5 And my God H430 put H5414 into mine heart H3820 to gather together H6908 the nobles, H2715 and the rulers, H5461 and the people, H5971 that they might be reckoned by genealogy. H3187 And I found H4672 a register H5612 of the genealogy H3188 of them which came up H5927 at the first, H7223 and found H4672 written H3789 therein,
So all Israel H3478 were reckoned by genealogies; H3187 and, behold, they were written H3789 in the book H5612 of the kings H4428 of Israel H3478 and Judah, H3063 who were carried away H1540 to Babylon H894 for their transgression. H4604 Now the first H7223 inhabitants H3427 that dwelt in their possessions H272 in their cities H5892 were, the Israelites, H3478 the priests, H3548 Levites, H3881 and the Nethinims. H5411 And in Jerusalem H3389 dwelt H3427 of the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 and of the children H1121 of Benjamin, H1144 and of the children H1121 of Ephraim, H669 and Manasseh; H4519 Uthai H5793 the son H1121 of Ammihud, H5989 the son H1121 of Omri, H6018 the son H1121 of Imri, H566 the son H1121 of Bani, H1137 of the children H1121 of Pharez H6557 the son H1121 of Judah. H3063 And of the Shilonites; H7888 Asaiah H6222 the firstborn, H1060 and his sons. H1121 And of the sons H1121 of Zerah; H2226 Jeuel, H3262 and their brethren, H251 six H8337 hundred H3967 and ninety. H8673 And of the sons H1121 of Benjamin; H1144 Sallu H5543 the son H1121 of Meshullam, H4918 the son H1121 of Hodaviah, H1938 the son H1121 of Hasenuah, H5574 And Ibneiah H2997 the son H1121 of Jeroham, H3395 and Elah H425 the son H1121 of Uzzi, H5813 the son H1121 of Michri, H4381 and Meshullam H4918 the son H1121 of Shephathiah, H8203 the son H1121 of Reuel, H7467 the son H1121 of Ibnijah; H2998 And their brethren, H251 according to their generations, H8435 nine H8672 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 and six. H8337 All these men H582 were chief H7218 of the fathers H1 in the house H1004 of their fathers. H1
Think H2142 upon me, my God, H430 for good, H2896 according to all that I have done H6213 for this people. H5971
But G1161 by the grace G5485 of God G2316 I am G1510 what G3739 I am: G1510 and G2532 his G846 grace G5485 which was bestowed upon G1519 me G1691 was G1096 not G3756 in vain; G2756 but G235 I laboured G2872 more abundantly G4054 than they G846 all: G3956 yet G1161 not G3756 I, G1473 but G235 the grace G5485 of God G2316 which G3588 was with G4862 me. G1698
Wherefore, G5620 my G3450 beloved, G27 as G2531 ye have G5219 always G3842 obeyed, G5219 not G3361 as G5613 in G1722 my G3450 presence G3952 only, G3440 but G235 now G3568 much G4183 more G3123 in G1722 my G3450 absence, G666 work out G2716 your own G1438 salvation G4991 with G3326 fear G5401 and G2532 trembling. G5156 For G1063 it is G2076 God G2316 which G3588 worketh G1754 in G1722 you G5213 both G2532 to will G2309 and G2532 to do G1754 of G5228 his good pleasure. G2107
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.