of the Community - Nehemiah 7:1
The building of the wall being now concluded, Nehemiah first made arrangements for securing the city against hostile attacks (Nehemiah 7:1-3); then took measures to increase the inhabitants of Jerusalem (7:4-73 and Nehemiah 11:1 and Nehemiah 11:2); and finally endeavoured to fashion domestic and civil life according to the precepts of the law (Neh 8-10), and, on the occasion of the solemn dedication of the wall, to set in order the services of the Levites (Neh 12).
Nehemiah 7:1-2
The watching of the city provided for . - Nehemiah 7:1 When the wall was built, Nehemiah set up the doors in the gates, to complete the fortification of Jerusalem (comp. Nehemiah 6:1). Then were the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites entrusted with the care ( הפּקד , praefici ; comp. Nehemiah 12:14). The care of watching the walls and gates is meant in this connection. According to ancient appointment, it was the duty of the doorkeepers to keep watch over the house of God, and to open and close the gates of the temple courts; comp. 1 Chronicles 9:17-19; 1 Chronicles 26:12-19. The singers and the Levites appointed to assist the priests, on the contrary, had, in ordinary times, nothing to do with the service of watching. Under the present extraordinary circumstances, however, Nehemiah committed also to these two organized corporations the task of keeping watch over the walls and gates of the city, and placed them under the command of his brother Hanani, and of Hananiah the ruler of the citadel. This is expressed by the words, Nehemiah 7:2 : I gave Hanani ... and Hananiah ... charge over Jerusalem. הבּירה is the fortress or citadel of the city lying to the north of the temple (see rem. on Nehemiah 2:8), in which was probably located the royal garrison, the commander of which was in the service of the Persian king. The choice of this man for so important a charge is explained by the additional clause: “for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.” The כּ before אישׁ is the so-called Caph veritatis , which expresses a comparison with the idea of the matter: like a man whom one may truly call faithful. מרבּים is comparative: more God-fearing than many.
Nehemiah 7:3
The Chethiv ויאמר is both here and Nehemiah 5:9 certainly a clerical error for the Keri ואמר , though in this place, at all events, we might read ויּאמר , it was said to them. “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened till the sun be hot; and while they (the watch) are yet at their posts, they are to shut the doors and lock them; and ye shall appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some to be at their watch-posts, others before their house.” יגיפוּ in Hebrew is used only here, though more frequently in the Talmud, of closing the doors. אחז , to make fast, i.e., to lock, as more frequently in Syriac. The infin. absol . העמיד instead of the temp. fin . is emphatic: and you are to appoint. The sense is: the gates are to be occupied before daybreak by the Levites (singers and other Levites) appointed to guard them, and not opened till the sun is hot and the watch already at their posts, and to be closed in the evening before the departure of the watch. After the closing of the gates, i.e., during the night, the inhabitants of Jerusalem are to keep watch for the purpose of defending the city from any kind of attack, a part occupying the posts, and the other part watching before their (each before his own) house, so as to be at hand to defend the city.
Nehemiah 7:4
The measures taken by Nehemiah for increasing the number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. - Nehemiah 7:4 The city was spacious and great, and the people few therein, and houses were not built. ידים רחבת , broads on both sides, that is, regarded from the centre towards either the right or left hand. The last clause does not say that there were no houses at all, for the city had been re-inhabited for ninety years; but only that houses had not been built in proportion to the size of the city, that there was still much unoccupied space on which houses might be built.
And God put into my heart, i.e., God inspired me with the resolution; comp. Nehemiah 2:12. What resolution, is declared by the sentences following, which detail its execution. The resolution to gather together the nobles and rulers of the people for the purpose of making a list of their kinsmen, and thus to obtain a basis for the operations contemplated for increasing the inhabitants of Jerusalem. והסּגנים החרים are combined, as in Nehemiah 2:16. On התיחשׂ , comp. 1 Chronicles 5:17.
While this resolve was under consideration, Nehemiah found the register, i.e., the genealogical registry, of those who came up at first (from Babylon). בּראשׁונה , at the beginning, i.e., with Zerubbabel and Joshua under Cyrus (Ezra 2), and not subsequently with Ezra (Ezra 7). “And I found written therein.” These words introduce the list now given. This list, vv. 6-73 a , is identical with that in Ezra 2, and has been already discussed in our remarks on that chapter.